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Originally Posted On: https://www.northpolecruises.com/journal/arctic/ship-reaches-3-north-poles/
This Ship Just Made Polar History By Reaching 3 North Poles
In September 2024, the luxury icebreaker ship Le Commandant Charcot created a new chapter in polar history by reaching not only the Geographic North Pole but also the Magnetic North Pole and the North Pole of Inaccessibility along the way.
Le Commandant Charcot has been making regular expeditions to the Geographic North Pole (literally the top of the world) since 2021. When it reached the Geographic North Pole for the first time on 6 September 2021, it made history by being the first-ever cruise ship to do so. Previously, tourists could only visit the North Pole on a working Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker.
As you can imagine, people rarely get to stand at the North Pole, with only 700 lucky people each year making the journey. Without a landing strip, the only way to reach it is on an icebreaking ship ploughing through the sea ice from Svalbard.
The endless Arctic sea ice from the bow of Le Commandant Charcot
Reaching the Geographic North Pole is nothing new for Le Commandant Charcot, which makes several yearly expeditions. What is exciting is its latest polar achievement, which was becoming the first ship ever to reach the North Pole of Inaccessibility.
So what is the North Pole of Inaccessibility exactly? And why reach it?
While many people know the location of the Geographic North Pole (it’s easy to spot as it is on top of the globe), you have to be quite a polar buff to know the location of the North Pole of Inaccessibility.
The Polar of Inaccessibility are defined as the furthest from any land mass in the Arctic, and the southern pole of inaccessibility in Antarctica is the point furthest from the coast. Antarctica, unlike the Arctic, which is a frozen ocean, is a landmass. So don’t expect to travel there by icebreaker any time soon!
The Northern Pole of Inaccessibility is mythological in its status among polar explorers. The nearest distance from land in each direction is 626 miles, making it one of the most isolated places on the planet permanently covered by constantly shifting sea ice. Living here would simply be impossible due to the unstable ice, severely low temperatures in the winter, and polar bears that roam the sea ice all over the Arctic.
Using the latest data, the exact position of the Northern Pole of Inaccessibility was updated with GPS coordinates in 2013, which changed its original position by over 120 miles.
In 1968, Sir Walley Herbert, a famous British explorer and the first man to walk to the North Pole, came close to the original position on a dog sledge but didn’t quite make it due to movements in the sea ice (still an impressive achievement).
In the 1980s, a group of Russian scientists claimed they had reached the original position during the 24 hours of darkness that fell on the Arctic in the winter. However, the claim is not verified.
The explorer Jim McNeill has attempted to reach it twice on an over-the-ice expedition but has been unsuccessful due to the polar ice conditions and extreme weather at the time of year when it is still possible to walk across the ice.
So, has anyone reached the North Pole of Inaccessibility before? We are still determining.
Le Commandant Charcot Sets Another Record
In the spirit of pioneering exploration, while the original plan of sailing from Nome in Alaska to Longyearbyen in Svalbard across the top of the world was impressive enough, the sea ice conditions along the way allowed Captain Étienne Garcia to deviate from the planned route and create a new moment in polar history by reaching the North Pole of Inaccessibility. It’s fortunate guests were the first tourists ever to step off the ship and onto the sea ice at a place they may never have visited.
The hull of Le Commandant Charcot viewed from the sea ice in Greenland
It demonstrates the capability of this technologically advanced ship. Le Commandant Charcot was the first of its kind and is currently the only expedition cruise ship to feature an icebreaking hull. Many ships are ice-strengthened, but what sets Le Commandant Charcot apart is its ability to break through ice up to 3 meters thick, something no other cruise ship can do.
When it was launched, it was one of the most expensive expedition ships ever built, costing $430 million. Powered by twin Azipod thrusters, these specialist electric engines sit under the ship and can rotate 360 degrees, allowing the ship to break ice in both directions. The power is generated through hybrid LPG engines, which improve the ship’s environmental profile with lower sulphur emissions than traditional maritime engines.
I was lucky enough to sail on Le Commandant Charcot in April to explore the frozen sea ice of East Greenland on a cruise from Iceland. I have to say I was impressed with the way the icebreaker bow can cut through sea ice several metres in thickness at quite some speed. The lecture theatre is located in the ship’s bow, and you can certainly feel the vibrations of breaking the ice there.
A visit to the sea ice in East Greenland
The ship employs some of the most advanced maritime technology, including real-time satellite ice charts, allowing the Captain to navigate the ice and find the most accessible routes. While the engines have some serious power, they can’t push through ice over 3 meters, which is where this advanced technology comes in handy. The ship is designed to be autonomous for up to 3 months. They even carry a spare propellor on the deck in case of issues with the ice.
During my expedition, we witnessed a polar bear on a huge raft of sea ice around 50 miles off the coast of East Greenland in an area that would otherwise be totally inaccessible. When the polar bear was sighted, the ship came to a complete standstill at a respectful distance. A big part of expedition cruising is the ethics behind it and ensuring wildlife and landscapes remain undisturbed.
To our luck, the curious polar bear climbed across the sea ice to take a closer look at us. This was completely safe for the bear and the guests on the ship, as the distance between the ice and the deck was significantly higher than a bear could climb, and no risks were taken. It was one of those rare moments when you are entirely absorbed in the moment, overcome by nature, and time comes to a standstill.
A polar bear in the vast expanse of sea ice off the coat of East Greenland in 2024
What I took away from that expedition was that travelling by icebreaker is like a portal to visiting truly remote and unexplored places that would otherwise be impossible to reach. The Captain and the guides worked hard to ensure the places we visited were untouched, an essential part of expedition cruising.
While sailing across the frozen Arctic ocean on a transpolar expedition from Nome in Alaska to Longyearbyen in Svalbard may not be on everyone’s bucket list or budget (these epic trips start from $56,120) for a select group of explorers, it is a once-in-a-lifetime achievement.
To find out for yourself, please see our North Pole Cruises.
This article originally appeared on the North Pole Cruises blog.
