Bear Grylls will lead a team on a two week trip through the Northwest Passage in August 2010.
The Northwest Passage is a sea route that connects the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean through the Canadian Arctic. The team includes Dave Pearce, the medical officer who helped discover Peak Levy in 2009, after Bear Grylls was injured, and unable to complete that expedition. Let’s hope there are no injuries on this expedition!
The expedition will also raise money for Global Angels, an innovative charity for children. Global Angels was created by Molly Bedingfield, mother of singer Natasha Bedingfield, in 2004.
How Will Bear Grylls Cross The Northwest Passage?
Bear Grylls will be traveling on the Arctic Wolf, a 37 foot (11.2 meters) long, “rigid inflatable boat” (see photo). The boat is a Zodiac Mach II – Military Air Channeled Hull, manufactured by Zodiac Military and Professional Boats. Their description:
Considered the finest craft of their type in the world, the Zodiac Hurricane range of RIBs are used by the most knowledgeable and discriminating operators who demand the utmost in ruggedness and reliability. RIBs combine the security, stability, light weight and ease of use of traditional inflatables with the speed and comfort of a rigid boat. True “go anywhere” boats, they provide exceptional marine qualities combining a low centre of gravity to a deep V hull and a stabilizing buoyancy tube.
A “stock version” is fitted with three 300 horsepower engines, two fuel tanks which hold 1000 liters, and can travel over 55 knots, or nautical miles per hour. One knot is 1.15 MPH, or 1.85 km/h.
Bear Grylls and his team will have a customized version that includes:
- larger fuel tanks
- a canvas covering
- heaters
- additional storage
Arctic Wolf will also have a shock absorbing console built by Shock Mitigation which manufactures products “to make a violent collision or impact less intense.” Watch the Shock Mitigation Extreme RIB Video, to see a smaller RIB, operating in rip tide conditions.
Future Fuels Team : Northwest Passage Expedition
Bear Grylls and his team, expect to travel 5700 miles, at speeds of 18-38 knots, in two weeks. You can see an aerial view of their route.
Good Luck to Bear Grylls and his team!
Where Is Bear Grylls Now?
Bear Grylls finished filming Worst Case Scenario last week, and is working on Man vs. Wild : Season 5 in Russia, Australia, and an unnamed desert island.
Updated November 19, 2014
Removed dead links.