In 20 June 2008 Alan Brook and Kobi Sade begun an unsupported sea kayaking expedition from Kullorsuaq in north-west Greenland. Kullorsuaq, which is located almost 1000km north of the arctic circle, was reached by helicopter flying out of Upernavik. After paddling northwards for a few days to a location where the Greenlandic icecap approaches the ocean, the two kayakers turned south exploring a region of remote wilderness and sparse Greenlandic villages for a period of about 4 weeks. The Blog describe the journey and brings stories and pictures of this high arctic region..
In June 2008, two team members of Terra-Santa Seakayaks Club: Alan Brook and Kobi Sade will begin an unsupported sea kayaking expedition from Kullorsuaq in north-west Greenland.
Kullorsuaq, which is located almost 1000km north of the arctic circle, will be reached by helicopter flying out of Upernavik. After paddling northwards for a few days to a location where the Greenlandic icecap approaches the ocean, the two kayakers will turn south exploring a region of remote wilderness and sparse Inuit villages for a period of about 4 weeks. The paddling distance is expected be about 600 km depending on the state of the sea ice and the weather conditions.
Photo: Søren Nikolaj SørensenThe expedition region was chosen by virtue of it being one of the least developed and visited parts of Greenland. In the smaller villages, many families still depend on hunting and fishing as the main source of their income . A ban on the use of mechanically powered vehicles for these pursuits means that the dogsled and traditional kayak are still the primary methods of transport for these hunters.Beyond the personal challenge, the goal of this expedition is to share the experience of this unique part of the world with others by using a variety of media such as satellite blog updates and video and to raise awareness of the importance of the arctic region to our environment.
Photo: Søren Nikolaj Sørensen
The Upernavik district of the North West part of Greenland, the area in which our expedition will take place, is almost the size of Great Britain with only about 3,000 inhabitants who live in Upernavik town and the ten smaller settlements that are scattered along the coast. We will paddling between numerous islands, icebergs and pack ice composing the spectacular arctic landscape. The primary source of income for the villages of North Greenland is from hunting and fishing which is still done with kayaks and dog sleds. We expect to be able to supplement our provisions from the abundance of available fish and to enjoy, film and photo the rich wild life of the area.
This area is in the high arctic climate belt containing sparse vegetation without trees.
On land we hope to see musk ox, reindeer and foxes. The very rich bird life includes ravens, various gulls, ducks, guillemots, puffins and little auks. The stretches of steep coastline support several seabird colonies, some of them considered among the largest in the world.
Perhaps the most important aspect of Greenland's wildlife is its marine life, which for thousands of years has been the foundation of the hunter culture. An estimated two million seals of various species live in Greenlandic waters. In addition, we will probably encounter Walruses and possibly a number of species of whales.
Although polar bears infrequently approach this area in the spring, we must be prepared since these largest living land carnivores can often be aggressive or curious and thus potentially dangerous to humans. As a semi-aquatic marine mammal, the polar bear has adapted for life on a combination of land, sea, and ice and is the apex predator within its range. It feeds mainly on seals, young walruses, and whales; although it will eat anything it can kill.
Since the polar bears can sustain swimming speeds of above 5 knots, which is comparable to the kayak's top speed, our deterrent options must be applicable to both the marine and land environments.
Finally, in summer, one of the smallest arctic wildlife species can often be the the most noticeable - arctic mosquitoes can be ferocious and can be a serious problem for the unprepared. We do not expect to encounter much during the initial part of the trip but will probably experience a lot more as we go south and the summer progresses. Head nets and hard-core repellents are a must.
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