Expedition Around North America contre le réchauffement climatique

Around North America Newsletter

Newsletter 17/ April 2009

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May 2, 2009.
The expedition left this morning from Reykjavik, Iceland for the last leg of the Climatic Odyssey of the « Southern Star ». The loch was showing 20378 Nautical Miles arriving at Reykjavik. It should give a total amount while arriving at Tromsø of 3700 NM above what was actually announced before departure.

The crossing from Halifax was fast. « Southern Star » was docked at Reykjavik only 15 days after departing Halifax. At the beginning, the crew had to deal with fog on the banks of Nova Scotia with wind and predictions for ice. These dark and uncertain hours were over for a while when they had reach deeper waters of North Atlantic Ocean to start again on the South part of Newfoundland banks. For three days, the polar yacht and its brave crew had to cross the icebergs field. Every body keeps in mind the story of the Titanic which made it famous. A unic one was observed during non stop watches. During this period the visibility was poor, nights appears to be endless.

700 NM was sailed in such conditions. Afterwards the weather turned beautiful for a week with favorable winds. It gave the crew the opprotunity to push on deck and make a good deal of speed. The arrival in Iceland was stormy for 48 hours and two sessions of hoving to.
Right now, Southern Star is in route to Norway, we wish them a fair wind.

Coming back in Reykjavik 11 months later was the occasion to celebrate the success of the circumnavigation of the North American Continent. At this occasion, Olivier Pitras had a presentation of the expedition at the Université of Iceland. M. Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, president of Iceland came onboard to tell his opinion about the necessity to reach an international consensus in terms of Climate Change and to congratulate the team for the tremendous job which had be done so far for this matter. The shooting team had completed the field investigation by interviewing an economist about the link between this crisis and our relation with the environment.

M. Olafur Ragnar Grimsson

The arrival in Tromsø is scheduled on May 16th at 10h00 on Rica Hotel’s float. We keep our fingers cross for a confirmation of the sharp schedule who was so far respected since departure. At 14h00 the same day, Olivier Pitras will give a lecture at the city hall of tromsø with lecturers from the Norwegian Polar Institute, the University of Tromsø and the team 69 Nord.

There is another project for a lecture in Oslo mid June organized by the French Norwegian Chamber of Commerce and the French Embassy in Norway. We will be able to give you further information in the next newsletter.