Finnmark And Arrival In Svalbard (Spitsbergen), 2002

by John July 25, 2002

As I write this we are anchored in a small harbour formed by an old moraine, on the west coast of Spitsbergen, about a mile from the snout of a glacier. It is very different than Greenland in that the glaciers are much less active (smaller ice cap) and so we can get a lot [...]

Our Furthest North 2002

by John September 5, 2002

We last wrote from the west coast of Spitsbergen. From there we continued north visiting several anchorages, the most interesting being Virgohamna from where André left on his fatal attempt to reach the North Pole in a balloon. The dry Svalbard climate has preserved the remains of this expedition, and the slightly later Wellman attempt, [...]

Shetlands And Iceland, 2003

by Phyllis July 13, 2003

Well, we finally made the break from Norway and leaving was as hard as we expected it to be. Especially since we left the coast at Ålesund, one of the most beautiful of Norwegian cities and especially beautiful in the long golden light of late evening with a perfect rainbow framing the city thrown in [...]

Greenland 2003

by John September 5, 2003
A map showing the 2003 south east Greenland cruise of aluminum expedition sailboat Morgan's Cloud

Our last news letter was written from Isafjørdur on the northwest coast of Iceland where we were getting ready to cross Denmark Strait to Greenland. This comes to you from the Bras d’Or Lakes, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. The intervening 2000 miles and seven weeks have been intense, rewarding, and yes, stressful too.

Circumnavigating Greenland

by John May 19, 2004

Question: I am wondering if you know whether anyone has circumnavigated Greenland in a sailboat. Do you think it’s possible? My guess is that global warming has changed things up there and it may now be possible.

Getting Money And Shopping In Greenland

by John May 19, 2004

Question: How easy is it to get money and shop in Greenland?

Getting Greenland Ice Charts By Satellite Phone

by John January 1, 2005

Question: What can you tell me about receiving Greenland ice charts by satellite phone?  Is it a good solution and more reliable than weather fax?

North Atlantic Circle Via Iceland

by John May 18, 2005

Question: Next May we are taking our new (old) boat on a shakedown to Bermuda and back (our home port is Deltaville, VA, on the southern Chesapeake Bay). After that, we’ve been imagining a summer voyage in the Atlantic, maybe Azores-Ireland-Iceland-Canada-Chesapeake. My question is, is there a good route strategy for this trip?

Newfoundland Via Greenland To The Azores

by John May 18, 2005

Question: We plan to sail from St. John’s, Newfoundland mid-June straight to Sisimiut, Greenland direct, if possible. From there spend July and August sailing slowly to Cape Farewell from where we plan to leave bound for the Azores. Any comments?

What Is The Middle Pack?

by John May 18, 2005

Question: I am planning a passage from Cartwright, Labrador to Disko Bay in Greenland leaving about July 1st. You wrote that I should watch out for the ‘Middle Pack’, please explain.

Newfoundland To Iceland Direct

by John May 18, 2005

Question: Is heading from the Strait of Belle Isle towards a point about 200 miles south of Cape Farewell, then heading towards Reykjavik, a practical strategy given your experience with wind, weather and ice?

Which Paper Charts For Greenland?

by John May 19, 2005

Question: What charts do you recommend for cruising Greenland? We have C-Map charts but they have insufficient coverage.

Crew Changes On The West Coast Of Greenland

by John May 19, 2005

Question: What is your experience with changing crew in Greenland?  Should we plan to go to the large airport at Kangerlussuaq (Sondre Stromfjord) to pick up new crew?

Literature And Sailing Singlehanded On The East Coast Of Greenland

by John May 19, 2005

Question: I am planning to take my boat from North Donegal to the east coast of Greenland. I was planning to make landfall in the area of Kap Dan. My boat is a 38 foot Rival (fiberglass) and I was planning the out bound trip single handed. Could you suggest any literature on the east [...]

Circumnavigation Of Scandinavia Via The White Sea

by John May 19, 2005

Question: Do you know if it’s possible to circumnavigate Scandinavia via Holland, the Baltic Sea, St. Petersburg, the Belomorsk Canal, the White Sea, the Norwegian Coast, returning to Holland?

Polar Bears, How Serious Is The Risk?

by John May 19, 2005

Question: How seriously do I need to take the threat of polar bears in the Arctic?

Which Paper Charts For Iceland?

by John May 19, 2005

Question: The cruising guide for Iceland contains a list of Icelandic charts. Comparing that with the US chart catalog, the Icelandic coverage is much more extensive. Is it practical to expect to purchase charts in Reykjavik for the remainder of our Icelandic sailing? Are they in stock? Reasonable cost? Or would you recommend that I [...]

Would You Sail In The High Latitudes In A Fibreglass Boat?

by John December 1, 2005

Question: Would you cruise the high latitudes in a fibreglass hull?

Changed Plans And Superyachting 2006

by John October 19, 2006
Jongert sailboat Vivid under sail in front of an iceberg in Disko Bay, West Greenland.

Our last news letter described our circumnavigation of Newfoundland in the summer of 2005 and our return to Maine for the winter of 2005/06, with a plan to complete the refit of Morgan’s Cloud over the winter and move back aboard in the spring of 2006 to resume our cruising life. It was not to [...]

Is An Aluminum Catamaran Suitable For The High Latitudes?

by John May 1, 2007

Question: I would like to do some cruising in the high latitudes and am in the process of planning a boat to take me there. You and others, like Jimmy Cornell, are very partial to alloy boats and I agree it seems to be the way to go. But I also like catamarans. I can [...]

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