David Thoreson - The Accidental Explorer
@davidthoreson.bsky.social
Bad Ass #sailor from Iowa. 75,000 tough miles. Expedition #Photographer, storyteller, author. Polar, #NorthwestPassage explorer and eyewitness to the #climate crisis. In the Blue w stories, images, conservation. TEDx. National Fellow at The Explorers Club.
Happy Halloween! Be careful, it's so scary and spooky out there. But then again, I'm not supposed to talk politics!
November 1, 2025 at 2:06 AM
Happy Halloween! Be careful, it's so scary and spooky out there. But then again, I'm not supposed to talk politics!
Melissa has now gone through 2 rapid intensifications with winds at 185 mph (gusting 215+) n a low pressure reading of 992 mb, making this the 3rd strongest hurricane recorded in the Atlantic Ocean system. Storm surge 9-13 feet w heavy rain n high tide conditions. Worst case scenario for Jamaica.
October 28, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Melissa has now gone through 2 rapid intensifications with winds at 185 mph (gusting 215+) n a low pressure reading of 992 mb, making this the 3rd strongest hurricane recorded in the Atlantic Ocean system. Storm surge 9-13 feet w heavy rain n high tide conditions. Worst case scenario for Jamaica.
Less #Seaice in the Arctic means more shipping in the Northern Sea Route, which Putin controls. Until the USA understands climate disruption, we are at a strategic disadvantage.
September 27, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Less #Seaice in the Arctic means more shipping in the Northern Sea Route, which Putin controls. Until the USA understands climate disruption, we are at a strategic disadvantage.
16 years ago, I was the photographer and ice sailing expert on Ocean Watch sailing through the #NorthwestPassage from west to east. I shot this image near Bellot Strait as we were putting the passage behind us. Now a new One Ocean #sailing voyage is retracing our route to document enviro change.
August 31, 2025 at 2:11 PM
16 years ago, I was the photographer and ice sailing expert on Ocean Watch sailing through the #NorthwestPassage from west to east. I shot this image near Bellot Strait as we were putting the passage behind us. Now a new One Ocean #sailing voyage is retracing our route to document enviro change.
Hey BlueSky friends, sorry about my absence from the platform for a while. Long story, but I’m back. We are in some real trouble in regards to the #climatecrisis luckily my friends @climatechris.bsky.social and @michaelemann.bsky.social are all over it.
July 31, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Hey BlueSky friends, sorry about my absence from the platform for a while. Long story, but I’m back. We are in some real trouble in regards to the #climatecrisis luckily my friends @climatechris.bsky.social and @michaelemann.bsky.social are all over it.
The Puamau Valley is one of the richest archaeological sites in French Polynesia with many mysterious Tiki stone statues on the island of Hiva Oa.
June 20, 2025 at 3:49 AM
The Puamau Valley is one of the richest archaeological sites in French Polynesia with many mysterious Tiki stone statues on the island of Hiva Oa.
I’m back from #sailing the Pacific. “Along with ocean currents circulating warm and cold water, this is our natural heating, and air conditioning system, which provides the stability for all life to exist on Planet Earth. Man-made #climatechange is disrupting these natural systems…”
#Photography
#Photography
June 8, 2025 at 2:21 PM
I’m back from #sailing the Pacific. “Along with ocean currents circulating warm and cold water, this is our natural heating, and air conditioning system, which provides the stability for all life to exist on Planet Earth. Man-made #climatechange is disrupting these natural systems…”
#Photography
#Photography
We sailed 2900 miles on Polar Sun and finally crossed the Evans made it into Hiva Oa in the French Marquesas Islands. Spectacular!
#Travel #Sailing #Oceans #Adventure #Photography
#Travel #Sailing #Oceans #Adventure #Photography
May 11, 2025 at 8:15 PM
We sailed 2900 miles on Polar Sun and finally crossed the Evans made it into Hiva Oa in the French Marquesas Islands. Spectacular!
#Travel #Sailing #Oceans #Adventure #Photography
#Travel #Sailing #Oceans #Adventure #Photography
Sailing through the doldrums near the equator. Lots of heat and rain. Slow progress. 190 nautical miles to our crossing.
About 1000 miles to the Marquesas Islands.
#Ocean #Sailing #Landscape
#BlackandWhite
About 1000 miles to the Marquesas Islands.
#Ocean #Sailing #Landscape
#BlackandWhite
April 27, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Sailing through the doldrums near the equator. Lots of heat and rain. Slow progress. 190 nautical miles to our crossing.
About 1000 miles to the Marquesas Islands.
#Ocean #Sailing #Landscape
#BlackandWhite
About 1000 miles to the Marquesas Islands.
