Nunavut Canada Expedition

 Link Classroom Club

Day 21: 05.09.2011

Emotions run high today as the Young explorers and the Mike Horn team pack their bags and say their goodbyes. For the last three weeks the team have experienced an incredible adventure with Mike Horn on his sailboat 'Pangaea' in the remote region of Nunavut in Bafin Island, Canada.

Together they have sailed the Davis Strait, trekked on retreating glaciers, summited mountains, climbed and slept overnight in the vertical world, learnt about the flora and fauna of the Arctic, integrated with the local Inuit populations and carried our beach clean-ups.

It's a journey that will without a doubt stay in the minds of all the participants for years and years to come and will pave the way for new annd bigger adventures.

Returning home with minds full of new images, memories and emotions the Young Explorers will continue to strive for a better future for the planet by spreading the Pangaea message of protection to their peers and families around them.

Nunavut Canada Exped - Day 21

Day 20: 04.09.2011

The team arrive in Iqaluit. This is the last stop for the Young Explorers. Today they pack their bags and get their flights back to their respective countries all around the world...

YEP 9 Nunavut Expedition - Day 20

Day 19: Blog written by Valentin - 02.09.2011

The biggest predators of the land are there. We Young Explorers could see eight polar bears during the Nunavut Expedition. That’s a lot and we can feel very lucky about it! All of us were impressed by the bears. They are very dangerous for humans and in great danger. That’s why we have to learn about their habits and take care about it.

The polar bears are very clever and strong. They are able to smell in a 50 kilometers range, swim 100 kilometers and walk over 80 kilometers a day. They can adapt to most situations. Today, with less and less sea ice and more and more rubbish along the coasts the white giants search in our trashes for some food to eat. That’s a big problem because they try to eat everything and the rubbish can contain chemical substances. Or when the polar bears eat plastic pieces like water bottles, oil bottles or canisters, the item can block or injure the stomach and he throught and kill them.

This morning we cleaned up a beach near Frobisher Bay. We found a big amount of garbbage, which made us all quite sad. It’s difficult to imagine how much more plastic junk there is in the world’s more frequented oceans. We found a white canister with many teeth marks of a polar bear in it. This is a memorable example how our environmental habits harm this wonderful animal. Just a piece of plastic bitten off as we saw it can kill an animal as majestic as the King of the Arctic.

Now, to save these beautiful animals, we have to act, together to make a difference. It’s an enormous project to clean the huge coasts of the Arctic but we have to think about it. We can recycle the rubbish and make of it the energy of tomorrow.

Blog writtn by Mikayla and Ansgar

I was woken up this morning by a bright orange light that lit up the deck of Pangaea where all us young explorers had spent the night. It was a sunrise you only see in paintings and magazines and it will stay in my memory for the rest of my life.

After a hearty breakfast of oatmeal we headed for shore with black plastic bags in hand. We were heart broken to find the coastline of this remote spot covered in all types of rubbish from all over the world. Plastic containers, lighters, fuel bottles, fishing net buoys, rope, deodorant cans and shampoo bottles scattered the rocky beach we walked along. Due to the oceans currents Greenland, America, Canada, Korea Russia and even Spain were contributors to this mess.

Finding this rubbish was a reality check for us. We have spent the past 3 weeks appreciating nature in its purest and untouched way and it was heart breaking to be reminded what an impact we as humans have. We managed to fill 4 black bags as well as 2 huge plastic boxes filled with fishing net buoys and to think that this was just a 100m bay kilometers away from any civilization.

We saw the teeth marks of a polar bear on one of the plastic containers we came across. Polar bears are very curious animals and will chew on and try and eat anything they come across. Unfortunately when this is plastic it gets chewed up and stuck in their throats choking them to death. The meters of rope that we found has probably already wrapped itself around the necks of seals, digging into their skin also causing a painful death. The clean up pointed out to us Young Explorers very clearly in what bad condition our oceans are.

Once we were finished cleaning up we set off for our last adventure of the expedition. We were going to cross the island that we were anchored next to. It was a 15km hike that took us just more than 5 hours. Once again the beauty of our surroundings took our breath away. The puzzling moraine, the magical lakes, the colourful lichen and the patterns in the seaweed, an environment we have had the privilege to get to know while on the expedition.

We all arrived back on the boat and we set sail in no time. We have been sailing since 16:30 and hopefully we will reach our night’s stop over destination soon. Tomorrow we will still have to cover about 50nm to Iqaluit. The sea has been a bit rough this evening, throwing us from one side of the boat to the other. It is very important to secure everything and to try and keep your balance!

As the expedition draws to an end I start reflecting on the past unbelievable 19 days. Not only have I gained a better knowledge of the Arctic environment, the Inuit culture and the other members of my team but also I have learnt so much about myself. I have felt what it is like to really live over the past 3 weeks and what it feels like to be truly alive. I am so grateful firstly to the Mike Horn team for giving me this opportunity and making me a part of this family. I am also grateful to my family and friends at home who have been with me throughout the expedition. It has been a life changing experience that will stay in my memory and in my heart for the rest of my life. – Mikayla

Our amazing expedition is about to be accomplished. The knowledge that we’ll have to leave this unique place and the special people hangs over me like a dark cloud. At the same time, though I leave Pangaea excited as I learned a lot about the fragile Arctic region, its people, opportunities and myself. On board of Pangaea we sailed together for more than 1800km, a distance that bonded us together as we lived in a confined space. I could explore some more weaknesses and strengths of mine. Some images like the 360 degree view of the top of a mountain, the Northern Lights or a swimming polar bear I will never forget. I and every single one of us is very fortunate and thankful for this opportunity given to us by the Mike Horn team and the sponsors. I’d Like to finish with one Mike’s many quotes: We spent three weeks on Baffin Island not only to experience Nature’s beauty, but to open our minds.”- Ansgar

Blog by Henko Roukema

Last night after we had a talk with the team as the expedition, that has been a great success, draws closer to its end. Reflecting back on the previous weeks that has been handwork with the ultimate results, hiking over a glacier feeling so remote, climbing up a 200meter vertical wall, hiking up to the summit of a virgin peak in snow, sleeping under the night sky on our canyoneering excursion , it is so difficult to describe the emotions that go with all these mind altering events that will certainly leave a life long impression on me, not only was it a exceptional time to see this land but also the time spent getting to know your true self!

