Cathy O'Dowd's Blog

Ski Mountaineering in Kyrgyzstan

I’m away in Kyrgyzstan 16 March to 6 April 2022, joining two friends in exploring the Terskey Ala-Too, a mountain range in the Tian Shan mountains. It stretches south and southeast of Lake Issyk-Kul, with the highest peak being Pic Karakol (5,216 m).

Where we go exactly depends on the snow conditions that we find on our arrival. 

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Access All Areas

Is it right to demand that everyone have access to all of the great outdoors?

I am often asked how I feel about the photographs of queues on Everest. The truth is that I feel deeply ambivalent, torn between encouraging people to engage with the wilderness, as I have for much of my adult life, and regretting the growing crowds of under-skilled outdoors enthusiasts, damaging the land they claim to love.

How do we bring as many people as possible into the world of the wilderness, while respecting the risks and the remoteness of the wild and the limited carrying capacity of the land? This is the question that every advocate for greater access to the outdoors must grapple with. 

Why we want to bring everyone out into the wilderness is easier to answer. Those of us who have been privileged to spend periods of our life out there have found that it changes us for the better. It demands collaboration and resilience, and in the process builds self reliance and confidence. We know that bringing wilderness experiences to children enriches their lives in the moment and allows them to return there in the future. The toolkit has been embedded, available to them for a lifetime.  

In the world at large, the tide is flowing relentlessly towards urban living. Pushing back against that, outdoor access across the globe is improving, with many more places now increasingly accessible to a much bigger group of people. But this progress comes with two big caveats, the in-you-face gatekeeper of the financial cost of access and the more harder-to-pin-down price of climate and environmental damage. 

Adventure is relentlessly packaged as a long-haul aeroplane flight to join an expensive guided trip to an Instagram-worthy exotic ‘challenge’. The risks are dumbed down, the price is pushed sky-high and the participants buy the experience the same way they shop for consumer goods. This model neither respects the environment nor develops the self-reliance of the adventurers. 

While the public ridicules the photographs of queues of wealthy clients high on Everest, those same queues exist in most outdoor locations made famous by social media, films or television. The crowds damage the land and frighten away the wildlife. It could be argued that we should protect wild places by discouraging humans from leaving their urban environment.

What can we do for good in this complicated situation? We can fight for access to be improved and costs to be lowered in all areas where this can be done without further environmental damage. We can promote wilderness experience as an essential part of childhood and young adult education. And we can enthusiastically champion the dreams and aspirations of all those drawn to outdoor objectives. 

However, we also need to acknowledge that not every remote area can be made accessible to every person without destroying that which makes it wild, and not every landscape can sustain thousands of enthusiastic humans. We also now know that the climate cannot withstand our insatiable appetite for travel for work, holiday and adventure. 

Here too we can make a difference. We can campaign for more outdoor space close to the cities we live in. We can support the micro-adventure, valuing the outdoor weekend in our own neighbourhood and the wilderness adventure in our own country. We can promote the wild world as a place that is challenging to access, requiring planning and responsible risk management. And we can encourage the deliberate acquisition of skills and experience so that people can plan and management their own adventures. 

The wild places of the world are an astonishing gift from our planet to our species, a gift that we are destroying all too quickly, whether by indifference or unthinking enthusiasm. We need to walk a knife edge to find the best possible outcome. 

A version of this post originally appeared in the British Exploring Society newsletter. 

 

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Circumnavigating Menora in sea kayaks

The goal: to circumnavigate the island of Menorca in sea kayaks, a team of six friends and acquaintances.

29 May – 7 June 2021

The plan was, roughly, 8 days at 25km a day. We were full self-sufficient, carrying food, water and camping gear in the kayaks. We stayed in a hotel for one night, at the edge of Cuitadella, just because it is so hard to find pleasant wild camping near the town.

We set off from the village of Es Grau, having hired kayaks from the very helpful team at Menorca En Kayak. The plan was to get round in seven days. Based on the wind and weather forecast, we chose to go anti-clockwise and complete the tricky north coast while the good forecast held. The first night we camped on Illa d’en Colom, across the bay from ES Grau, at Playa S’Arenal d’en Moro.

