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A List of the Known Underwater Transits of the Canadian Northwest Passage 1958 to 2009
by John MacFarlane (1990 – Revised 1995, 2011 & 2017)
HMS Tireless and USS Pargo rendezvous at the North Pole in 1991. The submarines remained on the surface for 24 hours during which the crews played a cricket match.
Now a new and different type of ship regularly passes under the Arctic Ocean ice pack, often travelling from ocean to ocean. Nuclear–powered submarines have been making this voyage for years on missions cloaked in secrecy for many years. Submarines of at least three nations (the United States, the UK and Russia) have surfaced at the North Pole using special sonar technology to facilitate the point of breakthrough in the ice.
Curiously, a Passage to China via the North Pole was proposed to King Henry VIII by Robert Thorne saying that "sailing northwards and passing the Pole, descending to the Equinoctial Line, we shall hit the Spice Islands a shorter way than the Portuguese." Adding "There is no land uninhabitable nor no sea un–navigable." From the experience of US nuclear submarines in the area Thorne’s statement seems not too far from the truth. The USS Nautilus, in 1958, sent ripples of excitement to the world when Captain William Anderson revealed that his submarine had passed under the North Pole travelling from the Pacific to the Atlantic.
Captain James Calvert in the USS Skate subsequently surfaced at the Pole in 1960 during a winter cruise emphasizing the strategic significance of the polar waters to the world’s navies. That same year two other United States submarines surfaced at the Pole (USS Sargo and USS Seadragon) signalling that the area at the top of the world had become a regular patrol route. The last part of the Northwest Passage was explored and utilized.
Not to be outdone, the Soviet navy nuclear submarine Leninskiy Komsomolets surfaced at the North Pole but it is unclear whether this is a capability which is routinely practiced. I was not able to find other records of surfacing Soviet submarines surfacing but presumably this has happened at other times. Although the tradition of submariners being the "silent service within the silent service" has kept the details of these voyages shrouded in mystery we have been able to track down some of the records. Many under–ice voyages are publicly known to have been made either through the Passage itself or to the North Pole (often from ocean to ocean.) Rumors of even more intensive activity abound.
Under the Sector Principle, Canada claims Arctic waters from the Canada - Alaska Boundary in the West to the Greenland-Canada Boundary in the East in straight lines converging on the North Pole. This claim gives Canada authority to the sea contained within that sector. It is generally felt, by Canadians, that there is considerable under–ice marine traffic in the Canadian Arctic waters. Nuclear-powered submarines of several nations are probably transiting Canadian waters there on a regular basis. Little official public data is available to verify the basis for that attitude, but the existing records lead us to believe that this is probably an everyday occurrence.
Photographs of nuclear submarines from different countries surfaced at the North Pole confirm that some foreign submarines are present, from time to time, in Canadian waters. With ice conditions changing through climate change there is likely to be regular economical commercial surface navigation through the Passage in the near future. Navigation conditions are too formidable under prevailing economic and strategic conditions.
However the global strategic positioning of the Passage continues to make it an important operational area for nuclear submarine fleets. Undoubtedly, control of the Northern Hemisphere will hinge upon the ability of submarines, with missiles, to operate undetected under the icecap. With the ability to surface through the ice to launch, or to launch through the icecap will make a submarine in that area a very strategic platform. The search for opposing submarine forces presents special challenges to skippers operating in those waters.