After our talk with Mike and the team, Mike told us if we want to we can sleep outside on the deck, knowing that it would be cold, all of us still jumped at the opportunity, it is strange how crisp and clear the stars shine with the milky way in all its glory with the Aurora lights shining, we even saw a couple of shooting stars but one stood out above the rest! As it went over our heads we just saw this blue colored ball and red flames behind it! It all felt magical as we drifted off to dreamland for a goodnight sleep knowing that we will wake up in another dreamland, every night felt like the evening before Christmas as a small child who simply can not wait to get his presents the next day!

Everyday is a gift that we receive on this beautiful planet! The plan for the day was to get up early and then go to a nearby beach and pick up all the garbage that the tide and the currents have brought in, then hike 15km across the island and meet up with the Pangaea there where we will start our final leg of the expedition sailing to Iqualuit. The most common objects we found was plastic bottles, old fishing nets and the plastic or aluminum balls that are used to drift the nets when they are using long line fishing. The garbage mostly drift all the way from Greenland as by law you are not aloud to fish by Baffin island as it is reserved for the Inuit to live off the land. With the help of the small rubber duck we got all the garbage to the Pangaea where we will take it to Iqualuit.

Then our hike started across the island with a steep rise, it was a different experience as we are now further South with mostly soft tundra and rocks with the most beautiful freshwater lakes with some very big trout, later the day as the landscape flattened out there was a few swampy areas, with us all tip toeing over the small rocks in a attempt to keep our hiking boots dry. It was really a great way to connect with each other while walking having some lengthy discussions about the future and sharing ideas that we have. Some interesting findings we had to day were a scull of a walrus, the horns of a caribou and the scull of an arctic fox. It was quit a daunting task getting to the boat as the extreme low tide that they have here was at its lowest, it drops by a few meters and we had to walk over the slippery rocks covered by seaweed causing some falls and minor cuts and bruises but we all got back to the boat safely!

Tonight we are sailing to a way point where we will drop anchor as the maps havenít been chartered properly in this remote area, so we will avoid navigating at night as there are many small islands and shallow rocks in the Forbisher bay area. Tomorrow we will arrive at Iqualuit if all goes well, which I am sure it will.

YEP 9 Nunavut Expedition - Day 19

Day 18: Blog written by Ricarda and Simon - 01-09-2011

We’ve been heading south along the east coast of Baffin Island for the last 24 hours, covering a distance of 200 miles. When the boat is moving we all calm down, get time to think about what we experienced so far, write blogs, read a book and so on. Our day is organized around our individual watch times. Every two hours the watch team changes. A team consists of a watch captain and two young explorers, who not only need to look out for rocks and ice bergs but also for whales, polar bears and seals.

Today Rici and me were on watch at 2 am. Usually that’s the worst one, because you only get one or two hours of sleep before the watch and only three four hours after the watch. But this time it was different. When we got up for the watch green northern lights, called aurora borealis, covered the whole sky. It has always been a dream of ours to see those magical lights, dancing across the sky. We all stood outside looking at those lights created by solar wind, reflecting light along the magnetic field.

After a few hours of sleep I suddenly woke up, but didn’t know the reason for it. A second later I flew to the one side of my mat and nearly fell out of my bed. The wind increased to 40 knots as the waves grew higher. When we looked out of the windows we couldn’t even see the horizon. The waves rolled over the bow and the water splashed against the windows. I couldn’t walk without holding myself on the walls. I was glad to know that PANGAEA has seen worse weather than this.

Blog by Henko Roukema 01-09-2011

Last night was simply extraordinary as I saw the Aurora lights while it was my turn to be on watch! Seeing the lights dance around as if it’s coming down towards you, I could not help but wonder what the people of long ago thought when they saw these strange lights. The night sky was spectacular with the stars shining in all its glory, shooting stars, satellites, with no wind; it was a perfect night for star gazing! It was quit a moving experience to see the Northern lights, never in my life would I have thought that could be here in the arctic exploring this unique area with the legendary Mike Horn himself, and without his life long list of exploration and adventure it could never be possible.

After the watch I was relieved to be able to go to bed but also not wanting to do so much with the performance the lights was putting up above in the sky! This morning I was suddenly awoken when I was almost thrown out of by bed by the rolling boat! Being confused I got up and started walking towards the pilot house, all of a sudden I felt the boat starting to roll again with nothing to hold on to it sent me flying over the endless amount of duffel bags in the garage, being wiser in my second attempt I was stunned by the gale force wind and the swell pushing the boat high in the air and then crushing down to only lifted up by the next wave! The watch was a bit more difficult with the boat at such an angle because the wind and swell was hitting us directly from the starboard side; at times we were hanging by just our grip on the safety handles, feet slipping and sliding desperately to get a grip. With the wind blowing up to 49 knots it was fascinating that the Pangaea could just continue on its course! While other vessels not so equipped to handle extreme conditions would be running scared with the swell and wind!

Relieved that the watch was finished and a bit sea sick, I went back to sleep as tomorrow we are going on our last excursion of the expedition, a hike over the island , which will take the whole day if all goes well.

Reflecting back on this trip is difficult with all the excitement of the previous 18 days all melting together as one great experience I dread the fact of leaving such a place that has crept so deep into my heart after such a short time and not being able to see everyone from the team everyday. All the lessons we have learned will stay with us forever and as they say life is built up by the experiences you have and that each experience leaves a trace in your brain that creates who you are! This expedition is certainly a life changing experience that I will never forget! This is after all just the beginning! Most people live life but they don’t live it to the fullest!

Blog written by Zuzanna
A long time ago people and the animals spoke the same language. It was believed that specific elders of the Inuit community held the ability to turn into large seals. Seals could then transform into wolves, polar bears or birds.

An animal would only offer itself to the hunter if it was treated with proper respect. The success of the hunt, and family’s survival in the same time, fully depended on the animal.

