1 of 2 | The schooner Bowdoin sails near ice icebergs in Disko Bay, Greenland on a 4,500 mile voyage. Photo courtesy of Maine Maritime Academy
Aug. 8 (UPI) -- After an eight-week Arctic trek that covered more than 4,500 miles, the historic schooner Bowdoin, the flagship of the Maine Maritime Academy's sailing fleet, arrived in her home port of Castine, Maine, having accomplished its goal of crossing north of the 70th Parallel, the academy announced Thursday.
"Navigating the Arctic waters packed with icebergs and sea ice requires careful observation, close communication among the crew and precise maneuvering," Captain Alexander Peacock said of the voyage.
"I'm filled with pride at the impressive growth of the student crew over the eight weeks aboard the Bowdoin. They matured as individuals, came together as a group and rose to the countless challenges with confidence."
It was the Bowdoin's 30th voyage overall, and its first in 16 years. The ship was constructed for the sole purpose of Arctic exploration and was launched from Hodgdon Brothers Shipyard in East Boothbay in 1921. The 87-foot vessel was commissioned in 1941 and later designated a National Historic Landmark.
The ship departed on this year's journey May 29 from Maine and made stops in St. John's Harbour and Mary's Harbour of Canada's Newfoundland, and Greenland's Nuuk Port and Harbour, Ilulissat, Godhavn, Disko Island and Sisimiut.
The student crew, which posted numerous photos of the voyage on social media, was forced to negotiate strong winds and dangerous weather conditions during the voyage, and also witnessed calving glaciers, explored fjords and investigated settlements that had been abandoned.
During the journey, the crew made contact with indigenous Greenlandic Inuit as part of a cultural exchange, which was a key focus of the voyage. That continued a century-old legacy, the academy said.
Some of the village elders throughout coastal Greenland remember the schooner Bowdoin from visits during their childhood and still have the black-and-white photographs. Renewing these ties and forging relationships with new generations is an important aspect of the Bowdoin's mission, the academy said.
"It's an honor to welcome the Greenlandic Inuit aboard the Bowdoin. They're an essential part of her history," Peacock said.
"The schooner Bowdoin's Arctic voyage, culminating in the crossing of the 70th Parallel, is an illustration of the multidisciplinary, practical and academic pursuits of the students, staff and faculty at Maine Maritime Academy. Their journey adds to Bowdoin's historical legacy so important and unique to the State of Maine and the academy," Maine Maritime Academy Interim President and Chief Operating Officer Craig Johnson said of the crew and the historical significance of the voyage.
Maine Maritime Academy offers nearly two dozen academic programs dedicated to promoting the maritime interests of the United States. The schooner Bowdoin is perhaps its best-known and most historically significant project.
