1st Greenland Circumnavigation 2014
- Start date: 6-5-2014
- End date: 23-6-2014
- Start / end point: Kangerlussuaq
- Total km: 4.300
- Expedition duration: 49 days
- Challenges achieved: First ice circumnavigation with an eco-convoy
RETURN TO GREENLAND
In the spring of 2014, the polar explorer Ramón Larramendi and his team realized an expedition never accomplished before in Greenland: a circular route on the ‘Inlandsis’ ice with the WindSled, which for the first time had three different modules: one was the handling, with a protective tent, another one with cargo and a third as the habitability one. A total of five people participated in the circumnavigation: Larramendi, as leader of the expedition, Manuel Olivera, Eusebio Beamonte, the Danish Karin Moe Bojsen and the Greenlander Hugo Svenson.
FIRST DAYS WITH VARIABLE WINDS
In the beginning of this adventure, the crew found very variable winds, not always in favor, which generated many difficulties especially on the route to the north, a circumstance that allowed them to use in extreme, and with success, a technique which has already been tried in previous trips.
The expedition left on May 6, 2014 from southwest Greenland, in the vicinity of Kangerlussuaq. From there they headed towards the Thule region, a journey in which they invested 16 days. On May 22, at a point in that region, they turned and began the return journey through the northeast of the island, the most unexplored, and passing by the outskirts of Narsaq.
The WindSled held up well against the complicated blizzards that were encountered on route. The breakdowns could be solved without external assistance, task in which they invested time when stopping due to lack of wind.
On their way they passed through a former military scientific base, Dye-3, in the heart of Greenland, which has been abandoned for 25 years and which they found practically buried in snow.
POLAR SCIENCE
As on previous occasions, the expeditionary, to the exploratory and environmental challenge, had to add the scientific one: every 100 kilometers they collected samples of air and snow, in the latter case thanks to a special cutting, up to a meter in depth which upon their return they delivered to the Pyrenean Institute of Ecology, CSIC. The data was used for studies on climate change and on polluting substances.
During the voyage, the expedition members endured temperatures of down to minus 30º Celsius. Finally they arrived at Kangerlussuaq, on June 23, after being picked up by a helicopter on the ice, in the vicinity of the town.
Expedition images
Related News
- Presentación de la expedición Circunnavegación de Groenlandia (RTVE, 22-4-2014)
- Navegar sobre el hielo: expedición del Trineo de Viento (National Geographic, julio 2015)
- Viajando por Groenlandia en un eco-trineo español (El Huffington Post, 17-6-2014)
- Odisea polar en un trineo verde (EL MUNDO 28-6-2014)
- Culmina con éxito la expedición del Trineo de Viento (EFE, 30-6-2014)
- Finaliza con un nuevo récord la expedición del Trineo de Viento en Groenlandia (SINC, 24-6-2014)
- El Trineo de Viento culmina con éxito su expedición a Groenlandia (ABC, 27-6-2014)