Press release ”Expedition Greenland ICE”
31-03-2014
Greenland ICE Expedition - Investigating the Climate with Eolus
What is it all about?
WORLD FIRST
Explorers Dixie Dansercoer and Eric McNair-Landry are on the verge of an Arctic world record attempt in
Greenland: a world kiting distance record in full autonomy over the massive Greenland ice cap covering
more than 5000 kilometers in 80 days.
WIND POWER
During their journey Dixie and Eric will make 100% use of the wind to advance. Based on theoretical wind
circulation and in cooperation with scientists a specific route was determined so that the progress could be
accomplished by kite.
PIONEERING
The courageous duo are set to begin a kiting expedition in which they will circumnavigate the Greenland
Icecap, a mind-boggling distance capitalizing on the power of the wind, using newly developed kites.
COMPLICITY OF GENERATIONS
Only through intense cooperation between two generations on the ice for more than 70 days in often
inhuman en extreme circumstances Dixie and Eric will be able to accomplish this ambitious challenge.
CLIMATE CHANGE RESEARCH
Dixie and Eric will simultaneously perform scientific data collection to assist researchers in their crucial
understanding of climate change, not only in Greenland but throughout our globe. The research will be
monitored and managed by a dedicated scientific research committee.
100% GREEN EXPEDITION
Both explorers will be promoting environmental sustainability by offsetting their own environmental
imprint. With limited resources available during expeditions on the ice and none of the CO²-producing
tools, this expedition will showcase an ambitious sustainable activity producing limited waste.
MISSION
Dixie: “Our focus is to reach as many global citizens as possible through our adventurous platform and to
help them engage in a realistic fashion. When an individual recognizes his/her environmental footprint,
then he/she is able to do something about it.”
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Press release ”Expedition Greenland ICE”
31-03-2014
PRESS RELEASE
Expedition Greenland ICE: Investigating the Climate with Eolus
Explorers Dixie Dansercoer and Eric McNair-Landry are on the verge of an Arctic world record attempt in
Greenland. The courageous duo are set to begin a kiting expedition in which they will circumnavigate the
Greenland Icecap, a mind-boggling distance capitalizing on the power of the wind. Simultaneously they
will perform ground-breaking scientific research that will further aid our understanding on global
warming and provide insight into how it can be countered.
Brussels, March 31, 2014 - Dixie Dansercoer (51) and Eric McNair-Landry (30) are ready to embark on an
expedition to set a world kiting distance record over the massive Greenland Icecap - the second largest ice
cap in the world - covering more than 5000 kilometers in under 80 days. Dixie and Eric will simultaneously
perform scientific data collection to assist researchers in their crucial understanding of climate change, not
only in Greenland but throughout our globe. The Belgian-Canadian team will be setting off on this
unprecedented expedition on April 7th.
Eric and Dixie will be dropped off by helicopter onto the ice cap, somewhere West of Tasiilaq on the east
coast of Greenland and finally end at the same point: Green-speed Ridge (N 65°46.736 W 38°32.869). They
will be traveling clockwise to follow the katabatic winds that – under the influence of the Coriolis Effect
(rotation of the Earth) – veer to either left or right, depending on whether you are in the northern or
southern hemisphere. ”We’ll highlight sound risk management and a strong commitment to corporate
responsibility, exuding experience, leadership, ambition, a zest for pioneering with calculated risk taking”,
says Dixie.
Intensive preparation phase
”An expedition of this nature is going to be particular because we are traveling in a big circle around a wind
source, meaning we will be edging with our left ski continuously,” explains Eric when asked about the
physical challenges ahead. ”This will obviously put a lot of strain on the left knee, and in general kiting
requires strong knees.” Dixie’s physical preparation involves specific lower back exercises: ”A couple of
months before the expedition I began pulling tires on long hikes. Running and biking are my regular
endurance fitness choices.”
However it will be an indomitable mental strength upon which both expeditioners will rely, something they
have stubbornly honed during their intensive preparation phase. ”Keeping sane on an expedition is difficult
but obviously necessary,” admits Eric. ”Generally I find that keeping the mind exercised is a good antidote:
bringing along thought provoking books, video and audio lectures, and a sketch pad to document and
design tends to keep me well occupied.” Dixie adds: ”A polar expedition is a contradictory thing to do in an
otherwise modern society that offers nothing but comfort, an endless palate of colours, diverse smells, and
a never-wavering menu of stimuli. The only way to prepare for a long-haul expedition is to invite difficulty
into your life.”
