North Pole Circumnavigation Update: Russians First Through The Northwest Passage

ExWeb posted an update on the race around the North Pole that is currently being conducted by the Russian crew aboard the Peter 1 and Norwegian explorer Børge Ousland. Both ships have been attempting to become the first to sail completely around the North Pole via the Northeast and Northwest Passages. According to the update, the Russians are the first to clear the Northwest Passage, and while that is an important milestone, the race isn't over yet.

Peter 1 arrived in Pond Inlet on the Northern coast of Baffin Island a few days back, marking the end of the journey through the Northwest Passage, and with the Northeast Passage already complete, it's just a matter of which ship reaches their home port first, completing the entire voyage.

Ousland and his boat, the Northern Passage, are said to be not far behind the Russians and have also reached Pond Inlet. That has to be a big relief for him and his partner, Thorleif Thorleifsson, as their ship is much smaller and lighter than the Russian yacht, and had the potential to suffer more damage from the ice. On the other hand, the ship is also much faster and more nimble on the water, giving them the possibility of overtaking the heavier hulled ship of their rivals.

It should be noted that "rivals" is a bit of a relative term, as the two crews are obviously seeking the same goal, but have also become friendly during this "race." Apparently they are now not very far apart either, as ExWeb says that the Northern Passage crossed the 74th Parallel just hours behind the Peter 1. Perhaps they'll end up reaching the finish line, which is in Grimstad, Norway, together. That seems like a fitting end.

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North Pole Circumnavigation Update: Racing The Ice

The two ships that are racing to become the first to circumnavigate the North Pole via the Northeast and Northwest passages are continuing their perilous journey, even as the colder weather begins to move in, and the ice starts to close for another season.

ExWeb posted an update today on the circum navigation race that is being conducted between the Russian ship Peter 1 and Børge Ousland's Northern Passage. The two expeditions are both hoping to become the first to successfully sail through both the Northeast and Northwest passages on a single journey,  thereby completing the first full voyage around the arctic circle. Both ships have cleared the fist leg of their journey and are now dealing with the NE Passage above Canada.

According to the latest updates, the Peter 1 has once again moved out in front, but the crew is beginning to get concerned about the weather reports. The forecasts call for strong, cold northerly winds that will begin the process of freezing over the passage for another year. Those conditions are expected to arrive on Thursday, although they could be more of a problem for Børge's boat which is lighter, and faster, but made of fiberglass, while the Russian vessel is made of steel and can deal with the ice a bit more easily.

ExWeb estimates that it will take roughly another two weeks before either ship clears the Passage and makes their way out into the North Atlantic. That is a long time to battle the elements and conditions, which will be changing very rapidly during that time. The voyage for both ships and their crews has been challenging already, but they're about to get a whole lot more difficult. Neither expedition is a sure thing, and they'll definitely need to stay vigilant as the ice begins to close.

It should be interesting to watch the progress of the two ships as they not only race one another but the end of the season too.

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Solo Sailing Update: Laura is Underway!

14-year old Laura Dekker set sail from the Harbor of Gibraltar this morning, finally beginning her attempt to sail solo around the world. She slipped out to sea early, and without much fanfare, avoiding media attention in order to get the voyage underway. She will now spend upwards of two years circumnavigating the globe in an attempt to become the youngest person to accomplish that feat.

Laura has been in the news for more than a year now. She first wanted to sail last year, at the age of the 13, but Dutch officials blocked her departure, while child protective services stepped in to ensure that she wasn't able to slip off unknowingly. What followed was a series of court appearances, heated debate on both sides of the topic, and even an attempt to set sail after the teenager ran away to St. Maarten in the Caribbean. Three weeks ago, the Dutch courts made their final decision, granting Laura permission to sail after she demonstrated her skill level, sharpened up her first aid skills, and joined a distance learning program to continue her studies while at sea.

Unlike the recent solo sailing attempts by Australian Jessica Watson and American Abby Sunderland, Laura will not be making the the attempt non-stop. Instead, she'll make planned trips into ports around the world. Also unlike those other two girls, she'll have a support ship trailing her, staying close at hand in case of emergency. This gives her a safety net that Jess and Abby did not have.