#Ocean #Sailing #Landscape
#BlackandWhite
We have a stowaway on Polar Sun now as we head to the Equator, a blue-footed booby!
Been on board with us for 12 hours hanging out.
#ocean #nature #Bird #photography #sailing
Been on board with us for 12 hours hanging out.
#ocean #nature #Bird #photography #sailing
April 25, 2025 at 3:39 PM
We have a stowaway on Polar Sun now as we head to the Equator, a blue-footed booby!
Been on board with us for 12 hours hanging out.
#ocean #nature #Bird #photography #sailing
Been on board with us for 12 hours hanging out.
#ocean #nature #Bird #photography #sailing
We left Mexico from Barra de Navidad n headed west and slightly south, #sailing 3000 miles now across the Pacific Ocean on a 47' sailboat named Polar Sun. We went through the Northwest Passage and were the cover of Nat Geo in 2023.
Awesome days on the #ocean.
#Photography #Drone #landscape #explore
Awesome days on the #ocean.
#Photography #Drone #landscape #explore
April 24, 2025 at 9:07 PM
We left Mexico from Barra de Navidad n headed west and slightly south, #sailing 3000 miles now across the Pacific Ocean on a 47' sailboat named Polar Sun. We went through the Northwest Passage and were the cover of Nat Geo in 2023.
Awesome days on the #ocean.
#Photography #Drone #landscape #explore
Awesome days on the #ocean.
#Photography #Drone #landscape #explore
Happy Earth Day 🌎 everyone from the Pacific #Ocean. Celebrate the the magic to be found in nature. This lovely home planet is 70% water and it’s all threatened, our oceans and freshwater systems. Let’s all work hard in our own watersheds and support conservation and climate efforts as we can.
April 22, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Happy Earth Day 🌎 everyone from the Pacific #Ocean. Celebrate the the magic to be found in nature. This lovely home planet is 70% water and it’s all threatened, our oceans and freshwater systems. Let’s all work hard in our own watersheds and support conservation and climate efforts as we can.
Last evening was special sailing in the Pacific #Ocean to the French Marquesas Islands. Wing and wing sail set for dead downwind in the NE Trade Winds. Both Big Dipper and Southern Cross in view last night. Magical.
#Sailing #Photography #Nature
#Seascape #Travel #Adventure
#Sailing #Photography #Nature
#Seascape #Travel #Adventure
April 21, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Last evening was special sailing in the Pacific #Ocean to the French Marquesas Islands. Wing and wing sail set for dead downwind in the NE Trade Winds. Both Big Dipper and Southern Cross in view last night. Magical.
#Sailing #Photography #Nature
#Seascape #Travel #Adventure
#Sailing #Photography #Nature
#Seascape #Travel #Adventure
Sailing and climate meet at the equator. As we sail across the Pacific in the NE trade winds it’s important to note these NE/SE trades force air into the convergence zone at the equator where it’s heated, lifted and redistributed back towards the poles. Our very own unique #climate system. #Nature
April 18, 2025 at 6:41 PM
We are now officially at sea! That’s the last land we’ll see for the next 3000 miles as we now sail from the western Mexico coast to the French Marquesas Islands. I’ll be posting along the way. Cheers mates!!
#Sailing #Ocean #Photography
#Sailing #Ocean #Photography
April 15, 2025 at 7:05 PM
We are now officially at sea! That’s the last land we’ll see for the next 3000 miles as we now sail from the western Mexico coast to the French Marquesas Islands. I’ll be posting along the way. Cheers mates!!
#Sailing #Ocean #Photography
#Sailing #Ocean #Photography
Sailing in the tropics and over the Equator on Ocean Watch on the Around the Americas expedition in 2009-10. 400 days at sea. Partnering with the Canadians on research and science. Oh for those old days. Ocean and sea educational program built with NSF.
#Ocean #Science #Climate #Sailing #Nature
#Ocean #Science #Climate #Sailing #Nature
April 9, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Looking forward to sailing into the tropics again. The clouds and colors are magical. A little hot for me, but a last voyage on my bucket list- Sail across the Pacific to the French Marquesas Islands. Inspired by Thor Heyerdahl's Kontiki as a kid. Amazing.
#Photography #Sailing #Ocean #Nature #Sea
#Photography #Sailing #Ocean #Nature #Sea
April 8, 2025 at 12:48 AM
Looking forward to sailing into the tropics again. The clouds and colors are magical. A little hot for me, but a last voyage on my bucket list- Sail across the Pacific to the French Marquesas Islands. Inspired by Thor Heyerdahl's Kontiki as a kid. Amazing.
