p16 Outdoor Baz:SGBGolf_NEW_template 01/06/2009 10:48 Page 16
Baz Roberts
Greenland
Not quite planes, trains
and automobiles
T
his April I was back in Greenland for a third time guiding a me that it’s recreational slavery and probably contravenes several codes of
week-long private expedition for two clients. Yes – just two, human rights.
who are time-poor and somewhat cash-rich old chums. They The last experience on the agenda was two days of dog sledding across
wanted to do their own thing, when they wanted, with no strings the sea ice in a blizzard. Huskies are apparently the only canine that can poo
attached. We arrived at Constable Point on Greenland’s east coast on the move, a fact that might come in handy in a pub quiz some day.
via Iceland and from the airport (there’s only an airport there Our dog sledding terminated back in the village of Scoresbysund.
actually) we were met by two skidoos to take us into the Predictably the helicopter back to the airport was cancelled so I hastily
mountains. We rummaged through our kit in a hangar that had arranged skidoo transportation. I called the airport manage and told him we
been shipped months before and dressed for a bracing journey were on the way. The plane flew overhead on its final approach as we raced
across Hurry Fjord, up the Sodel valley and onto the icecap of to the airport at 50km/hour.
Liverpool Land. Paul, the airport manager, handed a rifle over to me The plane was full of people travelling on to Kulusuk, further south-west.
for protection from “ice” bears and we were suitably warned about On board was a friend, Carolyn, also from Kendal, who was co-leading the
them by the Danish airport cook. My last expedition to Greenland in Fuchs Foundation Arctic Expedition. With four teachers from various
2006 was rudely interrupted by a polar bear attack and I needed no disciplines (biology to sports psychology), their objective was a month-long
reminding. dog sled ice cap crossing. They will conduct various science experiments on
It took three hours to reach a
"My last expedition to Greenland in
the way, and images and news of
suitable campsite with great their activities and progress would be
views, at the foot of a handful of
2006 was rudely interrupted by a
beamed back to pupils and teachers
lovely peaks. Having had a tent via an array of electronics, laptops
erection lesson in a Leeds park,
polar bear attack and I needed
and satellite phones. Their
the team set about making camp
no reminding."
experiences would also be bundled
and digging a loo with a view. I into online teaching resources
had departed Manchester airport compatible with the national
at 10pm the day before. At 5pm we waved goodbye to our skidoo team curriculum. The enterprise is based on a multiplier effect. The Foundation’s
but not before they plugged in a GPS waypoint so they could find us in 5 aim is to give young teachers the opportunity to break free from the
day’s time, whatever the weather, and it was forecast to deteriorate. constraints of their normal safe existence. Inspire them through expedition
Seventeen hours after leaving the UK we were in Greenland with a vast work that tests both their mental, physical and emotional resources. This will
mountain range to ourselves. No acclimatisation issues and no long trek to give them a life-changing experience and will inspire their teaching for the
base camp. Tonight, under the Arctic sun, we could start exploring. rest of their career. The team sounded prepared, looked fit and were
I brought snow shoes for us. I haven’t snow shoed for 35 years and had beaming with anticipation. The late veteran polar explorer Sir Vivian Fuchs
forgotten what a brilliant invention they are. We would have wallowed would be very pleased. With so many stake holders, many eyes would be
miserably in the foot deep powder without them. Snowshoes force a slow, watching. Good luck to them.
reflective pace. The weather was brilliant and we topped out on several Part of me envied their ambitious plans but largely I was content having
elegant mountains that gave us vast views out to the sea. led a purely self-indulgent, self-funded adventure of a lifetime with a private
Three days later we packed up one pulk with the bare minimum for a and uncomplicated agenda. My clients had nothing to answer to but the call
night’s camping and trekked off the icecap to meet the returning skidoos of nature and I only answered to them.
the next day. The team wanted the experience of journeying under their
own steam. I pulled the pulk for less than 30 minutes; enough to remind www.fuchsfoundation.org
16 SGB OUTDOOR MAY 2009
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