100% Green Expedition: wind and solar energy as worthy expedition partners
Dixie and Eric will be promoting environmental sustainability by offsetting their own environmental
imprint.
With limited resources available during expeditions on the ice and none of the CO²-producing tools, this
expedition will showcase an ambitious sustainable activity producing limited waste.
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Press release ”Expedition Greenland ICE”
31-03-2014
Regarding the environmental footprint, the explorers will operate under the slogan “reduce to the max.”
To date the team has pushed waste reduction so far that the total waste amounts to only 600 grams for
two people for 80 days on the ice (= 3,75 g per person per day!). During the expeditions, an average of 9 cl
of fuel will be burned per person per day.
The project will be using new pioneering solar energy and kiting techniques to master wind power in a
more efficient way, making the expedition close to 100% environmentally friendly. Dixie and Eric strive
towards a maximum use of renewable energy and sustainable mobility.
During their journey Dixie and Eric will make 100% use of the wind to advance. Based on theoretical wind
circulation and in cooperation with scientists a specific route was determined so that the progress could be
accomplished by kite.
Newly developed kites
Dixie and Eric will carry newly developed Ozone-kites in their sleds, including various sail sizes to catch the
wind at both high and low altitudes. Dixie: “One, of course, needs wind to cover such a great distance with
kites, but too much wind can make kiting a dangerous operation. It will be an exercise of constant
adaptation when choosing the appropriate kite for the specific wind conditions. For low wind days we will
use the prototype Chrono 18 square meter kite.”
Dixie and Eric will also take along two state of the art flexible solar panels which will provide energy for
charging all batteries (including Iridium Extreme satellite phones, Canon video and photo camera,
Panasonic Toughpad, Astron Rough Pro and other electronic devices).
It is the explorers’ mission to create a global desire and subsequent engagement on an individual level.
Dixie: “Our focus is to reach as many global citizens as possible through our adventurous platform and to
help them engage in a realistic fashion. When an individual recognizes his/her environmental footprint,
then he/she is able to do something about it.”
Ground-breaking scientific research on the vast Greenland icecap
As with every Polar Circles1 expedition, a sportive goal is not enough to complete such a rigorous
adventure. Dixie and Eric will carry scientific equipment with them to collect much needed data on global
warming for global climate experts – this information will be used in ground-breaking research which
affects us all. The research will be monitored and managed by a dedicated scientific research committee.
1
Polar Circles is a company specializing in polar expeditions, polar guiding, corporate supporting programs, and public
speaking – www.polarcircles.com
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Press release ”Expedition Greenland ICE”
31-03-2014
Wind directions on the Greenland Ice cap
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Visit: www.greenlandice.be and follow Dixie and Eric on Facebook,
Twitter and Instagram
Moreover, you can use the following link to download pictures and
the expedition logo:2
CONTACT US:
Interel contact: Cedric van der Donk,
cedric.vanderdonk@interelgroup.com – 00 32 474 346 037
Polar Circles: Stefan Maes, project coordinator Greenland ICE:
stefan@polarcircles.com – 00 32 475 89 43 46.
International scientific team
The Greenland ice sheet is losing mass with an accelerating speed. The mass lost, due to melt water run-off
and iceberg calving, will strongly increase the global sea level: if all Greenland will melt, the sea level would
rise by approximately 6 m. The atmospheric circulation over Greenland, which affects the air temperature
and ice melt, is strongly controlled by katabatic winds - downslope flows of cold air over the ice sheet.
Knowledge on the katabatic winds is incomplete due to rarity of observations. Observations from
Greenland are mostly available from weather stations, where measurements are made in the lowermost 10
m of the atmosphere. Upper level observations are only made at six locations, which, except of the Summit
station, are all located in the coastal zone. Finally, observations of the snowpack erosion by wind (occurring
in winter/spring) have not been yet performed over Greenland until now. The Greenland ICE Expedition
2014 will yield unprecedented observations on the state of snow (melting, drifting, ...) as well as the wind,
air temperature, and air humidity up to the height of 200 m along a 5.500 km long route in the inner parts
of the ice sheet. These will allow us to better understand the dynamics of katabatic winds and their
interaction with the air temperature. Further, the observations will allow evaluation of the performance of
weather prediction and climate models in the region.