#Photography #Sailing #Ocean #Nature #Sea
#Photography #Sailing #Ocean #Nature #Sea
Hope you've enjoyed one of my many polar sailing stories. Shifting gears. I'm pretty fired up to get back to the tropics and sail over the Equator again to the French Marquesas Islands. 3000-mile crossing. Journey begins next week...
#Sailing #Ocean #Equator #Travel #Tropics #Seascape
#Sailing #Ocean #Equator #Travel #Tropics #Seascape
April 4, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Do you know that wind energy and water quality are related? Wind turbines produce over 50xs the energy per acre than growing corn for ethanol. The massive increase in corn production is polluting water in the Midwest and sending it downstream. My latest on Substack. substack.com/@davidthores...
April 3, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Do you know that wind energy and water quality are related? Wind turbines produce over 50xs the energy per acre than growing corn for ethanol. The massive increase in corn production is polluting water in the Midwest and sending it downstream. My latest on Substack. substack.com/@davidthores...
Our sail across the North Atlantic from Greenland to Ireland was fast as we followed in the tail of a hurricane. We settled in near Cork n our northern voyage had ended. I made 11 ocean voyages on Cloud Nine, this was the second. A new voyage begins across the South Pacific in two weeks.
#Sailing
#Sailing
April 2, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Our sail across the North Atlantic from Greenland to Ireland was fast as we followed in the tail of a hurricane. We settled in near Cork n our northern voyage had ended. I made 11 ocean voyages on Cloud Nine, this was the second. A new voyage begins across the South Pacific in two weeks.
#Sailing
#Sailing
Our sailing trip to Greenland and the #NorthwestPassage in 1994 was historic and enlightening. Our time in all the small villages was profoundly meaningful and the seascape with all the icebergs was a magical time.
#GreenlandIsNotForSale
#ProtectTheArctic #Explore #Photography
#Seascape #Nature
#GreenlandIsNotForSale
#ProtectTheArctic #Explore #Photography
#Seascape #Nature
March 30, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Our sailing trip to Greenland and the #NorthwestPassage in 1994 was historic and enlightening. Our time in all the small villages was profoundly meaningful and the seascape with all the icebergs was a magical time.
#GreenlandIsNotForSale
#ProtectTheArctic #Explore #Photography
#Seascape #Nature
#GreenlandIsNotForSale
#ProtectTheArctic #Explore #Photography
#Seascape #Nature
Just a reminder I’m telling a story of the “normal” Arctic sea ice I witnessed and documented on our 1994 #NorthwestPassage and the record loss of ice I’ve continued to document over 3 decades.
#ClimateChangeIsReal
#ProtectTheArctic
#GreenlandIsNotForSale
#Photography
#ClimateChangeIsReal
#ProtectTheArctic
#GreenlandIsNotForSale
#Photography
March 29, 2025 at 4:52 AM
Just a reminder I’m telling a story of the “normal” Arctic sea ice I witnessed and documented on our 1994 #NorthwestPassage and the record loss of ice I’ve continued to document over 3 decades.
#ClimateChangeIsReal
#ProtectTheArctic
#GreenlandIsNotForSale
#Photography
#ClimateChangeIsReal
#ProtectTheArctic
#GreenlandIsNotForSale
#Photography
Reflecting on the 1994 #NorthwestPassage voyage. We were turned back, but witnessed the last normal period of sea ice in human history. Now lost 75% of our North Polar ice cap by volume due to #ClimateChange. Of our crew of six, three of my mates have now died, including Geoff Pope on his last ice.
March 26, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Reflecting on the 1994 #NorthwestPassage voyage. We were turned back, but witnessed the last normal period of sea ice in human history. Now lost 75% of our North Polar ice cap by volume due to #ClimateChange. Of our crew of six, three of my mates have now died, including Geoff Pope on his last ice.
We prepared Cloud Nine for the North Atlantic crossing and let the storm pass. As we made our exit from East #Greenland we witnessed our last iceberg and knew that our sailing expedition to the north had ended, but new horizons awaited.
#Sailing #Seascape #Scape #Travel #Photography #Explore #Ice
#Sailing #Seascape #Scape #Travel #Photography #Explore #Ice
March 25, 2025 at 2:23 PM
We prepared Cloud Nine for the North Atlantic crossing and let the storm pass. As we made our exit from East #Greenland we witnessed our last iceberg and knew that our sailing expedition to the north had ended, but new horizons awaited.
#Sailing #Seascape #Scape #Travel #Photography #Explore #Ice
#Sailing #Seascape #Scape #Travel #Photography #Explore #Ice