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THE BIG (RE)DEPARTURE - EXPEDITION AKOR WEEK 8

After almost two full weeks of well-deserved rest, our adventurers are ready to put on their skis again!

The last week was exceptionally long. The ants started to tickle their legs. Their clothes are clean and dry, the wounds on their legs are almost entirely healed, their equipment is repaired. The beautiful temperature (-10 C) and the generous sunshine that has bathed Resolute during the last week have been good for morale.

However, it has not managed to get the guys out of their tiny house: Nicolas, for example, has only gone outside four times in 13 days.

It's safe to say, rest has really been their priority.


They are very excited to start skiing again. The experience our explorers gained previously is a game-changer. They know their equipment and their bodies well, their personal limits and strengths, the terrain, and much more.

They know that the temperature will gradually rise. According to the men, it will be zero degrees in three weeks, and they will be skiing in shorts and t-shirts. Summer can be felt in the distance.

What do they have in front of them for this second ski section?

First of all, the guys will be flying across the Barrow Strait for 120 kilometres because the ice has thawed out too quickly this year. Therefore, it is impassable.


The men had plans to leave Monday morning. Yet, an opaque fog covering the ice pack on landing forced the charter pilot to turn back and reschedule for Tuesday.

Once the adventure resumes, they will have about a week of skiing in polar bear territory, still close to open water sections.

After that, they will have three weeks to ski on ice that should be thick, according to satellite photos from past years. It is known in the region that "thick ice" means there will be no water holes. This is an essential factor. Without water holes, they expect to be surrounded by roughly five times fewer polar bears.


According to their calculations, it would take them 33 days to get to Gjoa's Haven, the site of the second resupply.

Their expectations are quite different than when they first left, mainly because of the warmer temperatures that await them. The cold weather is behind them. The average temperature for the territory where they will be is -10.

Although, with the heat comes other types of problems and dangers: unpredictable open water holes, water streams on the ice, water percolating over the ice, the list goes on.

The expedition should eventually, as they approach Gjoa's Haven, become more aquatic. They have brought their dry suits, rope bags, pulley systems and carabiners to float their sleds if necessary.


Once in Gjoa's Haven, a whole new part of the experience will take off: they will trade their skis for canoes, and Etienne Desbois and Philippe Vohgel will join the team.

As always, the team thanks the entire community. They can feel all of the love, and it pushes them to keep going on this monumental expedition.

Make sure to follow along on our social media accounts, @Naakbars to stay up to date with any breaking news and photos from Expedition AKOR. Be sure to read more about the team on our previous Blog Posts.

Näak Blog | Expedition Akor week 6

Visit expeditionakor.com to read more about the teams’ journey, or follow them on Instagram @expeditionakor.

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