Bellot Strait: The most worrying aspect of the transit is that we didn’t see one piece of proper ice, not even a floating ice cube for a G & T.

N72 38 W091 56 Pressure 1008, water 1.5C, air 0C Sunday 11 Sept UTC 0500 Local time 23.00 Saturday 10th Sept

5 knot following wind, snow flurries

One of the best days of the trip. I got up for my watch this morning, no wind, but the sea was calm. A sprinkling of snow on the nearby hills. We were heading for the elusive Bellot Strait. After reading so much about it, it was a big milestone. The Irish found it blocked with ice and couldn’t go through it and our good friends Borge and Thorleif had trouble with packed ice in the channel.

As we approached, I think everyone was apprehensive. Everyone wanted to be on deck. The Bellot didn’t disappoint.

It is a deep sound that cuts through Boothia Peninsula, providing a short cut to Somerset Island. The Southern shore of Bellot at Zenith Point is the Northernmost point of the North American continent. Named after Joseph Rene Bellot, a Frenchman who was Captain William Kennedy’s Navigator when they searched for Franklin back in 1851. It was not actually transited until after the second world war.

We had zero wind, so the surface was like a mirror and the steep cliffs and hills looked just like Scotland. Raw beauty.  We had worked out the best time for a transit from the tide tables, as there is quite a fast current. At one point we reached an impressive 11.9 Knots. You could see the swirls and eddies as we made our way down. It is only 18 miles long but we all stayed on deck. Transfixed by this special place.

We slowly edged near the end passing the famous Magpie Rock, that really does see some turbulence.

BUT the most worrying aspect of the transit is that we didn’t see one piece of proper ice, not even a floating ice cube for a G & T.

We then made our way into a little bay and made a stop at Fort Ross. Two little huts that were owned by the Hudson Bay Company, now maintained by the Canadian Coast Guard.

Now here’s the Segue for today; above the huts is a Cairn that was built by McClintock looking for Franklin. His Great grandson John McClintock performed the naming ceremony of Northabout. This very boat that Jarlath built, that has performed so magnificently for both expeditions.

So, now we are heading up Prince Regent Inlet. We are expecting our first ice tomorrow, 5/10ths that could block the channel, but that’s another day. We had the first flurries of snow tonight and the stars have just come out. Lady Luck Shone on us today and she will get the first toast tonight. I will sleep like a baby tonight.

David