| Year | Vessel | Captain | Country | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | USS Nautilus | CDR William R. Anderson USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–571) First vessel to reach the North Pole. Full transit (Pacific Ocean to Atlantic Ocean under the North Pole) |
| 1958 | USS Skate | CDR James F. Calvert USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–578) Partial transit (Greenland Sea to North Pole and return. She surfaced at the North Pole on 12/08/1958.) |
| 1959 | USS Skate | CDR James F. Calvert USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–578) (She was the first submarine to surface at the North Pole, and undertook the first winter polar cruise.) |
| 1960 | USS Sargo | LCDR J. Nicholson USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–583) Partial transit from Bering Sea and return. She remained under the ice for 31 days and surfaced at the North Pole. |
| 1960 | USS Seadragon | CDR George P. Steele USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–584) Full transit, Parry Sound and Lancaster Sound (She surfaced at the North Pole where crew played baseball. She was the first vessel to make an east to west transit of the Northwest Passage.) |
| 1962 | USS Skate | CDR Joseph Skoog USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–578) Partial transit from Groton CT and return. She rendezvoused with the USS Seadragon at the North Pole. |
| 1962 | USS Seadragon | CDR Charles Summit USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–584) Partial transit from Pearl Harbour HI USA and return. She rendezvoused with USS Skate at the North Pole. |
| 1962 | Leninskiy Komsomolets (K–3) | Captain L.M. Zhiltsov | USSR | On July 17, 1962, the K–3 surfaced near the North Pole and passed under the Pole twice. The Captain was awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union medal for this feat. |
| 1969 | USS Skate | CDR Phoenix USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–578). Polar transit. |
| 1969 | (USS Pargo | CDR Steven White USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–650) Partial Transit via North Pole (surfaced.) She spent 24 days under the ice and surfaced 20 times in ice. |
| 1969 | USS Whale | CDR M. Wolfe USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–638) Partial transit. She surfaced at the North Pole 60 years to the day and hour of the arrival there of Robert Peary and Matthew Henson in 1909. |
| 1970 | USS Queenfish | CDR Alfred McLaren USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–651) Full transit via the North Pole. She surfaced at the North Pole and retraced the route of the USS Nautilus. She also undertook Siberian shelf operations. |
| 1970 | USS Hammerhead | CDR Powell F. Carter USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine, (SSN–663) She reached the North Pole |
| 1971 | USS Skate | CDR David A. Phoenix US | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–578). Polar transit. |
| 1971 | H.M.S. Dreadnought | CDR A. Kennedy RN | UK | Nuclear Submarine, (S-101) Partial transit. She was the first British submarine to reach the North Pole. |
| 1971 | USS Trepang | CDR D.R. Sackett USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–674). Polar transit. |
| 1973 | USS Seadragon | CDR Thomas Jacobs USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–584). Polar transit. |
| 1973 | USS Hawkbill | CDR Thomas E. Ross USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–666). Polar transit. |
| 1975 | USS Bluefish | CDR Frank B. Kelso USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine, (SSN–675) She reached the North Pole (with Greenland operations) |
| 1976 | USS Gurnard | CDR Ralph W. West USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine, (SSN–662) She reached the North Pole, (Beaufort Sea shallow water operations) |
| 1976 | H.M.S. Sovereign | CDR M. G. T. Harris RN | UK | Nuclear Submarine, (S-108) She reached the North Pole. |
| 1977 | USS Flying Fish | CDR Thomas A. Meinicke USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine, (SSN–673) She reached the North Pole. |
| 1978 | USS Pintado | CDR J.J. Jack McDonald USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine, (SSN–672) She reached the North Pole. |
| 1979 | USS Archerfish | CDR Galen R. Plummer USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine, (SSN–678) She reached the North Pole, (Baffin Bay, Nares Strait operations) |
| 1981 | USS Silversides | CDR Merrill H. Dorman USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine, (SSN–679) She reached the North Pole. |
| 1982-3 | USS Tautog | CDR Philip G. Klintworth USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine, (SSN–639) She reached the North Pole. |
| 1982-3 | USS Aspro | CDR F.P. Gus Gustavson USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine, (SSN–648) She reached the North Pole. |
| 1983 | USS Tautog | CDR Thomas R. Kent USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–639). Polar transit. She was the 3rd vessel to surface 3 times at the North Pole. |
| 1983 | USS L.Mendell Rivers | CDR H.W. Holden USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine, (SSN–686) She reached the North Pole. |
| 1984 | USS Grayling | CDR Wm. A. Bill Evans USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–646). Polar transit. |