Jessica garnered plenty of media attention this spring when she completed her solo circumnavigation attempt, sailing into Sydney Harbor three days shy of her 17th birthday. Meanwhile, Abby made news for other reasons when her ship was struck by a 30 foot wave during a storm in the Indian Ocean. The wave snapped her mast, and she was left adrift at sea until a rescue operation could be conducted a few days later.

Laura hopes to break Jessica's record, and she has until September 20th, 2012 to do it. Her voyage will begin with a trip across the Atlantic, followed by passage through the Panama Canal into the Pacific. By doing this, she avoids the notoriously treacherous waters of Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America, something that both Jess and Abby had to face. She'll also avoid the Cape of Good Hope in Africa, while traveling through the Suez Canal, and while this route helps to steer clear of some of the most dangerous waters on the planet, they also increase the amount of traffic she'll have to deal with along the way.

For now, we'll all have to wait and watch to see how she does. I wish her luck as she has finally gotten underway at long last.

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The Yacht Race Around The North Pole is On!

Back in June I posted about two separate expeditions that were both planning on making circumnavigation attempts around the North Pole via the Northeast and Northwest passages. One of those expeditions is being led by Norwegian explorer Børge Ousland who is joined by experienced sailor Thorleif Thorleifsson, while the other is a Russian backed ship, called the Peter 1. The two expeditions couldn't be more different from one another, while Børge and Thorlief have taken a fast and lightweight ship into those dangerous waters, the Russians have selected an a larger, heavier, icebreaker to make their bid for completing the voyage. The former of those vessels is light and agile, but could suffer damage more easily, while the latter is strong and tough, but more ponderous in its approach.

Today, ExWeb has an update on what they call "the very unofficial North Pole Yacht Race." The two ships are now into the Northeast Passage and attempting to sail on through to the Pacific Ocean, with both of them into the Labtev Sea and battling the ice. The NE Passage generally opens in late August, and at the moment, it seems like they're playing the waiting game, hoping for the opportunity to get moving again.

Once it does open, they'll roll into the Pacific and then on to the Northwest Passage, which has traditionally opened up in September the past few years. A voyage such as this one couldn't have taken place even a few years ago, but due to the effects of global climate change, it has become a reality. One or both of these teams is going to complete the voyage, it is matter of who will finish first. Should be an interesting couple of months for the crews.

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Solo Sailing Update: Laura Leaves For Portugal

Quick on the heels of last week's announcement that 14-year old Laura Dekker would be allowed to make a solo circumnavigation attempt, comes word that she has set sail today, along with her father, for Portugal, where she'll complete the final preparations for her voyage and get properly underway soon.

Laura and her dad, Dick Dekker, sailed out of the Dutch harbor of Den Osse this morning aboard her 26-foot sailing yacht, the Guppy, with about a hundred well wishers on hand to witness the start of the adventure. The father-daughter pair will now spend the next few days sailing to Portugal, at which time Dick will leave the Guppy and Laura will set sail for the Canary Islands and eventually the open waters of the Atlantic.

It is estimated that it could be about four weeks before the voyage officially begins, but Laura has already loaded up her school books and most of her supplies. One of the conditions of her being allowed to make this journey is that she enter into a distance learning program which will allow her to continue her studies while abroad. The circumnavigation attempt could take upwards of two years, and if she completes it by the September of 2012, Laura will become the youngest person ever to sail around the globe.

I guess we can expect to hear a lot more about this moving forward. For good or ill, she's on her way!

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Family Ends Seven Year, Round-The-World Sailing Journey

After seven years sailing the high seas and exploring the world, a Maryland family of five has returned home, 83 months after their departure, and 30,000 miles behind them. The Crafton family consists of father Tom, mother Kathleen, and 22-year old Jena, 18-year old Kalena, and 15-year old Ben. The kids have spent much of their formative years aboard their 43-foot sailing yacht, and are now dealing with the rough re-entry into normal life.

Departing in 2003, the family spent the first few years sailing throughout the Americas. In 2006 they made the big move to cross the Panama Canal and enter the Pacific, where it was on to Vanuatu and other locations in the South Pacific. They took an 18-month break, staying in New Zealand for an extended time,  but after that they pointed the ship west, and kept on sailing, finally making the last crossing for home, a 43-day journey from Ascension Island.

