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We have landed ! 14/7/2008

Last night, after paddling in rough sea for few days and dealing with 4-6 force sea we landed safe and happy in the small fishing port of Upernavik town.

We completed our jouarny to the heart of Greenland and we have lots of pics and stories...

Tribute to Navarana Freuchen

In Upernavik there is one small graveyard which is no longer in use. Usually people in this town are buried above ground because the island is almost all rock. The most notable grave is that of Navarana Freuchen, Peter Freuchen's wife.
Peter Freuchen was a Danish explorer who lived among the the Polar Inuit (Eskimo) in Greenland for most of his adult life, in the late 1800's and early 1900's when the arctic hardly knew the influences of the white man.

He worked with Knud Rasmussen, exploring greenland and arctic america documenting the life of the Inuit. He wrote several books among them: Arctic adventure; My life in the frozen North , Book of the Eskimos and Vagrant Viking : my life and adventure.

Freuchen married an Inuit woman, Navarana. She followed him on some of his expeditions. With Navarana he visited Copenhagen; she was eager to see her husband's home land. However, she found it difficult to understand why any woman would live in Denmark - there are no seals or walruses and everybody must buy their food from a shop. On the other hand, she was especially enthusiastic about ballet.

Navarana died in 1921 during an influenza epidemic. After her death the priests would not let her be buried in Pernavik graveyard because she was a Greenlander and not a church member. Therefore, in the dark of night her husband, with four friends, sneaked into the graveyard and buried her in secret.

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Update 13.07.08

Very strong winds
Wind calmed in the night
We left our camp at 2am and paddled till 9 am
we are now about 1-1.5 days paddle from Upernavik.
There are lots of harp seals in the area and birds colonies

Updates are Received By Satellite Phone and are updated by tal shani
Weather Support is Provided By Karel Vissel

Update 12.07.08

We passed thru "Sondre Upernavik" village today. The most remote southern village in the area.

We got some supply, the village people were very freindly and helpfull

We are most of the time in open sea, there are strong winds up to force 6 We had to land early due to strong head winds We are heading north to upernavik

Update 11.07.08

went via Kangersuatsiaq (Proven) village
people very friendly and the kids were very helpfull with the kayaks.
Now AT 72 20N 55 09W
going to circle qeqertaq island clock-wise

Updates are Received By Satellite Phone and are updated by tal shani
Weather Support is Provided By Karel Vissel

Update 08.07.08

WE ARE IN LAKSFJORDEN: AN AREA OF FJORDS RIVER AND LAKES NEAR "KOCH LAND".

WE WILL STAY HERE FOR COUPLE OF DAYS

WE HIKE TO THE UPLAND LAKES, EXPLORING AND FISHING.

YESTERDAY WE HAD 2 GRILED ARCTIC TROUTS !!

THE TUNDRA IS BLOOMING...
Updates are Received By Satellite Phone and are updated by tal shani
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Kayak anxiety

There have been reports of a peculiar sea and atmospheric condition which is characterized by a very calm sea with fog that has an adverse physiological effect on paddlers:
In 1963, scientists described a phobic like syndrome, "Kayak-angst", as it appeared in West Greenland.
The study was published in the: "Int J Soc Psychiatry" According to the study, it is an irrational sudden anxiety, dizziness and fear of dying -- while paddeling in placid sea.
It occurs mainly in foggy conditions, with calm seas, on open water. The kayaker can't distinguish the horizon and loses the ability to determine up from down.

Update 07.07.08

We are AT 72 29N 54 28W This area is called J.P.Kochs Land and it is part of Greenland mainland.
This area enjoy from a relative warm weather and we heard that even tiny trees can be found in this area.
will stay here 2-3 days exploring area
looking for musk-ox, salmons .
It is arctic summer and the mosquitoes are all around but we are trying to ignore them
Updates are Received By Satellite Phone and are updated by tal shani

Living with mosquitoes

update 06.07.08

We joined a local on a hunting & fishing trip
We caught many fish but no seals (Lucky them).
Anyway, I must admit that seal meat is very tasty !
Our local host Bent Petersen and his family are great ! and it was nice to make shower at last and to sleep on real beds
Updates are Received By Satellite Phone and are updated by tal shani

The petersen's

update 03.07.08

we are in Aappilattoq village
population : 208
N 72° 53' 0'' W 55° 36' 0''

We are on the internet for the first time just for short time
thank you very much Tal for updating our blog you do a gret job !
thanks karel for the weather updates ! tommorow we are going with a local hunter for seal hunting
We will be sleeping this night in his village and will have a shower !!!!
the weather got much better the last couple of days but the warming brought the mosquitos
: milions of them! but we fighting back!

alan and kobi
Updates are Received By Satellite Phone and are updated by tal shani

Updates are Received By Satellite Phone and are updated by tal shani

Playing with a kayak in Aappilattoq

Update 02.07.08

We are about 10km South of TASIUSAQ village.
It Is Freezing up here no global warming right now.
we navigate in heavy fog - its a real challenge !!!!

Eating cod fish & mussels & and a lot of pasta but we start to ran out of whisky !

73 09N 55 53W foggy,cold but winds moderate in line with karel's forecasts.
kobi and alan


Updates are Received By Satellite Phone and are updated by tal shani

01.07.08 Update

Now about 10km NW of Tasiusaq

There's an article in YNET - One of israel's largest newspapers, about Alan & Kobi:

http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3558117,00.html - Sorry - Hebrew only!

Updates are Received By Satellite Phone and are updated by tal shani