Armare Ropes supports Ella Hibbert in her endeavor, to become the first person to sail solo, non-stop, around the Arctic Circle. The challenge is aimed at promoting awareness of ongoing global climate change and the resulting threat to the delicate Arctic ecosystem.
About Ella
Ella’s passion for sailing has distant roots, when as a child she sailed on small Lasers and Optimists, and then moved on to her father’s yacht Moody, in the Mediterranean. Yachtmaster Instructor and PADI Divemaster, Ella Hibbert was born in Germany 27 years ago, and grew up between England and France, always traveling a lot. Her passions have led Ella to sail in the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific: both on a boat and as a diver, she has been able to see first-hand how at risk our seas are. These activities have led Ella to become increasingly interested in raising awareness of ocean protection, having also carried out volunteer work in this sense, and it is in this scenario that the idea of undertaking an epic sailing expedition takes place, to increase global awareness of the impacts of climate change on the Arctic environment.
The Arctic circumnavigation
Ella’s initial challenge was to complete the Northwest Passage, a well-known route that runs along the northern coast of North America through the waterways of the Canadian Arctic archipelago. However, recent developments in global warming have led to large areas of previously frozen ice in the polar ice caps. For this reason, Ella decided to attempt to circumnavigate the entire Arctic Circle, above 66.5° north latitude, a route that was previously impossible due to the presence of ice. If Ella will complete the entire circuit for the first time, it would once again demonstrate that the ice cover is unfortunately irremediably melting.
The exact route will depend on the current weather and sea conditions, but will certainly include several passages, starting from the starting point at Haslar Marina, in Portsmouth in the Solent, along the east coast of England. From there she will sail to 66.5° north of the Arctic Circle between Norway and Iceland. Then around Iceland, southern Greenland, the Northwest Passage through Canada, northern Alaska and into Russian waters. She will pass through the Laptev and Kara Seas (Northeast Passage) and finally return to her starting point near Norway, before heading back up the UK coast to set foot on land for the first time since setting out, at her home base of Haslar Marina. She plans to start the trip in May 2025, estimating it will take around 5 months to complete the expedition.
In the image you can see some drafts of the possible routes, depending on the weather conditions and the ice that will be present at the time of the expedition.
Yeva, the boat
Ella has purchased a 38-foot Bruce Roberts yacht, built entirely of steel and suitably equipped for solo sailing. Equipped with solar panels, a hydroelectric generator, and a capable fresh water producer, this vessel is almost completely self-sufficient, Yeva has benefited from extensive equipment upgrades and will be tried and tested throughout 2024 in preparation for the circumnavigation planned for 2025.
Ella plans to auction off the yacht at the end of the expedition and donate all proceeds to both Polar Bears International and Ocean Conservancy. It will be hard for her to say goodbye to the boat after such a long, risky, and exhilarating adventure, but it will be worth it to support two organizations that are committed to protecting the Arctic and its inhabitants, as well as the oceans on a large scale.
Armare Ropes
Armare Ropes supports always with conviction the initiatives of sailors and explorers aimed at raising public awareness about environmental issues. For this reason we are proud to have supplied the technical ropes for the new Yeva rig, using recycled Polyester fibers where possible. This initiative is rightfully one of the various that Armare is conducting with a view to increasing the sustainability of its products to protect and safeguard the environment around us.
Follow Ella
For those interested in learning more about Ella, the charities she supports and her challenge, you can follow her through these channels:
https://www.facebook.com/ella.at.66.5N
https://www.instagram.com/ella_at_66.5n
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ella-at-66-5n
https://ellaat665n.co.uk/