Who knows? Maybe it’s because of the respect that we have for our surrounding environment that allowed the nature to reveal its beauty to us over the last two days? Not only did we see a seal resting on a piece of floating ice, but also two polar bear families: mother with cubs climbing up the moraine. We had a closer look at the plants of tundra and discovered that beneath our feet lies a new world. A world filled with colors and tiny insects, new scents and unique textures.

Even in the Arctic the Nature is very diverse, but you realize that only when experience different places: flat planes covered with caribou grass, steep slopes of glaciers or… canyons of waterfalls. One of these canyons was exactly where we went for a 2-day long trip. Massive pieces of ice hung above the falling water, strong enough to carve a valley and move giant rocks just to the shore. This is when you understand there is not only one grey, there is not only one blue or only one green. Colors play with the surroundings and the sunset lights bring out the line of the horizon and change the hostile landscape into a miraculous place.

By early evening we reached the place that we turned into our shelter. This time we didn’t take any tents, wanting to spend the night under the naked sky. When I woke up and saw the shining stars above me, I felt as if the darkness was allowing spots of light through its night blanket and they were there, shining just for me.

And now we’re on the boat again, sailing down south. The dusk has fallen and the world is enclosed in a cover of darkness, as it is happening for millions of years. Unexpected, hundreds of rays of surreal light decorated the sky, leaving green and white traces on the firmament. The northern lights, Aurora! Someone is trying to dust off the sky, star powder surrounds us exposing the uniqueness of the Arctic. I feel like I’ve never seen sky before. The world is beautiful and life is just a wonder.

YEP 9 Nunavut Expedition - Day 18

Day 17: Blog by Henko Roukema - 31-09-2011

Yesterday afternoon we embarked on our hike to who knows where, all we knew we were heading up the canyon with a lot of waterfalls. It wasn't our original plan, but due to the 4 polar bears we saw, it was decided for everyone's safety that we will rather hike on the other side of the fjord! Much to the relief of all of us, but some of us was still scared by the fact that in 15min we saw 4 polar bears in this region; it still was spectacular to see these magnificent creatures.

The first part was a really steep climb as we climb to 600 meters in a matter of less than 2km! For me it was the best hike so far, scrambling up those boulders, jumping over the water and some melting snow mixed in between , it had all our senses alive, just waiting to react incase you slip! Looking back when we had our break eating some nuts for energy, basking in the sun, we had the most beautiful view of the surrounding landscape. But little did we know the view that greeted us as we walked, the setting sun over the spectacular mountains on the over side of the fjord was out of this world!

We finished our hiking for the day when we found a freshwater lake created by a melting nearby glacier. We immediately started building a small shelter to protect us from the wind, luckily there were a lot of flat rocks around and with 18 people, our shelter quickly took shape, it was basically just a stone wall of about 1m high. It was fun to build the shelter but it was strenuous to haul rocks after an afternoon of steep climbing up a canyon. Personally I was really excited about sleeping underneath the stars with only a sleeping mat and bag; I knew I would certainly be warm enough! With my down jacket and nova dry pants, beanie and dry socks keeping me warm.

The sleeping mat we got from Mike and the tea, really surprised my expectations when I discovered that I could not even feel any rocks underneath me, even though I was sleeping just on stones! Waking up with the morning sun almost shining, as soon as the sun rose above the hills nearby, it almost feels like you can literary feel the temperature rise!

Breakfast was the usual oats but we also had some hot chocolate, it was a real treat! The plan was to climb up to the peak of the mountain, it looked like a daunting task and it really was, felt like a couple of thousands of stairs that we where climbing up! After a while we got to the ridge of the mountain, I was shocked by a drop of a few hundred meters on the other side! WOW! With Mike shouting if you fall please fall to the right! (The side we walked up on, it would not be the best if anyone fell of the vertical drop).

If you threw a rock it felt like infinity before you hear it crashing down below! After negotiating the cliffs and endless loose rocks, climbing a total of a thousand seven hundreds meters, we finally reached the peak! Damn, what an exhilarating rush! We had the opportunity to take some pictures with Mike and the decent down the steep slope. The mountain was an old volcano that had a massive eruption causing millions of stones! Our decent was on small stones fist size, every step took you sliding a few meters down with the small stones, as they give way underneath the pressure of our body weight. Then our decent continued down the canyon we ascended yesterday, seeing the view on which we had our backs the whole time yesterday while hiking up was just surreal! With the Pangaea motivating us in the foreground down under in the fjord. The hike was the best one so far for me, sleeping under the stars, with only our sleeping bags as protection, exploring at its best !

YEP 9 Nunavut Expedition - Day 17

Day 16: Blog by Xue and Simon - 30.08.2011

After a long night of sailing we arrived at our destination, Moonshine Fjord, at about 3 in the morning.

Looking out to see the landscape around us we were all stunned by the breathtaking beauty of the surrounding mountains and the turquoise water but the best was the clear sky, feels like ages ago that we had any sunlight!

We all had a bit of rest before we had our usual oats for breakfast. The plan is to go on a 2 day hike starting this afternoon, but we would first do some more measurements on tundra vegetation and permafrost with Doctor Roswitha Stoltz. A short ride with the inflatable rubber duck to shore where there was the most beautiful ice sculptures as the low tide left them on the beach, exposing their beauty to us.

After a 15-minutes hike to the nearby lake created by glaciers activity we started the measurements. This time our scientific advisor explained the difference in the active layer depending on the slope, supply of water and vegetation cover. We could experience on our own changes in depth of thawing layer. In the middle of the trip a spontaneous debate started.

We were encouraged by Mike and the rest of the Team to take part in a brainstorm about the world’s human population and the sacrifices that everyone should make to live a sustainable life.

Then it was time to head back to the boat and now we’re getting ready for the upcoming excursion! We’ll describe the rest of the day once we’re back on the boat again!

