Marine / Lerwick stop-off for sailor aiming to circumnavigate Arctic Circle
ELLA Hibbert appears to be pretty calm after arriving in Lerwick on her boat for a pit-stop before heading northwards, despite what lies ahead for the sailor in the coming months.
She is aiming to circumnavigate the Arctic Circle solo, covering 10,000 nautical miles herself in challenging conditions. It is thought she would be the first person to undertake the voyage by herself.
The 28-year-old is raising awareness of sea ice decline and climate change, saying that a circumnavigation of the Arctic Circle was previously unachievable.
Her quest will also raise funds for the charities Polar Bears International and Ocean Conservancy.
The intrepid sailor, who hails from Portsmouth, arrived in Lerwick on Monday having travelled in her boat Yeva up the east coast of the UK, and left on Thursday. She is currently northeast of Unst.
The route she will travel will not be for the faint-hearted; it will begin at the 66.5°N latitude of the Arctic Circle between Norway and Iceland, before heading towards southern Greenland and through Canada across the Northwest Passage.
From there she expects to travel across Northern Alaska and into Russian waters, before crossing the Laptev and Kara seas and returning to her starting point near Norway – and then back to the south of England.
It will not be without its challenges, with icebergs a key danger, while “hostile wildlife” – like polar bears – a possibility too.
It is expected that the trip could take around five months to complete.
Yeva, which is 11.5 metres long, is well stocked with supplies, but in the event of an emergency she will be able to stop off at some ports around the Arctic Circle.
Five-plus months at sea will no doubt be a lonely endeavour, but for Hibbert it appears to be all part of the fun.
“I’ve been dreaming of the Arctic for as long as I can remember,” she tells Shetland News on Tuesday as she takes a break from her to-do list of jobs ahead of her grand voyage.
The last couple of years have been spent re-fitting Yeva, chasing sponsorship and dealing with the red tape of travelling overseas.
Gaining permits to sail into the Russian Arctic took around a year and half to secure, for example.
“The issue wasn’t with Russians being unhelpful,” Hibbert says. “They’ve been super helpful.
“The issue was because of the sanctions [after start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict] put in place, you couldn’t so much as access a Russian website or email someone.
“The difficulty was trying to get hold of the right people, but once I did get hold of the right people, they’ve been amazing.”
Hibbert printed out pictures of loved ones to put on her wall inside her boat, and she also encouraged people to send in letters, notes, poems and pictures before setting off, which she will open and look at during important milestones.
“To be honest I’m kind of looking forward to it,” Hibbert says when asked about the impending isolation.
“I love being out there by myself.
“You’re never really out of comms in our modern day and age, so I’ve got satellite communication with my shore team where we can text on WhatsApp and stuff throughout the day as needed.
“But I’ve got lots of playlists I’ve made, lots of books and movies. And to be honest, there’s going to be so much to do.”
Sleep deprivation could also be tricky, as she will need to keep a close eye on any approaching ice.
Apart from when there will be some rest stops at anchor, she is preparing herself to sleep in 20-minute naps.
“The most I’ve maintained that for at a time is up to seven days,” Hibbert says.
“Realistically in places like the Northwest Passage when the currents are against me the best choice is going be to anchor, because the currents run so fast.
“As long as there isn’t any ice being blown into the bay that I’m in, then I can have a long rest.”
Having gone out on the water since she was a youngster, Hibbert has plenty of experience, and she is a Yachtmaster sailing instructor too.
She also went on a solo training expedition in 2024 to Norway which put her in good stead for the challenge.
But the risk of having to pause the Arctic Circle circumnavigation due to the unpredictable conditions is “always something at the back of my mind”, Hibbert admits.
“The ice is really the only aspect of it that you can’t prep for,” she says, with the wind affecting its direction.
Hibbert has a flare gun with 30 red flares as something of a “bear deterrent” – but the sailor says she plans to “admire all of the wildlife from a very safe distance”.
“As long I’m keeping moving and not a stationary target then I think the risk of being boarded by a bear is pretty slim.”
But amid the threat of ice, lack of sleep and five months on her lonesome, Hibbert appears to be ready for the challenge.
Something to look forward to is turning 29 in October. “I’m hoping to get back for my birthday,” Hibbert says, “but we’ll see.”
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