Open Passage Expedition Sailing for Climate Change

The 40 foot yacht Silent Sound is now sailing from Victoria in British Columbia, Canada, aiming to transit the North West Passage to bring attention to climate change. The small band of Open Passage Expedition sailors, Cameron Dueck, Hanns Bergmann, Tobias Neuberger and Anna Woch will be striving to tell the story of how climate change is affecting the Arctic communities they visit.

The journey over the top of Canada is about 7,000 nautical miles long and will take the team about four months to complete. In each port they will hear the stories of the Inuit and others living in the Canadian Arctic who are most impacted by the changes. Scientific research provides us with facts on how the earth is changing, but they say their goal is to tell this story in a more creative and emotional way to reach a wider audience.

The Northwest Passage has lured sailors for centuries with its promise of a short cut for ships. An increasing number of private yachts are now transiting the Northwest Passage every year, with 35 recreational yachts having completed the trip since Roald Admundsen became the first to do so in 1906. Under the name of the Open Passage Expedition, the team hopes to reach the Beaufort Sea as the ice opens, which normally occurs around late July.

ABOUT THE YACHT SILENT SOUND

Silent Sound is a 40 foot cutter rig sailing boat. She has large fuel and water tanks, a powerful engine and sturdy rig. At 13.5 tonnes dry displacement, she is a heavy ocean sailing yacht. She was designed by Fred Amor of Gabriola, British Columbia, and was one of 26 Amor 40s to be built in the 1970s. Silent Sound was built in Richmond, BC by Amor Marine in 1979.