SKIRR Adventures the sibling of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, founded by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston in 1996 is due to set off on its second expedition to the Arctic Circle this July.
SKIRR Adventures, subsidiary of Clipper Ventures which runs Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, was set up in the summer of 1991, when Knox-Johnston and fellow explorer Chris Bonington, sailed to Greenland’s uninhabited southernmost tip to climb the mountains around Cape Farewell and explore the East Coast pack ice.
There, Sir Robin vowed to return to the High Latitudes and Arctic Ocean to bring the exhilaration of expedition sailing to people of all walks of life. The idea of SKIRR expedition adventures was born.
Using adapted, single-mast 68-foot yachts sailing in company, crews explore, over land and water, the most isolated and rarely seen part of the globe under the power of the elements and human endeavour.
Since the outset, each mission has had one goal: to explore over land and water the most isolated and rarely seen part of the globe under the power of the elements and human endeavour.
The professional capabilities of the Clipper Race organisation support the operation of SKIRR Adventures including the fleet of 68-foot expedition yachts, employment of experienced, skilled skippers and guides, international technical support and operational teams.
Designed for the curious, the restless and those who are adventurers by nature, SKIRR Adventures is opening up the world of expedition sailing by taking explorers under the power of sail, from the UK to the high latitudes of the Arctic to discover the pristine waters, imposing landscapes and wilderness that these icy waters are famed for.
Leaving Portsmouth Harbour, UK, on Friday 7 July 2023, the 4,820 nautical mile round trip in the High Latitudes will take an estimated eight weeks during the height of summer. The voyage is split into five individual legs and adventurers can opt to sign up for one, multiple or all of the legs on board the adapted 68-foot expedition yachts.
The first leg sees the expedition head to the Scottish Isles, renowned for its rugged coastline and breath-taking scenery. Crew will explore the UK’s South Coast before heading north through the Irish Sea to Port Ellen and Tobermory in the Inner Hebrides for inshore sailing amongst stunning lochs and scenery.
The second leg heads to Iceland and features an offshore passage through the North Atlantic to the south coast of Iceland and the potential for an expedition into the Hvalfjordur fjord- home to natural springs and a spa to relax tired muscles, or plenty of local hiking to explore on land. This leg is ideal for those looking for an adventurous sailing trip with an open ocean passage across the North Atlantic offering opportunities to develop your sailing skills alongside the chance to enjoy the hours of darkness getting shorter as you sail north.
Both Leg 3 and Leg 4 are flexible multi-stop Arctic Circle exploration legs and offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore one of the most imposing and majestic landscapes on the planet, inaccessible by land and only possible to explore during a few weeks in the summer. Depending on the ice flow, the expedition will take one of two routes: head northwards into the Arctic Circle and to Scoresby Sund, the longest fjord in the world, or alternatively, head west towards Tasiilaq, a town set inside a fjord on the East Coast of Greenland that is often quite full of ice.
The fifth and final leg is a dynamic one, for the truly adventurous sailor. Starting along the south coast of Iceland, it features sailing in the North Atlantic, and returns back to the UK via the Danish Faroe Islands and either the Isles of Scilly or The Hague. The 2023 High Latitudes expedition will conclude back in Gosport, UK, on Tuesday 19 September.
SKIRR Adventures is open to all. Those with no prior sailing experience can participate in the expedition after completing a course provided by the Clipper Race training team or at leading RYA training centre Hamble School of Yachting. This equips crew members to have confidence and undertake longer passages which involve sailing at night and keeping watch systems – essential to get the most out of exploring this spectacular arctic wilderness.
SKIRR Adventures equips all crew with the technical clothing and safety equipment needed for the voyage including state-of-the-art safety life jackets and outer layer clothing from Musto’s technical sailing collection. All meals, snacks and soft drinks on board are included.