Arctic Epic

Ella Hibbert, a 28-year-old sailor, has set out on a solo voyage around the Arctic Ocean, a trip made possible only by the climate-induced melting of sea ice. The voyage will be the first-ever attempt to circumnavigate the Arctic Circle solo, completing both the northwest and northeast passages in a single trip.

Hibbert set sail from England on Saturday, travelling towards Iceland and Norway, where she will officially begin the 10,000-mile journey alone in her boat, the Yeva. The route, expected to take five months, passes over the north of Iceland, down around southern Greenland, up through Canada, and across the north of Alaska before a long leg through Russian waters back to Norway.

During the voyage, she will likely face severe sleep deprivation and will only be able to sleep for 20 minutes at a time once she hits the Arctic Circle. Other challenges include hostile wildlife such as polar bears, unpredictable conditions, huge waves, wind chills down to minus 30° C, snow build-up on the deck, icebergs, and fast-moving sea ice.

Born in Germany, Hibbert grew up in a military family and was raised mainly in England and France. Leaving home at 18, she briefly lived in Australia before working for four years as a divemaster on superyachts, which gave her the chance to sail and dive all over the world. She spent three years getting ready for the Arctic, campaigning, training, finding sponsors, and reaching out for advice, as well as finding, crowdfunding, and buying and fitting out the Yeva. 

As of last evening, she was in the Shetland Islands, about four days sailing from her starting line for the Arctic circumnavigation. Sailors at the port are huddled down, hiding out from tomorrow’s forecast windy weather, so she's tending to some tasks to keep herself busy until she can set back out again.