It is extremely dangerous, unstable and unpredictable. […]
Doctor and mother, Karina Oliani will soon warn you. Climbing an iceberg in the Arctic is an “extremely dangerous, unstable and unpredictable” experience.
But what is a “moving mountain” to those who have ziplined across a volcanic lava lake in Ethiopia, swam with crocodiles in Mexico, and hunted? whirlwinds in Tornado Valley, United States?
“The iceberg breaks, breaks off and can capsize [virar, em português]. It is a very high risk, but scaling the [montanha] K2 is too. I don’t encourage it and I don’t recommend it,” Karina says to Travel at a rate.
Therefore, careful reader, do not try to do what you are about to read at home (much less in the Arctic). Remember that these experiences were carried out by professionals trained in extreme activities, planned in advance and with adequate equipment.
Northwest Passage
Karina, the first Brazilian woman specialized in emergencies and rescue in remote areas, and the Brazilian-born German Sylvestre Campe, leader of the expedition, are part of the crew of the sailing vessel Abel Tasman, which is crossing the Northwest Passage, where the Atlantic and Pacific oceans meet, a region above the Arctic Circle.
THE Ocean Scientific Expedition It left Bergen, Norway, on June 10, to arrive who knows when in the Bering Strait. In the latest update sent to the Travel at a rateOn August 21, the expedition found itself on an iceberg, west of King William Island, an island in the Canadian Arctic.
The ascent, instead, took place in Søndre Upernavik, a tiny town of 195 inhabitants, in the Upernavik archipelago, in Greenland.
“The icebergs in the Arctic are enchanting with their beauty, size and shape. But they are also terrifying,” the leader said during the crossing from Greenland to Canada, where navigation visibility did not exceed 20 meters, during an interview for this report.
Even if they had the necessary equipment for ice climbing, on an iceberg it is not a question of finding a safe place, but the least dangerous one.
“It flips over and breaks without giving any warning in advance. It was a very tense moment,” recalls Karina, who had to be as agile as possible so as not to delay the activity on ice walls up to 30 meters high.
Once the analysis is over, the couple would encounter another difficulty: how to disembark with the crampons on your feet? This series of sharp spikes that surround the climber’s shoes not only function as claws that make it easier to walk on icy terrain but also… they puncture boats.
“We decided to climb an iceberg, obviously, with great respect, caution and using our sixth sense, that little inner voice that tells us when to turn around and abort. [a escalada]”, Campe says on the phone.
Unlike a normal climb, the climbers were not tied to any ropes, so they could descend as quickly as possible in case one of the icebergs moved. Then, in a curious reversal of roles, all this was accompanied by Sylvestre’s daughter.
Cleo Campe remained close to the boat to save the two, in case of an accident such as an iceberg capsizing or falling into the water, which could be fatal.
“I was so relieved when my dad called me on the radio and said they had finished the climb and I could go get them,” Cleo recalls.
“We want to get closer, even though we know that these are moving monuments. You feel a slight movement, you feel that the iceberg is alive. And that’s fascinating.”
Silvestre Campe
This German, who is only satisfied when he can provide an aerial image, is known for his expeditions with crossings aboard a paramotor, a “little toy” that he also brought with him for the crossing.
And when it comes to the Arctic, everywhere you look there are icebergs “cracking, tipping, and creating waves.” Of all sizes, shapes, and densities.
In that kind of frozen playground, the crew also found themselves in the Ilulissat Ice Fjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located near the town of Ilulissat, considered the “iceberg capital of the world”, on the west coast of Greenland, in Disko Bay.
“It’s unique because the local geography causes these icebergs to get stuck in this bay, forming an absurd concentration of icebergs,” Karina recalls.
polar playground
Considered a sort of ice sculpture park, the region also served as a setting for Karina to practice. wakeboardsport with a board towed by a motorboat.