YEP 9 Nunavut Expedition - Day 16

Day 15: Blog by Xue and Simon - 29.08.2011

It is only a week left for the expedition. That means we are going to be near our home but will be far away from the big family here. Pangaea will carry more new people and continue its journey. You know the boat belongs to sea and you belong somewhere else. You know the expedition never ends as long as there are still problems left to solve and your projects to carry on. You know people are united here for this short period of time which will never be forgotten but you still worry about some moments you don’t memorize that clearly so you write them down. You know there are still days left but you don’t want that final day come. I become connected to it even if I feel sea sick and have to get up in the middle of the night to do a watch. You enjoy every second of it.

Today we left the second small village along our trip after an icy swim in the Arctic Ocean. We all felt refreshed and filled with new strength for another adventure filled week of exploring the fjords, icecaps, rivers and endless tundra along Cape Dyer.

It is a lot cleaner than Clyde River. That proves that the environment can be improved by better policy and being well organized no matter what kind of people live in it and how remote an area is.

YEP 9 Nunavut Expedition - Day 15

Day 14: Blog written by Henko Roukema - 28.08.2011

We started sailing towards Qikiqtarjuaq last night; I decided to go to bed early to get in a few hours of sleep, knowing that me and Valentine had to get up at 2 am to do our watch to look out for Ice bergs or any other dangers! Waking up at that early hours of the morning was certainly not an easy task when you know you have to leave your warm cozy bed and go stand outside in the rain, what made matters worse was the dense fog we where sailing through, but luckily we did not have any encounters or close courters situations with these massive ice bergs drifting all the way from the Green Land ice shelf.

The fog had us a bit worried at times with our eyes fixed on the horizon scanning for anything, made me realize what the crew of Roald Amundsen in their passage of the North West in 1903 until1906, they were the first people to cross the passage. At least we are living in luxury compared to their vessel named the Gjoa! I can just imagine how his crew must have felt in the cold night in a storm standing in the crows nest on the look out for ice bergs!

In the end after a nice hot cup of Rooibos tea that I brought all the way from home in South Africa, I could finally go to sleep at 4 am when the next shift started! When I was awoken the morning for breakfast it felt like I have just slept 10 minutes but I knew its better to go get some oats to build up some energy for the coming days and my next watch is at 10 am!

The wind was finally strong enough to do some sailing and we had a fun time jibing along with the wind taking us to our next destination, at noon we finally arrived at Qikiqtarjuaq. It looked like the whole town sprung to life as we arrived, with everyone eager to see the Pangaea! After a very nice lunch prep pared by Mike himself, witch consist of most things he found in the gulley and some pasta sauce, in the end it tasted very nice. Here is a list of what was in this tasty meal:

* Canned Spaghetti and sauce
* Ritz crackers
* Couscous
* Cheese chunks
* Butter
* Beans
* Oat meal
* Corn
* Onions and garlic

Basically everything that we had in the gully to use but it tasted very very nice for our hungry stomachs! Then we were on a mission to try and do some community service by handing out the rest of the first aid kits and presenting ourselves and spreading the Pangaea message! But after walking through the whole town it proved that we would be unable to do this, but we made some friends with young Inuit girls to whom we gave soccer balls and had some fun playing soccer with them!

The day flew past but the high light was still to come when Mike told us we could go SUP (Stand up paddle boarding) after feeling the water under my feet even though wearing booties you could feel the one degree water! I then proposed a challenge to the other yep`s that we must all jump from the boat to do a short swim in the ice cold arctic water! Xue xi and I ended up swimming around the boat! Then we suddenly felt the effect of the cold water on our hands and feet starting to cramp! It was fun and the locals certainly fought we must be crazy! When everyone got out of the water everyone was scrambling for their warm clothes! But it was great fun! We had a nice surprise after dinner the girls made us a chocolate cake! We are all waiting anxiously to hear from Mike what our plans are for the following days, but it`s a mystery.

YEP 9 Nunavut Expedition - Day 14

Day 13: Blog written by Henko Roukema - 28.08.2011

The plan for the day was to do some interviews and to check our emails for once in a while, unfortunately most people were still sleeping even though it was already late morning, even the library was closed so we could not check our emails. But as these expeditions with Mike go, anything can change in a blink of an eye, and the next moment there was news that we where going to be leaving Clyde River with our voyage down south to Iqaluit.

Later, after washing and cleaning the garage and making our living space tidy, we saw the rubber duck full of local children and mike coming towards the Pangaea. The children were so excited to come on board, they were all just taking photos with their mobile cell phones. I’m sure it made their day the smiles on their faces were priceless! We showed them all the movies of all the activities that we have done lately, they certainly enjoyed the movie about the big wall climbing! Then the big surprise came when we heard a local Inuit girl is going to join us for the last part of our expedition! Which gives us all the opportunity to learn more about each other’s cultures!

The Pangaea is currently sailing south, we are going to try and climb some more magnificent mountains and hike on the penny ice shelf! Hopefully we will be arriving at our next destination tomorrow afternoon!

YEP 9 Nunavut Expedition - Day 13

Day 12 - Blog written by Mikhayla and Ansgar 26.08.2011

This morning we woke in the familiar bay of Clyde River where a thick layer of fog had settled over the remote community. Today was dedicated to our cultural exchange and interaction with the Inuit members of this community. As we rehearsed the slide show presentation that we would give, Mike taught us many valuable public speaking skills. To be able to speak well in front of people is a skill that we will be able to use in all the aspects of our lives and a skill that we can continuously improve on.

Our expedition doctor, Gaynor Prince, ran through a basic First Aid Course with us. A brief description reminded us of what we had learnt at the Selection Camp. We went over triangular bandages, CPR and using different dressings to heal wounds. We would later give this brief course to interested members of the community so we kept it simple, but informative and effective.

After a delicious lunch on board we left for shore to start a part of our expedition’s project that we have been planning since before the Selection Camp. We walked the muddy streets to round up many people we may find.

We gathered an interested audience and set up in the Community Centre. We briefly introduced ourselves and gave the presentation which told them about what we have been up to over the past 10 days and explained the YEP. We discussed how through our studies of the Arctic environment we have learnt about the effects of climate change and this is a topic that they can relate to as their lives have been directly impacted by the warming climate. They were particularly interested in the sailing vessel and what life is like on the boat.

