In recent years the age old interest in both the northwest and northeast passages has re-emerged but now in the minds of recreational sailors as well as in the offices of commercial maritime shipping companies. It is the former for whom the RCC Pilotage Foundation has issued the latest book in their pilotage series entitled Arctic and northern waters including Faroe, Iceland and Greenland, as well as both the northwest and northeast passages.

While the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland have long held a fascination for recreational sailors and have benefitted from previous books this effort by the RCC is a welcome addition of information for anyone planning a voyage ‘down north.’ These islands have always been accessible to the adventurous sailor in that unlike both the northwest and northeast passages they are rarely icebound all year round: but careful planning is paramount to ensure voyages are undertaken at the ‘best’ possible time of the year.

However both the northwest and northeast passages are an entirely different ‘quintal of fish’ in that more often than not they are not accessible, not ice-free, at any given time of a given year. Despite climate change it is still a gamble that in any given year the passages will be open enough to allow a yacht freedom to navigate from one end to the other.

Thus this work is designed to address both these issues: island sailing in these northern waters and attempting a through voyage of either the northwest or northeast passage. For any sailor the essence of a pilot lies in a few important details. Is it simple to read and understand? Does it cover the basic data of the areas of interest? Is the data comprehensive from the perspective of informing the navigator to the realities of sailing in the waters covered? And does it cover not just the relevant sailing information but also provide helpful historical, cultural, climatic and logistical information to enable the sailor to make realistic plans for a voyage in the waters he/she intends to cruise?

If the above are the proper criteria for a reliable, helpful pilot then this RCC Pilot meets those criteria and delivers even more in terms of valuable information. While the charts included should be easy to read and interpret they are not a substitute for proper navigation charts and should never be relied on as such but rather used guidelines to the proper charts, which is the way they are presented in the ‘pilot.’

This pilot is very well designed in that the various kinds of information are neatly compartmentalised and thus easily accessible. The inclusion of both personal reflections and experiences from sailors who have traversed these waters lends a verisimilitude that mere facts cannot duplicate. The use of photographs and diagrams enhance the value of the descriptive passages and for many will bring a ‘reality’ to those words.

While many recreational sailors are enthralled by the idea of Arctic sailing the truth is that their previous experiences have rarely prepared them for the harsh conditions that a northern voyage will present. So the opening passages of this pilot are particularly valuable as they delve into the facts of northern weather, northern climate, northern ice and northern geography. Not in a way to discourage the sailor but rather in a manner designed to ensure that the sailor does not enter these waters without a clear understanding of how nature functions in the Arctic and northern waters: a clear understanding that while any off-shore sailing requires prudence and preparation (which they do understand) sailing in the climatic extremes of the north demands even greater diligence as the consequences can come from many different fronts and be deadly in ways that sailing in more benign climates cannot prepare him/her for.

While with proper planning ice should not be a major issue (but ice being ice, currents being currents and wind being wind one can never be sure) for passages to Iceland and the Faroe Islands but when sailing the waters of Greenland the potential ice hazards are much more likely. The same can never be said for either the northwest or northeast passage as in these water ice is always a major issue.

Andrew Wilkes quite rightly explores the questions of boat design, navigating equipment, navigational aids, survival gear and tactics. He discusses the strengths and weaknesses of many of these while wisely not saying there is a perfect answer: there isn’t. As Allard Coles once said when asked what the perfect storm survival tactic was: ‘the one that worked.’

The sailor reading this pilot should interpret the information in terms of his/her objectives, craft, equipment and physical condition, and choose what applies to him/her on the impending voyage. And do so with the realisation that any or all or none of his/her decisions might be the right or wrong one: that is the essence of the challenge of sailing in northern waters and in particular of sailing in either the northwest or northeast passage.

Sailing in extreme northern waters (or for that matter in extreme southern waters) is always challenging and unpredictable and should be approached with caution, research and a healthy respect for an area that is, to put it mildly, less than benign.

The RCC has produced an excellent pilot with this publication and it will well serve those wishing to sail these waters well. I suppose it is natural that one would have a few quibbles with any publication and I must say mine with this pilot are just that: minor quibbles.

I would have liked to have seen a few more personal comments from sailors who have, in recent years, made the passage: Eric Forsyth in his Westsail 42 Fiona in 2009–2010 when he circumnavigated North America (www.yachtfiona.com) springs to mind as an example. I agree with the comment that floater suits are not waterproof, which is a serious flaw, but disagree with the statement that they are warm. Around here (Newfoundland and Labrador) we have found that they are not at all warm and much prefer to remain dry and warm by dressing in layers and topping it off with good, sturdy foul weather gear with a harness, tether and built-in flotation. I would also have liked to see stronger statements in relation to carrying full immersion survival suits for all crew, as if one has to abandon the vessel in these waters the only chance of survival is with one of these suits.

However these are minor quibbles and I applaud the RCC for the time, effort, research and patience it took to make this pilot available to those hardy sailors willing to challenge these northern waters.