The Crafton kids practically grew up on the boat, and it brought them all more closely together as a family. Even though they are now back in port, they are still living on the boat while the decide what to do next. For the older girls, it's on to college, for Ben it is home schooling, while the formulate a plan for getting back to a more "normal" life.

And what brought them home after their seven year sojourn? Two things. First, the kids are all getting older, and Ben and Kathleen wanted them to have their own life and a more stable environment. But perhaps more importantly, as Kathleen says with a chuckle, "we're flat broke!"

What a way to grow up huh? Traveling the world from a sailboat, visiting distant lands, and visiting place that few people ever get the opportunity to see. Personally, I think a return to life in the U.S. would be nearly impossible for me after a journey like that one. I won't be too surprised to hear that the kids will be heading out on circumnavigation expeditions of their own in the near future. The wanderlust will no doubt hit them hard after being on land for awhile.

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Solo Sailing Update: Laura Free To Sail!

Big news coming out of the Netherlands this morning with the news that 14-year old Laura Dekker will be allowed to attempt her solo sail around the world. A court lifted their imposed guardianship of Laura, who had been relegated to the care of Child Protective Services, freeing her up to leave as soon as she is able.

Laura has spent the majority of her life at sea, and was actually even born aboard a ship off the coast of New Zealand. She's been sailing since she was six and had her on boat at the age of ten. Her 26-foot yacht, the Guppy, will become her home for the months ahead, as she attempts to become the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe. She'll need to do that before her 17th birthday, to set the new record.  She has approximately two years to complete the voyage.

In the past, I've been fairly outspoken about someone as young as Laura sailing solo around the world, and I remain so, although recent information brought to my attention has cleared up a few things. According to Laura's WikiPedia entry, she'll avoid sailing around Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope, choosing to instead go through the Panama and Suez Canals. This will take away some of the danger of navigating through those perilous waters, but will instead replace that danger with higher ship traffic, increasing the chances of a collision. That said, if something should go wrong, she's a lot closer to shore and rescue teams.

On top of the difference in her route, the Wiki entry also notes that she'll have a support crew that will be with her for at least a portion of the voyage. As long as they don't join her on her boat, or aid her in the journey, Laura will continue to have the "solo" status applied to the trip, but the support crew will be close at hand should she need their assistance. This is a very different approach than the one that Jessica Watson and Abby Sunderland used, in which they were truly alone at sea. Witness the efforts that it took to rescue Abby a month or so back when her mast broke in a storm on the Indian Ocean. It took several days just for a ship to arrive on the scene and retrieve her from her crippled vessel.

In light of this information, do you have a different opinion about Laura's voyage? I do think that this sounds like a safe approach and knowing that she has another ship shadowing her, makes it a bit easier to understand how she can be allowed to go. I do wish her the best of luck, and I'm sure, after months of speculation and waiting, she is very relieved to be setting out soon. I wouldn't be surprised at all if she were to begin the voyage within the week.

Update:  ExWeb is reporting that Laura will begin her voyage within two weeks. Still won't be surprised if it happens sooner.

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Plastiki Project Completes Pacific Journey

The crew of the Plastiki, the boat that was built almost entirely out of 12,500 recycled bottles, has completed its voyage across the Pacific, arriving in Sydney, Australia today. The ship set sail from San Francisco back in March, and now, 130 days and 8000 nautical miles later, the journey is done.

The ship, and the entire project, is the brain child of environmentalist David de Rothschild, the founder of Adventure Ecology. He came up with the concept more than four years ago, and after going through all the planning and design phases, it was the realization of a dream to see the ship set sail at long last.

The voyage was made to help raise awareness of the impact of plastic, and other man made elements, on the environment. Along the way, the Plastiki and her crew paid a visit to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a section of ocean the size of Texas where garbage from around the world has collected and created one giant mess of plastic and other junk.

Joining de Rothschild on the four month long journey were Skipper Jo Royle, Co-Skipper David Thomson, Olav Heyerdahl, Graham Hill, Luca Babini, Matthew Grey, Max Jourdan, Singeli Agnew and Vern Moen. Each was an integral part of the crew with several members working on putting together a film of the journey. It should be a interesting one to watch once it is complete, as I'm sure it'll have quite the commentary on health of our oceans.

Congrats to the entire crew of the Plastiki for completing the voyage. Well done!

