French yachtsman and sailing chicken complete Northwest Passage
A fter 32 days, 3,400 miles (6,000km), ‘struggling against the cold, hunger, and fatigue’, French skipper Guirec Soudée and his pet hen Monique have put the Northwest Passage behind them.
Guirec, 24, who sails the 11.9m (39ft) steel yacht
Yvinec, made the announcement on his Facebook page, saying he believes he is the youngest sailor to have made the crossing single-handed. He said: ‘One thing’s for sure: Momo is the only chick to do so in the history of hens!’
The Northwest Passage connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. In the past, it was virtually impassable because it was covered by thick, year-round sea ice. However, climate change has allowed commercial traffic to pass through to the Arctic Ocean.
Guirec left his home in Brittany for Australia at the age of 18, with without speaking any English but with a desire for discovery. He was given the red hen Monique as a present during a stopover in the Canary Islands, and said it was ‘love at first sight’. The pair have attracted media attention from around the world.
Guirec was ‘mad with joy’ to reach Nome, Alaska on 1 September. He said: ‘We met a lot of obstacles: drifting ice, currents, icebergs. And as we were sailing too close to the magnetic pole, the automatic pilot was no longer functional. The feeling of insecurity was omnipresent: we were often awakened with a start by the thud of ice striking the hull.’
Follow the pair’s adventures at www.voyagedyvinec.com.