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FeedMost northerly Northwest Passage
by Tim Queeney
Morgan Peissel, Nicholas Peissel and Edvin Buregren and Belzebub II in the M'Clure Strait
A Path Through Ice expedition
Nicolas Peissel and and his sailing expedition partners Edvin Buregen and Morgan Peissel have just completed the first sailing transit of M’Clure Strait in history and the most “northerly” Northwest passage ever by sailboat. They called their effort 'A Passage Through Ice' Sailing Expedition. They crossed the infamous M'Clure strait in the Canadian Arctic on August 29, aboard Belzebub II, a Monsun 31 built in Sweden by Hallberg-Rassy in 1976. They finished their trip across the Arctic circle off the coast of Alaska.
The international expedition team consisted of Edvin Buregren, Nicolas Peissel and Morgan Peissel. The trio spent the last three months at sea on a 31-foot boat sailing from Newfoundland Canada to Greenland, through the Canadian Arctic to track the depleting polar ice cap and bring awareness to climate change. Peissel’s group issued the following statement on the reason for their trip:
"The Arctic is melting at an alarming rate and is clear proof of our disharmony with the planet. By sailing this newly opened route we hope that our expedition will play a small part in bringing further attention to climate change and contributing to a larger shift in attitudes. Our approach to sail across a historical stretch of water that has traditionally been frozen is meant to be a clear visual example of the extent of declining polar ice."
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In the past, the Northwest Passage route required that vessels go from Baffin Bay to Parry Channel and then make a left turn into Peel Sound to Franklin Strait, Victoria Strait, past the town of Cambridge Bay on Victoria Island, thence to Dease Strait, Coronation Gulf, Dolphin and Union Strait and then through Amundsen Gulf before reaching the Beaufort Sea and the northern coast of Alaska.
Peissel and crew, however, were able to head west through Parry Channel and then through M’Clure Strait to the Beaufort Sea, cutting off a big chunk of the standard route.
FYI - BELZEBEBUB2 has NOT provided any proof of their claim - their GPS trackline is 'crafted' by a webmaster - it typically runs 3-4 days behind their reported position. If you watch the BELZEBUB2 video they never provide video proof of their position - show the GPS readout - whats with that? As to a Canada Ice Service plane fly-by we do not know the date, time or position. BELZEBUB2 claims a CIS flyover in McClure Strait - IN MCCLURE STRAIT - NOT west of Cape Prince Alfred. WHAT IS TRUE? BELZEBUB2 HAS NOT PROVIDED ANY PROOF - PHOTOGRAPHIC, GPS OR SHIPS LOGBOOK. Its only a claim without proof.
What is known is that David Scott Cowper was the FIRST to navigate an East-to-West Northwest Passage aboard his yacht POLAR BOUND using McClure Strait. Proof was real time GPS data sent to hundreds of HAMS over shortwave radio with atomic clock time stamps. Proof positive.
DO NOT BELIEVE "PRESS RELEASES" - REMEMBER WHO CRAFTED IT.
BELZEBUB2 crew brawled in NOME resulting in a police run-in, broken noses, kicked out of pubs, was fighting on the dock and the disrespectful behavior goes against anything might say - actions do speak louder than words.
Now you know more of the shameful story!
Before you publish - do your due diligence homework!
I look forward to seeing any BELZEBUB2 proof...
The above houlegan is getting very close to slander and mischief . Environment Canada has confirmed this passage.