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Day 7 of the Greenland Expedition: Electronics and Endless White Plains

After yesterday’s euphoria when we reached the 100-kilometer mark, it was time to get back to work today. We got up an hour earlier than yesterday; the alarm went off at 3 a.m., and by 5 a.m. we were ready to leave. The snow was hard today, unlike yesterday’s mushy state when it was scorching hot and the snow was melting. By leaving earlier, we were able to achieve good speeds. During the first shift, we reached a whopping 3.8 km per hour. After a short break of 10 to 15 minutes to eat, drink, and use the toilet (which here means taking 20 meters distance), we continued. As we walked, we saw the sun rising diagonally to our right behind us, creating a beautiful shadow in front of us. It was only half past six in the morning, but it felt like ten o’clock already. Then the wind started to die down, and low-hanging clouds came up, putting us in a partial white-out. It reminded me of the Snorrebolletjes song: “From left to right.” We meandered across the Greenland ice cap, but eventually, we held our course and another 3.7 kilometers were on the clock.

Thoughts in the White Silence

There is little distraction here; no trees, no social media, and no traffic. Only our own thoughts. During the fifth shift, I caught myself half asleep while walking in front. I wandered off to the right until someone from behind shouted that I needed to get back on course.

Electronics on Expedition

Electronics play an important role during our expedition. We have an Iridium satellite phone with which I record this blog, a Garmin inReach for weather reports and tracking, and a mobile phone for navigation and marking waypoints. In addition, we have a GoPro for videos, a VHF radio for emergencies, and a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) for absolute emergencies. To keep all these devices charged, we have an arsenal of cables and two power banks that we charge with solar panels. These are from the brand Xtorm, which sponsors us with this equipment. I tested the power banks at home by putting them in the freezer; they worked perfectly.

The Freezer of Greenland

During our last two shifts, the ground becomes mushy due to the heat of the sun. It reminds me of defrosting my freezer at home. Greenland is like one big freezer that is slowly thawing. I wonder how big the tub needs to be for all the meltwater from the Greenland ice cap.

Statistics of Today

Today we are at an altitude of 1940 meters. We left at -2 degrees Celsius and are now comfortably in the tent at 8 degrees above zero. We have covered a whopping 26 kilometers today and are now at a total of 128 kilometers. You’ll hear from me again tomorrow!