| 1984 | USS Spadefish | CDR George P. Bardsley USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–668). Polar transit. |
| 1984 | USS Gurnard | CDR Cliff A. Wiese USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–662). Polar transit.She was with the USS Pintado to be the 3rd pair of vessels to rendezvous at the North Pole. |
| 1984 | USS Pintado | CDR Richard P. Dick Vidosic USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–672). Polar transit.She was with the USS Gurnard to be the 3rd pair of vessels to rendezvous at the North Pole. |
| 1985 | USS Trepang | CDR Woolrich USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–674). Polar transit. |
| 1985 | USS Seadevil | CDR Mies USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–664). Polar transit. |
| 1985 | USS Queenfish | CDR J. Harvey USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–651) She rendezvoused at the North Pole with the USS Aspro. |
| 1985 | H.M.S. Turbulent | CDR Lightoller R.N. | UK | Nuclear Submarine. She made a polar transit. |
| 1985 | USS Aspro | CDR M. D. Martin USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–648) She rendezvoused at the North Pole with USS Queenfish. |
| 1986 | USS Hawkbill | CDR Arndt USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–666). Polar transit. She surfaced at the North Pole with the USS Archerfish and the USS Ray. |
| 1986 | USS Archerfish | CDR Riegel USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–678). Polar transit. She surfaced at Pole. |
| 1986 | USS Ray | CDR Johnson USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–653). Polar transit. She surfaced at Pole. |
| 1986 | USS Seahorse | CDR Wynn Harding USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–669). Polar transit. |
| 1987 | USS Pintado | CDR Vidosic USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–672). Polar transit. |
| 1987 | H.M.S. Superb | CDR J. A. Collins RN | UK | Nuclear Submarine. She coordinated the transit and surfacing at the North Pole with the USS Billfish and the USS Sea Devil |
| 1987 | USS Billfish | CDR Jones USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–676). Polar transit. She surfaced at the North Pole with HMS Superb and the USS Seadevil. |
| 1987 | USS Seadevil | CDR Napior USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–664). Polar transit. She surfaced at the North Pole with HMS Superb and the USS Billfish. |
| 1987 | USS L.Mendell Rivers | CDR Bagaglio USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–686). Polar transit. |
| 1988 | USS Lapon | CDR Mackin USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–661). Polar transit. |
| 1988 | USS Archerfish | CDR Shalles USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–678). Polar transit. |
| 1988 | USS Queenfish | CDR Joslin USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–651) Partial transit via the North Pole 30 years after the USS Nautilus passed under the North Pole. |
| 1988 | H.M.S. Turbulent | CDR I. S. H. Richards R.N. | UK | Nuclear Submarine. She coordinated the full transit and surfacing with H.M.S. Superb. |
| 1988 | H.M.S. Superb | CDR J. F.Tuckett R.N. | UK | Nuclear Submarine. Full polar transit, she surfaced at North Pole. |
| 1989 | USS Sturgeon | CDR Cocolin USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–637). Polar transit. |
| 1989 | H.M.S. Tireless | CDR T. P.McClement R.N. | UK | Nuclear Submarine. Polar transit. |
| 1989 | USS Silversides | CDR Samples USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–679). Polar transit. |
| 1990 | USS Gurnard | CDR Espinosa USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–662). Polar transit. |
| 1990 | H.M.S. Spartan | CDR Hiscock R.N. | UK | Nuclear Submarine Polar transit. |
| 1990 | USS Puffer | CDR Kyle USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–652). Polar transit. |
| 1991 | USS Seahorse | CDR James Alley USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–669). Polar transit. |
| 1991 | USS Pargo | CDR David Hearding USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–650) Partial transit. She rendezvoused with H.M.S. Tireless on the surface at the North Pole. |
| 1991 | H.M.S. Tireless | CDR T.P.McClement R.N. | UK | Nuclear Submarine. Partial transit. She rendezvoused with the USS Pargo on the surface at the North Pole. She remained on the surface for 24 hours and the two crews played a cricket match. |
| 1991 | USS Archerfish | n/k | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–678). Partial transit. She surfaced at the North Pole. |
| 1992 | USS Grayling | CDR Robert P. Dunn USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine surfaced at the North Pole. |
| 1992 | USS Pintado | CDR Gary L. Graf USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–672). She surfaced at the North Pole. |
| 1992 | USS Spadefish | CDR Richard B.Williams USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–668). She surfaced at the North Pole. |
| 1992 | HMS Trenchant | CDR Shawn Turner RN | UK | Nuclear Submarine (S-91). Conducted operations in the Arctic. |
| 1993 | USS Spadefish | CDR Richard B. Williams USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–668). She surfaced at the North Pole. |
