A Whirlwind End - Congratulations! - Day 19 (Final Day)

Ajeet & Deeya

Ajeet & Deeya

May 31, 2011
Congratulations to the team members for completing the Greenland Icecap Crossing expedition in just 19 days!

The team woke up bright and early at 3am to ensure they'd be skiing by 5am. The day was cold at -20 degrees Celsius. Snow conditions were outstanding. The team had a 116 meter scary descent and skied 6km on sea ice to meet up with their boat. On the eastern coast the team was welcomed by visions of icebergs and a grand celebration of fireworks hosted by our dog musher's, Salo's and Ulrick's, family.

Ulrick in polar bear pants.

After meeting Salo's and Ulrick's family, they said their goodbyes and thanked the mushers for all of their hard work and help during the expedition. At 12:30pm, they loaded onto a boat for a 20 minute trip to Isortoc, then, boarded a helicopter and arrived in Tasiilaq by 4:30pm! Oh, and they took a car to the hotel. So a quick recap, they woke up early to ski, walk, boat, fly by helicopter and then take a car to the hotel. Definitely a whirlwind end to a whirlwind beginning!

The teams last day on the icecap.

Finally, the team members showered and relaxed into a lovely celebratory dinner. Tomorrow they'll board flights to Kulusuk and then head off to their respective parts of the world. Great job team!!!

Please check out our last audio update by Lieve!

We See Land & Mountain Ranges - Day 18

May 30, 2011

Day 18 - What a treat for the team today as they finally saw land and mountain ranges circling them after days of snow, snow and more snow! The day met them with ideal snow conditions and a mild 3 degrees Celsius and no wind. They did experience overcast skies which made the view appear flat with no contrast, but with such optimal temperatures, they only wore one layer for most of the day.

Eventually, the team took a right hand turn to ski alongside a fjord and then gave their legs a well deserved rest as they skied downhill 2 km outside of camp. Today's total was 34.5km! Great job team! Current location N65.48.902 W038.56.329.

Tomorrow the team will arrive in Isortok and fly out to Tasiilaq where they will have their final dinner as a group to celebrate their accomplishments. Check out the live webcam for Tasiilaq.

And, check back later for the teams final update as they end of their amazing expedition!

Sastrugi - Days 16 &17

The team breaking trail.

Dogs sleeping in snow drifts.

May 29, 2011

Day 17 - The team had ideal ski conditions today with blue skies and light winds. The temps remained at 0 degrees Celsius for the day allowing the team to remove their layers. Each member took a turn in the lead helping break trail. By the end of their 9 hour day they skied a kilometer down a slight hill and reached 30km. A total of 450km accomplished to date (and, keep in mind, Tony has a bit more mileage under his belt as he started his expedition from the coast). Current location N65.59.189 W039.27.396 and elevation 4,508 meters.


The team is getting close to the end, wrapping up their expedition in just a few more days!

Check out the audio update by Koen and the team sings "Hey Jude" for us!

May 28, 2011

Day 16 -  The team woke up to winds howling at 25 mph. The wind provided the team great views as they skied 28.3 km today. Known as Sastrugi, the winds form and harden the snow into various shapes, ridges and waves. 

Sastrugi, or zastrugi are sharp irregular grooves or ridges formed on a snow surface by wind erosion and deposition, and found in polar and temperate snow regions. They differ from sand dunes in that the ridges are markedly parallel to the prevailing winds.

Sastrugi are various surface irregularities resulting from wind erosion, saltation of snow particles and deposition. Smaller irregularities or this type are known as ripples (small, ~10 mm high), or wind ridges.

Larger features are especially troublesome to skiers and snowboarders. Traveling on the irregular surface of sastrugi can be very tiring, and can risk breaking equipment—ripples and waves are often undercut, the surface is hard and unforgiving with constant minor topographic changes between ridge and trough. Definition courtesy of Wikipedia.com

Listen to the audio update by Tony Hampson-Tindale!

Happy Birthday Keith! - Day 15

Keith Heger

May 27, 2011
Happy Birthday Keith! This morning the team enjoyed breakfast in the group shelter to celebrate the birthday boy! They opened gifts packed by Annie Aggens of PolarExplorers.


It was a clear and cold start to the day. The team faced katabatic wind from the north to northwest at 24 mph. The wind was basically over their shoulders for the entire day of skiing.


Again, to lessen the burden for any one team member, they swapped leads throughout their trek. They were privileged to witness the changing snow as the day began with firm and flat snow which transformed into soft windblown peaks before them as they skied. The team was mesmerized by waves of snow, a beautiful sight that very few are allowed the opportunity to witness. 


Breaking trail was difficult again today, the snow was deep! Winds were about 20 mph all day again from the northwest.


Tonight the team relaxed in their tents recovering from the days work. They successfully skied 27 km today. They're working hard out there!


Greenland Fact: Katabatic wind defintion: (from the Greek: katabaino - to go down) is the generic term for downslope winds flowing from high elevations of mountains, plateaus, and hills down their slopes to the valleys or planes below. Katabatic winds exist in many parts of the World and there are many different names for katabatic winds depending where they are located and how they are formed. 

Warm, dry katabatic winds occur on the lee side of a mountain range situated in the path of a depression. Examples for these descending,adiabatically warmed katabatic winds are the Foehn winds. 


Cold and usually dry katabatic winds, like the Bora, result from the downslope gravity flow of cold, dense air. Katabatic flows slumping down from uplands or mountains may be funneled and strengthened by the landscape and are then known as mountain gap wind such as the Santa Ana, mountain breeze or drainage wind. The gentler katabatic flows of hill slopes produce frost hollows. Mountain breezes are part of a local wind system. When the mountainside is heated by the Sun the mountain breeze will break down, reverse and blowing upslope. These winds are known as valley wind or anabatic wind.

However, katabatic winds might also reach gale force as an outblowing wind over ice-covered surfaces in Antarctica and Greenland, where the wind may be extremely strong and gusty near the coasts and less severe in mountain regions. 

Most katabatic winds (except the Foehn) are more or less the result of air in contact with upper level ground is cooled by radiation, increases in density, and flows downhill and along the valley bottom. For example radiation cooling during nighttime can cause a katabatic flow in the early morning when a pool of cold, high elevation air begins to descend beneath warmer, less dense air. This effect is enhanced during winter over snow covered surfaces and after dry, clear nights. These types of winds can reach velocities of up to 4 meters per second. The rush of cold air down the slopes rapidly decreases the surrounding air temperature as it speeds down the topography to the valleys and planes below it. Courtesy of http://www.weatheronline.co.uk.

Deep Snow & Wind - Days 13 & 14

Tough wind and snow for the dogs and expedition team!

Day 14 - May 26, 2011

The team started off the day at 9am with a little wind which faded turning into a fairly clear day with the slightest of winds from the west and overcast skies. Travel conditions remained tough due to fresh snow overnight. The snow drifts they encountered today were calf-high! Again today, each team member took a lead which allows the others to take less of the burden of creating tracks through the deep snow. This is hard work! Our youngest teammate Deeya took the final lead and push for the day taking on 4 km for the team!

By end of day, the weather had cleared significantly and the team was in great spirits and decided to celebrate Guide, Keith Heger’s birthday a little early!!! They all enjoyed some Japanese whiskey, bacon, sausages and bagels and cheese! It was an excellent pre-birthday party. 


Be sure to listen the the audio update by Lieve! The team sings us one of the songs from the trail that can't be missed! Current location N66.09.716 W041.17.402.

Day 13 - May 25, 2011

Today the team was met with 15-25 mph white out conditions. Absolutely, one of the most challenging days they’ve faced this expedition. The winds were from the southeast, so they were forced to travel head on with only 200 meters of visibility. The dogs stayed close the entire day which is great because if separation had occurred it’s not easy to find each other during white out conditions. Separation from the dog sleds and mushers could cause major problems for the team. We’re happy that we have our experience Greenland mushers, Salo and Ulrick!

Temperatures were at -10˚C all day, very chilly, but thankfully the wind was warmer. The snow conditions have continued to be challenging for the team. To lessen the burden, the team mates swap the lead throughout the day and managed to complete a total of  22 km for the day. Tonight after dinner everyone decided to relax in their tents for the next challenging day. Current location N66.12.452 W041.49.998 and elevation 2,164 meters.

Greenland Fact: The History of Greenland during World War II reflected the fate of the Danish motherland. After the Invasion of Denmark in April 1940, its colony Greenland was left on its own. Britain and Canada had plans to occupy the island, but the United States, even though still neutral, disagreed. The Governors of Greenland, Eske Brun and Aksel Svane, via the 1925 law concerning the ruling of Greenland, declared Greenland a self-ruling territory, believing this to be in the best interests of the colony as Denmark was occupied by the Germans, and in consideration of the Monroe Doctrine.

Germany had occupied Denmark in 1940 and although the Danish government was still in power it was heavily influenced by the German occupation force. After failed attempts by the new Greenland government to secure support from the United Kingdom, they turned to the USA. On April 9, 1941 the Danish ambassador Henrik Kauffmann, against the instructions of his government, signed an agreement with the US government, allowing the presence of American troops and making Greenland a de facto US protectorate. The cryolite mine in Ivittuut was an asset and made it possible for Greenland to manage fairly well during the war. The United States supplied the island and sent patrol boats to survey the east coast of Greenland although this was limited by the ice and bad weather. Eske Brun, reluctant to ask America for large scale help, set about creating a "Greenland Army" known as the North-East Greenland Sledge Patrol, consisting of fifteen men. Their task was to patrol the coast line to discover a possible German landing. The sledge patrol was at the same time an effort to show the Allies the willingness of the Danes to fight against the Axis. Stay tuned for more in our next blog post.

Time to Feed the Dogs - Day 12

Dog musher, Ulrick feeding the dogs.

May 24, 2011

Today the team struggled with the snow at the end of the day. For the past two days, the snow surface has been deteriorating by 4pm. This forced the team members to ski ankle deep for 17 kilometers through crusty snow which slowed them down considerably. Even with the added challenge, they successfully accomplished 30 km. Their current location is N66.14.300 W042.18.965.

We have a really great audio update today of the dogs at feeding time. Be sure to check it out and notice the sound of wind in the background. It's almost like we're there with them!

Making tracks.

Greenland Fact: Today's fact is courtesy of wikipedia.com The Greenland Dog (Danish: Grønlandshunden, "The Greenland's Dog"; also known as Greenland Husky) is a large breed of husky-type dog kept as a sled dog and for hunting polar bear and seal. This is an ancient breed, thought to be directly descended from dogs brought to Greenland by the first Inuit settlers. Check it out here.

Chirp, chirp - Day 11

Deeya reflecting the day.

May 23, 2011
The team, now on their descent from the summit, had another calm, beautiful and clear day of skiing. The weather was cold though at -15 C. Faced with deep, fluffy snow, breaking a trail was more work today for both the team and dogs as they dropped down in elevation.

At lunch they were met by chirping birds who decided to stick with the team for most of the afternoon.

Camp

It was another 30km day! They are now at 2,400 meters elevation and have accomplished a total of 300km. By 6:45pm, the team set up camp and settled into their tents to relax for the evening.

Listen in on the fun in the audio update as Koen and the team sing us a quick song! Be sure to check it out and send in your messages or questions for the team.

And, Rick Swietzer sent a nice message to the team today:

“Huge congrats to the entire team on reaching the half way point! You guys are rocking the icecap.
 

Special regards to our youngest team mate ever, Deeya Bajaj, and our oldest???? ever, Tony-Hampson-Tindale, the first Belgian husband-wife team, and the first Indian Dad to make this incredible expedition.… I am envious of what I know is a really special time together with new friends and mates for life.

Go TEAM GREENLAND!”

Greenland Fact: The Greenland climate is known for high winds on the icecap and represents the most violent climatic phenomenon. 100 mile an hour winds have been registered. Temperature of -40º Celsius (also -40º Fahrenheit) is normal during winter. Annual accumulation of ice and snow is approximately 3 feet.