DAY 1 29km of paddling.

DAY 2 Another 29km, past the northernmost point.

DAY 3 Another 29km day. We were now halfway down the west coast and that was our last low wind day. We had been very lucky and had done the treacherous north coast with glass-like water.

DAY 4 A 19km day. We passed the halfway point and turned onto the south coast, to start paddling into the teeth of a south-east wind. We eventually decided the wind and chop was beyond our skill levels and fled into the nearest bay.

DAY 5 A 25km day, not bad in the end. A short hop, dived into a bay to escape the wind, a spot of lunch. And a lucky break with a few hours of lower winds for the second shift.

DAY 6 Only 18km but it got us round the south-eastern point and onto the east coast, despite the ceaseless winds.

DAY 7 7km. And then we bailed. With only 15km to go. The conditions had become too rough for us.

Most of the team had to go home at that point but Julia and I were able to wait on the island, sitting out two days of storms, and then return to finish the job.

DAY 8 15km to complete the circumnavigation. 177km of paddling in total.

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Attempting SE ridge of Mount Steele 5073m

The goal: the SE ridge of Mount Steele 5073m, a peak in the Kluane National Park in the Yukon, Canada.

9 May – 2 June 2019

Six members set out to climb and ski Mt Steele (5073m), in the Kluane National Park in the Canadian Yukon. Despite poor weather and open crevasses, the team covered the 10 miles to the foot of Steele, but were stopped by blue ice on the final 1000m face of the peak.

This article was written by team member Susie Amann for the Eagle Ski Club journal

‘Better than Logan!’  These unexpected words were uttered by Cathy O’Dowd, the only team member who had been to the Yukon before. ‘Better how?’ we asked, and the answer came in the form of the undeniably impressive vistas, from the seemingly endlessly stretching peaks in all directions to the vast, hideously crevassed and impassable glaciers we looked down upon. ‘On Logan, you’re in a big trench all the time, you just don’t see this’.

The Yukon has a reputation for bad weather, so we couldn’t believe our luck when we arrived to find blue skies and a good forecast for several days. Others had not been so lucky and there was a backup with flights so we whiled away the balmy afternoon by Kluane Lake, impatient to get going, but accepting that waiting for flights is all part of the experience. The following morning, the team of six was flown in by Icefield Discovery, two at a time, landing close to the Steele/Walsh col (3150m) which is at the altitude limit for these planes. This drop-off point was approximately 10 miles/16km from Mt Steele (5073m), first climbed by Bradford Washburn in 1937.  Mt Steele was our main objective, with Mt Lucania as an ambition if everything went right.

Having established camp, we revelled in the comfortable tents ‘Hey, look, I can stand up!’ and began the important matter of acclimatisation by drinking many brews, and doing lots of digging. Brewing and digging were to be some of our most important occupations, while we looked around at the serac- and ice-laden slopes around us, and wondering if we were going to be able to get up anything.

The following day we tackled Mt Jedken (3756m): a straightforward if steep ascent. There was a moment of drama on the descent when Jack stopped to retrieve a wand marking the route only to find that we had unintentionally also marked a crevasse, as the bridge gave way beneath him. A swiftly deployed rope resolved that.

We had also intended Mt Walsh (4507m) as an acclimatisation peak, but the low-snow winter had left it looking rather serious. This meant that to acclimatise further, we needed to move up the glacier towards Steele, so over the following two days, in decreasing visibility ‘Are we in Scotland?’, we moved our supplies and camp 8km up the glacier to 3500m, using haul-bags or sledges to ease the load carrying.

From now on, the weather teased us.  Our weather forecasts came from two sources to Garmin Inreaches; they frequently disagreed, both with each other, and with how it actually turned out.  We didn’t have that much terrible, blowing-a-hoolie weather but plenty of claggy, white-room days which made it hard to do much on an unknown glacier with sketchy maps.  We spent the next few days exploring Mt SE Steele (4280m) and working out how best to get past this subsidiary summit in order to set up a final camp for the launching-off point for the main face of Mt Steele itself. Despite looking for a lower-level route, we had to travel right over the subsidiary summit.

