Help this bright young man come sailing with us in Greenland!

Over the past few years, as Empiricus has progressed Eastward through the Arctic. I have found the ever growing desire, to share what we are doing with others. My boys have begun paths of their own, not of the ocean and I am proud of them. But interestingly enough a friend of Isaac has taken […]

A Gimbaled Astrocompass Experiment

In the spring of 2014 adapted an aircraft Astrocompass, for use at sea. https://empiricusembarks.com/2014/06/22/if-it-cannot-be-bought-it-must-be-built/ I did this by gutting an old Wood Freeman Autopilot compass, which was gimbal mounted. Then replaced the magnetic compass works, with a standard astrocompass mount. Then Samantha and I packed the works up to the Arctic, where Empiricus lay waiting […]

Big Bad Bellot Straight Part 2. A successful passage.

On September 1, 2014, just after our 1st attempt at the Northwest Passage’s infamous Bellot Straight, we vowed not to make another, until we had a got, clear ice report. We were prepared and ready to return to Gjoa Haven for the winter, if need be and in the mean time sat drifting in calm […]

Northwest Passage 2014 the official complete list of passage makers.

The following is the official list of Northwest Passage transits, by all vessels in recorded history. Empiricus is number 208! Ever! There is also some brief but interesting reading in the introduction. They have Empiricus listed as a “Ketch”, but thats an easy mistake to make. We have requested a correction to “Yawl”, but thats […]

“Ice Tactics” Part 1. Negotiating a Brash Ice Barrier By Captain Jesse Osborn

In our 2014 completion of the Northwest Passage, Samantha and I encountered a large band of high concentration ice. We were able to work our way through that ice with tactics we learned along the way. This article is the first of a short series I will be writing on ice tactics. As it seems […]

Pond Inlet Nunavut to Aasiaat Greenland

09/09/2014 1440 UTC Were off! Anchor pulled, chain removed and stowed in the locker. We had a nice sail, broad reaching with bread in the oven. Then the winds dropped off and became fluky from the SE. Samantha made a Fantastic curry and we enjoyed it as the sun dropped behind us. The […]

Captains Log Bellot Straight to Pond Inlet

08/31/2014 0145 We are six miles from Bellot Straight! No or little wind all day, made for a beautiful sunset with reflections on the water and Ice. Just after sunset, I watched patches of water flash freeze over. It crawled along the water slowly. Setting the surface still, just before our bow interrupted its process. […]

Captains Log Taloyoak to Bellot Straight.

08/28/2014 0200 Taloyoak NU Can it get any better? This place and these people are amazing me. Where do I start? I will have to reflect and write more of our visit to Taloyoak. But for starters, we spoke again at the school. This time to a group of 35 school kids under 12. The […]

Clearing Pond Inlet! Greenland here we come!

We made it to Pond! What a ride! No time to post more. The weather is good to cross. Many many stories to follow! Jesse and Samantha SV EMPIRICUS

Captains Log. 08/26/2014 Taloyoak

08/21/2014 2350 Were ready; Wood stowed, bilges dry, deck secure, woodstove pipe modified with reflector behind pipe, Scarlet clean and ready to load, deck secured, floor mopped. A TV crew will be meeting us on the beach at 0800 for an interview and we are not in a hurry. So we will meet them and […]

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