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Solo Sailing Update: Laura Dekker's Fate To Be Decided Next Week

14-year old Laura Dekker's plans to sail solo around the world received both good and bad news this week, as the courts in the Netherlands have announced that they'll decide her fate next Tuesday, July 27th. If they rule in her favor, she could potentially set sail immediately on her voyage.

Laura did receive permission from one very important person to being the journey – her mom! Laura's mother, who is divorced from her father, has  been a bit hesitant to allow her daughter to sail at times in the past, but she has now given her blessings, saying "Of course no mother on earth likes it if her daughter goes to sea alone. I will have sleepless nights from the worry, but this is about Laura and how I can help her."

Meanwhile, the authorities who will actually decide whether or not she can set sail are divided on their opinions. Social works that have been working directly with the family are now asking the courts to allow Laura to go on her adventure, but the national child protective services department disagrees and they feel she shouldn't be allowed to sail for at least a year. Which one of the two sides will prevail remains to be seen, and the decision sits in the hands of the judges who will handing down their ruling next Tuesday. 

Laura has taken advantage of her delays to develop her first aid skills, register for distance learning classes so she can continue her education, and worked on her ability to solo sail for longer distances while staying awake and attentive. All skills that will serve her well on this voyage if she is allowed to go.

So? What are your thoughts? The current record for youngest to sail around the world is Jessica Watson of course, who finished up in May and completed the journey a few days shy of her 17th birthday. Should a 14 year old be allowed to chase that record now?

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Solo Sailing Update: Abby's Home, Wants To Sail Again!

Yesterday Abby Sunderland finally arrived back in the U.S. after meeting up with her brother Zac on the appropriately named Reunion Island on Saturday. The teen sailor, who lost her ship to a storm in the Indian Ocean back on June 10th, took the opportunity to fully address the media for the first time, says that she is not done sailing, although she has other things in mind for her immediate future - namely getting her driver's license.

Abby used her forum with the media yesterday to set the record straight on a number of issues, describing the storm in more detail and correcting some misconceptions about what happened. She said that the storm was not an especially bad one, and was what she expected being in the Southern Ocean during the winter. She also said that her boat, the Wild Eyes, was not knocked down as was reported widely in the media, including here in this blog. Instead, a rogue wave hit her boat as the storm was actually dissipating, and it was that wave that snapped her mast, stranding her at sea.

Abby reiterated that she is very proud of her accomplishments despite the outcome, and that she does plan to attempt to circumnavigate the globe again, but not for a couple of years. Instead, she wants to get back to normal life, going to school, hanging out with friends, and so on.

Meanwhile, Abby does have a new brother, as her mom gave birth to Paul-Louis Sunderland, who weighed in at 8 lbs., 9 oz, yesterday morning. The child is the 8th of the Sunderland kids, and was named for the French captain who's fishing boat came to Abby's rescue. There is no word yet when Paul-Louis will begin his circumnavigation attempt. ;)

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Russians Challenge Norwegians In North Pole Circumnavigation Race

A few weeks back I posted a story about how Norwegian explorers Børge Ousland and Thorleif Thorleifsson were preparing to attempt to circumnavigate the North Pole by sailing through both the Northeast and Northwest Passages. Now, ExWeb is saying that they may have some competition in the race to become the first people to achieve that feat. 


According to the story, a Russian crew set off on the exact same day as Børge and Thorleif on their own circumnavigation attempt. The Russian's are sailing in a 60-foot long sailing ship called the Peter 1, which is captained by Daniel Gavrilov and his crew of six. 


The Peter 1 first sailed to Grimstad in Norway to chat with Trond Aasvoll, a Norwegian sailor who has already braved the Northeast Passage. After gaining valuable insights into the Passage, they then set sail along the Norwegian coastline and are making their way to Murmansk, the Russian city that serves as the check-in point for their first challenge, the Northeast Passage. 


If all goes as planned, both crews will sail through the region in August, and exit in time for the opening of the Northwest Passage, which has traditionally been in September the past few years. The conditions of both waterways will be important for the teams though, as while the Russian ship is designed to be more stable int he water and resist impacts better, the Norwegian vessel is small, fast, and light, and was built with the intention of flitting through the water with more agility. 