We then split up into two groups to give the First Aid course. Thanks to Rici and Valentin we were able to hand out 11 kits to the interested Inuit teenagers. We also had the chance to learn more about their own traditional medicines and methods. It was fascinating to hear that in the Inuit culture when someone is passed out you may not cross their body from their shoulders up. This is considered as killing the person. It is important that the Inuit keep these traditions and we emphasized that we were there to share what we know but also to learn from them.

Our next social interaction activity was a game with the elders of the community. We rushed to the Family Resource Centre to find the friendly senior citizens who welcomed us warmly. It was a great feeling to see that our appearance was truly appreciated. We joined in a favourite game called Aturat. Everyone kneels in a circle with 4 circulating die. In the middle of the circle is a heap of goodies. These are considered the prizes and consist of anything from a roll of toilet paper to a square of cheese. If when you roll the die you roll the number 2 you may leap into the middle and claim a prize. The game continues until all of the prizes in the middle are finished, then the real fun starts. You could now take the prizes away from other people. It was incredibly fast and even competitive but we had many laughs and enjoyed it immensely. We added three Wenger knives and a Petzl Headlamp to the prize heap which gave the game greater meaning and just added to the pressure. You could actually see the excitement in the eyes of the elders as they jumped around to make sure they get a good prize. It was fun to interact with the experienced generation of the community in this unusual way and definitely a new and memorable experience for us.

We then had the opportunity to learn about a few other traditional games, played by Inuit women and children while the men are out hunting. A very sweet elderly lady explained the games to us. One of the games was pulling seal bones out of a bag to build an igloo and another was using a rabbit skull, you had to try and catch it on a thin long bone. To be able to learn about these games from a woman who played them while she was a child is an incredible concept, one that we really appreciate.

This evening’s entertainment was a teenage disco party that we went to. It was loads of fun and we danced the night away with the new friends we made throughout the day. We recognized most of the music and were the centre of attention for the teenagers of the community. It was a great evening but now to get some needed shut eye!

YEP 9 Nunavut Expedition - Day 12

Day 11, blog written by Simon and Zuzann - 25.08.2011.

The engine started running at 6 o’clock in the morning as we left for Clyde River again. The group of qualified mountain guides and climbers from Petzl is flying back to Europe tomorrow and they are expecting to meet their plane at the tiny airport of Clyde in the morning. But we’re in Nunavut and things are different from what we are used to. Time runs in its own speed, depending on the weather and place. We’ve literally been to ‘the middle of nowhere’ and lost conscious of passing days. It’s already the 11th day of the Expedition, we’ve experienced a lot, but it feels like a few hours since we were picked from the airport in Ottawa.

The weather that woke us up on the big wall still follows us. Grey, heavy clouds dominated the sky for good and the rain will find the smallest gap in all the layers of clothing that you wear and soak you. Typically there are 10 rainy and 4 snowy days in August in Nunavut. We already had a great luck with the sun during glacier crossing. Not a single plane landed in Clyde since last 5 days and we doubt that any will arrive tomorrow.

But we still had to sail down here. Life on the boat is great and very clear: we all know what to do; we know our duties and responsibilities. Primarily, a system of watches was established. 2 hours of constant checking and 6 hours of break. We work in groups of 3: 2 Young Explorers and one experienced sailor to explain to us all the meanders of the art of moving with the power of wind. We need to observe the horizon in order to avoid icebergs and other obstacles on the way of Pangaea, control instruments measuring the depth of water, speed of the vessel, engine, so as radars. It is a full-time job demanding concentration, but also a great opportunity to talk and learn from each other.

What else we do is cleaning and cooking. We were expected to cook on certain days, but it ended up with everyone helping everyone in the kitchen, Simon assisting in preparation (and degustation) of every single meal, girls washing dishes, people preparing drinks for each who wants. There are some habits, like morning porridge or bread baked by Jacek on the night before, but we also had a solemn dinner this evening.

Our fantastic mountain guides have decided to prepare a festive supper as a ‘goodbye’. We ate a delicious arctic char with baked potatoes and vegetables, sitting all together and bringing back fresh memories from the big wall. I’m wondering how will this place look in a couple of years time? We’re on an expedition to the changing wilderness, wilderness changing so rapidly. On our way to Refuge Harbor we saw a stunning iceberg with a hole in the middle of it. One week after it has changed its shape and could no longer be recognized as the same piece of ice floating to Nunavut from Northern Greenland.

YEP 9 Nunavut Expedition - Day 12

Day 10 - Blog by Henko - 23.08.2011

Last night after dinner Mike told us that we are going to be climbing to the summit of a nearby mountain. We think the summit has never been reached before which, if we summit we can name the peak. This is our mission for the day. The plan was to wake up at two am and start our hike at 3am, however because everyone overslept we only started our hike at 4 am. When we climbed out of the hatch of the boat we were stunned by the immense cold and rain - certainly not the ideal conditions to try and hike to a peak with no real path! This was exploring at its best, hiking into the unknown! We had short but very cold ride to the shore with the inflatable rubber duck and when everyone was ashore we started hiking and hiking. After only a couple of hours of sleep from the previous night it was quit a daunting task!

After walking for a while, the nearby peak still seemed so far away. That ís one thing of this unique area, everything looks so close. You are just not used to the massive size of everything here that seems close by! We walked for a couple of hours in the moraine before reaching the glacier that leads to almost the top. This involved some concentration as we had to scramble over endless amounts of boulders that were very slippery from the rain!

We took a break before starting our climb up the glacier. We where in for a real treat as there were blueberries around us. We could just sit on the steep slope and gather the berries. But it was short lived as we had to push to reach the summit and walk back to the boat before the end of the day. The glacier was quite challenging as there was not enough crampons, but team work solved the problem as we attached each other with a rope to help those that didn't have them.

