Campina STUCK damaged by thick ice
Sep 2, 2004 10: 47 EST
Ten very tiring days have passed since Henk and ice lots Boris left Tiksi for the most difficult part of the passage. Previous year the ice didn't let him through and now it seems it's still not willing.
Henk can't get through in spite of the help of the ice breaker pulling him behind - and now the rudder has been damaged by the ice.
Henk is currently anchored to the ice waiting for the experts of the nuclear icebreaker Vaigach to arrive. Hopefully the crew can help, but it's not sure that Campina can be fixed.
The Campina is only 180 miles of Tsjeljuskin, but the ice in the Laptev sea is very concentrated this year and thus the sail is very risky. The temperature is 0 to + 3 degrees celsius. Polar bears are pacing the ice and mid September the winter returns.
Dutchman Henk de Velde has been roaming the world's oceans for over two years now aboard The Campina. His goal: “The Impossible Journey” - a sail around the world via the "impossible" Northern Seaway along the North East Passage above and along Siberia, Alaska, then South to Cape Horn and Antarctica before returning home to the Netherlands.
Henk's journey began in June 2001 and if it comes to the end he envisions, Henk will have traveled 30,000 miles rounding both poles on the epic circumnavigation.
Since December, the Campina was encased in the ice of the Arctic Sea near Tiksi, Russia. Being blasted by the full effects of the Siberian winter, the ship and her skipper faced gale force winds and sub-zero temperatures reaching –50º C. That's seven months frozen in a block of ice. Not until August 20 could Campina sail again.
Henk de Vekde has previously sailed around the world four times, three times non-stop and solo. The first trip lasted between 1978 and 1985… so Henk is known to take his time when out exploring.
The reason for traveling like this is to experience new things and enjoy life to the fullest.
Live image of Campina stuck in the ice (Sept 2), courtesy of Henk De Velde.
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