The Open Passage Expedition will be setting sail in June to combine a grueling sailing challenge with a serious look at how climate change is impacting people�s lives. The four-member team plans to sail through the Northwest Passage from west to east while researching and documenting changes to the peoples in Arctic communities.
While the crew is currently spread out around the globe, SILENT SOUND, the 40-foot expedition boat, is moored near Victoria, BC. UK-Halsey is making new sails for the boat.
�I race on the IOR boat AUTHORITY in Hong Kong, and we recently won our class at the China Cup International Regatta using UK-Halsey sails. This is a very different challenge, but the service and attention we got as a recreational racing boat convinced me that UK-Halsey would be the best sail partner for this expedition,� said Cameron Dueck, the expedition leader.
While the sailing aspect of the expedition will be enough to keep the crew busy, they have their heart set on accomplishing more than just the voyage itself. Dueck is a journalist and plans to write a book based on the journey and the stories he hears about how climate change is affecting Inuit culture, economics and lifestyle. He is also working with a filmmaker to produce a documentary.
The expedition has been self-financed to this point, but the team hopes to change that soon as it appeals to equipment manufacturers and corporate sponsors. In particular, the expedition is looking for a marine electronics company to support them. �It�s a tough market now, but with our media and journalism plans, we can offer sponsors some pretty good exposure,� Dueck said.
The expedition website (www.openpassageexpedition.com) features a blog, boat tracker and information on the journey. The team is in discussion with Discovery.com to partner with a new climate change project named Discovery Earth Live (http://dsc.discovery.com/guides/discovery-earth-live/discovery-earth-live.html). It is also working with schools in Hong Kong and Canada to build an education platform based on student interaction before, during, and after the expedition.
�Yes, this promises to be an epic voyage, but we�re also hoping to make it something that can be used to get the climate change story to more people in a way they can relate to,� Dueck said.
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