This expedition was already interesting enough, and now we have a good old fashioned boat race. A little good natured competition between the crews might be kind of fun to watch. It'll be interesting to see who gets to the finish line first. 

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National Geographic Adventure (and Me!) Present The Ultimate Adventurers of 2010

National Geographic Adventure published an excellent piece today on today's Ultimate Adventurers. The story takes a look at the top accomplishments by adventurers in the first half of they year, and I'm thrilled by the story because I wrote it! :)

The plan with the project was to shine a spotlight on some of the best stories from the world of adventure so far this year, and we came up with things such as Oh Eun Sun climbing Annapurna and become the first woman to summit all of the 8000 meter peaks. We also mentioned people like Jessica Watson and Jordan Romero of course, along with Roz Savage, Mark Beaumont, and more.

The Ultimate Adventurers is a cool project, and I'm honored that the folks over at Nat. Geo asked me to be a part of it. We'll be updating the site in the weeks and months ahead, as more adventurers accomplish their goals throughout the rest off the year. Be sure to check it out on a regular basis.

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More Sailing Updates: Two Expeditions Coming To An End

With all of this talk about these young girls making their solo circumnavigation attempts, it's sometimes easy to forget that there are some other great sea borne adventures that have been taking place, two of which are coming to an end today.

First up, Reid Stowe, who I've mentioned a few times in the past, is about to finish up his 1000 Days at Sea Expedition. He's actually been at sea for 1152 days, and will be pulling into New York harbor sometime today.

The goal of the expedition was to demonstrate the possibilities of making a journey to Mars, and when he began the voyage, he was hoping so simulate the conditions that astronauts could possibly face if they were on a prolonged journey. That was more than three years ago, and at long last, he'll set foot on land once again today, where he'll be greeted by hundreds of well wishers, including Soanya Ahmad, who began the journey with him, but was forced to leave after 305 days due to debilitating sea sickness. Turns out that she was also pregnant, and would later give birth to their son. Since that time, Reid has spent more than two years alone at sea.

I'll bet he'll be happy to be back on land tonight.

Meanwhile, jumping to the west coast, a few days back I posted an update on the Around the Americas Team, and how they were closing in on their final destination as well. Turns out, today will be the day for them to return home as well. The crew of the Ocean Watch should reach Seattle sometime this afternoon too, bringing an end to their 13-month circumnavigation of North and South America that saw them navigating their way through the Northwest Passage. This amazing journey has never been completed before, and while making the voyage, the crew took water samples and recorded all kinds of data to help us to better understand the impact of global climate change on the health of our seas.

I want to take the opportunity to with both Reid and the Ocean Watch crew home. Your two respective journeys have been tremendous to follow.

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Solo Sailing Update: Laura Stays Home... For Now!

I wanted to post a quick update this morning on the story I wrote about yesterday regarding Dutch teenager Laura Dekker, who hoped to set sail in the days ahead on a solo circumnavigation attempt in order to break the record for the youngest person to sail around the world.

Apparently the Dutch courts ruled against Laura a short time ago, and the girl will now not be allowed to set out on her journey. The details are a bit sketchy at this point, but this story from the Associated Press says that the judges felt that risks were still way too high for a girl of her age to be sailing the oceans alone. They also granted the child protective services an extra month of supervision over Laura, extending their charge until August 1.

Laura has said, on more than one occasion, that she hopes to break the "youngest around" record, which was recently established by Jessica Watson, who sailed back home to Australia just three days shy of her 17th birthday. Considering that she is still just 14, she has a couple of years to achieve that record, although she had hoped to begin soon after completing several skills tests and purchasing a new, larger boat.

There is no indication that Abby Sunderland's recent troubles in the Indian Ocean had any impact on the judge's decision, but it is also hard to believe that they didn't. The 16 year old was attempting to set a new record as well, when storms snapped her mast, stranding her in the middle of nowhere, and setting off a massive rescue attempt. There were even points when she was feared lost at sea.

For my part, I'm glad that they blocked Laura from leaving. I personally feel that 14 is far too young to be making this journey, no matter how many technical skills you have. She should take some time to build experience, both on and off the water, before getting ready, and then revisit the idea in a couple of years, when she is more mature. I'm sure we haven't heard the last of Laura Dekker, and we're like to get further updates on this in the weeks ahead.