There was a great description of how the glaciers look. It looks kind of like a huge tongue reaching down the mountain to lick the water from the lake that is created by the melting water. It was unbelievable to see 5 lakes so close by each other and each one was at a different ground level. This is caused by the moraines. Even Mike was amazed by this! But there was no time to ponder too long at the beautiful scenery as we had to push on! Navigating through a big crevasse and a very, very steep glacier was the order of the day - but then a big surprise for me was that it started snowing! Wow! It was my first experience of snow in my life! And then finally after many hours we reached the summit!!! Relief and joy was the emotions that everyone experienced, but also in the back of our heads we knew we had to walk all the way back on the same path to the boat.

This part of the hike actually flew by fast. I think we where so tired we did not register much and the pain from blister or discomfort from walking more than 10hours straight! The next task was negotiating those pesky boulders that separated us from the boat which means FOOD and SLEEP!! After 14 hours we finally reached the beach where the rubber duck could come and fetch us. Another highlight was that I had the chance to steer the rubber duck to the boat, causing some of the other YEPs to stress a bit! We were all so relieved to finally be able to put on dry warm clothes and start to pamper our broken bodies. All in all it was a great day and we are just waiting for a nice hot meal before we go to sleep! Almost feels like heaven for us now!

Tomorrow we are going to sail back to Clyde River and then continue our magnificent expedition with Mike!! The peak we simmitted is situated close to Gibsen Fjord and just southeast of the refuge harbor.

YEP 9 Nunavut Expedition - Day 11

Day 9 - Blog by Mikhayla and Valentin 22.08.2011

We woke up at 4:30 this morning and found ourselves floating in our sleeping bags on our portal edges. No one got much sleep, as you dare not move too much when you are hanging 200m above the ground. A blanket of fog had settled over us throughout the night making every part of our bodies, sleeping bags and portal edges soaking wet.

While we were packing up our campsite in the clouds it is a reminder that safety always comes first in the vertical world. One by one we abseiled down the rock face, this gave us all an adrenaline rush and was sometimes scary. Eventually we made it back onto Pangaea and managed to change into warm and dry clothes and gobbled down a delicious breakfast.

Mikhayla, Zula and Rici treated everyone to a batch of decadent chocolate muffins that were enjoyed by all. The learning never stops and this afternoon we started with Doctor Roswitha Stolz from the University of Munich on our environmental tests. Research in the Arctic region is extremely valuable and gives a clear indication of the effects of climate change.

After a short briefing we headed to shore to set up our 100m by 100m grid. In this grid we will be completing Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring (CALM), a standardized method of measuring the active layer and permafrost in the polar-regions. Within our grid there are 121 marked points, each 10m apart. We have recorded the coordinates using a GPS, this will allow people to return to the same points to continue any tests.

We are continuously taken back by our surrounding’s indescribable beauty, the turquoise water, the towering fjords, the unforgiving glaciers and the mystical fog.

YEP 9 Nunavut Expedition - Day 9

DAY 8 - Blog written by Ricarda and Zuzanna- 21.08.2011

We could see the splendid fiord, all the glaciers ending their lives in the ocean, steep cliffs reaching the sky. The sun was reflecting in our sunglasses, heating up the warm, warm rock. It was the best rest in our lives. This magic view is reserved for those, who climbed one of the untouched Big Walls of Baffin Island.
Adventure started in the morning, about 200 metres below where we were sitting. Quartz rocks at this point are slightly red, some covered with a thin layer of seaweed. The path is quite simple, full of little rocks, which you should never throw down. Even a tiny little stone can badly injure the person below you. We took our time to make sure, that the gear and ourselves are well secured. Even our spoons and covers of camera lenses are attached to the harness. All of us are wearing only a soft-shell jacket, but we are all hot because of the effort that it takes to go up.

There are 8 belay points on the way and a qualified climber on each to help us reattach to the next rope. Our group is really big and we have to wait for each other so climbing isn’t that exhausting. Breaks are great opportunities to chat, share famous daypacks (dried fruits, chocolate, muesli etc.), laugh. If someone told me I would have so much fun yesterday that time, I would never believe him! I’m here because someone had a dream to show me this place. We all feel privileged.

The amazing view changes, as we are getting higher. Some parts of the track are exactly vertical, some demand jumps, scrambling on ropes. You need to look carefully at your steps and keep in mind that stones can move all the time. The group is attached to one rope and we secure each other – all for one and one for all.

Even instant noodles got a new taste with changing altitude. We were welcomed on the top by our friends and an amazing view. When the sun disappeared behind the rock cliff, nothing could stop the fog to reach us, but we didn’t notice that as we were served delicious hot dogs.  Thanks to the food we got enough energy to climb safely into our portaledges, better than 10000000000 star hotel.

YEP 9 Nunavut Expedition - Day 8

DAY 7 - Blog written by Henko and Simon - 20.08.2011

Today was our third day on the glacier, hiking on this amazing glacier was just surreal! We had some tough times pulling our sleds over 40km of ice, crevasses, and rocky moon landscapes.

Sometimes it was so steep that the sleds were pulling us down these massive white ice cream shape of hills flowing down to the oceans ending in impressive waterfalls into the ocean.

We had a nice long sleep because we finished hiking early the previous day, after setting up tent and having super, we hiked up to the peak close by to admire the view in this remote, unique, beautiful area! The usual routine of waking up, packing and then some oats for breakfast awaited us but we had the most amazing view as we climb out of our tents early morning.

After eating and packing sleds we took a few pictures for the sponsor quechua, and then our decent to the fjord started to meet up with the boat. We had to cross some really deep crevasses icy rivers and really steep slippery slopes, some places were really technical causing some falls but nothing serious.

Unfortunately I lost my sunglasses jumping over one of the many crevasses! Just when we thought it was all over we had to navigate down a very steep, never ending moraine carrying all our equipment including the sleds to reach the fjord after 3km!

We are all looking forward to a nice meal on the boat this evening and then a good night sleep before we start with the amazing big wall climbing.

There are mixed emotions about the climbing but personally I'm looking forward to the challenge!

YEP 9 Nunavut Expedition - Day 7

DAY 6 - Blog for Website Valentin& Ansgar- 19th August 2011

The whole night it wasn’t completely dark, so we woke up early. When we opened the tent, the smell of our feet was released into the beautiful scenery of glaciers, mountains and fjords

For breakfast we enjoyed porridge, freshly cooked by Mike Horn himself. He told us to stuff ourselves as we’d need the energy. Then, after a nice cup of tea, we started walking again. Under our feet the crampons crushed the ice and in our back we had the heavy sleds with all the equipment. Again, we were more than lucky with the weather. The sun was shining in our faces and it was not too cold.

