Podcast Maré Sonora ® video
Eric Brossier: sailing for science in the Arctic
February 4, 2024 · 54 min · 146 views · Saint Pierre and Miquelon
What this video covers
Eric Brossier, a French sailor and geophysicist, operates the 47-foot steel-hulled sailboat *Vagabond* as a mobile research platform in the Arctic.4:54 Built with 10-millimeter steel plating and weighing approximately 30 tons, the vessel supports scientific expeditions, including sclerochronology and sea ice monitoring, by providing logistics and a base for researchers in remote, ice-covered regions.5:13 Brossier completed a circumnavigation of the Arctic in 2003, passing through the Northwest Passage 100 years after Roald Amundsen.18:44 He spent five consecutive winters in the Svalbard archipelago, specifically on the remote east coast, before relocating operations to Greenland and Nunavut to engage with local Arctic cultures.28:59 In 2022, unpredictable weather caused the boat to become trapped in drifting ice while waves grew large enough to strike the hull, highlighting the increasing difficulty of forecasting conditions in a changing climate.48:56 The vessel now serves as a base for scientists, photographers, and artists, facilitating long-term environmental studies in regions where equipment must withstand temperatures as low as -1.8 degrees Celsius.47:46
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