In 2009, Sprague Theobald, on board his Nordhavn 57, Bagan, completed a five-month exploration of the elusive Northwest Passage. In doing so, he joined only two dozen private watercraft ever to accomplish the challenge, and fulfilled a mission to document the remote area that sits at the center of political and environmental controversy. His Nordhavn 57 was equipped with high tech still and video cameras and editing equipment which enabled him and his crew to capture day-to-day life in this virtually uncharted territory. The result: a fascinating – and sometimes disturbing – documentary film, which will be released later this year, as well as a riveting new book called The Other Side of the Ice. The crew knew they’d be faced with unrelenting cold temperatures, hungry polar bears, and a haunting landscape littered with sobering artifacts from past failed explorations. But what they weren’t prepared for were the personality clashes that threatened to tear them apart and put the success of the mission – and their lives – at risk, especially when faced with the possibility of getting trapped in receding ice. Although press releases and news stories never made mention of any onboard unrest, the turmoil ultimately figured prominently in the way the excursion played out, and helped make The Other Side of the Ice a harrowing story of survival, adventure, and, redemption.

The soon-to-be-released book is available for pre-order through Amazon.com. Theobald is currently making the rounds promoting The Other Side of the Ice and is set to speak at The Explorers Club in Washington, D.C. on January 14. For more information visit http://www.explorersclubdc.org/.