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Vanuily Completes the Northwest Passage Aboard His Allures 45 [2/2]

In early August, we had left Anne and Hugues at Burnett Inlet on Devon Island. Aboard their Allures 45 Vanuily, they were continuing westward through the Canadian Arctic.

A month later, after passing through Bellot Strait, Cambridge Bay, the Beaufort Sea, and the northern coast of Alaska, Vanuily crossed the Arctic Circle heading south, then the Bering Strait, before reaching Nome, Alaska.

The Northwest Passage is closed.

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Bellot Strait: A Key First Passage

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After Burnett Inlet, Vanuily set course for Port Bowen and then Fort Ross, at the entrance to Bellot Strait.

Anne and Hugues are waiting there for the right tide, wind, and ice conditions. The strait is only 18 nautical miles wide, but the strong currents and rapid ice movements make it essential to choose the right window carefully.

On August 11, Vanuily entered Bellot Strait aboard the Coro Coro—a 73-foot aluminum sailboat. Hafiz, Sadik’s Garcia Explocat 52, followed shortly afterward.

The chosen window is favorable. The current remains moderate and there is almost no ice. At 1:30 p.m., the Vanuily exits the strait and sets a course south into Franklin Strait.

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An important milestone has been reached. There are still 2,200 nautical miles to go before reaching the Bering Strait.

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*Vanuily at anchor in the glassy, wild waters of the Canadian Arctic.*

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From Cambridge Bay to the Beaufort Sea

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As the ice gradually broke up in Victoria Strait, Anne and Hugues decided to head directly to Cambridge Bay.

The route then continues westward to Cape Bathurst and on to Tuktoyaktuk. In this shallow region, which is sometimes poorly charted, navigation requires constant attention.

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Aerial view of the Vanuily sailing past scattered ice in the Canadian Arctic during its Northwest Passage voyage. — *Vanuily and Hafiz are making their way through the ice in the waters of the Canadian Arctic.*

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Crew members Vanuily and Hafiz posing together during their Northwest Passage journey — *Hafiz's crew alongside Anne & Hugues in Tuktoyaktuk*

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After Tuktoyaktuk, the Vanuily enters the Beaufort Sea. From that point on, ice once again becomes the primary factor affecting the expedition's progress.

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Anne at the helm of Vanuily as the sailboat passes an iceberg during its Northwest Passage voyage. — *Anne at the helm of the Vanuily, near an iceberg during the crossing of the Northwest Passage.*

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Sailing to the Rhythm of the Ice

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Vanuily arrives at Pauline Cove on Herschel Island. Hafiz had arrived a few hours earlier.

We'll have to wait.

Ice charts and forecasts are monitored closely. Sadik also uses his drone to observe the situation around the boats.

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Vanuily, Hafiz, and two other sailboats attempting the Northwest Passage anchored in Pauline Cove, in the Canadian Arctic — *Vanuily, Hafiz, and two other sailboats attempting the Northwest Passage are anchored at Pauline Cove*

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When an opening appears, Vanuily resumes its westward journey. At times, the ship navigates between closely spaced pieces of pack ice, seeking out the most open areas. Further on, a corridor near the coast allows the ship to continue toward Alaska.

Little by little, the ice is becoming less abundant.

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Point Barrow, then head south

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After several more delays due to weather conditions, Vanuily reached Point Barrow, at the northernmost tip of Alaska.

Hafiz and Vanuily set off together. At 11:30 a.m., Anne and Hugues round Point Barrow at 70°30' N.

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From there, the road clearly changes direction: heading south.

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The Vanuily sails under a colorful spinnaker as seabirds fly overhead during its voyage through the Northwest Passage. — *After passing Point Barrow, Vanuily continues southward under spinnaker, accompanied by the flight of birds.*

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The ice is now almost behind them, but their progress remains dependent on the weather. One low-pressure system after another is sweeping across the Chukchi and Bering Seas. The crews wait when conditions require it and set off again as soon as a window of opportunity arises.

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The End of the Northwest Passage

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After Point Hope, Vanuily crosses the Arctic Circle again, this time heading south.

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Anne and Hugues had crossed it in the opposite direction 49 days earlier. For them, this latest crossing officially marks the end of the Northwest Passage according to current sporting rules.

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Nevertheless, Vanuily continues on her way.

A few miles further south, the ship leaves the Chukchi Sea and the Arctic Ocean and enters the Bering Sea in the Pacific. Next comes the Bering Strait.

That leaves 130 nautical miles between the Diomede Islands and Nome.

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Arrival in Nome

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After one last night and a day of sailing along the Seward Peninsula, Vanuily reached Nome, Alaska.

At 6 p.m., Anne and Hugues sailed into the harbor behind Hafiz. The two boats moored side-by-side, and once the formalities were completed, the crew could finally celebrate their arrival in the Pacific.

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Vanuily and Hafiz raced together in Nome, Alaska, and their crews celebrated with champagne — *Vanuily and Hafiz are moored side by side at the port of Nome—Champagne!*

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But the journey isn’t over yet. Anne and Hugues still need to find a shipyard where Vanuily can spend the winter and make plans for the boat’s maintenance after this long voyage. Completing the crossing doesn’t mean everything comes to a halt in Nome.

But a major milestone in their journey has now been reached.

Congratulations to Anne and Hugues for guiding Vanuily through the Northwest Passage. It was a challenging voyage, undertaken by the two of them, navigating through ice, weather windows, and thousands of miles traveled since they entered the Arctic. Well done to both of them for this magnificent achievement aboard their Allures 45.

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