Vagabond (Groenland2010)

Brest !

Eric Brossier — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 11:36:00 GMT

Ecotroll arrived yesterday in Brest. The sea was not so smooth in Saint George's Channel, but the English Channel was much more welcoming: a lot of dolphins were showing us the route, jumping joyfully! More liveliness came when we crossed Ouessant shipping lane, with non stop traffic of various cargo ships. Approaching Brittany, Ecotroll was going up to 12 knots in Four Channel! We had to wait then for the current to change direction before going through the Goulet de Brest, so we dropped anchor in front of Plougonvelin to celebrate Alain's birthday and the end of our journey! Ecotroll is now moored to Vagabond at Moulin Blanc Port. Léonie was very moved, when recognizing again our faithful red hull. If her sister Aurore (9 months) spent more than half of her life on board Ecotroll, Léonie (3 years and half) mainly lived on board Vagabond, in Svalbard.

Ecotroll will sail from Brest tomorrow, to La Rochelle, with Alain and Marc, joined by Christophe and Nicolas. End of the five months journey for four of us, time to go back to school for Léonie (a little bit late!), while I'm getting ready to go to the North-West Passage for a few weeks...

Irlande

Eric Brossier — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 22:59:00 GMT

After short breaks in Scotland and in Northern Ireland, weather is keeping us in Ireland. Conditions are not the best to sail to Brittany, but stops are always enjoyed by each of the six people on board Ecotroll. Better weather should allow us to sail again in a few hours...

Ecosse

Eric Brossier — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 05:38:00 GMT

Ecotroll is finding her way between Scottish Islands, playing with her various power modes: kite, electric engines, diesel engines. Sun and wind are with us, many dolphins, seals, birds... and warm temperatures are nicely surprising us! Since our stop at Strendur's shipyard (Faroe Islands), where the team Nannidiesel / Technodrive / Flexball has been efficient, the ECOlogical TROLLer is heading South in very fine conditions. A short stop in Brest is planned by the end of next week, before sailing to La Rochelle for the Grand Pavois boat show (15th-20th September).

Strendur, le retour

Eric Brossier — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 21:28:00 GMT

Another nice stop in Iceland, in Neskaupstadur (swimming pool, museum, restaurant, playground...), allowed us to reduce pleasantly the crossing to Faeroe Islands. Pushed by swell and wind, the faithful ship and her crew in good shape reached the archipelago within less than two days. However, we were slowed down by a strong current between the islands, able to drive us backward for a short while!

Ecotroll left Klaksvik this morning under electric power, then she enjoyed a little back wind to use her big kite. With the current, islands were passing fast, until the wind dropped and the wing felled into the sea! Few trials and three recovers later, diesel engines were started to sail the last few miles, against wind and current that time, and to reach Strendur harbour. This is where Ecotroll was taken out of the water in June, it is here that she will have some more controls and improvements, with the help of local Nannidiesel agent, and a technical team coming from France and Italy.

Vopnafjordur

Eric Brossier — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:00:00 GMT

Wavy journey, too much swell for using the kites, but fair winds from Greenland. Ecotroll is in Vopnafjordur Harbour, in Iceland, where the crew enjoyed very much a geothermal pool! The only policeman of the village took us there in his police car, and then the harbour master invited us at home for dinner!

Ecopolaris

Eric Brossier — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:18:00 GMT

Heavily loaded when starting from Ittoqqortoormiit, Ecotroll carried equipment for next Ecopolaris project (GREA). The 5 people team was expecting us at the Danish scientific station of Zackenberg, in the National Park. They embarked on board our small vessel to sail to the nearest airport (Constable Point). More than 600 miles (1100 km) done in less than 6 days for this logistical trip. On the way, two polar bears (one surprised us when we were having a nap on a beach!), walruses, seals, muskox... and many birds. We passed Daneborg, the Sirius patrol base, watching the Park, then we visited the scientific station, and also some old trappers huts. Last night, wind and waves were pushing Ecotroll over 9 knots between icebergs, cliffs and poor mapped coast of Liverpool Land, while darkness is coming back more and more... High sensations for everyone! Job done for Ecotroll, she will be leaving Greenland tomorrow: heading South, with Marc and Alain, our crew members for the trip Scoresby Sund - La Rochelle.

Position (Google Maps).

Scoresby Sund

Eric Brossier — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 00:28:00 GMT

Polar bear and seals, icebergs and glaciers, sun and smooth sea, wind and mosquitoes... nice mix shared during the past few days with Patrice Passinge, who built Ecotroll's hull. New experience for the director of Méta shipyard, who came with his family for the first time in the Arctic!

Position (Google Maps).

Liverpool Land

Eric Brossier — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 00:44:00 GMT

Last week, Ecotroll was lifted up on the deck of the supply ship of the Royal Arctic Line, while in the village, very expected containers were received one by one. Repair was quick, thanks to Arina Arctica's crew, and sailing along Liverpool Land could carry on...

Again, our boat is at anchor in front of Ittoqqortoormiit. The three ornithologists, and all their equipment, left the little auk colony with us this morning. A polar bear was looking at us from a distance, as if he was ready to recover his lost ground... The day before, we celebrated David's birthday around a fire made from drifted wood (from Siberia), enjoyed a home made sauna (and a short dive in the frozen sea!), and watched once more thousands of little penguins flying together.

Before picking up the scientists, we discover great beaches at Rathbone Island, and their coy fox. Then Ecotroll found her way between many icebergs gathered in fjord Vejle, near glacier Bjerring Pedersens. Some remains of pack ice were also expecting us, reminding us nicely ice breaking up periods in Svalbard, every year around mid-July. A polar bear was in ambush, lying on the ice, trying to catch one of the many seals, all more foolhardy than near the village.

Tomorrow, with Patrice and his crew, we should sail towards the end of the huge Scoresby fjord.

Position (Google Maps).

Kap Hoegh

Eric Brossier — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 01:10:00 GMT

At 30 miles from the village, at Kap Hoegh, David, Jérôme and Eric are working on little auks. The research program started in 2004, we already participated in 2005 with Vagabond. This year, without pack ice, will this little penguin change behaviour? This is the most frequent bird in the Arctic, and he is feeding with some plankton growing under pack ice. Is the little auk the perfect indicator on ice retreat? To better understand, observations and data from this new field work will be very important.

Position (Google Maps).

Autour d'Ittoqqortoormiit

Eric Brossier — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 23:59:00 GMT

While we are getting ready to take Ecotroll out from the sea, to change two little gaskets, we are staying around Ittoqqortoormiit. The village is not anymore protected by drifting ice, all is gone since last gale (over 60 knots gust). Swell sometimes makes us look for a shelter in the nearest fjords, it is often difficult to go to shore. Many visitors on board; Greenlandic, but also travellers as Vernay brothers, and then our friend Michael Charavin, with their team-mates, they brought items for us. On Wednesday, we did a small talk on board Bremen, a German cruise ship: France and Léonie enjoyed very much the swimming pool! In the village, everybody is waiting for the supply ship, on 28th July. She is coming twice a year only...

Since we arrived in Greenland, we didn't run the diesel engines, solar panels and wind generators keep charging batteries. The wood stove has not been used either since we left Iceland, sun is heating very well the saloon, thanks to all windows. We still enjoy very much Arctic summer!

Position (Google Maps).