The day we moved was magnificent and from SE Steele, we had some of the most impressive views of the trip; we could see the vast Mt Logan plateau, the Mt Lucania ridge as well as the now completely impassable original ascent route taken by Bradford Washburn. These amazing views were a welcome distraction from trying to perfect the awkward art of skinning a traversing line while pulling a loaded haul-bag.

With a concentrated digging effort, we dug in to establish the highest camp at 3870m, locating it on the East side of the col, given that westerly winds were forecast; a decision we may regret….

From afar we had been trying to work out whether the face of Mt Steele was going to be possible; from what we could see, it all looked rather blue. The only way to find out was to go and investigate, so with what we thought was a three-day weather window, we headed out to take a closer look and acclimatise some more, with the intention of pushing for the summit the following day, if it looked as though it would go.  Moving cautiously through a landscape sculpted into huge cornices and littered with crevasses, we were able to find a way through to a col at 4000m.  Here we sat on a giant sastrugi as a bench and looked up.  The final 1000m-high face of Mt Steele was covered with sheets of blue ice on the lower section of the route, and we reached the dismal conclusion that we were going no further; what our research had led us to believe was mostly a ski peak turned out to be a serious piece of climbing in the current conditions.  It is hard to know whether this was due to a low-snow year or broader changes in the weather patterns; it would have needed at least another 2-3m of snow to have made a ski ascent viable.

Having regrettably made this decision, we returned to camp, sometimes getting a foot into a crevasse, but making it back without serious incident. That afternoon, contrary to the forecast, the weather turned; it began to snow, the wind moved to the east and strengthened considerably, so our westerly protection walls became giant snow-traps which we struggled to clear. The storm continued overnight and into the next day as we lay in our sleeping bags, trying to push away thoughts of the legendary seven-day storms that can happen here. Suddenly, after 24 hours, the storm subsided, and gave way to an astonishingly clear evening.

It was then time to return to our basecamp, where the plane had dropped us off. Up and over Mt SE Steele (again!); descending the steeper section we had to choose between allowing our haul-bags to chase us like a recalcitrant collie, carrying them like a shopping bag, or strapping them to our packs. Then a long skin down the glacier, as there was insufficient gradient to ski. Some of the team enjoyed this slightly-gravity-assisted, nearly-flat skinning, others could be heard muttering curses under their breath that included the words ‘Never again…’ It was a beautiful day, and we covered the 16km in around 5 hours.

Now that we had decided to call in the plane to pick us up, it was perhaps inevitable that the weather wouldn’t cooperate. We found ourselves in the white-room, more or less tent-bound for the next three days, which is a challenge in itself. We spent much time sleeping, eating up whatever food we had, including the endless chocolate that kept appearing from Susie’s food bag, brewing and chatting. Having called to say we were ready on Saturday, we were picked up on Wednesday and able to go directly to Whitehorse where a chair to sit in, fresh food and the inevitable beer were very welcome.A strong and harmonious team had a great adventure in a remote, impressive mountain area; we were somewhat unfortunate with the conditions and weather.  But isn’t part of the point of an adventure, that you don’t know how it’s going to turn out?

The team thanks the ESC and Austrian Alpine Club for their support

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Kayaking Croatia & (at last?) Greenland

2022 The Year of the Sea Kayak

Despite living a life focused on mountains, I’ve always thought I would enjoy sea kayaking. It shares many of the elements that draw me to my mountains sports – travel through wilderness, skill, risk management, beautiful locations that are hard to reach any other way.

Living up in the mountains, it has never felt easy to organise. Recently I decided that it was never going to be convenient, but I was going to make it happen anyway.

The first sea kayaking I ever did was in 2018, a multi-day wild-camping trip through the Finnish Archipelago, self-guided with friends, jumping in at the deep end and loving it. Plans to do more were soon derailed by life, and then by Covid.

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The 2021 phase of Covid allowed for travel close to home, but still had any long-haul flights out of the question, and my speaking work done remotely by webinar. It seemed the moment to pursue sea kayaking with more purpose.

