Campina's North-East passage: Towed in ice
Agu 29, 2004 15: 43 EST
Friday, August 20, icebreaker Captain Boris Volnij finally took off in the direction of Tsjeljuskin. Henk de Velde set off close behind in hopes to complete his "impossible" North-East passage sail.
One some previous years, the passage around cape Tsjeljuskin - the northernmost point of the journey - was impossible and another winter frozen in Siberia's ice would then be his only option.
Currently, Henk is sailing 500 miles among ice bergs and ice floes to reach the anchor point in Khatanga. If Henk makes it past Tsjeljuskin he could succeed to finally sail home to Netherlands this November.
Here's his latest:
27 august Position 74.42 N 112,04 E.
"To summarize the last days, here's something I haven't mentioned earlier: Already in Tiksi I had noticed some heating problems with the engine. It's not a problem on sail but when we go through the ice. I checked it and suspected leaking pipes.
Now, the engine loses its cooling water. I hear a strange, scraping sound. I can use the engine at half speed but it costs me 60 liters water per day. Boris (the ice breaker Captain) is a bit nervous about this, but says nothing yet.
There was an ice barrier ahead of us and the ice breaker Captain said it was impossible to cross, so we went alongside of it. My engine got in trouble there, and it's leaking again. The ice is too heavy.
Only few people know what its like to cruise behind an ice breaker. The Captain then offered to tow me on a ten meter line. That's a lot of pressure on a plastic hull, but Campina came through undamaged. We are now underway to Cheljuskin: The cost of Taymyr is still too dense with ice... We can go a maximum 100 miles North and must then wait."
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.
Image of the Campina and the Ice breaker, courtesy of Henk De Velde.
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