Record attemptElla Hibbert succeeds in the Northwest Passage - Arctic circumnavigation paused

Record attempt: Ella Hibbert succeeds in the Northwest Passage - Arctic circumnavigation pausedPhoto: Adrian Le Roux
Ella Hibbert is the first British woman to cross the Northwest Passage solo.
28-year-old Ella Hibbert is the first British woman to successfully sail solo through the Northwest Passage. However, she had to interrupt her planned circumnavigation of the Arctic for the time being due to unexpected obstacles.

Ella Hibbert was the first British woman to sail solo through the Northwest Passage, making history in the process. With her 38-foot steel ketch "Yeva" from 1978, she mastered one of the most challenging routes in the Arctic. The German-born Hibbert thus joins an exclusive circle of sailors who have managed this historic passage solo - including pioneers such as the Briton David Scott Cowper and the German Susanne Huber-Curphey, who was the first woman ever to complete the Northwest Passage solo.

Arctic circumnavigation paused

Despite this success, Ella Hibbert also had to accept defeat. Because the Brit was actually planning on circumnavigate the entire Arctic solo in one attempt. She set off on the historic voyage from the south of England at the end of May. From there, Hibbert first sailed past Iceland, then along South and West Greenland and finally through the Northwest Passage.

However, the expedition was not without its difficulties, as the British magazine Practical Boat Owner said. Several hurdles threw them behind schedule: These included problems with the equipment in Greenland, difficult weather conditions and even a grounding.


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Early ice formation prevents continuation

After consulting with the Russian authorities regarding the Northeast Passage, Ella Hibbert finally decided to pause her expedition, as she reported to the British sailing magazine. A Russian official had strongly advised her not to sail the route so late in the year, as ice was already forming in key sections. To avoid having to turn back along the way or becoming trapped in the ice, she decided with a heavy heart to take a break from the expedition, Hibbert said.

The original route took five months through icy waters.Photo: Camarco/PA WireThe original route took five months through icy waters.

Wintering in the Bering Sea

In the meantime, Ella Hibbert has brought her 38-foot steel ketch "Yeva" ashore on St Paul Island, north of the Aleutian Islands. With the support of the local community, who had lifted such a boat out of the water for the first time, she winterised it. In an Instagram post, the British woman announced that she is now on her way back to the UK.

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Next spring, Hibbert plans to continue her expedition and complete the Northeast Passage and the single-handed circumnavigation of the Arctic.

Goal: Exploration of the Arctic waters

In addition to the sporting challenge, the project is also pursuing a scientific goal. In collaboration with the British Scientific Exploration Society and the International SeaKeepers Society, Ella Hibbert is collecting data to explore the Arctic waters during her voyage. In doing so, she is surveying the seabed and using the information obtained to help expand the Seabed 2030 project with.

The expedition will also be documented on film in order to visualise changes in the sea ice. These images are important against the backdrop of scientific forecasts that predict a possible summer ice-free state of the Arctic by 2050.

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