2010 is going to be our most exciting and ambitious summer in the High Arctic.  Building upon all of the incredible destinations we have visited in Northern Norway, in June 2010 we will set sail from the Lofoten Islands, bound for Jan Mayen, Iceland, East Greenland and Svalbard...  

Whilst the voyage is likely to be over 3000 miles in total, we have broken the trip into managable two week 'legs' giving everyone the chance to take holiday out of the office to discover the very best destinations in the world.  

These legs are to be as follows...

1 Bodo (Norway) - Jan Mayen - Akureyri (Iceland)

2 Iceland - Jan Mayen - Scoresby Sund (Greenland)

3 Greenland - Longyearbyen (Spitsbergen)

4 Spitsbergen Circumnavigation - Bear Island - Tromso

Each leg will begin and end at (or near to) an airport with international connections, allowing guests to join the boat from anywhere in the world.

As usual we'll maximise any time ashore making these legs appealing to mountaineers, skiers, kayakers (Feathercraft onboard), photographers, wildlife watchers - the list is long!

No previous sailing experience is necessary, but you will have lots of experience when you get home!

Unfortunately spaces are limited to 10 guests for this trip and the boat will fill up fast!  For dates / prices please visit Itinerary and for further information or any questions, please Contact Us.

Polar Bear and her crew of 18 completed the Fastnet Race in fine style arriving at the finish line on Friday (14th August) afternoon right before the party in Plymouth began!  

A whopping race of endurance lasted 5 days and 2 hours for us, plagued by either no-wind or head-wind, making for a rather slow time.  

At times we were blasting along at 12 knots under spinnaker, but in contrast we spent 6 hours at anchor one night watching the smaller yachts drift backward in a painful foul tide!  

One element that proved relentless however was the fantastic spirit onboard.  Having two very competitive watches - Blue Watch with 9 fellows and Pink watch - 7 fellows, 1 lady and a Garry; it's easy to imagine the level of humour which kept us all smiling!

Although we knew we had little chance of competing with the ultra-light race yachts in these conditions, we were extremely happy to have some 'class racing' between Polar Bear and a few of her sisters from the Challenge Days - Challeneger 2 and 3 (operated by the Tall Ships Trust). I have to say the competition was extremely close and a good hard race was fought by the 'heavies' bringing up the rear.  I'm very pleased to admit however that we sailed to victory with just hours between us all!

Of course this race was not just about having a great time, but also to do some good for those who couldn't be there with us.  Campaign organizers Bill Holt and Mark Styles managed to balance the race program with some very worthy support for their chosen charities Martin House Children's Hospice and Earthwatch Institute.  Polar Bear played host to two very important days for the charities and we know that these days have already lead to bigger things!  

The Fastnet Race is an iconic event in the sailing community, but also followed and respected by a much wider audience throughout the world.  Polar Bear's entry in this race has been an unbelievable success for all those involved both onshore and offshore.  Thankyou to all of our supporters throughout this campaign.  We hope we have made you proud!

A final word of thanks to Bill and Mark without whom, none of this would have been possible!

Please click below to help spread the message of the good work which Martin House and Earthwatch undertake...

http://www.martinhouse.org.uk/

http://www.earthwatch.org 

A big thank you to the brave sailors from Martin House who went to sea to meet a very big 'Polar Bear'!  

Although the wind was cool, the sun was out all day for a beginner crew with so much enthusiasm!  

Well done to all for making this such an enjoyable day!  

We are so honoured to be flying the flag for Martin House in the Fastnet Race this summer, and we hope to do you proud.

Further thanks to our onboard celebrity Paul Rose, Earthwatch and Total Oil for your incredible support.

For further information about how to help us raise funds for this wonderful charity, please visit their website: www.martinhouse.org.uk

  Its hard to know what to expect from an island with such a reputation as Jan Mayen.  Rising out of the Norwegian Sea 540 miles west of the Norwegian mainland, Jan Mayen lies completely isolated from the rest of the world, open to the fury of the worst weather one might like to imagine.  Add to this an absence of any kind of safe harbour and very limited rescue facility, this trip was always going to be a big committment!

The determination of the crew to get to the island and climb Beeremberg was inspiring.  The prospect of climbing such a beautiful and inaccessible mountain was the carrot at the end of the stick which kept everyone going despite 36 hours of strong headwinds and heavy seas, followed by a further 48 hours of hard going in a very cold sea.  Finally we could see the snowy northern slopes of Beeremberg on the horizon and the magic of the island began to unfold.  

We were met by whales all around the boat; Minke, Killer and Pilot whales put on the most incredible display to show that we had arrived somewhere very very special.  Once anchored and the group were safely ashore, we would discover for ourselves.

The shore party made best use of a narrow weather window and managed to summit in perfect sunshine.  A few of the lucky sailing crew were invited to experience the legendary hosptality of those very special people who man the Loran C and Meteorological Stations.  There is no experience on earth like sipping cold beer in a warm outdoor swimming pool looking out on a wild volcanic island surrounded by ocean.  Thanks to all our new friends on the base for your incredible kindness.

Time ashore was cut short by another despression screaming our way, pushing strong winds fog and rain ahead of it.  Time to get out of there and use a good sailing breeze to get us back to civilisation. 

This was indeed a rare and fantastic experience to see such a remote place.  At all times we were amazed by how quickly the weather could change and how any trip to this island could never be taken for granted.  

Thanks to everyone onboard, Eco Expeditions and of course those brave people who man the remote outpost of Jan Mayen.