The highlights of the year were a circumnavigation of Menorca with six friends, and a 5-day training camp in Croatia with Belgian coach Dimitri Vanderpoele. To try to get more days on the water, I tried a little slalom paddling at the Olympic Park in La Seu d’Urgell, close to my home in Andorra.

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With (almost) the same group as did the Menorca circumnavigation, we now plan to paddle the length of the Kornati National Park in Croatia. Starting at Rab island, we have eight days set aside in June to cover roughly 220km to Skradin. It should be warm, relaxed and easy-going, a gentle warm-up for the Greenland trip in August that I have now been trying to do for three years!

To try and get more time on the sea, I have joined the Pagaia kayak club, based out on Llança on the Spanish Costa Brava. The aim is to try and paddle once a month. Also on the schedule is the Shetland Sea Kayak Symposium in July.

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Postponed for the second summer in a row, due to Covid travel restrictions on entry into Greenland. We have again booked flights for summer 2022….. fingers crossed!  

In August of 2022 I plan to join five other paddlers for a 10 day expedition, setting set off from the tiny Inuit village of Kulusuk.

Kulusuk is home to only 200 people, local Inuit hunters and their families and is is one of only five settlements on the east coast of Greenland. This region is one of the most isolated in the world and is cut-off to access by sea for over half the year. In the summer months the sea ice breaks up, allowing boats to pass between the steep rocky islands in the region.

​Our route will be entirely exploratory, the aim being to experience glaciers, iceberg-filled fjords and truly remote camping. We will be completely self supported, carrying all the equipment and food we need. We will collect water from rivers and streams, and aim to find new campsites each evening.

Our planned route goes north from Kulusuk, following the vast fjord network which lies between the steep mountainous islands. Our goals include the Apuseaq Glacier, an impressive calving glacier which gives birth to many of the icebergs which ebb and flow with the tidal currents and winds.

We will then turn east, passing through narrow fjords bordered by 1000m high mountains, aiming for the ice-choked water of the Sermililk Fjord. Finally we will make our way back south to Kulusuk. (Postponed from 2020, due to Covid.)

The post Kayaking Croatia & (at last?) Greenland first appeared on Cathy O’Dowd: speaker · author · climber.

Kayak Greenland: third time lucky?

Third time lucky? Postponed for the second summer in a row, due to Covid travel restrictions on entry into Greenland. We have again booked flights for summer 2022….. fingers crossed!  

In August of 2022 I plan to join five other paddlers for a 10 day expedition, setting set off from the tiny Inuit village of Kulusuk.

Kulusuk is home to only 200 people, local Inuit hunters and their families and is is one of only five settlements on the east coast of Greenland. This region is one of the most isolated in the world and is cut-off to access by sea for over half the year. In the summer months the sea ice breaks up, allowing boats to pass between the steep rocky islands in the region.

​Our route will be entirely exploratory, the aim being to experience glaciers, iceberg-filled fjords and truly remote camping. We will be completely self supported, carrying all the equipment and food we need. We will collect water from rivers and streams, and aim to find new campsites each evening.

Our planned route goes north from Kulusuk, following the vast fjord network which lies between the steep mountainous islands. Our goals include the Apuseaq Glacier, an impressive calving glacier which gives birth to many of the icebergs which ebb and flow with the tidal currents and winds.

We will then turn east, passing through narrow fjords bordered by 1000m high mountains, aiming for the ice-choked water of the Sermililk Fjord. Finally we will make our way back south to Kulusuk. (Postponed from 2020, due to Covid.)

Our planned route The post Kayak Greenland: third time lucky? first appeared on Cathy O’Dowd: speaker · author · climber.

Kayak Greenland: currently on ice

Postponed for the second summer in a row, due to Covid travel restrictions on entry into Greenland. I’m not sure if the plan will manage to see a third summer. It may be time to do other things.  

In August of 2021 I plan to join five other paddlers for a 10 day expedition, setting set off from the tiny Inuit village of Kulusuk.

Kulusuk is home to only 200 people, local Inuit hunters and their families and is is one of only five settlements on the east coast of Greenland. This region is one of the most isolated in the world and is cut-off to access by sea for over half the year. In the summer months the sea ice breaks up, allowing boats to pass between the steep rocky islands in the region.

