North West Passage Sailing Adventure: Alaska to Greenland

Vessel: North West Passage Sailing Adventure: Alaska to Greenland
Where: Alaska/Greenland
Duration: 52 days

Embark: Dutch Harbour - 27 July 2025, 18:00
Disembark: Nuuk - 16 September 2025, 10:00

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£20,275.00€23,400.00 per person.
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Embark on a once-in-a-lifetime experience as you attempt to sail the North West passage from Alaska to Greenland with expedition boat Tecla.

Embark on an unforgettable journey with expedition boat Tecla from Alaska, as she sets sail to navigate the infamous North West Passage with the ultimate goal of reaching Greenland. The Tecla crew has already achieved this feat twice, once sailing from east to west in 2019 and again, from west to east in 2023. Their passion for adventure has not been quenched yet, as they plan to make another attempt in 2025!

This once-in-a-lifetime experience is not for the faint-hearted, with the voyage covering 52 days. For those daring enough to take on the challenge, the rewards will be immeasurable – a chance to witness the awe-inspiring beauty of the Arctic and the thrill of conquering one of the world’s most challenging waterways.

Expedition Sailing
Adventurous Souls
Professional Crew
Dutch Harbour
Gjoa Haven
Beechey Island
Nuuk, Greenland
Full Board
Ensuite Cabins

YOUR SAILING AREA

Alaska to Greenland (North West Passage)

Starting off from Dutch Harbour in Alaska, our first stop on this voyage will be Nome – the last harbour in America, where officials will stamp the crew out of the country. From here, you’ll sail over 1000 miles before entering Canada. The ice and weather reports will be closely monitored as the ship approaches the edge of the ice and the route taken will depend entirely on the ice reports.

Possible stops include Talayoak, Cambridge Bay, Gjoa Haven, Resolute, Beechey Island, Pond Inlet, and the final destination will be Greenland, Nuuk.

In 2023, the ice conditions made a passage through Bellot Strait possible, which was an amazing opportunity. Although it took Roald Amundsen three years to make the voyage, the Tecla completed it in just 50 days. Each attempt to sail through the passage is different, as so many variables make it a complicated but amazing voyage. The experience will be a lifelong memory, standing in places that few people have visited before, seeing cairns left by explorers, and walking along shores named after the greatest explorers the Western world has known in seafaring.

As part of the expedition crew, you will be assigned to a watch during night sails. During the days at anchor, you can go ashore and explore by foot. Since the area is Polar bear country, you will need to stay with our guide at all times for your own and others’ safety. You will be kept up to date on the ice situation with Ice Charts that will be provided to the ship. You will also receive several presentations on ice navigation, sailing the Tecla, the history of the Tecla, the different explorers of the North West Passage, and more.

During your free hours, you can spend time on deck spotting polar bears or find a cosy corner to read a book downstairs. The central heating on board will keep you warm, even if the temperature drops below zero outside. Get ready for an adventure of a lifetime!

Below is a rough guide of what to expect but please note that we will be subject to the weather and ice reports.

Day 1: Welcome on board in Dutch Harbour.

Day 2-5: Set sail for Nome, Alaska.

Day 6: Exploring Nome

Day 7-21: Set sail for Tuktoyaktuk to clear into Canada.

Day 21-45: Finding the North West Passage, exploring settlements and testing ice conditions.

Day 46-51: Set sail crossing Baffin Bay to Greenland, Nuuk. The capital of Greenland.

Day 51: Arrival Nuuk

Day 52: Disembark around 10:00 in the harbour of Nuuk.

Life on board

Sailing with expedition vessel Tecla is a true authentic adventure where every voyage promises to create life-long memories. Join her seafaring family where guests are welcomed to learn the ropes alongside the knowledgeable crew and share experiences with fellow guests in awe-inspiring destinations.

Getting Involved

Setting the sails on Tecla is a beautiful challenge. This lady is over 100 years old and has two masts, 6 sails and some heavy spars that need to go up! The crew of Tecla has worked on her rigging for years to perfect her sailing qualities. She can sail close hauled or down wind, she can sail in very light weather and she handles well in rough weather.

