Starting in the summer of 2004 a group of experienced Irish sailing friends are attempting to traverse the North East Passage, or Northern Sea Route, as Russians know it.

The route lies north of the Arctic Circle, and is a frozen ice mass for most of the year. The ice breaks up for a few short weeks in August / September allowing passage through with some difficulty.

This will be the first attempt at a westward arctic polar circumnavigation by a small yacht. Northabout has already successfully sailed the North West passage in 2001. The Irish North East Passage Expedition will make the passage from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean. While the main objective is the challenge of the circumnavigation, equally important to us is the opportunity to meet the people who live in these remote, ice-packed lands.

As on our previous trips, we hope to share our culture and traditional music with the native people. We will explore the world of the Eastern Arctic- its history and geography, its heroes and its place in tomorrow's world.

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