​Our route will be entirely exploratory, the aim being to experience glaciers, iceberg-filled fjords and truly remote camping. We will be completely self supported, carrying all the equipment and food we need. We will collect water from rivers and streams, and aim to find new campsites each evening.

Our planned route goes north from Kulusuk, following the vast fjord network which lies between the steep mountainous islands. Our goals include the Apuseaq Glacier, an impressive calving glacier which gives birth to many of the icebergs which ebb and flow with the tidal currents and winds.

We will then turn east, passing through narrow fjords bordered by 1000m high mountains, aiming for the ice-choked water of the Sermililk Fjord. Finally we will make our way back south to Kulusuk. (Postponed from 2020, due to Covid.)

Our planned route The post Kayak Greenland: currently on ice first appeared on Cathy O’Dowd: speaker · author · climber.

Kayak Greenland: rescheduled Aug 2021

In August of 2021 I plan to join five other paddlers for a 10 day expedition, setting set off from the tiny Inuit village of Kulusuk.

Kulusuk is home to only 200 people, local Inuit hunters and their families and is is one of only five settlements on the east coast of Greenland. This region is one of the most isolated in the world and is cut-off to access by sea for over half the year. In the summer months the sea ice breaks up, allowing boats to pass between the steep rocky islands in the region.

​Our route will be entirely exploratory, the aim being to experience glaciers, iceberg-filled fjords and truly remote camping. We will be completely self supported, carrying all the equipment and food we need. We will collect water from rivers and streams, and aim to find new campsites each evening.

Our planned route goes north from Kulusuk, following the vast fjord network which lies between the steep mountainous islands. Our goals include the Apuseaq Glacier, an impressive calving glacier which gives birth to many of the icebergs which ebb and flow with the tidal currents and winds.

We will then turn east, passing through narrow fjords bordered by 1000m high mountains, aiming for the ice-choked water of the Sermililk Fjord. Finally we will make our way back south to Kulusuk. (Postponed from 2020, due to Covid.)

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}Postponed to 2021 due to Covid-19

As Greenland remains closed to foreigners through all of August, we have had to put this trip on ice. Hopefully we will be able to go in summer 2021. 

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}@media only screen and (max-width:800px) {.fusion-title.fusion-title-1{margin-top:10px!important;margin-bottom:10px!important;}}Our planned route .fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 a:not(.fusion-button):not(.fusion-builder-module-control):not(.fusion-social-network-icon):not(.fb-icon-element):not(.fusion-countdown-link):not(.fusion-rollover-link):not(.fusion-rollover-gallery):not(.fusion-button-bar):not(.add_to_cart_button):not(.show_details_button):not(.product_type_external):not(.fusion-quick-view):not(.fusion-rollover-title-link):not(.fusion-breadcrumb-link) , .fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 a:not(.fusion-button):not(.fusion-builder-module-control):not(.fusion-social-network-icon):not(.fb-icon-element):not(.fusion-countdown-link):not(.fusion-rollover-link):not(.fusion-rollover-gallery):not(.fusion-button-bar):not(.add_to_cart_button):not(.show_details_button):not(.product_type_external):not(.fusion-quick-view):not(.fusion-rollover-title-link):not(.fusion-breadcrumb-link):before, .fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 a:not(.fusion-button):not(.fusion-builder-module-control):not(.fusion-social-network-icon):not(.fb-icon-element):not(.fusion-countdown-link):not(.fusion-rollover-link):not(.fusion-rollover-gallery):not(.fusion-button-bar):not(.add_to_cart_button):not(.show_details_button):not(.product_type_external):not(.fusion-quick-view):not(.fusion-rollover-title-link):not(.fusion-breadcrumb-link):after {color: #042f47;}.fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 a:not(.fusion-button):not(.fusion-builder-module-control):not(.fusion-social-network-icon):not(.fb-icon-element):not(.fusion-countdown-link):not(.fusion-rollover-link):not(.fusion-rollover-gallery):not(.fusion-button-bar):not(.add_to_cart_button):not(.show_details_button):not(.product_type_external):not(.fusion-quick-view):not(.fusion-rollover-title-link):not(.fusion-breadcrumb-link):hover, .fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 a:not(.fusion-button):not(.fusion-builder-module-control):not(.fusion-social-network-icon):not(.fb-icon-element):not(.fusion-countdown-link):not(.fusion-rollover-link):not(.fusion-rollover-gallery):not(.fusion-button-bar):not(.add_to_cart_button):not(.show_details_button):not(.product_type_external):not(.fusion-quick-view):not(.fusion-rollover-title-link):not(.fusion-breadcrumb-link):hover:before, .fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 a:not(.fusion-button):not(.fusion-builder-module-control):not(.fusion-social-network-icon):not(.fb-icon-element):not(.fusion-countdown-link):not(.fusion-rollover-link):not(.fusion-rollover-gallery):not(.fusion-button-bar):not(.add_to_cart_button):not(.show_details_button):not(.product_type_external):not(.fusion-quick-view):not(.fusion-rollover-title-link):not(.fusion-breadcrumb-link):hover:after {color: #9c1915;}.fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 .pagination a.inactive:hover, .fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 .fusion-filters .fusion-filter.fusion-active a {border-color: #9c1915;}.fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 .pagination .current {border-color: #9c1915; background-color: #9c1915;}.fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 .fusion-filters .fusion-filter.fusion-active a, .fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 .fusion-date-and-formats .fusion-format-box, .fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 .fusion-popover, .fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 .tooltip-shortcode {color: #9c1915;}#main .fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 .post .blog-shortcode-post-title a:hover {color: #9c1915;}

