Our crossing on the National Geographic Explorer from northwest Greenland to Baffin Island was blessed with incredibly mild weather and dead calm seas. Over the next couple of weeks we explored wildlife rich Baffin Island and Devon Islands, traveling down through Prince Regent Inlet on our way through the Northwest Passage. In the Franklin Strait the Pierre Radisson Ice breaker cut a path for us thru the heavy fog and thick multi-year ice. The fog grounded the reconnaissance helicopter which would normally seek an easier path thru the ice, as a result we got stuck in the ice requiring the icebreaker to break us free and ending our attempt at crossing the Northwest Passage. As a result we moved to plan B and headed north to 76’ north latitude to explore the very remote Ellesmere Island. While we did not make it thru the Northwest Passage this time it sure was an exciting trip with 64 Polar Bear sightings.


Check out my "Stuck in the Ice" time-lapse video of the Canadian Coast Guard Icebreaker Pierre Radisson helping the National Geographic Explorer
get out of the ice in the Northwest Passage: http://youtu.be/FdCG3K75KaY


Images are available for purchase or for usage rights contact: Bill Klipp, billklipp@wkimages.net