The scientific team supporting the Greenland Expedition 2014 consists of leading international experts on
Arctic meteorology and glaciology. The results will be beneficial for various programs and projects, such as
the Polar Prediction Program and the Arctic Freshwater Synthesis of the World Meteorological Organization
and the development of the French/Belgian regional climate MAR model (Modèle Atmosphérique
Régional).
Members of the international scientific team
Chairman Timo Vihma, John Cassano, David Bromvich, Benjamin Harden, Konrad Steffan, Xavier Fettweis,
Marc Dekeyser, Fritz Buyl and Gert Coone.
2
http://owncloud.interelgroup.com/public.php?service=files&t=773ae19a1a062cc0be414040b8df51b3
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Press release ”Expedition Greenland ICE”
31-03-2014
Major risks for the Greenland ICE Expedition Team on the ice cap
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Piteraq: strong and cold catabatic winds that come off the Greenlandic ice cap. The buildup of high
density cold air over the ice sheets and the elevation of the ice sheets brings into play enormous
gravitational energy. In Greenland these winds are most intense whenever a low pressure area
approaches the east coast, reaching around 300 km/h (190 mph). The word ”piteraq” means ”that
which attacks you” in the local language.
-
Glacier crevasses: a deep crack in a glacier (up to 100 m deep). A crevasse may be covered, but not
necessarily filled, by a snow bridge made of the previous years' accumulation and snow drifts. The
result is that crevasses are rendered invisible, and thus potentially lethal to anyone attempting to
navigate his way across a glacier.
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Glacier mill (“moulin”): a moulin or glacier mill is a roughly circular, vertical to nearly vertical welllike shaft within a glacier through which water enters from the surface. The term is derived from
the French word for mill. They can be up to 10 meters wide and are typically found at a flat area of
a glacier in a region of transverse crevasses. Moulins can reach the bottom of the glacier, hundreds
of meters deep, or may only reach the depth of common crevasse formation (about 10–40 m)
where the stream flows in glacially. Moulins are a part of a glacier's internal plumbing system, one
that carries melt-water from the surface down to wherever it may go. Water from a moulin often
exits the glacier at base level, sometimes into the sea, and occasionally the lower end of a moulin
may be exposed in the face of a glacier or at the edge of a stagnant block of ice.
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Polar bears: the polar bear is a carnivorous bear whose native range lies largely within the Arctic
Circle, encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. The polar
bear is the world's largest land-based predator, and is thus larger than other species of bear. A boar
(adult male) weighs around 350–700 kg (770–1,540 lb), while a sow (adult female) is about half that
size. In Greenland the polar bear lives and breeds in the northernmost parts of West Greenland and
in Northeast Greenland, but is also occasionally seen elsewhere in Greenland, as it moves with the
drifting ice.
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Press release ”Expedition Greenland ICE”
31-03-2014
Greenland ICE Expedition 2014 – Facts & Figures
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Expedition Greenland ICE - Investigating the Climate with Eolus
Longest Arctic unsupported (in full autonomy and non-motorized) snow-kiting kiting expedition
(actual record: the 4.260 km vertical crossing of the Greenland ice cap in 67 days in 2009)
Distance Greenland ICE (approx.): 5.200 km
Timeframe: 80 days (approx.), starting on April 7
Location: Greenland Ice cap – second largest ice cap in the world - 1.710.000 km²
Polar explorers: Dixie Dansercoer (Belgian) & Eric McNair-Landry (Canadian)
Progress: by means of wind energy (kites)
Kites:
o Stationary ‘Flow’ kites: 2, 4 and 9 m²
o Progression kites Ozone:
4 m² Access
6 m² Access
10 m² Summit (ultralight version)
15 m² Summit (ultralight version)
18 m² Chrono (new prototype!)
o Progression kite Nasawing 32 m²
Expected temperatures: -30°C > - 15°C (wind chill)
Weight of embarked equipment: 170 kg per sled
Fuel consumption: 9 cl per day per person
Nutrition: 4.030 kCal a day per person (breakfast, lunch, dinner, salty snacks) – meals specially
developed in cooperation with Belgian chef Frank Fol
Scientific data collection: 4 Kestrel 4500 wind and weather meters, 1 Ebro precision probe
thermometer
Communications & Camera/Video
o New Panasonic FZ-M1 Toughpad
o New Iridium Extreme satellite phones
o Canon video and photo camera
o New Astron Rough Pro
Solar Power Film – flexible solar panels (2) for charging the batteries of all communication and
navigation devices.
