Yvan Bougnon's circumnavigation in a beach cat project

Yvan has departed on his trip through the Northwest passage sailing from Nome in Alaska towards Ingsugtusok in Greenland he is once again using his little catamaran from the previous circumnavigation with a few sensible concessions to arctic conditions (the sleeping benches have a bit more shelter built in now):

The tracker is here:
Cartographie en temps réel – ledefibimedia http://ledefibimedia.com/?page_id=7075

The website for the attempt is here:
ledefibimedia – Le nouveau défi d'Yvan Bourgnon http://ledefibimedia.com/

 

A rough google translate of Yvan's latest Facebook update: Yvan Bourgnon https://www.facebook.com/ybourgnon/posts/1632864313399619

A wet and cold défi challenge by 69° 52 North

After the steady and constant rain episode for 8 hours, yvan went without a transition to a dense and freezing drizzle that lasted for 12 hours now! The sun hasn't made an appearance for 2 days!

The result is twofold: Solar Panels are inefficient under these conditions and the battery level is very low, forcing yvan to take long hours to save stored energy. As a result, the 4 layers of thermal clothing that he wears under his suit are tempered: " I'm a little at the edge of the cold there. I thought I wasn't going to the tropics, but I imagined enough breaks between showers to change and dry clothes. It has been raining continuously for 12 hours! ". with more autonomy, the pilot could take care of " my sweetheart " and allow yvan to shelter under his " tent " more often.

Towards the ice door

The progression continues, however, at the close of the line, cap direct on barrow, located 170 miles north of its position. At this rate, there is no risk of charging, and the cracks in the trappe before port leave virtually no water. This respite from pumping is welcome.
Through the inuit village of point lay, and its 180 souls, yvan crossed the road to a french navire ship 150 metres long redescendant from the north. At VHF the sailors explained that the important presence of ice forces forced them to shift their mission: " if such a steel ship cannot advance up there, " my sweetheart " will be no better. But they told me that a coastal strip of about 4 miles was cleared after barrows left a hope for passage. With rocks and rocks nearby, the right to error will be non-existent! "

This meeting, while traffic in this area is so small, has distracted yvan from his uncomfortable condition. The Arctic is indeed a coveted maritime route. For the time being the sailor adventurer wishes only one thing: the return of the sun to recharge the batteries, be able to change and rest by leaving "the hand" to the pilot. He would thus address the issues related to his arrival in the ice in about 6 hours, if the 6 current average nodes maintained.

 

The latest update from Yvan, pretty miserable by the sounds of things.

https://www.facebook.com/ybourgnon/posts/1633776726641711

Frozen drizzle by 71° North on the défi challenge

The problems of the last 36 hours are still topical. As in a bad scenario, yvan bourgnon doesn't see the end of the rain. Of course, the fellow has seen others, but tropical trombes are lukewarm and dry.

Here the water from the sky penetrates you to the bones, after infiltrating layer after layer through the very technical clothing. And to add to the torment, yvan is obliged to stay under this icy flood to steer, because solar panels are ineffective because of lack of brightness.

4 layers of wet clothes, 4 layers of gloves filled with water, the down where yvan tried to warm up for an hour, soaking wet!

However, about ten hours earlier, a truce he hoped was lasting for 3 hours. Time to change completely, to eat under normal conditions, to recharge the batteries in a little less grey.

Barely time to wonder if it would hold, that the rain was already back! " 4°, a fine and icy rain, 20 hours a day I hope it's Alaska that's like this! It's steep! I didn't make a good choice of gloves, I should have prioriser the seal. I only have one down and it's soaked, no chance to dry anything for now. Holy Cow! I can't imagine what it would give with wind! ' cause this is quiet, I'm moving 3-4 knots but am in the fog, visibility is not good."

Search for a solution

For a little comfort, yvan could get closer to a bay to get wet and enjoy the coastal temperature that can climb up to 15° in the afternoon. " but well, I could just sleep more easily, for the rest if the rain is still there, it won't do me any good."

In addition, a stop would delay the arrival of yvan in the vicinity of point barrow, or a fine coastal strip of 2 miles wide free of ice could pass. " the wind needs to be strengthened on 21 and 22 July, possibly up to 30 knots. I'd rather pass barrow and the goulet on the edge of the ice before."

If Yvan takes his patience and manages to plunge into the free water corridor on the edge of ice, he will have to be extremely vigilant, between drifting ice and rocks from the nearby coast. Over the next 70 miles, he would have to stay within 5 miles of the coast to make progress.

This litany sounds like a blues, Alaska blues by 71 degrees north. But it would take little to make yvan happy: "let the rain stop, the sun appears and everything will be in order".

 

Yvan's latest update: Yvan Bourgnon https://www.facebook.com/ybourgnon/posts/1644781298874587

Here is the slightly dodgy Google translate but you get the gist:

Near, sun, cold and a whale on the défi challenge
Since the forced stopover to repair the solar panel at Hershel Island in North Canada, the sun has been more generous. Every day, it transmits its essential light to recharge batteries. The brightness, only between 12 h and 16 h, is sufficient for its role that changes the life of yvan; the replacement of the tension regulator of the solar panel is now validated; this period allows yvan to entrust "my sweetheart" to the pilot, which had rarely been the case since the great departure of nome.
The absence or almost rain is the other highly positive point of this beginning of the 3th week of the défi challenge, even if the mist is sometimes at the rendez-vous by voilant the étraves at the sight of the sailor. Yet the cold is more heavy day by day with a temperature of 0° 0: " it's really complicated this cold to do the least task, I have to remove the gloves and very quickly it is l'. Besides, I need 4 TO 5 minutes to put them back. As a result, I tend to pass meals so I don't freeze my fingers. I'm in a slimming phase right now. I have a calorie deficit that's certain."
Morale is good
" the difference between rain and cold is that the first affects the mind, with its grey, its consequences on the charge of the batteries. Cold Dry, it is physically hard but does not plombe my morale that is good, I would just like to enjoy the bar with a little wind of travers, it's not often the case since the beginning."
I want to see you.
Yvan draws close edges from Hershel by 15 wind knots last night and " my sweetheart " is not in his role of choice: " the boat is always pounding with 1 metre jumps followed by a shock Against the sea. I hope "my sweetheart" is going to hold on to this regime. "
In one of the many transfers, the duvet went over the edge. Luckily it was floating, but yvan had to turn around and maneuver finely to recover it. The drying was long. Yvan had only one down, and such an incident could have far more adverse consequences.
Through Island yesterday, yvan will soon enter the amundsen strait, and sail with ribs close to each side: " in the strait, the fact of being close will leave me no respite. I'm going to have to break my sleep to avoid hitting the coast and especially not renewing the fatal fall of Sri Lanka, during the world tour! I could do a direct road parallel to the shore. "
In good company
Last night, during the vacation, yvan saw a whale jump and immediately thought of an orca; he shot down to get closer to the animal and film it: " once at 50 meters, I saw That what I thought was an orca was a young baleine whale of a dozen feet long! I've managed to make a few images, it's a great show! "
For the days to come yvan should retain the benefit of the sun but see the wind face up to 25/28 knots. His progress in Amundsen's strait promises not to be a health walk, although the ice threat is lifted up to bellot, a dozen days of sea

 

Latest update with dodgy google translate:

Yvan Bourgnon https://www.facebook.com/ybourgnon/posts/1650566691629381

Arctic Pétole, beware of mosquitoes on the défi challenge

When Yvan recently compared the weather conditions with those of the Mediterranean, he spoke only of the little transition between episodes and calm. He did not yet know that he would suffer 24 hours without any breath of air, or in erratic risées scattered between large areas of flat calm.

The average is, of course, of course, and in this long period "my sweetheart" has been flashée at the maximum speed of 3.6 knots in point, and most often drag its sentence to 0 or 0,5 knots!!

The Sun and the very mild temperatures that accompany this calm modèrent the sailor's frustration. : " for the first time since the departure of the défi challenge, I have been able to dry all the clothes and my down, which so far still kept a lot of moisture. "

No stop at Cambridge Bay

The time spent in this interminable calm changes the and Cambridge Bay's Anchorage projects. The Délaminage of the mast above the arrow bars appears to be superficial and can wait a few more days. Progress even weakly is always better for morale than being at a standstill in a bay, especially as the flat sea makes it possible to complete some of the work planned at anchor.

The problem of the main driver is not connected to the bus connections of the bus as le thought 24 hours ago; the cause is more worrying because it is the bar angle sensor that is down and will require a more repair Delicate! It is very important to retain the use of the main driver because it is the only one on the edge which is coupled with a satellite compass and therefore not affected by magnetic disturbances linked to the proximity of the north pole. The Secondary pilot is operational but coupled with a traditional compass.

Attacked by... mosquitoes

The list is yet long, Marine or terrestrial animals that can haunt the dreams of a lone polar navigator, but it is the mosquitoes that have carried the only attack listed to date: " when I walk less than 3 knots And that I approach less than 2 miles from the coast, I am overrun by thousands of mosquitoes! Luckily, I got myself a moustiquaire before I left Anchorage. "

More peaceful and friendly, seals form a procession around "my sweetheart" and yvan has every opportunity to observe them, which is progressing very slowly, at 2,5 knots at the last score. The Majestic scenery surrounding it and the sublime lights offered by the sun to the horizon do not leave yvan insensible, 50 miles east of Cambridge Bay, on the longitude of Melbourne island.