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Solo Sailing Update: Courts To Block Laura Dekker Again?

While the world still debates whether it was a good idea for Abby Sunderland to sail solo around the world at the age of 16, the courts in the Netherland are discussing if 14-year old Laura Dekker should be allowed to set sail as well.

According to this story from the Sydney Morning Herald, the Dutch courts will rule on Laura's fate tomorrow on whether or not she can begin her attempt to sail solo around the world and try to set a new "youngest" record in the process.

You may recall that Laura wanted to sail last September, at the age of 13, but the Dutch Child Protective Services department stepped in, and prevented her from going. In December she would run away from home, and get as far as St Martin in the Caribbean, where she was eventually spotted. It is believed that she was hoping to acquire a boat there and set out on her own, circumventing the court's ruling.

Since then, the court has said that they would consider Laura making the circumnavigation attempt as long as she passed a series of skills tests demonstrating her abilities. She has also purchased a larger sailing ship, one that is 30-feet in length, in preparation for the journey as well. If the court rules in her favor, she could potentially be underway in a matter of weeks.

Will Abby's troubles in the Indian Ocean play an effect on the ruling? Stay tuned until tomorrow to find out.

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Solo Sailing Update: Abby On A Slow Boat To Somewhere

A few days after being rescued in the Southern Ocean, Abby Sunderland remains aboard the French fishing ship, the Ile de la Reunion, and is currently bound for the Kerguelen Islands, a small chain located in the Indian Ocean. After that, she'll be transferred to another boat, and for ten more days she'll be making her way to a small island near Madagascar. After that, it is still up in the air, but she is slowly making her way home.

It appears that Abby's journey is over, and the Wild Eyes will not be repaired as was previously thought. The boat has been left adrift in the Indian Ocean, while her captain departed on the large fishing ship, where she has been sending updates to her blog from time to time. There isn't a whole lot to report really, just that she is happy to be headed home, and grateful for all of the efforts that were put in to rescue her. She has sent out a number of thank you's to those that scrambled to ensure that she was alive and well. Abby hasn't spoken to the press at all yet, although they have apparently been trying to reach her about the ship, but the French captain and his crew, have been running interference for her, and so far no one has gotten through.

Meanwhile, Abby's family has responded to some of the criticism that has been leveled their way in the past few days. In a post on her blog, they have written a response to the claims that Abby was sailing too far south, and across the Indian Ocean too late in the year. They also address the rumors that they were filming a reality television series called Adventures in Sunderland.

Yep, you read that right. Apparently at some point there was a reality television series in the works about the Sunderland family, which consists of mom and dad, and seven kids, although an eight child is due any moment now. The press got wind of this show a few days back, and that has fueled speculation that the whole solo sailing journey that Abby and her brother Zac have undergone is purely for monetary gain. Perhaps the parents were even pushing them into it or at the very least, allowed them to go so they could make money. But the deal apparently is long dead, and there is no show in the works. In fact the studio involved is even in trouble for failing to pay back taxes, so at this point, it seems the rumors of a television show are false. What the future holds is still a mystery.

Finally, the Australian Search and Rescue team was hoping to get the word out that they did everything the could to help Abby, including chartering a commercial jet to fly over her last known position, and despite all of that, they are not asking the family to pay for any of the efforts. Apparently the word on that hadn't been widely reported, and the Aussie government wanted the world to know that they didn't put a price tag on helping save Abby. Good to know. And I'd expect nothing less from the wonderful people from Oz. :)

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Bounty Boat Update: The Expedition is Done!

Back at the end of April, I wrote about the Talisker Bounty Boat, which was setting out with a crew of four in an attempt to reenact the incredible journey of Captain Bligh, who was set adrift by the mutinous Fletcher Christian back in 1789.

The events leading up to that journey are well documented in The Mutiny on the Bounty, but in a nutshell, the British naval vessel the Bounty, was taken by mutineers and her captain, William Bligh, along with his loyal officers, were put off the ship in a small, 23-foot long open boat. Bligh and the men then proceeded to sail more than 3700 nautical miles, over the course of seven weeks, until the arrived safely at Kupang in Timor. The journey was long and arduous, and it is a miracle that they even survived. No one has successfully completed the journey since then. That is, until now.