| 1993 | USS Puffer | CDR Richard A. Rick Wright USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–652). She surfaced at the North Pole. |
| 1993 | USS Pargo | CDR Brian J. Wegner USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–650). She surfaced at the North Pole. |
| 1994 | USS Whale | CDR Kenneth S. Scott Pugh USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–638). She surfaced at the North Pole. |
| 1995 | USS Cavalla | CDR Charles J. Joe Ledig USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–684). She surfaced at the North Pole. |
| 1996 | USS Pogy | CDR James T. Reilly USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine . She surfaced at the North Pole. |
| 1996 | USS Sandlance | CDR George H. Bud Baker USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–660). She surfaced at the North Pole. |
| 1997 | USS Archerfish | CDR Steve R. Kremer USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–678). She surfaced at the North Pole. |
| 1998 | USS Billfish | CDR James G. Stevens USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–675). She surfaced at the North Pole. |
| 1999 | USS Hawkbill | CDR Robert H. Perry USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–666). She surfaced at the North Pole. |
| 2001 | USS Scranton | CDR Clarence Earl Carter USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–756). She conducted operations in the Arctic. |
| 2001 | USS Connecticut | CDR Frederick Fritz Roegge USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–22). She conducted operations in the Arctic which included the first SSN 688I Class submarine to surface at the North Pole and the first Arctic operations by a SSN–21 Class submarine. |
| 2003 | USS Honolulu | CDR Charles Harris USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–718). She conducted first high-Arctic operations by first-flight 688 and first first-flight 688 to reach the North Pole. |
| 2004 | USS Hampton | CDR Robert P. Burke USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–767). She conducted first multi-national North Pole surfacing with HMS Tireless since 1991. |
| 2004 | HMS Tireless | CDR Philip J. Titterton RN | UK | Nuclear Submarine (S-88). She conducted first multi-national North Pole surfacing with USS Hampton since 1991. |
| 2004 | USS Alexandria | CDR Thomas J. Kearney USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–757). She conducted inter-fleet transfer transiting through the Arctic. |
| 2004 | USS Oklahoma City | CDR Chris Williams USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–723). She conducted inter-fleet transfer transiting through the Arctic. |
| 2005 | USS Memphis | CDR B. Merz USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–691). She twice conducted inter-fleet transfer transiting through the Arctic. |
| 2005 | USS Charlotte | CDR Dennis E. Carpenter USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–766). She conducted inter-fleet transfer transiting through the Arctic and surfacing at the North Pole. |
| 2005 | USS Salt Lake City | CDR Tracy L. Howard USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–716). She conducted inter-fleet transfer transiting through the Arctic. |
| 2006 | USS Santa Fe | CDR Steve Perry USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–763). She conducted inter-fleet transfer transiting through the Arctic. |
| 2006 | USS Seawolf | CDR Robert S. Hopkins USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–21). She conducted inter-fleet transfer transiting through the Arctic. |
| 2006 | USS Boise | CDR Rodney Mills USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–764). She conducted inter-fleet transfer transiting through the Arctic. |
| 2007 | USS Connecticuit | CDR Daniel Christofferson USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–22). She conducted inter-fleet transfer transiting through the Arctic. |
| 2008 | USS Providence | CDR Michael Holland USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN–719). She conducted inter-fleet transfer transiting through the Arctic, surfacing at the North Pole to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the historic transit of USS Nautilus (SSN 571) in 1958. |
| 2009 | USS Annapolis | CDR Michael O. Brunner USN | USA | Nuclear Submarine (SSN). She surface at the North Pole to commemorate the 109th Birthday of the United States Submarine Force, the 100th Anniversary of Admiral Peary's and Mathew Henson's expedition to the North Pole. |
Sources:
- MacFarlane, J.M. (1992) Northwest Passage Challengers. In Resolution. Spring Issue. Maritime Museum of British Columbia;
- Sale, Richard (2002);
- Lalor, William G. (1959) Submarine Through The North Pole. In National Geographic. Vol. CXV, No. 1 January 1959;
- Storrs, A.H.G. and T.C. Pullen. (1970);
- Robertson, O.C.S. (1964);
- Pullen, T.C. & C. Swithenbank (1990);
- Pharand, D. (1984);
- Nuligak (1966);
- Canadian Coast Guard Northern Arctic Operations Division (1991);
- http://www.csp.navy.mil/asl/Timeline.htm
To quote from this article please cite:
MacFarlane, John M. (1990–Revised 2010, 2011, 2017) A List of the Known Underwater Transits of Canada’s Northwest Passage. Nauticapedia.ca 2012. http://nauticapedia.ca/Articles/NWP_Transits_Underwater.php
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