Jun 23 – Jul 14 | $5950
This Arctic sailing trip is a combination of bluewater and coastal sailing, and full adventure! Firstly, the trip begins in Newfoundland and we’ll sail north to Greenland, keeping an eye out for sea life and sea ice along the way. Afterwards, once we’ve cleared in Nuuk (Godthåb), we begin our anchorage hopping along the west coast toward Disko Bay. Specific anchorages and villages visited will depend largely on weather. During this arctic sailing trip we’ll cross into the Arctic Circle, sailing amongst behemoth icebergs in the land of the midnight sun. Lastly, our final stop of the trip is Ilulissat, where the number of sled dogs rivals the number of people! Additionally, where the Ilulissat Icefjord (an UNESCO World Heritage Site) spits the icebergs out into Disko Bay.
While underway, all meals on board Sea Dragon are delicious and vegetarian, with the addition of fish if we catch any along the way.
Additionally, this Arctic sailing voyage is not a trip for the infirm or physically unfit. Guests MUST be able to go up and down the companionway and move safely about the boat while in rough conditions. Equally, having good balance and reasonably good health is important. Please contact us with any health questions, or if you answer “YES” to any of the questions on our health questionnaire prior to signing up for the trip!
Ardent Training is offering a significant discount on the RYA Day Skipper Theory online course to anyone signed up for this trip. If you’re interested in taking the course, let us know when you sign up and we can give you the discount code! For instance, a lot of guest and students use this opportunity to double up on training opportunities.
KEY POINTS – Arctic Sailing
- Distance: 1350 nautical miles
- Cost: $5950 if you sign up by September 30
- Date: Jun 23 – Jul 14, 2024 (22 Days, 21 Nights)
- Start: St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada
- End: Ilulissat, Greenland
For more Arctic sailing details, please explore the drop down menus at the bottom of the page.
Tentative Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Sea Dragon
You will arrive at the boat in St John’s between 1500-1700. Night on the dock.
Day 2: Safety Briefings
Today will be full of boat briefings and getting the boat prepped for passage. In addition, you’ll have some time in the afternoon to explore town!
Day 3: Set Sail to Nuuk
Arctic sailing! It’s finally time to hoist the sails and head north to the Arctic!
Day 4-9: Underway
Life and rhythm on Sea Dragon will quickly take shape around the watch schedule and life will be wonderfully simple and disconnected from the norm. In addition, we’ll keep a sharp lookout for all different kinds of seabirds and marine mammals along the way.
Day 10: Arrive Nuuk
The mountains are quite the backdrop as we find our way to tie up in the inner harbor amongst the fishing vessels and clear in. After that, once the boat is sorted, it will be time to head off to explore the capital of the biggest island on the planet!
Day 11: Nuuk
There’s plenty to do around town from checking out restaurants and bars, to visiting museums or even the fabulous local swimming pool. Above all, you’ll undoubtedly feel the embrace of the lovely culture here.
Day 12-20: Head North
After enjoying a few nights on the dock, we’ll untie and start heading north to continue on Arctic sailing. The weather will largely dictate our stops, however, this time of year should be great. Furthermore, you’ll enjoy long summer days, finding the midnight sun. Gazing upon glaciers, growlers, icebergs, whales, seals, seabirds, breathtaking mountains, and much more. In addition to the wildlife, we’ll get to explore villages, hike remote landscapes, and cross the Arctic Circle!
Day 21: Arrive Ilulissat
Lastly, arrival on the dock in the harbor, where we’ll spend the night before departure. There will be time to have a wander through town and even out to see the Icefjord!
Day 22: Depart Sea Dragon
You will need to depart Sea Dragon by 0900.
Sign Up Now
The deposit is only $500. It’s non refundable if you back out, but if we cancel or modify the trip we are happy to return your money or apply it to a different voyage. Please review the Crew Contract for full details. The remaining balance is due 60 days before the trip begins. Please contact us with any questions.
Contact Us
Call Us: +1 (305) 330-4212 (Pacific Time) If we don’t pick up, please leave a message and we’ll get back to you ASAP.
