 We've had Veronica Lysaght and Nigel Jollands as our guest speakers on two previous occasions. On 8 Apr 2024 (see bulletin 1316) we were introduced to the pair and their boat Novara after they crossed the Atlantic. Then on 11 Aug 2025 (bulletin 1365) we met up with them again "at their most northerly point within the North West Passage" battling 40 knot winds. Tonight they join us from Costa Rica while their boat, the Novara awaits the end of winter in Alaska safely on dry land.
Nigel began tonight's presentation with a couple of animations showing where they had travelled thus far. He also shared photos and videos of some of the highlights. Visit Novara World to see some of these fantastic experiences. They then opened the floor to questions. Ed Thompson wanted to know why they hadn't transited the straight line of sea further North that looks so tempting on a map. This is when we learned the term "fast" ice. And learned that fast ice isn't supposed to be fast at all - in fact it's supposed to be completely stopped as it is held "fast". Well some of the fast ice in the area Ed was referring to had come un-fast and was moving South, right into the path of the Novara. They used poles and the boat's reinforced hull to try to push the ice out of the way, but it just kept moving in on them faster than they could escape it. And being that far North meant their compass was useless and although they knew their position on a map, they couldn't tell which way they were pointed! Another vessel, a wooden one crewed by some twenty-something Norwegians provided a light by which they could find their way back to open water. Lloyd asked about the method of propulsion. It turns out that the weather in the North is either dead calm or a gale so the sails couldn't be used much. In fact, they spent 83% of the time motoring along. Chuck wondered how they managed the Bellot Straight as it usually has a 4 knot current travelling West to East and the Novara was going against it. Nigel explained that the current varies with the tide and they had to wait at Port Ross for two days for the conditions to be right. Nigel then shared a photo of a close encounter with a polar bear. The bear swam right up to the boat while everyone was asleep. Chuck then asked about other wildlife. They saw narwhals, belugas, whales, a caribou and a dozen seals. Next year will be a quieter one for the Novara as they sail South down the coast of B.C. towards Mexico with plenty of time for family visits. As for what's next after they return to New Zealand? Possibly back North then over the top of Russia (if they can get permission, of course).
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