Diary of a serial adventurer: Eagle Quest II's inspired Arctic voyage
Kee Duen Chu spent years planning a voyage through the Canadian Arctic to the Mediterranean — but first he climbed Mount Everest, after running 10 marathons.
The Hong Kong engineer's passion for serial adventures was touched off years earlier by a near-tragedy.
"We experienced the South Asia Tsunami in 2004 and were spared the whole family's lives [on the] beach," he said.
"I feel God is smiling at me – he put these passions in my heart and has his plan. I am an average person in ability. God let me do some things that I [could] not imagine."
The adventurer first built a successful business, then found other passions.
"I was fat in late 30s and start running to improve health. I ran faster and faster," said Chu, who then tackled rock climbing and mountain sports from scratch.
He hopes to spur younger generations to overcome "a common deficiency of giving up too early."
Chu then climbed Mount Everest, reaching the summit in 2011. For now, he's given up leading mountain expeditions to work on another dream — braving the historic Northwest passage to get to the Mediterranean.
The seven-year sailor with a Class 1 captain's license bought the Eagle's Quest II in 2014, planning to sail in 2015.
The preparation
Chu initially postponed the voyage. After upgrading from a 40 to a 58-foot-craft, he realized he needed more time to gain confidence and expertise.
"Equipment, fuel handling and power supply systems were complicated," he said. Chu spent months working part-time and learning the "personality" of his new craft.
He headed to sea in April 2016 with a crew of 26. He wasn't afraid, despite warnings about what he was trying to do.
Chu said one of his crew members with 20 years sailing experience told him he was worried about his safety.
"When my wife could not meet me in Tokyo when we waited for a major replacement of the forestay and the furling system, [he] asked me whether my wife knew she might not be able to see me again," Chu said.
"I was rather surprised of his opinion. Northwest Passage is a dangerous route to many sailors, but the fatal rate is low nowadays."
Problems on the water
Chu admits his dream journey has been fraught with challenges.
First the generator broke down in Taiwan. Then there was trouble with the sails, the auto pilot system and navigation lights, and later the jib.
"Although we encountered a lot of difficulties, they had been sorted out finally. I do my best and let God do the rest," said Chu.
On the leg from Hiroshima to Osaka, strong winds plagued them. The jib could not be furled in. They sailed to port for inspection and repair.
"The track for hoisting and holding the jib [was] ... twisted and broken apart."
After that repair, they set sail.
Chu had scheduled 16 days to cross the North Pacific to Dutch Harbor, but after seven days the engine began to vibrate.
A dive into the frigid water by crew member Shaun Yeng found problems with the propeller gear, broken "probably due to metal fatigue."
They relied on sails and got to Dutch Harbor, and found solutions to technical issues once again.
Grounded in icy Arctic waters
Later, as they approached the Northwest passage, they alerted Canadian marine authorities on the advice of a sailor who did the route in 2009.
"The Northwest Passage is famous for its danger with uncharted sea and drifting ice. These two cannot be easily avoidable," wrote Chu.
This was wise.
Sailing from Cambridge Bay to Gjoa Haven on Aug. 28, the boat reached Simpson Strait when the water depth changed from 20 to 30 metres to 10 metres in a short distance, grounding the boat.
It took almost the whole night before they could get free and were met by Canadian ice breaker the Sir Wilfred Laurier, which took the crew to safe anchorage.
An underwater camera revealed a scratched keel, but no major damage.
"Comparing with the past experience of grounding, the condition was not bad. We had no life risk," said Chu, who posted a picture of the Aurora Borealis after leaving Gjoa Haven.
The voyage continues
Chu's photographs show blazing northern lights, the ocean surface smooth as glass and littered with drifting ice. He even glimpsed a polar bear near Oliver Sound.
In his last note on Sept. 18, Chu had reached Ilulissat, Greenland.
Despite myriad technical difficulties, he remains confident.
"When I sailed this boat from Hong Kong for the voyage, I did not know how far she could go. I hope this boat could bring me and our crews to distant land where we could meet people and the land that fascinated us for some time," he said.
"Now I know she could go very far. She took us to meet great people. Some offered us hospitality that were out of our imaginations. This is a great country, great people. A land blessed by God!"
