“I thought it was time to check in with my Finnish cruising friends,” local maritime writer Peter Marsh mused. 

He’s referring to Juho Karhu and Sohvi Kangasluoma, whom he got to know when they stopped in Astoria during the summer of 2022 to make some small repairs on their 43-foot boat, the Lumi, which is Finnish for “snow.” Their goal: To transit the Northwest Passage, from Alaska to Greenland. 

Mission accomplished, as they are, indeed, in Greenland, along with their dog, and are literally stuck there for the winter, since their boat is frozen solid into the ice. The good news is, the skiing is good, and it should start to thaw this month, or in June. 

Alluring Arctic Sailing is an entertaining video blog documenting their experiences, narrated by Karhu, which has 335,000 subscribers. 

He explains their travails, like finding the best way to keep ice away from the stern so the boat doesn’t get pulled down; triumphs, like acquiring a snowmobile and learning how to use it; and just plain work, like adjusting the solar panels and looking for fresh water. 

And, there are lots of spectacular drone views of the area. The scenery is eye-popping, but it might make you want to pull out your long underwear.

Marsh called them a “really tough pair.” Actually, they are the embodiment of true grit or, more appropriately, Finnish “sisu.” (Screenshots: Alluring Arctic Sailing)