href=”https://empiricusembarks.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/dscf2223.jpg”> After final preparation, we cast off from Nome. we sailed hard, non stop to ward our Arctic fuel depot on the North Slope. Over 850 Nautical Miles away.[/caption]

But before we left, a crew change was completed. Steven said goodbye, as he and Bruce were loaded onto a plane.

Another Father son greeting and parting took place, as my dad Art, visited from his interior mining claim. Dad stayed on the boat and left the next day, as we prepared for departure.

The crew of Empiricus has taken a major bight out of the Northwest Passage route. We departed Nome and sailed hard for the Icy North.

Only one day of headwinds slowed our travel. So we took a rest, hove to on Kotzebue Sound, berfore powering up for the final push to the Ice.

Watch the radar, but don’t trust it!

Ice like this, with a 30 knot tail wind and heavy fog is a game changer. We had to motor with no sail, just to slow down.

Here on the North slope we assessed last years ice, compared with this year. Our hopes of Northing Banks Island were smashed by these images. we have decided that this is not a good year for breaking records, and waiting for an opening in the far North would be fruitless.

Click this box for this years Ice report.

Here is the sat image. we are not sure how we made it through. But are grateful to have safely transited this section of the passage.