The distances didn’t seem far at first sight, as there’s nothing around but snow and ice. Soon we noticed, though, that we had to work hard to reach our goal: first humans ever to cross these glaciers.

Mike led us with all his experience safely over all crevasses and moraines. During one break we all wrote messages, put them in a plastic bag and hid them under an Inukshuk that we built (N 70 40’ 182// W 071 53’ 958)ͦ. An Inukshuk is a stone figurine that the Inuit used to mark caribou traveling routes.

Back on the way we enjoyed the amazing views. Especially the colours of the glacier fascinated us. The light blue of the streams and the pure white of snow.

We set up our second camp in the early afternoon. When choosing a campsite it’s important to have a creek with fresh water close by. We had Instant noodles, some of us rushed them into their mouths as they had eaten their daypacks already one day before.

After this strengthening we climbed up a peak. There we had a breathtaking panorama view. This unspoiled environment and the knowledge, that there are absolutely no people around was very very impressing. Compared to all these massive glaciers and the high mountains we felt quite small.

We finished the day with a rapid sled ride down the hill.

YEP 9 Nunavut Expedition - Day 5

DAY 5 - 18.08.2011

Mike Horn and the Young Explorers leave the comfort of Pangaea and embark on a two day expedition crossing a glacier north of Clyde River, on the east coast of Baffin Island.

Update from Mike from the glacier (3.30pm Swiss time)

"All the YEP's are doing really well!! As soon as Pangaea dropped us off onto the glacier from Sam Fiord we saw a polar bear with two cubs. During the first day we walked 6 kms. The terrain has been rough and there have been some big crevasses to walk around so this has held us up a bit.

With 50kms to walk we have now trekked half the distance. We should arrive at the next fiord tomorrow evening where Pangaea is already waiting for us.

The weather has been mild for this time of year, -10°C in the evening and 1 °C when we wake up in the morning.

It's great out here and we are all having a great time together. This is Nature at its best with not a soul around!!"

YEP 9 Nunavut Expedition - Day 4

Blog written by Simon

What we’ve all experienced today will stay in our minds for the rest of our lives! The day started out with a tasty bowl full of porridge some bread and a cup of tea. We got on land and organized a cultural event for the 26th of August in Clyde River, we finally raised the anchor and set sails. Pulling up those huge sails with a surface area of 200 m2 was exhausting but we all enjoyed it a lot. After 10min and one mile of sailing someone shouted: ”There’s a Polar Bear in the water!” We all ran on deck and immediately turned the Pangaea to get closer to the bear. It was totally amazing to see the Polar Bear swimming 5m next to our boat, not in a zoo, but in nature. We could hardly belief it - it seemed so unreal. It’s really unusual to see polar bears that far south in summer when there’s no ice around and so close to a village. Due to global warming there’s not enough ice for them to hunt seals in summer, so they swim hundreds of miles to find food, and finally end up in places like that where they most probably get shot by hunters.

We still enjoyed it like Just a couple of days ago we all sat at home, and now we saw our first polar bear. But the excitement got even bigger as we saw Ice Bergs floating at the horizon. We soon reached them and got to see them in full beauty, shining light blue in the dark ocean. The first ones were small pieces of ice, but the further we got the bigger the Ice Bergs became.

We sailed along the coast of Baffin Island for about an hour when Mike told us to get ready to jump on one of the Ice Bergs. So we got down to the “garage” where all the yeps sleep, put on our hiking boots and ran up to the front of the boat to be ready to jump off. Erwan, one of the mountain guides jumped first and we all followed him one after the other. It was a bit scary to jump on a floating block of ice, but the excitement and the adrenaline rush was overwhelming all the fears. :D We stood on that around 30000 year old Ice Berg floating around for about half an hour. After getting back on the boat we kept sailing north, the coastline always to our right side, changing groups for watch every two hours. It was by far the most exciting and most amazing day up to now. We’ll all definitely never forget that first day sailing in the arctic again.

Blog by Henko Roukema

Today was a fantastic day as we saw our first polar bear!!! What an experience!! Never in my life did I think I would be able to see a polar bear in real life, this is truly an experience in a life time! I’m so grateful towards Mike and the team of Pangaea, I can’t express it in words! The day started with us taking a short trip to the town of Clyde river with the rubber duck, were we had the chance to go to the local school and the health centre, it is now organized that when we come back from the big wall climbing and hiking over the glacier that we will have a day to do some culture exchange with the local Inuit of Clyde river witch will surely be a unique! After our short visit to the town we started sailing towards the glacier we are going to be crossing.

The trip was the most exhilarating ever! There was ice bergs all the way… they are drifting all the way from Green Land to the pass of death as they are surely going to melt due to the warm water temperatures, the ice bergs are also getting smaller and smaller due to the fact of climate change as there is less ice formed each year due to the prolonged warmer seasons in the arctic! After the initial excitement of seeing the ice bergs , we gathered at the conference room in the boat were Mike and Riswitha gave us a talk about ice bergs and from where they are drifting (about 300 miles all the way from Green land, they are basically ice that is thousands of years old! We also saw some whales, but the best part of the day was when we got the chance to climb on to a flat small ice berg! What a rush!!

This is truly an honor to be part of this expedition as we are the only boat for hundreds of miles! Tomorrow we will start with a 4 day hike over a glacier that has never been crossed before; we are going to have to navigate and climb over crevasses and carry all our gear in a sled. The plan is to meet up with the boat at Sam Fjord where we will be doing the big wall climbing!

YEP 9 Nunavut Expedition - Day 3

DAY 2: 16.08.2011

Today we had the opportunity to sleep late before we had breakfast at the hotel we are staying (The Navigator in Iqaluit) , then we met up with the team to discuss the days activities, first on our list was to start with the documentary we want to fill while we are on the expedition in Nunavut.

