Fearless and Fulfilling

Fearless and Fulfilling Coordinates Lat: 79 16 60N Long: 010 35.33E Our first full day of the expedition found us exploring the Lilliehookbreen Glacier on the Western end of Svalbard by Zodiacs. It was amazing to encounter Arctic Skuas, Atlantic Puffins and Little Auks in the Arctic Ice . The Crush Ice, Growlers (larger chunks of ice that got their name from how when scaling alongside ships they made a deep noise, which sailors thought sounded like they were "growling" at them, and Tabular Icebergs were all coming off the Glacier. And to see calving of the glacier and the rumbling/thunder-like noise crashing into the sea never gets old! We were then off to explore the island of Blomstrandhalvoya, with its Reindeer, Long Tailed Skuas and Arctic Terns and their chicks all making a home on this desolate landscape. A lone reindeer crossed our path no less than 50 feet(!) away, before getting a whiff of us and making a break for it. So up close and personal! The whites and blues of the Ice/Glaciers take on a different colorful hue of their own, and the striations of the receding glaciers are extremely artistic! I was fortunate to spend a good chunk of the day with one of our guides, Sunniva (Sunny) Sorby, one of four of an all-woman team to reach the South Pole after a 700 mile trip across Antarctica, traveling for 67 days into a headwind of up to 50 miles an hour, pulling 200 lb. sleds, without the aid of sled dogs or motorized vehicles. Sunny was the first Canadian woman to complete crossing Greenland East to West and the first Canadian woman to ski to the South Pole! To say that Sunny is an inspirational, humble expeditionary leader is a most understated fact. She exudes confidence but in the most sincere and self effacing way. Hearing her challenges and perseverance in her stories was both rewarding and awe-inspiring in so many ways. We've become friends, and I felt she was truly touched by my own personal obstacles that I have overcome. These are the people I was hoping to meet on this journey. Both thought-provoking and fun, yet sincere and inspirational. All in all, an exhausting but terrific first full day of the expedition!