2024 recap
In January 2024, Ella partnered with an amazing company called Capital.com, which propelled the campaign forward at an astounding pace.
Between January and July 2024, Yeva was put through an intense shipyard refit. With the help of all of Ella’s incredible sponsors (see other page on the website for the full list), Yeva was transformed from a weary-looking boat to an ocean-ready vessel.
In July 2024, Ella and her sponsor Rick “the Pirate” from Blackbeard Marine set sail from Haslar Marina in Portsmouth, and made their way across the North Sea to Southern Norway. The was Yeva’s first sea trial since the refit, and after sorting a couple of issues early on, the crossing went well. Once in Norway, Rick disembarked and flew back to England, and Ella continued the rest of the sea trials and training alone. She battled multiple issues, including having to climb the rig at sea alone, total steerage failure in the middle of the Barents Sea headed for Svalbard, strong winds annd up to 5m high waves, and flooding of the yacht. She pushed through these issues and arrived at the world’s most northern settlement, Longyearbyen, Svalbard, in August 2024. Ella spent time in Svalbard fixing Yeva’s steering, exploring the amazing island, meeting with and being interviewed by locals, and documenting it all on her social media pages and YouTube channel. After two weeks in Svalbard, Ella returned to mainland Norway, and used the fjords as shelter from the September storms ravaging the North Sea. When a fair weather window allowed, she crossed the North Sea again and made landfall in Shetland, before continuing down to Scotland.
In October 2024, Yeva was brought back to Victoria Quays Shipyard in Gosport, to have some issues resolved, such as reinforcing the steering, and placing proper drainage holes in the bow’s anchor locker.
Ella hopes to have Yeva afloat again before Christmas, and will then undertake more sea trials and heavy weather training in the English Channel in the New Year.
The campaign is fully funded, and as long as Ella’s visas get approved in spring 2025, she will set sail for the circumnavigation attempt at the end of May/early June 2025. Exact date to be confirmed closer to the time. In the mean time, please check out the social media pages and YouTube channel, where you’ll be able to catch up on the adventures from 2024, and see real-time regular updates as to what Ella and Yeva are up to currently.
Yeva alongside the dock in Longyearbyen, Svalbard. 78° North, August 2024.
Ella and the Scientific Exploration Society (SES)
As of February 14th 2024, this Arctic expedition has been officially endorsed by the Scientific Exploration Society.
The SES “ is a British Charity dedicated to the exploration and conservation of the planet.” It “has engaged in more than 200 expeditions in remote parts of the world.” SES today “continues its work to promote exploration and to act as a portal to the world of expeditions involved in climate change, environmental protection, and conservation.”
Amongst the members of the SES advisory board, you will find names such as Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Dr Jane Goodall, Rosie Stancer, Pen Hadow, Bear Grylls, Mark Beaumont, Tim Peake, Steve Backshall, Vanessa O’Brien, and Levison Wood.
It is an absolute honour and privilege to be recognised and endorsed by the SES, and Ella is looking forward to embracing the SES throughout this expedition. Together they aim to :
- Inspire future explorers
- Build awareness of global challenges such as climate change, endangered species, plastic pollution, and similar
- Support research
- Promote sustainability
- Contribute to preserving the environment
- Produce post-expedition reports detailing the scientific research undertaken
- Disseminate findings to relevant organisations and via SES channels, helping to raise awareness of the issues
Ella and Ocean Films Ltd
In an absolutely epic addition to the campaign, Ella has partnered with Ocean Films Ltd to turn the Arctic expedition into a documentary that they hope to be able to share far and wide upon successful completion of the circumnavigation. Yeva is going to be fitted with cameras that will capture every moment of life on board, and Ella will have go-pros for those moments where she wants to record her feelings, thoughts and experiences. Stay tuned for more updates about this as the project develops!
February 2024 Updates
It has been a crazy two months for the Ella In The Arctic campaign. In December, Ella met a gentleman who generously donated the funding needed to get Yeva through an extensive shipyard refit, which she is currently undergoing. Yeva is getting a new engine, new standing and running rigging, new anodes, new electric wiring and lights, serviced seacocks, a shot blast and paint job, as well as general maintenance and odd jobs. Ella is doing as much as she can herself, and has some wonderful contractors and sponsors helping with everything she can’t do. Ella is documenting all this work and progress and sharing it online via Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Youtube and TikTok, so be sure to follow @ellainthearctic on those pages, too!
Ella's Interview with The Islander Magazine - March Issue 2023
March 2023: Featured in Yachting Monthly
Ella was interviewed by Katy Stickland, who gave her a write-up in Yachting Monthly magazine
If you haven't got a paper copy, you can read the online version of Ella's interview here .
04/02/22: Ella gives a talk at the Hamble RAF Yacht Club about the campaign
24/11/22 : Ella and The Sainte Victoire International School
First Meeting
Ella was given the opportunity of going to the Sainte Victoire International School, located in Fuveau, France (close to where she grew up), to talk to the students and faculty about the Arctic, the challenges it faces, and the campaign. The students were all engaged, enthusiastic, and welcoming. They asked plenty of questions, both in French and English, and particularly liked the photos Ella had prepared of the variety of animals living in Arctic waters. Together they discussed the melting sea ice, the warming climate, the dangers of shipping traffic and drilling works entering the Arctic north, and what we can do in our daily lives to help protect this incredible, and hugely important, part of the planet.
The school's MUN conference
After listening to Ella share some information about the impacts of global warming and man-made climate change on the Arctic's fragile ecosystem, the students then decided to, at their MUN conference, debate the question of Arctic biodiversity, and the question of drilling in the Arctic. The students were incredibly motivated and passionate in their discussions, and were happy to have received a video message from Ella that was played at the conference.
Follow-up
The SVIS students and faculty members will be following Ella's campaign and progress. Ella looks forward to returning to the school over the upcoming year to share more of her journey with them all. Getting the next generations involved in our fight towards a more sustainable, circular economy, through education, inspiration and action, is a huge part of this campaign.
20/10/22
Marine Industry News help Ella spread the word about her campaign, by posting an article explaining the voyage and calling for help from marine industry professionals to provide equipment and sponsorship.
02/10/22 Have a read through Boatfolk's blogpost about the campaign. Boatfolk won this year’s Southampton Boat Show Environmental Award, and share my passion for ocean conservation, sustainability and education along with inspiring the next generation of boaters with their #boatgen campaign.
Pros and Cons of different boats
As the fundraiser grows and emails to potential sponsors are being sent, Ella is looking at various boats that may be right for the trip. She has found one that is suitable, but that boat is on the market, and should she sell prior to Ella having raised the funds needed for purchase, it is important to keep learning about the pros and cons of other yachts out there. There are lots of interesting articles about the considerations needed for a high latitude yacht, and Ella will be sharing her thoughts on the pros and cons between aluminium vs steel, sloop vs ketch, long keel vs fin keel, etc, as we continue to get some momentum to the campaign that will hopefully help Ella land a sponsor and secure a yacht that's a good fit for this voyage (knowing there's no such thing as a "perfect" boat).
Check out this article on Yachting World by Will Bruton to read more about some of the considerations to think about prior to buying a cruising yacht meant for the higher latitudes.