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Northern Light: One Couple's Epic Voyage from the Arctic to the Antarctic
The authors describe their thirty-three thousand mile journey from Arctic to Antarctic and around South America, and explain the preparations they made for the voyage.
116 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1985
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About the author
Rolf Bjelke
4 books1 followerRolf Bjelke was a Swedish explorer and sailor. He made three voyages to the polar regions with his wife, American-born, Deborah Shapiro, from their home harbor in Sweden.
In the 1980s and 90s they completed two round-trips to Antarctica in their 40 foot sailboat, Northern Light, including one unassisted winter-over. From 2005 to 2008 they circumnavigated Antarctica, in four consecutive summers, visiting sub-Antarctic islands and the Antarctic Peninsula for a third time. Their combined voyages covered a distance of 243,000 miles.
They received the Blue Water Medal of the Cruising Club of America for their daring 33,000 mile voyage from the Arctic to the Antarctic.
Bjelke and Shapiro have written several books, including Letters from the Sea, Northern Light: One Couple's Epic Voyage from the Arctic to the Antarctic and Time On Ice: A Winter Voyage to Antarctica. Their latest, Pearls Around the White Continent, is nearing completion.
Rolfe died in 2024
In the 1980s and 90s they completed two round-trips to Antarctica in their 40 foot sailboat, Northern Light, including one unassisted winter-over. From 2005 to 2008 they circumnavigated Antarctica, in four consecutive summers, visiting sub-Antarctic islands and the Antarctic Peninsula for a third time. Their combined voyages covered a distance of 243,000 miles.
They received the Blue Water Medal of the Cruising Club of America for their daring 33,000 mile voyage from the Arctic to the Antarctic.
Bjelke and Shapiro have written several books, including Letters from the Sea, Northern Light: One Couple's Epic Voyage from the Arctic to the Antarctic and Time On Ice: A Winter Voyage to Antarctica. Their latest, Pearls Around the White Continent, is nearing completion.
Rolfe died in 2024
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 3, 2025
I had the good fortune of seeing Rolf and Deborah's presentation of this book accompanied by a beautiful slideshow from the journey in I believe it was 1988. I had the doubly good fortune of running into them the next day in Annapolis, MD. We spoke for some time, they invited my friend and I to meet them later for lunch. We gladly met up with them and had a great chat. Afterward they sold me a copy of their book from a "seconds" box when I had admitted that I hadn't been able to afford it at the lecture. They each signed it. It is a fond memory that I cherish. The beautiful book has pride of place on my bookshelf.
This is a story of grit and determination at a level that I find incomprehensible, but I love it for the part of my mind that can make such a journey.
This is a story of grit and determination at a level that I find incomprehensible, but I love it for the part of my mind that can make such a journey.
January 15, 2026
An incredible journey by two folks, combined with gorgeous pics. It would have been nice to explain a bit more on what got them to circumnavigate the globe on a sailboat. It kindof just abruptly starts with them preparing to leave.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews