An unexpected turn in our expedition

Listen to Thursday’s update from the Greenland ice sheet.

🗺️ Our live position on Greenland.
📢 Read all previous posts.

Sign up for the Expedition Newsflash.

During the expedition, receive alerts of new blogs in your mail.
[mc4wp_form id=”4505″]

An unexpected twist

You’re used to hearing Henk-Jan Geel of Artic Adventure present this audio blog. However, this time you hear the voice of Wouter Paasman, one of the expedition members. As it turns out, the day went differently than planned.

An early start

The day started early for the team. We got up at six in the morning and by eight we were ready to leave. We already knew rain was coming. We had already heard that from Dirk, our regional manager. Region predicted rain during the afternoon, around six.

An unexpected rainstorm

Unfortunately, it began to rain earlier. Around quarter past nine we had to refill the tank a kilometer away and had made only one kilometer of progress. The rain caused problems, especially since their down jackets and sleeping bags are not waterproof. However, these are badly needed in the coming weeks. In addition, the rain increases the risk of hypothermia, as the temperature is just above freezing.

Rest and recover

Fortunately, by now we have set up our tent and can rest for a while. We eat some food and relax a bit. If it does indeed stop raining at noon, we plan to set out again at first light. That way we have a good view of their position. In fact, we are in an area with glacial crevasses that they have to cross. However, daylight is early at this altitude. At three o’clock it begins to get a little lighter and at four o’clock it is already well visible.

The plans for the rest of the day

The team plans to continue their trek as soon as it is light enough. We want to be able to see clearly where we are, especially because of the glacier crevasses. These obstacles are easier to navigate in daylight. Aware of the importance of good planning, we want to get back on the road as soon as possible.

Conclusion

Today’s expedition is going differently than planned because of the unexpected rainstorm. The team must temporarily interrupt their trip and take advantage of the time to rest and recover. They hope the rain will stop soon, so that they can move on at the first workable light. Despite the setbacks, the team remains determined and ready to take on the challenges of the expedition.