The post Kayak Greenland: rescheduled Aug 2021 first appeared on Cathy O’Dowd: speaker · author · climber.

Kayak Greenland: postponed to 2021

In August of 2020 I had hoped to join five other paddlers for a 10 day expedition, setting set off from the tiny Inuit village of Kulusuk. We will revisit the plan in 2021.

Kulusuk is home to only 200 people, local Inuit hunters and their families and is is one of only five settlements on the east coast of Greenland. This region is one of the most isolated in the world and is cut-off to access by sea for over half the year. In the summer months the sea ice breaks up, allowing boats to pass between the steep rocky islands in the region.

​Our route will be entirely exploratory, the aim being to experience glaciers, iceberg-filled fjords and truly remote camping. We will be completely self supported, carrying all the equipment and food we need. We will collect water from rivers and streams, and aim to find new campsites each evening.

Our planned route goes north from Kulusuk, following the vast fjord network which lies between the steep mountainous islands. Our goals include the Apuseaq Glacier, an impressive calving glacier which gives birth to many of the icebergs which ebb and flow with the tidal currents and winds.

We will then turn east, passing through narrow fjords bordered by 1000m high mountains, aiming for the ice-choked water of the Sermililk Fjord. Finally we will make our way back south to Kulusuk.

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}Postponed to 2021 due to Covid-19

As Greenland remains closed to foreigners through all of August, we have had to put this trip on ice. Hopefully we will be able to go in summer 2021. 

