The Northwest Passage

This is a fascinating part of the world where for centuries, explorers and ships from many countries have tried to find a way through from the Atlantic to the Pacific for a possible trade route without success. Currently , there is an international waters dispute since the Canadian Government claims that the Northwest Passage is really Canadian internal waters. If the passage’s deep waters become ice free due to global warming, less cloud cover means sunshine and conditions never before experienced. A critical issue is that super tankers, too big to pass through the Panama Canal, now have to go around the tip of South America. With technology now, satellite images show where the sea ice is so perhaps large vessels could use this passage to safely cross and save a lot of time.

It is also proposed to lay a fiberoptic cable connecting London and Tokyo thru the Northwest Passage which would cut in half the time it takes to send messages between the two countries.

The six bottlenecks of the global shipping world are the Panama Canal, the Suez Canal, the Straits of Gibraltar, the Bosporus, the Straits of Hormus, and the Straits of Malacca. 60% of the world’s shipping has to use these routes. The Northwest Passage would make a big impact on trade routes.

I just had some very exciting news. There is now an opportunity for you to discover the Northwest Passage aboard an extraordinary luxury cruise ship on a once in a lifetime voyage to the top of the world through majestic waterways lined with spectacular glaciers and towering fjords where nature is truly wild and landscapes are absolutely breathtaking. This is the historic Northwest Passage, a fascinating Pacific-Atlantic sea route far beyond the Arctic Circle that for centuries captured the imaginations of kings and presidents, explorers and adventurers. This voyage has been two years in the planning, and is only possible because of global warming to enable a passage through the ice. There is speculation that within the next decade, it will be possible to use this as a sea route between Europe and Asia.

For the first time, a cruise ship will be on an expeditionary voyage that marries extreme wilderness adventure with unsurpassed luxury cruising. The voyage will go around Alaska and into the Beaufort Sea, through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and on to Greenland. The carefully planned itinerary is designed for the true adventurer. It balances days at sea with scheduled ports of call, is intentionally flexible, allowing the captain and his team of experts to incorporate unplanned expedition days. Think of rare wildlife sightings of polar bears, narwhals, musk oxen, birds, and caribou or zodiac outings to view magnificent glaciers, kayaking in protected bays, and trekking the tundra with an expert guide. There will be two ice pilots on the bridge with the captain, and a team of 14 world renowned explorers, naturalists, photographers, and much more. There will be an escort vessel which will carry all the adventure equipment, and a helicopter.

This is a 32 day voyage, August 16 to September 17, 2016, Anchorage/Seward to New York City, and since this is a historic itinerary, it will sell out quickly. There is a special discount for early booking, two for one pricing, which is only for a short time. You will visit remote rarely seen communities and witness their culture. Temperature will be in the 40’s, so wear layers. This is a casual cruise. They will provide water resistant parkas and boots. A detailed packing list will be provided prior to the voyage.

Route will be Anchorage, Seward, Kodiak, Dutch Harbor, Nome, Ulukhaktok, Nunavut, Pond Inlet, Ilulissat, Sisimiut, Nuuk, Bar Harbor, Boston, Newport, and New York.

Today, fewer people have sailed through the Northwest Passage than have reached the summit of Mount Everest. This will be an incredible 900 mile journey. The World’s Best Adventure. Do you want to add it to your Bucket List?

Maureen Jones is president of All Horizons Travel at 160 Main Street. Members of her staff are experts in business travel, cruises, and all types of leisure.