In the Arctic and around the Arctic Circle

Description

To sail in the North is relatively easy during summer months even for small vessels, but it’s mandatory to have a sturdy and well prepared boat, like the one we used.
The Arctic routes since the sixteenth century have always been interesting for our countries and they are becoming right now even more in the center of everybody’s attention.
Our experience extended across many years and different situations throughout the Arctic Ocean, including numerous, occasionally dire circumstances, some of which are described in detail. It has expanded beyond leisure objectives to include scientific environmental studies as well as the exploration of rarely visited locations.
We go into some depth about our travels to the Svalbard Archipelago, via the Northern Sea Route and the Nortwest Passage, as well as some of the difficulties we encountered.
The ensuing recommendations for getting ready are particularly focused on the significance of paying close attention to details, both in terms of safety first and foremost as well as other aspects, such as crew psychology and attention to local people and animals.
For trips to the ever more important Arctic, a smaller well prepared boat may be best suited.