The Northwest Passage
an intense challenge
22 October 2017
5
In Sitka, Alaska, the WHY crew are safe and sound! After an emotionally rich journey, a well-deserved break awaits them.
On their journey to the Pacific Ocean from Greenland, the <strong>Northwest Passage</strong> presented challenge after challenge. Never before had the ship struggled so much with the ice and communication problems, both of which made navigation extremely complicated! That’s before we mention the many <strong>scientific dives</strong> that had to be carried out, the filming of the documentary, the photo coverage needed and the management of the on-board lives of about 15 people - including two children: Robin, five, and Tom, one!<br />
<br />
Yet despite these pressures, the crew will always have wonderful memories of this time, starting with the dives. With the light of the blue lamps and the yellow filters, they uncovered <strong>a mysterious world</strong>. This was just one of many unique experiences, such as the passage from Peel Sound. Trapped in an ice field as compact as it was thick, Ghislain Bardout, his wife and their team-mates crossed paths with the Lords of the Arctic: <strong>polar bears!</strong> In this case, two males and a female, followed by her cubs were on the look-out for bird nests and seals. Another breathtaking spectacle took place a few days later, when Emmanuelle and Tom, who woke up in the middle of the night, made the most of the situation and took in their first <strong>Aurora Borealis</strong> from the deck. Reaching Kodiak, the largest island in Alaska, was just as magic! Whales and sea otters accompanied the <strong>WHY</strong> until it docked, before the crew took a bath in a hot spring, taking advantage of the surrounding nature!<br />
<br />
A few months of hibernation now lie ahead. It’s time to prepare future expeditions and to examine the data that the team has collected. See you soon for more new adventures!