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Press release ”Expedition Greenland ICE”
31-03-2014
International expedition team on the ice
Complicity of two generations…
About Dixie Dansercoer (°1962 - Belgium)
Experience, maturity, leadership, zest for pioneering, calculated risk-taking
Each and every expedition of Dixie Dansercoer (°1962) has been unique and groundbreaking in the vast North and South Pole areas. Throughout all of his expedition ventures
and actions, Dixie Dansercoer, his partners, and his team have been pushing past
boundaries in every sense of the word for more than 18 years. Together with his wife and
business partner Julie Brown, they form the corporate entity Polar Circles – a dynamic
business incorporating polar expeditions, polar guiding, management consulting, public
speaking, book writing and film production.
Dixie Dansercoer will embark on this current ambitious polar expedition with a determined goal guaranteed
to seal his place in the polar record books. Earlier, Dixie (together with expedition partner Sam Deltour) set
the new world record for non-motorized distance travelled in Antarctica during their Antarctic ICE
Expedition. In 74 days, Dixie and Sam covered 5013 kilometres in extreme conditions.
About Eric McNair-Landry (°1984 - Canada)
Ambitious, professional, contemporary, innovative, insightful
Eric grew up in Iqaluit, Nunavut where dog sledding, kite-skiing, and cold weather survival
skills were learned at an early age. His passion for expeditions has resulted in more than
15,000km travelled via kite-ski. His adventures have taken him across the Northwest
Passage, to the Gobi Desert, twice to the South Pole, and across the Greenland Icecap six
times.
Eric holds the world record for the longest distance kite-skied in 24 hours; he has been nominated for
National Geographic’s Adventurer of the Year Award and received the Outdoor Idol Award in 2007. Eric’s
photo was recently published in The National Geographic Magazine.
For this newest adventure, Eric has high hopes and realistic expectations: ”I enjoy the nomadic experience,
moving place to place from one day to another. I love the variety of daily life on an expedition, with each
new day presenting new & different challenges from the last. There is no ‘9 to 5’ on a kiting expedition!”
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Press release ”Expedition Greenland ICE”
31-03-2014
Expedition Partner Team
The expedition will be led by two highly skilled professionals. Their ambition, the objectives of the
project such as understanding global warming as well as the world record has led DEME, Elia, Puratos and
CMB/BOCIMAR to support the Greenland ICE Expedition.
Alain Bernard, CEO of DEME: ”The polar areas are of crucial importance to the ecology of our entire Earth.
DEME shares Dixie's ambition to reduce mankind's environmental footprint, and promotes sustainability
through its pioneering, trendsetting activities: from the protection of our vulnerable coastal areas against
the negative effects of climate change to the promotion of renewable energy generation through the
development and construction of offshore wind, tidal and wave farms.”
“We actively support this initiative that testifies to entrepreneurship and exemplifies values such as
innovation and sustainability. The pioneering aspect really speaks to our soul, especially since they never
lose sight of responsibility and safety,” explains Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO of Elia.
”As an innovation leader in its field, Puratos continuously turns challenges into new opportunities. The
Greenland Ice Expedition of Dixie Dansercoer reflects our Puratos values such as courage, passion and a
pioneering spirit”, says Frederik Lievens, Business Unit Director of Puratos.
According to Marc Saverys, CEO of CMB/BOCIMAR: ”It is our third cooperation with Dixie and we have
always had much admiration for the quality, courage, integrity and steadfastness with which his
expeditions are carried out. And quite honestly, I feel a genuine sympathy and friendship with Dixie.”
Expedition Partners
Communication Partner
Technical and logistic partners