British Yachtsman who Counted on Global Warming to Cross Arctic Now Trapped by Ice

NewsBusters ^ | September 4, 2007 | P.J. Gladnick

[PJ-Comix]

In one of the most hilarious cases of being tripped up by dubious scientific hype, British yachtsman Adrian Flanagan attempted to be the first to sail across the arctic north of Russia. He based his hope on the fact that he believed in the Global Warming propaganda that the arctic is rapidly losing its ice thus making his trip possible. One little problem. Cold cruel reality has crushed the Global Warming hype and now Flanagan's boat is trapped by ice in the arctic. To add to the irony, Flanagan who seems to be destined to go down in history as Wrong Way Flanagan, is now pleading with Russian authorities to provide him with the services of a nuclear powered icebreaker to get him out of his embarrassing situation.

As recently as August 18, Wrong Way Flanagan's hopes were still high that he could sail across the arctic north of Russia. Moscow News announced his trip in an article ironically titled, Global Warming is Here.

A British yachtsman, Adrian Flanagan, is due shortly to head off from Chukotka to attempt the first solo sail through the Northern Sea Route.

While one Chukotka port official described this as "kamikaze," Flanagan too is optimistic. Contacted by AFP he said that the ice looked set to recede at least as far as in 2005, which was a record year. But while some see opportunities, others are already counting the costs of climate change.

Flash forward to today and we can see the sticky situation that Wrong Way Flanagan put himself into by placing his faith in Global Warming to clear his path in the arctic as chronicled by Australia's Herald Sun in  an article with the sobering title of Ice blocks British solo sailor:

A BRITISH yachtsman attempting the first solo Arctic sea passage across northern Russia was examining his options after heavier than expected ice blocked his route, his manager said.

Adrian Flanagan is discussing with Russian authorities the possibility of using a nuclear-powered icebreaker to lift his boat out of the water and carry it round the most icebound stretch of Russia's Northern Sea Route.

...He had hoped that his 11m reinforced yacht would be able to get all the way to Europe due to lighter ice conditions observed in recent years, thought to be a result of global warming.

But after making his way through the Chukchi, East Siberian and Laptev Seas, Flanagan has been forced to a halt by heavy ice at the most difficult point in the route, the Vilkitsky Strait.

...Flanagan is now anchored by an island just east of the Vilkitsky Strait, still hoping for the ice to clear but working on the backup plan, his manager said.

She described the yachtsman's mood as “pretty fed-up”.

Besides the arctic ice, Wrong Way Flanagan now appears to have another problem. Remember those polar bears that Global Warming activists were warning us were endangered? Well, it now seems that the tables have been turned and those endangered polar bears are now endangering Flanagan:

Ostrov Peschanyy is a bleak, featureless island that is little more than a sand spit rising a few metres above sea level. It's a resting place for walrus and Western Arctic Marine Operations HQ have advised Adrian to keep a careful watch for polar bears hunting walrus there.

So as Wrong Way Flanagan, who has turned himself into a Global Laughingstock on the altar of Global Warming, remains trapped in the arctic perhaps someone would be kind enough send him a copy of Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth for him to pass the time while waiting for the ice to melt and for the endangered polar bears to go away.

[Riley]

The only other fix, and I DOUBT seriously this will happen, is that the Russians will send a sub.

They can offer him a tow to port.

At 300 meters.

[Duke Nukum]

Thanks for the ping. Funny song, even funnier situation!

What’s the oleo margarine that used to have the slogan: “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature?”

‘Cause somehow it seems to apply here, like this guy is Mother Nature’s fool, or something.

It’s not so nice, being Mother Nature’s Fool.

[KJC1]

Superb job, and “Inconvenient Tour” is a nice touch! :^)

[Rollee]

What would the World be like if Gore had been elected?

We would be living in tents and fighting over the roadkill.

[Rollee]

"It's 1995 calling. They say they want their cell phone back."

ROFLMAO!!!!

[Rollee]

Speaking of The Ice Road Truckers, did you hear the “Polar Bear” snort about global warming? He said “talking to me about global warming when it’s -40 below and ice is sticking to your face”. I almost fell off the couch laughing.

[decal]

Are you a repeat winner?

[epow]

Option 1) would be if the owner were dead or unreachable.

What option is there if the owner has been transformed into frozen bear droppings in the snow?

[RinaseaofDs]

In that case, the captain of one of Russia’s nuke powered breakers is going to have a very nice Artic Research Vessel to accompany whatever small craft aboard her currently.

[epow]

I’m OK with that. If the owner doesn’t need it any longer due to having been ingested by the local wildlife, someone may as well get some use out of it.

[Rocky]

But now he can start complaining about “climate change” which is the way to win no matter which way the temperature goes. It’s man-made pollution all the way, cold or hot. Idiots.

[ran20]

Seperated at birth?

[dirtbiker]

What a dumbass. He probably still believes in global warming and is now blaming it for his predicament.

It's all Bush's fault....

[Paul Heinzman]

First time winner—it’s quite an honor.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

My two year old grandson can draw better than that.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Make that 130.

[Enchante]

Well now, if Wrong Way Flanagan does get devoured by any polar bears the True Believers will still try to turn it into a tale of Global Warming.... they will tell us the polar bears were feeling desperately hungry due to changes in their environment. And if this dipstick never does get his yacht free from the ice, the story will be that global “climate change” simply alters the patterns of weather and ice, so it’s really not a black mark against the Albore School of Propaganda.

btw, we should start a public campaign for Albore to pay for this guy’s rescue — the theme should be that since Albore and friends implanted foolish beliefs in this guy’s head they are responsible for his life-threatening predicament.

[kenth]

ROFL... another fine offering Charles.

[epow]

btw, we should start a public campaign for Albore to pay for this guy’s rescue

Good idea. Just don't let blubbergut Albore go over there himself, he'll eat all the polar bears in Siberia if he gets the chance.

[epow]

Excellent work on that parody Charles, another standing ovation for the FR musikmeister. The words fit the music almost perfectly as best I remember the tune.