Shortly after summer solstice, the ice fractured into a kaleidoscope of unstable floes making travel difficult and dangerous. PHOTO: ERIK BOOMER
of small, tippy, floating ice floes. There was always the danger of falling in or a pan tipping over and being crushed as the ice chunks compressed together. You are 40 years younger than I. During these critical moments, you were both stronger and more agile. How did you feel about the age gap?
Boomer: The age gap was actually one of my favorite parts of this expedi- tion. It amazes me how similar we are and how well we were able to relate to each other. In the more mellow times we found great companionship. People have asked me, “Being around just one person that long, you must have not talked some days?” On the contrary, we had great conversations every day. I really enjoyed your storytelling and often prodded you with questions to keep the stories coming.
In critical times, like when we were venturing across the broken ice, I think we both agreed that losing each other was the biggest concern. Not only would it have been unthinkably tragic to have an accident, but we also shared group gear that was vital to our survival. For example, I carried the sleeping bags, while you had the tent. We depended on each other so much; it was essential to travel as a single unit. Because of my youth, I could move faster across the ice, but what we were attempt- ing was not a sprint. We traveled over a half marathon every day for 104 days—keep- ing a good pace was critical and you set a great pace. I feel like the age gap galvanized our relationship and helped keep us in balance.
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Boomer: We experienced challenges and difficult conditions that pushed our bodies to the limit. At what point did you feel most physically spent?
Turk: It’s tempting to say that it was most challenging where the ice was roughest. On the northeast coast, Cape Hecla comes to mind. Intense north winds had forced the North Pole icepack into formidable pressure ridges. There were no flat surfaces and all day long we were lifting and lowering our boats— heavily laden with 50 days of food—over ice ridges 30 feet high. Sometimes we worked for half an hour to gain only 30 yards horizontally. Yet, truthfully, I was no more tired at the end of a day of travel on rough ice than I was at the end of a day of moving on smooth ice. Every day, I gave the expedition everything I had. After the first day, I wrote in my journal, “Completed: 15 miles. To Go: 1,485.” Then I took a quick mental survey of all the little aches and pains throughout my body, and concluded that I’m 65 years old and there was no way I could complete the circumnavigation. I thought seriously about saying to you, “Hey, Boomer. This is really dumb. I can’t do this. I’m going to turn back tomorrow morning. Sorry.” But I just couldn’t end my career so ignominiously.
40 ADVENTURE KAYAK | SPRING 2012
—Continued on page 61
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