PORTLAND, Maine — French couple Nolwenn and Pauline Chauche have just finished maintaining their rehabilitated ship in the Portland Yacht Services’ yard at 100 West Commercial St.
The boat, named Ivilia, weighs about 20 tons and carries a variety of scientific tools for use during their expedition to Greenland. Beginning July 6, their company, called Access Arctic, will offer trips for individuals interested in touring Greenland.
Nolwenn spent his childhood sailing all over the world with his family. Through an education abroad, he learned what it means to study the world and all its glory from the decks of a boat.
After completing research on glaciers in 2009, he returned to Paris, where he met his wife, Pauline. Together, the couple decided to come to Portland, where they were working on their boat in preparation for tours in Greenland.
“When we first came to Portland, we were advised to stop at the Portland Yacht services,” Nolwenn said. “We had a very warm welcome from the owner, and he helped us with the logistics of getting our boat prepared for passengers.”
When asked why Portland was where they decided to maintain their boat, Nolwenn explained location played a significant role in their choice.
“Portland is one of the closest places to Greenland with a lot of services,” Nolwenn said. “We wouldn’t want to go to Florida, because then we would have a big trip to do. It’s easy to get parts here, and Portland is a great area for us to refit the boats.”
Initially launched in France in 1999, Ivilia has eight beds available per trip. During the trips, researchers and tourists are welcome to explore the open waters, villages and hiking trails of Greenland. Ivilia carries a variety of scientific instruments to accommodate researchers who wish to study glaciers and their movement.
“It would have been nice to do tours from Portland to Greenland, but not many people can take 4 to 5 weeks off for a trip like that,” Pauline Chauche said. “So we decided to be based in Greenland, where people can fly over and we will do our 10- to 12-day tour from there.”
Nolwenn and Pauline believe this Greenland voyage offers more variety than the typical cruiseship experience.
“Ivilia is unlike any other boating expedition in Greenland, because we are the only boat that offers to be in Greenland during the winter,” Nolwenn Chauche said. “To date, we have scheduled seven trips with more planned for later in the season.”
With no roads available for distance travel in Greenland, Ivilia provides transportation to every village that normally is only accessible by plane or helicopter, which Pauline said can become expensive. Ivilia provides a round trip for anyone who wants to see Greenland from often unseen angles, she said.
“We plan to spend about three to five hours of sailing a day, while the rest of our time will be devoted to learning,” Nolwenn Chauche said. “We want to incorporate knowledge into the trip so the people aboard can learn about Greenland and its vast culture.”
Upon completion of the boat, the couple left the Portland Yacht Services for Greenland on May 28 and plan to begin tours in July. With plans to return to the Portland Yacht services for maintenance when needed, they are ready to take this trip with the hope Portland locals will join them on future sailing adventures.
“We want to be a link between scientists and traveling tourists,” Nolwenn Chauche said. “We want this learning experience to be unforgettable and, thanks to the Portland Yacht Services, we were able to accomplish our goal of completing maintenance.”
For more information on Greenland tours, visit accessarctic.com or email at info@accessarctic.com.