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}@media only screen and (max-width:800px) {.fusion-title.fusion-title-1{margin-top:10px!important;margin-bottom:10px!important;}}Our planned route .fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 a:not(.fusion-button):not(.fusion-builder-module-control):not(.fusion-social-network-icon):not(.fb-icon-element):not(.fusion-countdown-link):not(.fusion-rollover-link):not(.fusion-rollover-gallery):not(.fusion-button-bar):not(.add_to_cart_button):not(.show_details_button):not(.product_type_external):not(.fusion-quick-view):not(.fusion-rollover-title-link):not(.fusion-breadcrumb-link) , .fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 a:not(.fusion-button):not(.fusion-builder-module-control):not(.fusion-social-network-icon):not(.fb-icon-element):not(.fusion-countdown-link):not(.fusion-rollover-link):not(.fusion-rollover-gallery):not(.fusion-button-bar):not(.add_to_cart_button):not(.show_details_button):not(.product_type_external):not(.fusion-quick-view):not(.fusion-rollover-title-link):not(.fusion-breadcrumb-link):before, .fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 a:not(.fusion-button):not(.fusion-builder-module-control):not(.fusion-social-network-icon):not(.fb-icon-element):not(.fusion-countdown-link):not(.fusion-rollover-link):not(.fusion-rollover-gallery):not(.fusion-button-bar):not(.add_to_cart_button):not(.show_details_button):not(.product_type_external):not(.fusion-quick-view):not(.fusion-rollover-title-link):not(.fusion-breadcrumb-link):after {color: #042f47;}.fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 a:not(.fusion-button):not(.fusion-builder-module-control):not(.fusion-social-network-icon):not(.fb-icon-element):not(.fusion-countdown-link):not(.fusion-rollover-link):not(.fusion-rollover-gallery):not(.fusion-button-bar):not(.add_to_cart_button):not(.show_details_button):not(.product_type_external):not(.fusion-quick-view):not(.fusion-rollover-title-link):not(.fusion-breadcrumb-link):hover, .fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 a:not(.fusion-button):not(.fusion-builder-module-control):not(.fusion-social-network-icon):not(.fb-icon-element):not(.fusion-countdown-link):not(.fusion-rollover-link):not(.fusion-rollover-gallery):not(.fusion-button-bar):not(.add_to_cart_button):not(.show_details_button):not(.product_type_external):not(.fusion-quick-view):not(.fusion-rollover-title-link):not(.fusion-breadcrumb-link):hover:before, .fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 a:not(.fusion-button):not(.fusion-builder-module-control):not(.fusion-social-network-icon):not(.fb-icon-element):not(.fusion-countdown-link):not(.fusion-rollover-link):not(.fusion-rollover-gallery):not(.fusion-button-bar):not(.add_to_cart_button):not(.show_details_button):not(.product_type_external):not(.fusion-quick-view):not(.fusion-rollover-title-link):not(.fusion-breadcrumb-link):hover:after {color: #9c1915;}.fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 .pagination a.inactive:hover, .fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 .fusion-filters .fusion-filter.fusion-active a {border-color: #9c1915;}.fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 .pagination .current {border-color: #9c1915; background-color: #9c1915;}.fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 .fusion-filters .fusion-filter.fusion-active a, .fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 .fusion-date-and-formats .fusion-format-box, .fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 .fusion-popover, .fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 .tooltip-shortcode {color: #9c1915;}#main .fusion-fullwidth.fusion-builder-row-2 .post .blog-shortcode-post-title a:hover {color: #9c1915;}

Kayak Greenland 2020

In August of 2020 I will be joining five other paddlers for a 10 day expedition, setting set off from the tiny Inuit village of Kulusuk. It is home to only 200 people, local Inuit hunters and their families and is is one of only five settlements on the east coast of Greenland.

This region is one of the most isolated in the world and is cut-off to access by sea for over half the year. In the summer months the sea ice breaks up, allowing boats to pass between the steep rocky islands in the region.

​Our route will be entirely exploratory, the aim being to experience glaciers, iceberg-filled fjords and truly remote camping. We will be completely self supported, carrying all the equipment and food we need. Wwe will collect water from rivers and streams, and aim to find new campsites each evening.

Our planned route goes north from Kulusuk, following the vast fjord network which lies between the steep mountainous islands. Our goals include the Apuseaq Glacier, an impressive calving glacier which gives birth to many of the icebergs which ebb and flow with the tidal currents and winds.

We will then turn east, passing through narrow fjords bordered by 1000m high mountains, aiming for the ice-choked water of the Sermililk Fjord. Finally we will make our way back south to Kulusuk.

@media only screen and (max-width:800px) {.fusion-title.fusion-title-1{margin-top:10px!important;margin-bottom:10px!important;}}Our planned route.fusion-content-boxes-1 .heading .content-box-heading {color:#042f47;}
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}Covid-19

Whether this expedition goes ahead in 2020 depends entirely on travel restrictions around the Covid-19 pandemic.

.fusion-content-boxes-1 .fusion-content-box-hover .heading-link:hover .icon i.circle-yes,
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