Anne Quéméré's "Arctic Passage"

[Jim Hunt]

Despite the fact that her web site proclaims at the top "Départ Juillet 2014" Anne Quéméré has already started her attempt to kayak solo through at least part of the Northwest Passage from West to East. Anne set off from Inuvik on Tuesday, and reports on her blog that:

Arrival in Tuktoyaktuk (Tuk for the initiated or those who would doubt the pronunciation) planned for Thursday as the widening of the delta is close at hand…I hope!

However she also says that:

I had to fight a head wind of 20 to 25 knots.  I resisted as long as I could. When I looked at the shore, I realized I was standing still so I decided to seek shelter and wait out for more clement weather.  The first spot that I chose bore the imprints of numerous bear tracks, so I carried on to find a safer place.  However, nothing is guaranteed as a bear can decide to look out for new territory.  After all, they can pick and choose as the space is theirs’

In spite of this little problem, I’m fully enjoying myself!

Anne's decision to depart a little earlier than originally planned may have been influenced by the fact that temperatures in Inuvik reached a maximum of 29.7 °C on Monday June 23rd.

[ghoti]

Sounds like she is having the same problem last year's rowers had. They clearly hadn't taken the wind into account when they planned their voyage hopefully she has.

[Jim Hunt]

Tuk still sounds a long way off! From Anne's latest blog post:

There’s not much I could do to fight that Nor’wester blowing at 30 knots.  Last night, it didn’t just rain, it poured.  I was cold and soaked to the bones , wondering how I would spend the time till this storm passed.  In the fog, I suddenly saw some barracks on the bluff.  I didn’t wait a second to head towards this miraculous apparition and hoped for a human presence.