If you haven’t been following the two featured Nordhavn voyages on this website, you’ve been missing out on some of this summer’s best entertainment. The three boats taking part in the Great Siberian Sushi Run made landfall yesterday in Japan, officially marking a successful passage of the Bering Sea. Meanwhile, Sprague Theobald on board his Nordhavn 57, this week entered the fabled Northwest Passage and yesterday arrived at Beechy Island, the site of the first two graves found from the doomed Franklin Expedition of 1850 whose mission it was to navigate the passage. These boats are all making history and we at Nordhavn couldn’t be prouder.

With approximately 700 nm still to go on their planned route, the crews on board the Nordhavn 68 and two Nordhavn 62s that comprise the GSSR are currently enjoying exploring Japan – and recalling what they’ve accomplished during this trip, deemed “crazy” by some. Taking on the aggressive weather that plagues the Aleutian Islands proved challenging, but nothing the trio couldn’t overcome with careful weather planning and, of course, strong seaworthy boats capable of handling high winds and seas. Funny, what’s most noteworthy about the GSSR to this point hasn’t been the accounts of the boats managing through large waves and gales notoriously featured on “The Deadliest Catch”, but rather descriptions of remote towns in Alaska and Siberia where the crews entrenched themselves. One town even threw a big welcome party in the GSSR boats’ honor. Imagine having an entire community gathering to celebrate the fact that you have showed up on their doorstep in your boat!

The Bering Sea still awaits Theobald, who will transit those waters once he maneuvers through the Northwest Passage and begins the trek toward Seattle. Theobald on his boat Bagan, is currently anchored at Bear Point, about 900 nm from the North Pole, waiting for some pack ice to clear before moving on. By Theobald’s estimate, their location puts them farther north than any town or city in the northern Hemisphere. He’s been able to collect some great footage for the documentary film he is producing about the newfound access to the Passage, its rich resources and the ensuing political battle over its control.

Both trips come with the type of blogs that will have you fixed to your computer for longer than you anticipated. Photos, video footage, history lessons and terrific story-telling abound in the websites authored by the three GSSR entrants: Ken Williams of N68 Sans Souci, Steve Argosy of N62 Seabird, and Tina Jones of N62 Grey Pearl; as well as Theobald’s northwestpassagefilm.com.

So forget about that latest summer blockbuster film heading to a theater near you and indulge in some real-life action