By Antony Jinman

(Read the full report, with photos and a map, via this downoadable PDF.

This is an expedition that I put together to take part in the International Polar Year. I put this together because I’m a strong believer that one person can help make a difference. Its aims are to promote The International Polar Year and our charity British Schools Exploring Society and its 75 anniversary, by conducting school visits both on Baffin Island and here in the United Kingdom.
It took 12 months to put together, over which time there where many highs and many lows and in true expedition style it didn’t exactly all go according to plan. Many decisions were hard to make and more often than not, were potentially life threatening. We were off to the remote island of Baffin Island in northern Canada, to see how climate change is affecting the Inuit way of life. We were also attempting a crossing of the Penny Ice Cap, one of the most hostile and remote locations on the planet and yet stunningly beautiful.
On the eve of departure we received a telephone call from Parks Canada to inform us that there was no rescue team this year and we would have to be completely self rescue, the only rescue they could give was “body bag rescue.” Any expedition should always rely on the possibility of having to self rescue but this really hit home the remoteness of what we were attempting. This would prove to be a major factor in our decision making.
The expedition left the UK on the 5th March flying out to Ottawa and then up to Baffin Island. This year had seen some heavy snow storms in Eastern Canada but luckily the weather did not get in the way of our flights and we made it up to Iqualuit with no problems.
Unfortunately our connecting flight up to Qikiqtarjuaq was another story. The flight left without problems on a beautiful sunny day but when only twenty minutes from Qikiqtarjuaq the pilot announced technical problems and had to return to Iqualuit where we were forced to over night. The following morning one of our rucksacks was run over as it was being loaded on to the aircraft and was in such a bad state we couldn’t take it out on the expedition. However we made it up to Qikiqtarjuaq that day and wanting to make the most of the good weather we were keen to get out to our drop off point as soon as possible.
The weather was good as we got dropped off by skidoo on the 8th March at Okoa Bay, an epic 7 hour ride at -40’c. Our first big problem was finding an access route onto the glacier as it was heavily crevassed. We opted to haul our kit up and around the side of the valley so that we could get on the glacier further up the valley. This glacier happened to be a northerly facing glacier and I had expected it to be in good condition. Northerly glaciers in the northern hemisphere tend to stay in the shade for longer each year then southerly glaciers. There for in this part of the world I wasn’t expecting to find a glacier in such a bad state. The ice itself had retreated a number of kilometres from what our map and GPS stated. We also witnessed a number of ice falls, where house size sections would fall off the edge producing a roar of thunder and a cloud of debris. Very impressive sights but also heart stopping because as soon as you hear the boom of thunder you can’t help but to look up to make sure it’s nowhere near you.
Once on the glacier we made good progress over the next 4 days and began to realise that we could cross the Penny in good time. Unfortunately on the evening of our fourth night it became apparent that we wouldn’t be going any further. Vijay’s feet had started to suffer from poor circulation living at -40/-45’c and to carry on would almost certainly mean frostbite. There was only one option and that was to return, it was as simple as that.
We made good time down the glacier and returned to Qikiqtarjuaq on the 13th. Vijay flew down to Iqualuit the following day to have a precautionary check up on his feet. All was well but according to the doctors to have carried would have meant frostbite. We had made the right decision.
Meanwhile I carried on with the science phase of our project which was the core of the expedition. I spent four days in Qikiqtarjuaq a population of just 600, giving talks in the local school and spending time learning about Inuit culture and their history. Questions were asked about any seasonal changes that have happened in recent history. Inuit elders and hunters proved to be a wealth of information on climate change and were very keen for their concerns to be heard. The Inuit’s have only lived in permanent settlements since the 1960’s and many of the elders still remember the nomadic way of life. Everyone was in agreement that the summer months are getting alarmingly longer and hotter (sometimes reaching 30’c), affecting their traditional hunting and fishing locations. They are also seeing new species of animals moving into the area for example “biting flies” and “birds that sing” I was told. The only birds previously seen were ravens.
On the 17th March I left for the next phase of the expedition. We had decided that I’d make a solo attempt to get to Pangnirtung, a distance of 150km between villages through the Akshayuk Pass. Once again I started out making good progress, covering on average 15 miles a day. Unbeknown to me at the time, a “severe weather warning” was issued for the 21st with gale force winds and heavy snow predicted. The evening of the 21st saw the wind increase in force as the weather forecast had predicted. I decided to sit tight and wait out the storm. It lasted for three days and for most of that I couldn’t leave my tent due to the severity of the raging winds. It was the closest experience I can imagine to going into space. My tent was my capsule of survival, I couldn’t stand outside and the wind chill would freeze bare skin in seconds. The simple truth is that the storm couldn’t be rushed I just had to tune myself into natures cycle. Time passed very quickly. I just slept and let my mind wander. It was often too cold to even hold a pencil to write. Temperatures got to around -60’c including wind chill and the winds reported to be 50kph with even stronger gusts.
Once the storm passed I skied the remaining 30miles to Pangnirtung in two days and enjoyed a hot shower at an Inuit family’s home stay on the 26th. During the next couple of days I visited the local school, speaking to seven different year groups on climate change and my time skiing to Pangnirtung. The students were really keen to find out about England and why I wanted to ski solo in winter. I also visited a local craft centre which has been set up during the 70’s to help promote Inuit art and generate much needed jobs within the community. I met and interviewed a number of the artists including Andrew Qappik who designed the Nunavit flag and coat of arms. “The craft centre helps generate much needed jobs as well as promote traditional Inuit art.”
Once this phase had finish I then returned via Ottawa where he met up with Vijay who had been conducting research and logistical support for the expedition. Returning as a team on the 31st March, both of us extremely happy that no injury had occurred and that we had made all the right decisions when needed.