Even though sailing among icebergs is also a risky experience, Karina found the sensation of gliding on those waters, touching the glaciers, magical, “a special thing, but very dangerous” (and wasn’t her mother right when she said that the climber in the nativity scene was a dangerous child?).
A two-time Brazilian sports champion, at 17 years old Karina literally felt the change of mood in the polar territories, starting the activity with the cloudy sky, “the typical one of Greenland”, and ending with the blue sky.
The native of San Paolo also practiced Stand Up Paddlingkayaking, hiking and ice diving, a complex discipline that requires specific certification for the administration of the “dry suit”, used in the coldest environments.
Let the expedition leader’s daughter say so.
Cleo Campe, 27, spent months preparing for the frigid waters and even had a special 9.5mm wetsuit made for her.
“The ice was initially white, but as it descended, the white turned to light blue and then to a dark, dramatic blue,” describes Cleo, fascinated by that underwater world made of small caves and distinct textures.
One of the most tense moments of the experience was when he ended up “breathing water” while exploring a mini cave. “This generated a certain panic, because there were still about ten meters of iceberg to be brought up to the surface,” he recalls in a statement via text message, sent to Travel at a rate.
For Cleo, however, this journey is not only full of doubts, but also of certainties.
Although diving in seas and rivers is nothing new to her, about five years ago, Cleo discovered free-diving, when only the air in her lungs is used.
“I don’t like the idea of being dependent on equipment. I prefer to be dependent only on myself and therefore have more control. I am more afraid of equipment. scuba diving fail”, confesses the diver who, in the Arctic, has practiced the activity twice under icebergs.
While freediving, Cleo feels more agile in her movements and has a greater speed of navigation, since she does not have to worry about details such as air regulation, for example. “I feel much freer to explore,” she adds.
The Arctic is no joke, no
Even though you swear it’s all an adventure trip full of extreme sports, Karina, nor any other member of the crew, is there to have fun.
The mission of this courageous scientific expedition is to raise public awareness of the six points of no return, since irreversible environmental situations are known, such as, for example, the collapse of the Amazon and the melting of the ice at the ends of the planet.
The team also relies on the work of sound designer Sebastian Sánchez, who landed in the Arctic with several hydrophones to capture and understand the underwater sounds emitted by the ice, up to 100 meters deep, and measure marine noise pollution in such an isolated environment.
His wife Cleo recalls the sensation of capturing, underwater, what cannot be felt on the surface.
“All the time something was breaking or cracking and, out of the water, we didn’t notice anything. The feeling is a bit eerie, but it shows that the iceberg is always moving,” he adds.
For Sylvestre, everything that is collected in images, “a complete visual account of what the Passage is, will serve as a research basis for many scientists.”
The expedition is carrying out five scientific projects simultaneously, such as the measurement of oceanographic parameters, in collaboration with the Ocean Race; and analysis of the presence of microplastics with a machine activated twice a day, whose acquired data are sent so that the expedition companions can analyze the material.
“Every day, we’re collecting information from the ocean. It has data on CO2, O2, salinity, and temperature. And that’s important because we’re tabulating all this data from the voyage, from Bergen to Alaska,” explains Keith Tuffley, a crew member and owner of the sailboat.
The crew of the Ocean Science Expedition also includes the Brazilian Ramon Gonçalves, cameraman, photographer and drone operator; Kester Haynes, paramotor pilot; and hair skipper Alex and Isaac Rockstrom.
The journey also continues with the analysis of irreversible environmental situations, such as the melting of ice at the ends of the planet, and the search for DNA, through the collection of seawater samples for the non-invasive monitoring of local fauna.
“Nature’s Metrics [uma das parceiras da expedição] uses DNA samples to monitor and assess biodiversity in different environments. By collecting environmental DNA (eDNA) from water, soil and air, they can identify the presence of different species without having to see or capture them directly,” explains Karina.
If he were alive, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, leader of the first crossing of the Northwest Passage and one of the crew’s greatest inspirations, would have been proud to see it all.
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
