Sarah and Eric have almost finished their NW passage trip. Only 20 kilometer seperates them from their final destination Pond Inlet. Click on the image to see the full display.

Pittarak-North West Passage - 11 june 2011
Pond Inlet

Day 1 - 11 June
Track: around 72.6/-78.4 to 72.7/-77.8
Wind: 070-090/5-10kt after 21/24utc becoming less than 5kt from variable directions
Weather: becoming very cloudy with rain/sleet after 9/12utc.
Temperatures: Min:-3C Max:0C
 
Day 2 - 12 June
Track: 72.7/-77.8 (Pond Inlet)
Wind: less than 5kt from variable directions
Weather: gradually improving with sunny spells. Pretty big risk for fog, depending on the presence of open water.
Temperatures min: -1C max: +1C
 
Day 3 - 13 June
Track: 72.7/-77.8 (Pond Inlet)
Wind: less than 5kt from Southerly directions
Weather: sunny spells-still risk for fog.
Temperatures min: -1C max: +2C

Today they have almost reached Big lake 2. No wind to kite, so Sarah and Eric have to ski their way to Igloolik!

Pittarak-North West Passage - 25 may 2011
After the windy spell now pretty calm days ahead-stable weather - no big weather systems in vicinity.

Day 1 - 25 May
Track: around 67.46/-84.0 to 67.65/-83.8
Wind: less than 5kt from variable directions, after 18utc turning to 260-280/4-8kt
Weather: sunny spells with patches of high clouds, sometimes thick enough to weaken the sun light. (risk for fog patches)
Temperatures: Min:-16C Max:-6C
 
Day 2 - 26 May
Track: 67.65/-83.8 to 67.8/-83.5
Wind: less than 5kt from variable directions, no significant change
Weather: sunny spells with patches of low stuff/fog
Temperatures min: -16 max: -6C
 
Day 3 - 27 May
Track: 67.8/-83.5
Wind:  280-300/5-10kt, no significant change
Weather: sunny spells with patches of low stuff/fog
Temperatures min: -14C max: -4C

Sarah and Eric were supposed to cross the Gulf of Boothia to enter Baffin Island. But the there is too much open water so they have to go around the Gulf, along the Souther side. A detour of about 600km.

Pittarak-North West Passage - 9 may 2011
Low wind conditions to start but a little bit increasing tomorrow, looking good on the day after tomorrow. Not so good is the rising temperatures-especially on day three it looks like temperatures could come close to 0°C.

Day 1 - 9 May
Track: 70.18/-91.50 to 70.18/-91.50
Wind: 350-010/4-8kt easing to less than 5kt from variable directions.
Weather: sunny spells/fog patches
Temperatures: min:-20C max:-12C

Day 2 - 10 May
Track: 70.18/-91.50 to 69.25/92.00
Wind: 140-160/4-8kt becoming 160-180/6-10kt
Weather: sunny with risk for fog/low clouds
Temperatures min: -24C rising to max: -8C

Day 3 -  11 May
Track: 69.25/92.00 to 68.8/-90.85
Wind:  180-200/10-15kt gradually becoming 190-210/12-17kt
Weather: sunny with patches of low clouds
Temperatures min: -12C max: -2C!!!

This map show the big image of the Boothia area, with to the SOuth the Hudson Bay and the West Baffin Island. You can see the Sarah’s and Erics current position and the expected track to cross the Gulf of Boothia. Click on the image to see the full display. (c)ugrib

Pittarak-North West Passage - 7 may 2011
High pressure system rules over the Boothia area which means that pretty good conditions prevail: light wind and sunny spells. However, take in account that fog patches may pop up or form close to open leads.

Day 1 - 7 May
Track: 70.18/-91.50 Gulf of Boothia
Wind: weak winds of less than 5kt from SW’ly directions-after 21utc becoming calm
Weather: sunny spells/cloudy intervals, risk for fog near open leads
Temperatures: min:-20C max:-12C

Day 2 - 8 May
Track: into Gulf of Boothia
Wind: calm than turning to the North and becoming 3-8kt-no significant change
Weather: sunny with risk for fog
Temperatures min: -22C max: -14C

Day 3 -  9 May
Track: Gulf of Boothia: skiing/walking towards the Baffin coast (70.70/-89.20) across the sea ice
Wind:  340-360/5-10kt gradually becoming weak to calm from variable directions
Weather: sunny with risk for fog
Temperatures min: -20C max: -12C

Pittarak-North West Passage - 9 april 2011

Day 1 - 9 April
Track: from 68.85/-117.05 towards 68.59/-116.43
Wind: 060-080/3-7kt, no signifcant chang. After 00utc (following night) becoming calm to weak from variable directions.
Advice: probably too less wind to get the kites up.
Weather: further improving, sunny spells.
Temperatures: min: -11F/-15F max: -1F/-5F

Day 2 - 10 April
Track: from 68.59/-116.43 towards 68.30/-115.76
Wind: calm to weak from variable directions/after 12/15utc becoming 320-340/8-13kt till 00/03utc than again becoming weak
Advice: be ready with the kites for the moment the wind starts picking up a little. Should be average around 10kt for about 4 to 6 hours.
Weather: sunny spells, no significant change.
Temperatures min: -22F/-26F max: -4F/-11F

Day 3 - 11 April
Track: from 68.30/-115.76 towards 68.04/-115.37
Wind: wind stays weak till 15/18utc than becoming 300-320/8-13kt and that should stay like this for the rest of the day.
Advice: wait till the wind starts picking uparound 15/18utc. 
Weather: mainly sunny-no significant change.
Temperatures min: -25F/-29F max: -8F/-11F

Day 4 - 12 April
Track: from 68.04/-115.37 towards 68.06/-115.09 (Kugluktuk)
Wind: from 6/9utc wind further increases to 320-340/12-15kt till 15utc, than a bit decreasing
Advice: an early start will provide the best wind conditions
Weather: sunny.
Temperatures min: -19F/-22F max: -4F/-8F

Sarah and Eric McNair-Landry kite the track of the North West passage. As the go along they take their time to stop at several comunities to share knowledge and experiences. (c) Photo by Curtis Jones.

Pittarak - North West Passage - 7 april 2011

Day 1 - 7 April
Track: from 69/-118 towards 69/-116
Wind: after 12utc calm:weak from variable directions; after 18utc becoming 130-150/3-7kt; after 03utc 110-130/8-13kt
Advice: if possible wait till the wind picks up after 15/18utc to start.
Weather: very cloudy with a few showery outbeaks. Enlarging breaks after 18utc: gradually improving conditions
Temperatures between 0F and -10F

Day 2 - 8 April
Track: from 69/-116 towards 68.5/-114.5
Wind: after 6/9utc 070-090/8-13kt after 15/18utc becoming 070-090/13-17kt, after that no significant change
Advice: as the wind is likely to increase after 15/18utc worth while shifting your work load to this part of the day.
Weather: sunny spells, some more clouds after 12utc.
Temperatures between -4F and -13F

Day 3 - 9 April
Track: from 68.5/-114.5 towards 68.0/-115 (Kugluktuk)
Wind: after 6/9utc 060-080/8-13kt after 12/15utc becoming 050-070/10-15kt
Advice: if you did not arrive in Kugluktuk on the 8th than you should be there on the 9th.
Weather: very cloudy to overcast with scattered weak sunny spells, after 15/18utc thickening cloudiness.
Temperatures between -5F and -14F