Earlier today, the Talisker Bounty Boat made landfall in Kupang, West Timor, completing their epic journey and recreating that of the Bounty's officer in the process. The crew, which consists of Captain Don McIntyre, 18 year old Brit Chris Wilde, Australian Dave Pryce and Englishman David Wilkinson, set out without navigational charts, barely any food, just two weeks worth of water, and practically nothing else. Along the way they faced a number of hardships, including storms, the hot South Pacific Sun, kidney stones, and more.

The journey was undertaken for a good cause, as McIntyre and the rest of the boys, hoped to raise $250,000 for the Sheffield Institute Foundation for Motor Neurone Disease. The money will go to help find a cure for Motor Neurone Disease (MND), Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Definitely a worthy cause to be sure.

Congrats to the crew of the Bounty Boat on a job well done. I can't imagine what it was like out there for these guys.

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Around The Americas Update: Nearly Home!

I haven't really mentioned much about the Around the Americas expedition since they made their way through the perilous waters off of Cape Horn. That was back in January, and since that time, they've had plenty of adventures, as they've sailed up the west coasts of both North and South America, making their way back to where they started, Seattle, Washington. Now, they're within a few days of completing their epic journey, and finishing a sailing adventure that had never been done before.

For those who aren't familiar with the expedition, the crew of the Ocean Watch set sail from Seattle last May with the idea of circumnavigating the continents of both North and South America. Until recent years, the journey wasn't even possible, but thanks to global climate change, the Northwest Passage has been navigable for the past few years. Upon beginning their voyage, the ship sailed north, to Alaska, and began what was perhaps the most treacherous portion of the trip through the ice waters of the Arctic Ocean. Once they cleared that section, they turned south, down the coast of North and South America, around the Horn, and then back North, where they are now, more than a year after starting, and closing in on their destination.

Of course, the journey wasn't just about the adventure itself. Along the way, the crew was joined by a variety of guests, and throughout the journey, a number of scientific experiments were made, and sample were taken, to record the impact of global climate change on the oceans and seas through which they passed. When they get back home, the crew of the Ocean Watch, will deliver some very important data that could offer some great insights into the health of our oceans.

I'll post an update again when they've reached Seattle. It's been a long journey, and you can read about their experiences in their blog, which they've been keeping since the beginning, and has lots of great information and stores to tell. Read it by clicking here.

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Solo Sailing Update: Rescue Ship Reaches Abby

According to CNN, a French fishing ship has reached 16-year old solo sailor Abby Sunderland in the Indian Ocean, and is now planning on delivering her safely back to land, although where exactly they'll drop her off has yet to be determined.

Abby's family says that she is fine, and in good health, but happy to be off her crippled boat, the Wild Eyes, which suffered damage during a nasty storm on Thursday. The ship's mast was broken in high winds and 20-25 foot waves, and her sails are said to be dragging in the ocean.

At this time, it is also unknown if Abby will attempt to continue her journey. With the mast broken, and the sails in tatters, substantial repairs will need to be performed on the Wild Eyes before she can be sea worthy again. It will also require substantial funds as well, and that comes just a few weeks after Abby stopped in Cape Town, South Africa for repairs to the vessel as well.

Meanwhile, Abby's story has fired up the debate that has been going on for some time about whether or not teenagers should be out sailing solo around the world. The video below, from Newsy.com, discusses some of that debate, which is sure to be a hot topic in the days and weeks ahead, as other teens prepare to make this same journey.

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Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

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Abby is Safe!!

Another update on Abby Sunderland this morning, this time with good news! It is being widely reported by many sources that the 16-year old is safe and sound aboard her boat, although the Wild Eyes has suffered some damage, the extent of which is still unknown at this time.

A search plane was scrambled out of Perth, Australia this morning (local time) to conduct a flyover of Abby's last known position, and the boat was spotted from the air, upright and but with her mast broken. All of her rigging was also down and the sails, which were damaged in the storm, are dragging in the water, leaving Abby adrift in the Indian Ocean.

Rescue ships are already en route to lend a hand, but they are not expected to be on the scene until tomorrow at the earliest. For the NBC News Report, watch the video below.

I'm sure many of you, who have followed Abby's progress like I have, a relieved to hear that she is safe and sound. The teenager has quite the story to tell, and I can't wait to hear the details. But for now, I'm glad she is alive and well.

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