Wintering over in Cambridge Bay, Canada.

Gary Ramos “Arctic Wanderer” in Iceland.

Sailing Around the

Top of the World

Gary Ramos’ quest to be the first man to sail both the Northwest and Northeast Passages is a study in perseverance.

Gary Ramos was living on his Tahiti ketch, Irana, a

lifeboat, in Alaska and reading Tristan Jones’ book Ice, when he got an idea. He was sick and tired of the pace and pollution in the lower 48 and found he enjoyed the life up north. He began pouring over charts and thought that he’d like to not only sail the Northwest Passage, but the Northeast Passage as well. Fourteen years and two boats later, Gary found himself out of work as the University of Alaska was shutting down their research vessel on which he worked. He decided to go after his dream, and after a winter of getting the boat ready, a Folkes 39’ Cutter named Arctic Wanderer, in honor of the Hiscock’s famous Wanderer) he left Seward at 3 AM, May 22, 2005. “I hate goodbyes, so I always leave early in the morning so there’s not people on the dock,” says Gary. His destination was Iceland or Norway, but that

By Richard Hazelton Photos by Gary Ramos

48° NORTH, APRIL 2010 PAGE 46

was short lived when the engine died at the dock. He put on two fuel filters and set out again. On board he had enough provisions for a year, in case he got trapped in the ice. “I could turn the boat into an igloo.”

His journey across the top of the continent went well. “I stopped every night. I’d go in until I had 10 feet Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96