Captain Russell Pugh has set the world record for the most southerly voyage by any vessel on a trip to the Antarctic earlier this year
More than 100 years since the days of Scott, Shackleton and Amundsen, there aren’t many frontiers left to explore, but on a recent trip to the Antarctic one captain etched his name into the history books.
Captain Russell Pugh has been recognised as the most southerly skipper ever, after he drove MY Arctic P to a bearing of 78°43.0336’S, 163°42.1317’W in the Bay of Whales earlier this year.
The 287ft vessel’s month-long expedition was arranged by EYOS Expeditions. On 27 January, the vessel broke a world record for Antarctic exploration that had stood since 2006.
Captain Pugh was honoured for his achievement at the International Superyacht Society (ISS) gala during last month’s Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.
Tim Soper, MY Arctic P’s expedition leader, explained what it was like to make landfall on the Antarctic ice shelf:
“Captain Pugh manoeuvred the vessel into a position where guests could disembark onto the frozen ocean for walks among Emperor Penguins and seals.
“The air temperature was -30°C with wind-chill and ice was forming on the sea surface around the yacht.
“Captain Pugh is not the type to make any fanfare or put himself in the limelight, so we are thrilled that the ISS has chosen to recognize his extraordinary achievement, unmatched by any private yacht or vessel.”
