Northwest Passage 2000 mile kayak attempt

[yknpdlr]

On 1 July 2023, a team of four, including my good friend and my fellow Yukon team paddler member, Eileen Visser, departed on their attempt to be the first to complete a kayak paddle of the entire 2000 mile Northwest Passage. Follow and suppport Eileen and her paddling partners on their journey here:

Through a Land So Wild and Savage - The Arctic Cowboys

In 2012, at age 50, West Hansen began leading expeditions in the legendary faraway places of our ever-shrinking world. Fueled by the lure of a daily existence devoid of constant electronic input while traveling at a natural pace, the expeditions also seek out routes that have yet to be attained...

www.thearcticcowboys.com

Track them here:

Arctic Cowboys Live Feed @ The Northwest Passage

Follow West Hansen, Jeff Wueste, and Eileen Visser, and Mark Agnew as they paddle the Northwest Passage.

www.thearcticcowboys.com

Wish them all the success and safety possible. Wish I was there with them.

 

[Boreal Birch]

Not my cup of Lapsang Souchong. I did like the fact that they used NORTHWEST PASSAGE song lyrics, “through a land and so wild and savage….”. A really good song by a great singer song writer, Stan Rogers.
Seems they tried this once before and had to scratch. At least with modern communication, they will not have to resort to cannibalism like Sir John Franklin.

 

[yknpdlr]

Right, part of the team (without Eileen) attempted last year but had to pull out early due to an injury. Unlike Franklin, they do have a resupply point at the approximate half way point this year. And no cannned goods with lead soldered seams.

I love the Stan Rogers song as well. Interestinginly, by some strange coincidence, on my way to a SLV canoe race in Canton in May, the NWP song came on Pandora on my SXM radio. I ran into Eileen upon my arrival in Canton and she then told me all about her upcoming expetition.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Godspeed to them. That looks SO remote.

 

[recped]

Yeah looks remote, you just need to watch out for these!

 

[memaquay]

Don Starkwell's attempt to do the same didn't end so well. Perhaps the season is longer now with global warming.

I have been a Stan Rogers fan my for many decades, and usually after a few silly pops Barrett's Privateers can be heard drifting out of my backyard, after I encourage all my chums to sing the chorus. Northwest Passage is great too, and also Rolling Down to Old Maui.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

I have been a Stan Rogers fan my for many decades, and usually after a few silly pops Barrett's Privateers can be heard drifting out of my backyard, after I encourage all my chums to sing the chorus. Northwest Passage is great too, and also Rolling Down to Old Maui.

Had never heard of Rogers, so I listened to the three songs you listed. Love him. Reminds me of American folk singers such as Pete Seeger (and the Weavers) plus Irish and other Celtic folk music, all of which I've loved since the 1960's.

 

[Erica]

Godspeed to the travelers. I hope it is challenging but not life threatening.

I'm a big Stan Rogers fan, singing along to NWP and others. A sad day when his plane went down.

 

[Boreal Birch]

Stan Rogers died June 2, 1983, while helping other passengers get off an Air Canada aircraft that made an emergency landing in Greater Cincinnati Airport in northern Kentucky because of a on board fire.
First heard him on the PBS radio show the FOLK SAMPLER many years ago singing his FIELDS BEHIND THE PLOW, been a fan ever since good music for a road trip. Such a wonderful warm rich Baritone voice & great lyrics like, “Well it’s God’s own neon green above the mountains here tonight…..” from Canol Road.

 

[Erica]

deleted.

 

[Boreal Birch]

Thanks Erica, I have big hands, IPhone has small keyboard, have edited out the 8 replaced with the proper 9.
……BB

 

[Erica]

I've deleted my post. I just thought it was funny. It caught me actually trying to think if 1883 was possible.

 

[yknpdlr]

Stan's Brother Garnet Rogers is a folk singer also. He has a somewhat similar voice, but far from the same effect and talent.

 

[memaquay]

I'm a Garnet fan too. If you want some other Canadian folk music, try Fred Eaglesmith. Different style, but some powerful songs. Sunflowers is one of my favorites.

 

[yknpdlr]

I always liked Tanglefoot. They would often play at smaller town venues in and around the Adirondacks and elsewhere. Unfortunately they disbanded a couple of years ago, but their music is still available. I found La V'la M'Amie on a paddle songs CD disk.

I first found them on a CD of Paddle songs, it the Voyageur French folk sound paddling theme I was into at the time.
"Paddle like hell" is another in the series.

​

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Northwest Passage Kayakers in Home Stretch » Explorersweb

Ok, maybe it's an exaggeration to call 500km the home stretch, but it must feel like that way after 2,050km and almost three months on the water.

explorersweb.com

 

[yknpdlr]

Yeah, they are going to make it. I followed my Yukon paddling partner, Eileen, and team every day of their voyage. After a delayed icy start they had quite an adventure with navigation, weather, hospitality at local stops, and wildlife encounters. I look forward to local Eileen's recount after she returns to her home nearby me, just outside of the northern Adirodacks. I'll be there to give her a big hug and welcome home.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Northwest Passage Kayakers: -3˚C, But Not Far to Go » Explorersweb

After almost three months and 2,400km, the four Northwest Passage kayakers are currently halfway across their last big open-water paddle.

explorersweb.com

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

"After rounding Cape Bathurst on October 8 to complete their single-season paddle of the Northwest Passage, West Hansen, Jeff Wueste, Mark Agnew, and Eileen Visser still needed to reach an extraction point."

Northwest Passage Complete, Arctic Cowboys Head Home » Explorersweb

After completing their single-season paddle of the Northwest Passage, the tired and much thinner Arctic Cowboys are now heading home.

explorersweb.com

 

[yknpdlr]

Congratulations comes with stronly mixed feelings. After the emotional hgh of completing such a challenge there is a let down at the moment of realization that it is in fact all over. All the planning, sacrafice, and pain of the live event. I remember well how I felt on the first ever yukon 1000 mile when we rounded the final bend and the finish line Dalton Highway bridge dimly came into view two miles away on the last river straight-away through a thick smoky haze. Local bushmen ran their skiffs up to us in thumbs up greetings, then the cheers from family and support crew friends as we passed under the bridge. With that, you almost want to go back to immediately do it all over again. But then after stowing gear to be delayed with uncertainty in how and when you will return home, it is a depressing letdown feeling that you don't want to have.