Ella Hibbert is a 27-year-old RYA Yachtmaster Sailing Instructor, PADI dive master, and climate activist, attempting to become the first person to circumnavigate the Arctic Circle unassisted in a single season.
Ella wants to showcase the devastating effects of global warming and man-made climate change on the world's most fragile and arguably most important ecosystem.
Ella will undertake her expedition in her steel sailing yacht, Yeva, a 38-foot Bruce Roberts Ketch. She will spend five months at sea alone, facing the harsh elements of the Arctic, hopefully encountering Arctic wildlife and sea ice, and experiencing the wonders of such a remote area.
The Scientific Exploration Society endorses Ella's expedition, and she will work with the International Seakeepers Society, in conjunction with the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton, to collect water samples along her route for microplastics surveying.
When Ella returns from her expedition, she will auction S/Y Yeva and donate all the proceeds to the charities Polar Bears International and Ocean Conservancy to help them continue their work to protect the future of the Arctic and its inhabitants.
The expedition has been in the works for almost three years. Now, pushing through the final stages of planning and preparing her yacht and herself, Ella is estimating a late-June 2024 departure from Haslar Marina, Portsmouth, for the Arctic.
Fast facts:
- Born in Germany and raised in France, Ella speaks fluent French
- As far as sports go, horse riding was Ella's first true love
- Ella has dived all around the world, and seeing hammerhead sharks and humpback whales in the Revillagigedo Islands has been a huge highlight
- Ella is incapable of walking past a dog without asking the owner's permission to give it a cuddle
Follow along with Ella via her website and on social media - @ellainthearctic
