Northwest Passage Kayakers: -3˚C, But Not Far to Go

After almost three months and 2,400km, the four kayakers are currently halfway across their last big crossing. It will be a 54km day, to the peninsula that ends in Cape Bathurst, the terminus of the Northwest Passage.

From here, they may paddle a little further to Tuktoyaktuk, their original endpoint, or stop early, if they can catch a ride. Either way, they will have successfully kayaked the Northwest Passage in a single season for the first time.

Their finish is none too soon. Snow is on the ground, and daytime temperatures for their crossing have remained below zero. It’s currently -3˚C. Early winter has arrived. It’s been particularly unseasonal for the two Texans in the group, West Hansen and Jeff Wueste.

Of the other two, Mark Agnew is from the UK, while Eileen Visser lives in New York State.

The foursome had to wait several days at their last campsite for the winds and waves to die down enough to attempt this last big haul.

Update: At about 9 pm ET on Friday, they finished the crossing.

Jerry Kobalenko

Jerry Kobalenko is the editor of ExplorersWeb. One of Canada’s premier arctic travelers, he is the author of The Horizontal Everest and Arctic Eden, and has just finished a book about adventures in Labrador. In 2018, he was awarded the Polar Medal by the Governor General of Canada and in 2022, he received the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal for services to exploration.