Less than two months to go until the team stands on the remote shores of the Svalbard Archipelago in Norway. Our preparations are coming together, we have received immense support from people and sponsors, and now we can all feel like this is really happening.
Yesterday I received photos from the Zegul factory in Estonia, our custom kayaks are fresh off the press and now getting ready to be shipped to Sweden where they will board a Vega Expeditions vessel and begin their voyage to Longyearbyen in Svalbard and await our arrival in mid June.
Tara
Tara is currently finishing up her season guiding in Milford sound and is beginning preparations to fly out of NZ on June 11th. She will be bringing with her amazing custom goretex down jackets from “Wear on Earth” and 240 packets of freeze dried food from “Fresh As”. Plus a load of New Zealand chocolates and treats to help us keep up or drive in the arctic cold.
Jaime
I am currently flying to Seattle Washington USA after a great stay with Ginna and Sean Morely in California. Sean has been a huge help in helping me voice out logistical concerns with the expedition and sharing his knowledge of long distance expeditions. And of course big thanks to Ginna for allowing me to stay for a number of weeks with the family and play with their awesome kids Shea Bella and Kai.
In Seattle I await the arrival of our Kokatat drysuits and other kokatat paddle wear, our 5:10 water shoes, extra film equipment, spray skirts, energy bars and our super comfy padded seats from Jackson kayak.
Soon I will be in Canada getting some cold water training in and packing my final bags in preparation for flying to Norway on June 12.
PG
Per Gustav has finished up work in Brazil and is now back in Molde Norway, he is now finalizing our food drop caches and group gear that will be placed on the boat “. ” as it goes past Molde on its journey north to Svalbard.
By June 13th all three of us will be in Norway at PG’s house in Molde for 5 days before we fly north together on the 19th of June to Svalbard, and then begins our expedition.
As always excitement and fear take equal turns at playing about the system and thoughts, and to me this simply means this is a worthy adventure.
Thanks to everyone again for all the support, we are almost there.
