A few years ago, we went on a once in a lifetime sailing expedition into the Arctic Circle where we encountered gnarly and volatile conditions, calving glaciers, polar bears, walruses, beluga whales, some of the most insane landscapes we’ve ever witnessed, and so much more. It was a truly unforgettable experience, and we captured it all and put together a 4 part docu-series which turned out to be our largest creative undertaking to date. We’re super proud of filming, editing, and producing this series of videos and wanted to make something above and beyond what you would normally find on YouTube. We’ve decided to release this series independently which as you might imagine is no small feat. Today we are beyond stoked to share Part 1 in it’s entirety with you on YouTube for the first time ever! We hope you enjoy this first glimpse into an incredible part of our planet. If you’ like to watch the rest of the series, and support small and independent productions, please visit 80northseries.com where you’ll notice our “Pay What’s Fair” model. It’s just as easy as it sounds. Just type in the amount you’d like to pay to watch the rest of the series and that’s about it!
What happens when you take 8 warm weather sailors with 20 cameras and put them on a 48 foot sailboat in the High Arctic Wilderness for 3 weeks? Join us and watch this 4 part series dedicated to the expedition to find out! It’s 2 hours of pure sailing entertainment! Visit 80northseries.com to stream episodes 2, 3, and 4 right now!
Episode 1 – Where in the world is Svalbard!? (29 minutes):
Turns out, it took some investigating from these warm weather sailors to actually find out. The Crew of SV Delos flies into the high arctic and meets up with their new friends from SV Isbjorn. But before setting sail, they must get guns to protect themselves from polar bears, and provision enough food and liquor to hold them over in freezing temperatures for three weeks. Let the expedition begin!
Episode 2 – In the Blink of a Walrus’ Eye. (32 minutes):
After leaving the dock, these sailors quickly learn that the conditions of the Arctic can change in the blink of a walrus’ eye. Speaking of Walrus, the crew finds a huddle of these gargantuan creatures and learns first hand about their gnarly smells and sounds. After a not so pleasant encounter with a cruise ship, SV Isbjorn makes her way over to a massive calving glacier. It’s beauty enchants the crew just long enough to put their boat in the danger of a tidal ice flow that they now must navigate out of!
Episode 3 – Holy Sh*t! That’s A Lot Of Ice! (31 minutes):
The crew attempts to navigate SV Isbjorn out of an ice flow that could easily sink her to the bottom of the anchorage, and somehow has fun doing so. Their survival is rewarded with a visit from a polar bear mother and her young cub, who discover a thawed out whale carcass. The day of insanity continues when Beluga whales appear on the horizon just long enough to launch the drones!
Episode 4 – Sailing to the End of the Ocean (32 minutes):
Beluga whales on the horizon! With drones launched and a hydrophone dropped in the water, the crew quickly realizes why these creatures are known as the canaries of the sea. After 3 weeks of 8 people living on a 48 ft. Boat, these sailors reflect back on the pros and cons of sharing a small space with each other. A major goal is completed when they sail SV Isbjorn all the way to 80° North, a place that the Vikings call “The End of the Ocean”. With one final adventure of a polar plunge next to a Glacier, the crew wraps up the trip by admitting they are now addicted to the Arctic.