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The International
Greenland Expedition (1997-1998)
Page No 2
Page 2 of 6 - Article appeared in Australian Geographic No62 Ap-June
2001, text and photography by John Hoelscher.
THE CONCEIVER of the International Greenland Expedition
(IGE) was my partner Lonnie Dupre from Minnesota, USA, a veteran of
over 15 years with 16,000 kilometres of arctic expedition travel by
dog team, ski and kayak to his credit. I am from Yeppoon, Queensland
and he and I met in 1993 when I had travelled from Mawson research
station, Antarctica to Ely, Minnesota to assist the new owners of
our Australian Antarctic sledge dogs, which had been removed due to
an international environmental policy. I had spent the past year with
these trusted companions on several expeditions along the coastal
sea ice whilst stationed at Mawson as an electrician. At Mawson in
late 1995 I receive a satellite phone call - it was Lonnie. "Say John,
how'd you like to do a little sledging?" I knew from Lonnie's previous
journeys that there is usually nothing little about them. "How about
coming with me and travelling around Greenland - the traditional way,
you know by dog team and kayak." I knew in my heart it was my desire,
to travel and learn from the arctic dog sledging experts - the Inuit
people of North Greenland. The IGE was born. Our expedition aim was
to accomplish the first ever circumnavigation, using traditional modes
of arctic transportation - kayak and dog sledge, while serving as
a forum for learning and exploration into the past, present and future
of this fascinating arctic country. The writing and production of
Arctic Challenge - an interactive IGE educational curriculum was primarily
carried out by Lonnie's wife and professional educator Kelly Dupre.
It would take over eighteen difficult yet enterprising months for
sufficient fund-raising,, logistics and in depth planning to be put
in place. To complete the 15 month journey would involve two summers
of kayaking -we would use a double kayak the following summer on the
east coast - with five months of winter dog sledging across the north
and north-east coasts in-between.
The timing of these journeys was
critical in making the passage possible as the seasons allow. We would
spend the winter months where the sun sets for almost four months,
in Qaanaaq and the Avanersuaq district in north-west Greenland, a
place famous explorers such as Peary and Rasmussen had stayed before
us. This time was for preparing equipment and purchasing and training
our dog team in readiness for our sledge journey once the sun returned
in February. Like Australia it is a land of open spaces, a country
with the lowest population density on earth and with over 85% of its
land covered by a high inhospitable frozen icecap second in area only
to that of Antarctica. Much of Greenland is ringed by high mountains
confining the inland ice. The ice can only escape through low valleys
in these ranges as immense rugged glaciers constantly feed icebergs
which calve off with a thunderous roar onto riverbeds or into the
sea. The irony of this northernmost land is in its name given by Eric
the Red, the leader of the first Norse settlement: "Men would be ready
to go thither if the land had a good name". In fact the only shades
of green are found in the small sheltered coastal areas, where stunted
shrubs, grasses, mosses and lichens can survive, growing with intensity
during the brief snow free summer season. It is in these areas where
the native Inuit "the people" have lived for thousands of years by
learning how to hunt and procure food in specialised traditional ways.
These areas also come alive with insects and migratory seabirds as
well as terrestrial mammals -busy raising their young during this
brief time of plenty. The long dark winters bring with it cyclonic
winds, driving snow and temperatures which can drop to well below
-50degC in the interior and northern regions.
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