– 21 nights accommodation on Sea Dragon
– All meals (vegetarian), snacks, and drinks on board
– Sailing Instruction
– Safety equipment and foul weather gear
Contribution does not include:
– Transportation to St John’s Harbor or from Ilulissat Harbor
– Transportation from St. John’s International Airport (YYT) or to Ilulissat Airport (JAV)
– Additional nights spent ashore
– Personal expenses while in port
It will be cold! Take a look at our High Latitude packing list.
St. John’s International Airport is a 15 min taxi from the harbor. Ilulissat Airport is a 10 min taxi from the harbor.
All Crew members are responsible for their own passports and any necessary visas. You must have at least 6 months remaining on your passport beyond our arrival in Greenland.
Please look into the specific type of visa you need for arriving at these destinations by sea, or contact us directly to discuss.
Holly first started sailing at 19 on what she had thought was a “once-in-a-lifetime” passage from Plymouth, UK, to La Coruna, Spain with a youth sail training organization, but during the voyage she became totally invested in a life at sea. She volunteered for that charity for a few years before becoming a full-time sailor in 2015. Since then, she has worked for similar charities around the UK, all of which specialize in providing valuable experiences for vulnerable or disadvantaged young people, and also instructs adults on adventurous coastal and offshore trips anywhere from arctic Svalbard to the Caribbean – with some of the ocean crossings being undertaken by celestial navigation only. Holly has been fortunate enough to sail on Sea Dragon several times in the last 8 years: on eXXpedition voyages researching the prevalence of oceanic plastic pollution from Senegal to Guyana, in the Caribbean, and around Britain, and most recently across the Pacific from Mexico to Tahiti in 2023. Holly is a Yachtmaster Instructor, and holds Yachtmaster Ocean with commercial endorsement and Proficiency in Medical Care certificates. She has sailed 65,000+nm.
Abi Davies, First Mate
Abi grew up in Dorset, UK and exhibited a passion for all things sport and outdoors early on, spending most non school time playing/competing in various sports or being outside along the SW Coastline. Having completed her BSc in Geophysics at the University of Liverpool and an MSc in Exploration Geophysics at the University of Leeds, she decided to join the RAF to seek more adventure. Initially joining as a Fighter Controller, she changed branches to become a Communications and Networks Engineer and has deployed on various operations and exercises, giving her a breadth of experience in different high stress environments. During her time in the RAF she has represented the service in volleyball, athletics, bobsleigh, waterskiing/ wakeboarding… and sailing, both racing and on expeditions. The most memorable expedition was sailing from Iceland to Greenland, having to navigate huge icebergs/shelves and experiencing midnight sunsets. In 2023 she sailed with Sea Dragon from Hawaii to Tahiti via Kiritimati, which was the final confirmation needed to pause the military and pursue life as a professional sailor. Abi holds a commercially endorsed YM Offshore ticket and MCA Medical First Aid qualification.
Janos Peters, Deckhand
Having always been drawn to the outdoor world, Janos has spent much of his life sailing, travelling and in the mountains. Growing up near Glasgow in Scotland, the highlands and islands of the Scottish west coast were a playground from young age. After a few years of dinghy sailing, he was drawn to bigger boats and the sea. This led to spending time volunteering with Ocean Youth Trust Scotland, where he learned to sail Challenge 72’s and started gathering qualifications from the RYA.
Whilst studying Geography with Environmental Studies at the University of Edinburgh, he used the long summer breaks for trips to explore the Norwegian mountains and to sail in the Baltic Tall Ships Races. After graduating in 2017 he embarked on a bigger adventure across the Atlantic, sailing from the Canaries to the Caribbean. Once ‘across the pond’ he travelled on to the US, where experiences in the Tetons and Yosemite have rekindled a passion for climbing and mountaineering. Having qualified as a Mountain Leader in the UK, he has worked seasonally as a hiking guide whilst completing a master’s degree in Sustainable Development at the Universities of Leipzig and Graz. After the Covid pandemic cut short a first stint aboard Sea Dragon in 2020, summer work aboard the Brixham trawler Provident was his sailing fix. Now he is excited to be back aboard Sea Dragon for the summer of 2024 in the Northern Atlantic!
