Ex Midnight Sun - What is it?
Exercise Midnight Sun is the Royal Signals Territorial Army exercise to Greenland in August 2008. To read more about the expedition, and the work that has lead up to this stage, click here.News Update
Wed 13th Aug 08
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See the latest video here (opens a new page) |
The expedition is being provided with sterling support from Anders Bergwall of Arctic Guides (www.arcticguides.com). Anders is an internationally certified mountain guide UIAGM, IFMGA, climbing and ski instructor. He is also educated as a ski patroller and is an active member of the mountain rescue in Lapland, Sweden. Anders and his colleague David are doing a fantastic job for the expedition, providing the essential zodiac transport along the fjord, acting as safety cover for all expedition personnel, and being a constant source of advice and local knowledge. Their wealth of experience and seemingly limitless ability has meant that on every occasion they have been the right people to have at our sides. Many thanks to you both!
The sailors have arrived! At 23.30 hours Tues 12 Aug, they docked in Maniitsoq harbour, and have since been spending a few hours on dry land. HMSTC Adventure is currently the pride of the harbour, only the second yacht to dock here this year. 2 days ahead of schedule, they are now about to head further north to the Arctic Circle before returning to the location of Expedition Main Base Camp at Kangaamiut for the grand festival on Saturday. However as they still have 24kg of cornflakes to eat before there will be enough room for phase 2 sailors to board the yacht, the challenge is now on!
Meanwhile the mountaineers are now all exploring further into the mountains. Igimasaq Mountaineering Group are now in the area of Tasiusaq on a 2 day exploratory walk around the hills to the south of the Fjord (so should really now change their name to Tasiusaq Group). Christmas Tree have also betrayed their name, having left Christmas Tree Camp behind yesterday and embarking on a glacial traverse that will see them arriving back, also in Tasiusaq, in 2 days’ time. Ice Camp Group has remained true to the end, Tarquin still desperately trying to find the ‘secret’ German bunker on the glacier just east of Ice Camp. He and his group have been searching for over a week, but information recently gleaned from the locals suggests that whilst he may be very close to its location as the crow flies, it is actually about 1000 vertical meters above where he is searching, on the top of an extremely steep mountain. Maybe someone should mention this to him…?
The kayakers are now exploring the islets and inlets towards the mouth of the fjord. Their last contact with the outside world was yesterday, when they were delivered a large bag of food by Anders and the zodiacs. Having run out of decent food several days before, they had been forced to live off the land (and the water) in order to supplement their biscuit browns, so looked quite pleased to see Anders. Never letting a little thing like starvation dampen their spirits, however, they all still seemed quite chirpy!
Team 4 has arrived for the ERT, and, after conducting a hand over / take over through last night, is now learning the joys of carrying 28kg batteries up the steep walls of the fjord. No load is ever too heavy, however, to necessitate the leaving behind of the emergency resources (namely the fresh coffee and coffee maker!). The outgoing team are now facing a new sort of challenge; after many days of isolation in the fjord, the comforts of a night in a hotel (with a bar and restaurant) are undoubtedly very difficult to manage. The media team, having decided that their editing work absolutely necessitated 2 nights in the same hotel, are undoubtedly also finding it hard. Good luck to them all!
The VIPs arrive tomorrow, and will be whisked along the Fjord to Tasiusaq Bay, to spend several nights in the Fjord with the expedition personnel, who will all be back there by Friday. This is probably good news for Stu (our Camp Elf), who, having been left alone these last few days at Tasiusaq to run the exped, has been going steadily mad. Last seen worshipping the ‘Mast God’ (see Base Camp blogs), it may actually be too late to save him!
Use the individual links at the top of the page to read the latest blogs. As always, the
sailors’ blogs also appear at http://blog.mailasail.com/adventure
Sailors' Projected Route |
Locations of Camps along Evighedsfjorden |
Current location of groups.
Kangaamiut Main Base Camp.
65°49'40"N 53°21'04"W
HMSTC Adventure
65°24'44"N 52°53'52"W
0.5 km S of Manitsoq, Greenland
Igimasaq Mountaineers.
65°55'50"N 52°54'58"W
218.4 km N of Godthab, Greenland
Tasiusaq Bay
65°53'01"N 52°49'01"W
210.0 km N of Godthab, Greenland
Ice Camp Mountaineers.
65°58'45"N 52°29'13"W
209.5 km N of Godthab, Greenland
Sea Kayakers.
65°52'39"N 52°15'28"W
193.5 km N of Godthab, Greenland
Ex Midnight Sun - What is it?
Exercise Midnight Sun is the Royal Signals Territorial Army exercise to Greenland in August 2008. It is taking 82 personnel from all units within the R Signals TA (including attached Arms), and will see these officers and soldiers involved in mountaineering, sailing and sea kayaking. There is also a bespoke communications package provided by the BT Emergency Response Team (ERT), as part of the Defence Career Partnering. It is the biggest TA expedition thus far. Coming at the time of the 100th anniversary of the TA, the expedition celebrates all that the TA is about; demonstrating the opportunities available to the TA, and helping to train robust, resilient soldiers for the demands of today’s army. You can read more about the TA 100 celebrations at http://www.ta100.co.uk/
Background News
Planning has now been going on for almost 2 years to get us to this stage. Early on in the process BT expressed an interest in accompanying us to Greenland, in order to exercise their Emergency Response Team (ERT). Since then the expedition planning team and BT have been working closely together to ensure this joint venture is a great success for both organisations. BT also gave us £100,000 sponsorship, an immensely generous offer which was the key to allowing the expedition to go ahead in its current format.
Soon after this the Master of Signals, General Sir Sam Cowan KCB CBE, and the Chairman of BT, Sir Michael Rake, agreed to be the expedition patrons. They have since represented the expedition’s needs in many forums, helping to ensure its success.
All the Adventurous Training participants were then selected, after the 5 selection weekends for the kayakers and mountaineers (based out of Capel Curig) and the 2 selection weekends for the sailors (based out of Gosport). Over 200 people applied in total, so the selection process was challenging! Bad weather was the norm on all of these weekends, so if your weekend was bad don’t think that you were the unlucky one. All participants then completed one week of training, sailing across the English Channel, kayaking in the seas around Anglesey, or Scottish mountaineering on Skye. Some challenging conditions were had by all; but the winners were certainly the kayakers, who had the worst winds so far this millennium to deal with! Articles and photos from all three expeditions are available via the activity links above.
The 3 training and development weekends then took place, which trained the participants in the skill sets needed for Arctic Survival. Each group has a nominated group medic, an equipment guru, a mountain rescue expert (for the mountaineers), and a communications operator. Training for all of these was carried out during these weekends, and ensured that every participant can play a crucial role towards the success of the team.
Why Greenland?
Greenland is one of the last great unspoilt wildernesses on this planet. Few places combine such magnificent scenery, such clarity of light and such raw power of nature. Once you have seen its soaring granite cliffs under the dancing lights of the aurora borealis, or been warmed by the rays of the midnight sun, you will know there’s no place on earth like it.
For more information: http://www.greenland-guide.gl/
