Climate change is making a once unthinkable passage possible, prompting one young sailor to raise awareness of it, in the most awe-inspiring way. British sailor Ella Hibbert aims to traverse both the North West and North East Passage alone and in one season.

Published 6 months ago, updated 5 months ago

Update June 7, 2024: Ella has postponed her circumnavigation until 2025 due to delays with work on the boat pre-departure and the very small window available in June to depart. Find out more at https://ellainthearctic.co.uk/.

The Once Unthinkable Passage

Source:  Royal Yachting Association (RYA)

If all goes well, 27-year-old Ella Hibbert will slip lines on her Bruce Roberts 38, Yeva at Haslar Marina in Gosport on the UK’s south coast in mid-to-late June and sail to Norway, before attempting the first solo circumnavigation of the Arctic Circle.

Very few have traversed both North East and North West Passages and none have done so alone and in one season. If she succeeds it will certainly draw attention to climate change which is another of her objectives.

Two world-firsts – going around non-stop and going around single-handed – weren’t her original plan. In fact, you can describe this as a Northwest Passage cruise that got out of hand.

A Climate Change Wake-Up Call

Ella explains: “The more I looked into the ice-routing and weather-routing, I realised the decline of the ice meant it would be feasible to do an entire circumnavigation. I started to think, ‘Why stop there?’. A circumnav’ of the Arctic by myself non-stop is a testament to how rapidly the climate is changing. That’s what we’re going to prove.” This, then, isn’t a record attempt. It’s a wake-up call.

To end up as a climate campaigner is quite a journey for someone who worked as deckhand on motor superyachts. No fan of the lifestyle, Ella returned to sailing after four years. As a child, she sailed Optimist dinghies on a Suffolk (UK) reservoir and aboard her father’s Moody in the Mediterranean. She qualified as an RYA Cruising Instructor before becoming the second-youngest female Yachtmaster Instructor, aged 25. Her Arctic expedition represents a sabbatical from her day job freelancing at sailing schools.

Apart from stops roughly every fortnight (without disembarking) to resupply food and fuel, she’ll be on her own. Solar and wind power will top up batteries alongside the engine. No marina mechanic will make repairs. Not that being alone unduly concerns her.

“As well as ice, areas like the north coast of Alaska are renowned for high seas and storms of up to 40-50 knots while the Northwest Passage is known for being foggy and having no wind,” she says. “Also, I’m not going to be able to sleep for six to eight hours a day.” On the plus side, constant daylight in an Arctic summer will ease watch-keeping.

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Read the Full RYA Article here:

• Ella’s Story:  Survival of the Arctic

Follow Ella’s Progress on her website here:

• Ella in the Arctic

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