What’s Happening!
This page is for media editors and those of you who are interested in the latest news in my freelance work…
DGI Drone Filming
17th March 2017
The crew of Sänna have invested in the latest drone technology to enhance our super high resolution 4K film capabilities for marine and wildlife filming. This investment in the DGI Phontom 4 Pro in advance of our third summer in southeast Alaska means that we can hone our skills in advance of our planned attempt to transit the Northwest Passage next year. We can also take advantage of our unique location close to the incredible wilderness of Glacier Bay National Park Reserve and the remote Islands of the Inside Passage. Sample footage will soon be posted on Sänna’s Vimeo and YouTube channels.
Wild Alaska – Video Production
28th January 2017
Wild Alaska is the culmination of six months work onboard Sänna during the summer of 2016. Marie, Henry and myself headed the thirty miles or so northwards from Hoonah to the Glacier Bay National Park bordered by the St Elias Mountain Range, to film and record this wilderness area with its incredible wildlife in a natural habitat. Set against the spectacular scenic backdrop the video production presents a unique opportunity to view how a small sailboat can penetrate remote locations.
You can view Wild Alaska here or by visiting the Sänna YouTube channel here.
Winter in Alaska
30th October 2016
So we decided to overwinter in Hoonah again. We first wintered in Alaska two years ago when we arrived from Hawaii but on that occasion we hauled Sänna out of the water. This time she stays tied to the dock because we now realise the harbour water doesn’t freeze… but it’s not practical to live onboard because everything else does freeze up! The water supply to the harbour is turned off come November and there’s no electric supply either. Now Marie and I return to the UK to work upon the pre-production work of the amazing grizzly bear footage we’ve collected throughout the summer months. Keep you posted…
Bear Attack
4th September 2016
Well, we had been repeatably warned! Making our way ashore in Reid Inlet, Glacier Bay, Henry and myself were approached by a female grizzly and her two full grown cubs. It was a harrowing encounter and you can read a version of our report submitted to the Glacier Bay Park Rangers in Bartlett Cove here.
Following this incident and a reported savage bear attack on a group of accompanied tourists close to the ruins of the Chigacoff Mining Camp on nearby Chigacoff Island, we have been advised by the local Sheriffs in Hoonah to suspend our film and research project for this year. Many brown grizzlies are beginning to starve due to the low numbers of salmon in the creeks… this year salmon runs are well down, a fact also echoed by local fishermen who rely on the annual salmon catch for their livelihood. Bears are beginning to turn predatory and the two badly injured guides accompanying the tourist group from the small cruise ship Wilderness Explorer had to be emergency evacuated to Sitka and then Seattle.
Bear Hunters of Alaska
2nd August 2016
My hard work is beginning to show fruit and we have our first video footage plus stunning photo images of grizzly bears in Sitka, Alaska. This project is speculative right now but we’ve just recently agreed to work with Gass Productions back in the UK who have a close relationship with Discovery Channel and National Geographic. Fingers crossed!
Samples can be viewed here.
Race to Alaska (R2AK)
30th June 2016
We covered the start of this incredible 750 mile sailboat race from Port Townsend in Washington State, through British Columbia to Ketchikan in Alaska. My feature article detailing this gruelling event is being published by a number of magazines in the UK, New Zealand and Australia. Publishing details and dates to follow.
You can preview the article here.
Finding Alaska
20th April 2016
The five minute preview of our planned thirty minute video production of our stunning 2015 sail voyage into Alaska’s Glacier Bay is now available to view on YouTube. Because of the unfortunate editing incident with an unreliable iPad some key GoPro footage was lost so we’re planning to return to Glacier Bay in August 2016 from our temporary base in Hoonah just across the Icy Straights.
You can view the video preview here.
SV Sänna YouTube Channel Launched
20th November 2015
We’ve just launched the Sailing Vessel Sänna YouTube Channel to preview all video productions of our circumnavigation voyage. You can view and follow here.
New Sponsorship Agreed
14th January 2015
We’re pleased to announce that Bargain Boat Bits, specialising in supplying marine chandlery direct to boat owners and maintenance contractors, have announced their sponsorship and support for our round-the-world circumnavigation voyage from 2015. You can view their online store here.
Sailing Today Article Published
10th January 2015
In Cook’s Wake, my three thousand word article describing Captain Cook’s last voyage northwards across the Pacific from New Zealand to Alaska in search of the infamous Northwest Passage, has been published in the UK by Sailing Today magazine. We followed Cooks’s route, sailing from New Zealand to French Polynesia and then Hawaii, discovering his anchorages and voyage tribulations before his eventual death at the hands of Hawaiian warriors in 1779. You can read the article here.
Practical Boat Owner Article Published
4th December 2014
Entering Foreign Ports, my article describing our humorous experiences dealing with foreign officials whilst circumnavigating our sailing boat eastwards from the UK has now been published in Practical Boat Owner magazine. The article also offers tips and advice to fellow sailors on how to deal with wayward officialdom in sometimes remote locations. You can read the full article here.
Yachting Monthly Article Published
10th November 2014
Learning Curve, my two thousand word article describing events both before and after we discovered a body in the sea whilst sailing our boat from Brisbane, Australia to Whangarei in New Zealand has now been published by the UK’s Yachting Monthly magazine. The article deals with the practicalities of dealing with the authorities and why we couldn’t recover the body onboard. You can read the full article here.
Nottingham Post News Article
4th November 2014
Fearless Couple Leaving for Dangerous New Adventure. An article by the Nottingham Post’s Lucy Budge featuring our planned attempt to make a transit of the arctic’s Northwest Passage in 2015 from our present location in Alaska. This is a controversial issue and you can read the article here.
Boating New Zealand Article Published
28th August 2014
Body at Sea, the news article released by myself in New Zealand has been featured and published by Boating New Zealand. The article describes what happened when we found a body in the sea between Australia and New Zealand when over six hundred miles from land. Our dealings with the New Zealand authorities are discussed in detail and you can read the full article here.
Sail World News Aricle Published
4th July 2014
German Yacht Skipper Fights Charge in Hawaii. My news press release has been published by Sail World. The news article deals with the charges laid before the Courts against a long distance German skipper for damaging coral with his anchor chain. The skipper secured much support and sympathy from local skippers frustrated by the lack of resources provided by the Hawaiian authorities to aid coral conservation. Read the full article here.
This article has also been published by Noonsite, the web based information portal for long distance sailors. You can read this here.
Jimmy Cornell’s World Voyage Planner Features Me!
1st January 2014
The long distance yachtsmans’s bible by renowned Jimmy Cornell includes a number of contributions written by myself. Published by Adlard Coles, the book provides guidance and advice for long distance cruising. I was contacted by Jimmy to provide information and experiences gained from our own circumnavigation voyage. More details here.
David Ungless 