We had the opportunity to talk to a local lady that has been living in Iqaluit her whole life and she told us about her home town and her experiences about how climate change has affected her life also how the influence from "western people" changed their day to day living.

I was amazed at the cars everyone drives... 99 percent are huge pick up trucks! and they can only use the cars to drive in the town, since there are no roads connecting Iqaluit to other towns. There are 26 communities in Nunavut and the only way to travel between them are by air or in summer by sea if possible.

It was really interesting observing the Inuit culture. After the interview we found a wall of beautiful graffiti. It was more art than graffiti, nothing like I have ever seen before!

Then we got the great news that we are finally flying to Clyde River! There was a chance that we could not land but luckily luck was on our side and the weather cleared just enough so we could land! It was truly an amazing flight seeing all the sea ice and icebergs drifting in the crystal clear blue Arctic Ocean! We even saw a walrus from the plane when we had to land in Hall Beach to fill up the fuel tanks of the plane.

So this afternoon at approximately 5pm we landed in Clyde river, finally! We were greeted with the view of the sailing vessel, Pangaea laying at anchor in the bay and the other YEP's came to fetch us at the airport, since they arrived late yesterday afternoon.It was such a wonderful experience to finally be able to be standing on this great Pangaea!! Looking forward for tomorrow, another day, another new experience awaits!!!

YEP 9 NUNAVUT EXPEDITION - DAY 2

DAY 1: 15.08.2011

Today marks the start of the 9th Young Explorer Expedition - this one to the east coast of Baffin Island in Nunavut, Canada.

Today eight YEPs from around the world and the Mike Horn Team head out to Clyde River to meet up with Pangaea and her crew.

Mike and the team have an exciting 3 three weeks ahead of them as they explore the Arctic regon of Bafffin and study the ecosystem, flora and fauna of this spectacular region.

Log into the 'Classroom Club' (http://www.mikehorn.com/en/yep/pangaea-classroom-club/) and share with us your questions. Read the YEPs blogs and view their photos. We want you too to participate in this journey of a lifetime.

Blog written By Zula - Sunday, August 14, 2011

The longest day of my life...

Best wishes from Canada! My frist impression: it's flat. Second: there are lakes everywhere (what you can see from the sky). Third: it was supposed to be cold. Wearing my 3 jackets, I feel like put into a stove.
This evening we had to do some last shopping before we leave for the region where a can of cola is an approximate cost of 5 Canadian dollars. Quite a lot of fun, 6 Young Explorers and almost the whole Team running around the supermarket, buying food for the next 3 weeks! We also had an organisation meeting, explained our expectations, needs. I'm sure that the best adventure of my life is just about to begin!
I also had a chance to talk to a man living in Resolute, Nunavut. He's American, but has a deep understanding of the local culture, as his family are now Inuit. He tought me a lot about approaching the aboriginal people, their customs, faux-pas and how to make a good first impression. First lesson during this expedition.

Blog from Henko (written in Ottawa)

Last night we went to the local Walmart and bought about 10 shopping carts full of food for our expedition, everyone was wondering what we are going to be doing with all that food! As we explained for what all the food was we could see the amazement on their faces , as most people from Canada, probably 99 percent never get the chance to visit Nunavut and the arctic region of their own country, it made me feel honoured to be able to experience this life changing expedition!! short list of what we bought: 200 oranges, 200 apples, 5kg of powdered milk, 5 kg of butter, 4kg of tang mixture to drink, and allot more!!

Today started a bit rough as we had to get up at 6 in the morning and prepare our bags for our flight to Iqaluit and then on to Clyde river. We had to find space for all the food that we bought at the local Wall mart in Ottawa to fit into our bags!! This involved a bit of strategic planning but in the end we got everything sorted and ready for our departure!

Unfortunately my bags did not get to the hotel last night and this morning i heard it was still in Washington.... hopefully they will send it up to Clyde river tomorrow, We had quite a tuff time checking in with all our over sized baggage's! also our whole supply of butter was confiscated. But that was not the end of the drama for the day... when we got to Iqaluit to transfer to go to Clyde river we were sitting on the plane, the captain announced that there was not enough fuel to go to Clyde river so we are stuck in Iqaluit for today and tomorrow, hopefully we can fly to our final destination then and meet up with the rest of the team at the Pangaea! I'm so excited to be able to finally go on the magnificent Pangaea sailing vessel!!! We spent the afternoon exploring the town and was amazed bout the amount of rubbish lying around...

Tonight we will have a nice and early bed time and we are aloud to sleep late tomorrow! Everyday is a new and exciting experience! LOVING it!!!
 

What have we learned so far while traveling with Mike Horn and the team in the arctic region of Canada" as with everything in life you have to be prepared in what you are going to do! this includes that all your documentation should be in order and that you should plan ahead for when you are going to go to the airport and check in, when will there be a shuttle to the airport and everyone should work together as a team to get everything done faster, here follow a few tips on traveling as a group together:

~Check your flight details and make sure that you will be on time, it is better to check in in advance so you can have some stress free traveling.

~It is better to keep all your traveling documents, such as passport and your boarding pass together.

~Never leave the group without telling someone where you are going and what your plans are.

~Never leave your bags unattended to prevent anyone using you as a mule to carry illegal or prohibited items through the security check points.

~When packing your bags it is important to pack all your liquid substances in zip lock bags in case it spills and does not cause you unnecessary hassle's.

~Keep all your traveling documents in a safe and easy accessible location in a organised manner, a easy file works best for me!

~Make copies of your passport, identification and keep them in your suitcase for in case you lose your original documents.

~Give a copy of your travel itinerary to a friend or family member along with contact details.

~As i have learned keep a spare pair of clothes in your hand luggage as all my equipment and bags are still stuck in Washington DC!

~always respect other travelers and look out for each other that are traveling with you! It is always interesting to befriend people that are with you in the plane and there stories and what brings them to this part of the world! And it does not matter what the situation is it is impotent to ALWAYS to keep calm and to NEVER GIVE UP! Try and negotiate with airport staff if you have any problems. But in the end the most important factor when traveling is to take all the beauty around you in and to enjoy every moment!!