Guests are encouraged to actively participate in every aspect of Tecla’s sailing journey. From raising all the sails to trying their hand at the helm, participants can fully engage in this adventure by immersing themselves in the elements, revelling in the experience. The ship provides a warm and humbling atmosphere, allowing guests to embrace life aboard a traditionally rigged vessel while exploring some of the world’s most breathtaking destinations.

Typically operated by a dedicated crew of 3-4 members, Tecla accommodates a maximum of 12 guests. The deliberately small group size fosters an intimate experience, enabling genuine connections to form between the crew and guests.

Keeping Watch

It is not always necessary to start a voyage with watches. On many voyages Tecla sets sail in the morning to be at anchor or moored somewhere new every evening. This way, all guests can be part of the sailing and the anchor watches are done by the professional crew.

It only becomes necessary to ‘do’ watches as soon as one or more nights are to be sailed through and more than 24 hours are spent out at sea. This way, there are always enough people on the deck to handle the sails and keep a lookout. Tecla works a three watch schedule, this means you will be on watch for 4 hours, have 8 hours of rest and then again you will be on watch for 4 hours. So within 24 hours you will be on watch for 8 hours.

The watches are divided into the Red, White and Blue watch.

Red: 00:00 – 04:00 and 12:00 – 16:00 hours
White: 04:00 – 08:00 and 16:00 – 20:00 hours
Blue: 08:00 – 12:00 and 20:00 – 24:00 hours

Each watch has a watch leader, one of the permanent crew. The crew will give you instructions during your watch. For example: your first watch might be filled with instructions on what watch keeping is. You will be told what is expected and you will be informed about the navigational equipment on board.

Watch keeping means being out on deck, awake and helping out where necessary. You will sit on the aft relaxing, being on the lookout or with bad visibility you will be on the front of the Tecla on the lookout. You will be steering the vessel in turns. Three watches means that the watches are never bigger than 6 people.

For the comfort of all those on board a schedule will be decided with everyone and we will try and stick to it. While watches are in progress, breakfast will be at 08:00, lunch will be at 12:00 and dinner at 18:00.

Dining at Sea

An important part of the day on Tecla, the food is always influenced by her surroundings. The dynamic menu remains flexible, adapting to the unique flavours of each locale. Whenever possible, food is sourced locally so you could be eating tapas, peppers and plantain in the Canary Islands and fresh fruit, beef and rice in Brazil.

For colder climates and around the North Sea, you will find a Dutch specialty of “stamppot” – mashed potatoes and smoked sausages! Our cooks have a passion for food and make sure that her meals look and taste amazing. Our favourites are lasagne, Lamb curry’s and fresh fish on the BBQ or from our smoker.

During a longer stay on board you will hardly ever see the same dish come by. Most of our meals are served with a salad or fruit on the side. On longer trips we take good care of our vegetables and fruit to ensure that you will enjoy fresh food as long as possible.

A Typical Day

When we are underway, breakfast is at 08.00. This is usually a buffet where you will find fresh baked bread with cereals and porridge. When we are anchored or in harbour, breakfast time is a little more flexible and we’ll be outside if the weather is nice! Sometimes we’ll have eggs, or ‘wentelteefjes’ (French toast), or a fresh fruit salad.

Lunch is almost always served with something warm or special from soup, sausage rolls, fresh fruit or special bread.

Dinner is at 18:00 when we are sailing. When the weather is good and it is still nice and light outside we will serve dinner in a buffet style outside. If this is not possible you will find a buffet downstairs with the possibility to eat inside or outside. When we are not sailing and eating inside, you can find a set table where we can enjoy the meal together.

Below Decks

Recently refurbished, there are six twin bunk, ensuite cabins on Tecla. Nestled into the mid-ship, they’re spacious, comfortable and steady whilst underway. All beds are at least 80cm wide and over 2meters long, thoughtfully equipped with a dedicated reading light for personalised comfort.. All cabins are ensuite with a wet cell shower and plenty of hot water! Ample storage space for clothes and conveniently located storage beneath the beds cater to the needs of longer voyages and travellers with soft suitcases or rucksacks.

The communal area at the front of the ship has cosy cushioned seating and two tables for meal times and evening entertainment with a warm and inviting atmosphere..There’s a little nook tucked opposite the dining area that’s perfect for some relaxation while reading a book.