Day 22

The boat has a completely different vibe now that the big seas are firmly behind us. Rewarded with much needed sleep, no longer working four hours on / fours off, good hot food that some of us managed to keep down for the first time in days and not being thrown about the boat like a rag doll by the massive sea swell. Morale is high and the boat is a hive of activity as Skipper sets us to task to carry out the many jobs that need doing to keep the boat functioning and ready for the next leg.

The crew hoisted our cumbersome and heavy pulk bags from the hold and our expedition kit very quickly dominated the entire deck as we eagerly pack away our sailing clothing and equipment and get our heads into the game for Phase 3. It’s finally here.

Impatiently we wait for the right time to get ashore and start offloading our stores. Alive to the possibility of hungry polar bears, we opt to leave our food and personal kit bags until last and only offload the pulks, skis, fuel and anything that is unlikely to attract an inquisitive bear that might inadvertently damage any mission critical kit.

The Greenland mosquitos promptly inform us that this is their territory and have no intention of letting us in without paying the appropriate tax!

An impromptu photo shoot on the icy shores provided much comedy value to the crew as we posed for media shots to say thank you to one of our sponsors who provided some quality clothing free of charge. During this bizarre Vogue catwalk, the yacht crew explored, making the most of solid ground before they depart for their next sailing leg and very quickly scrambled to the top of a scree slope to get the best views of the glacier and once in a lifetime scenery. Beaming smiling from ear to ear on their descent, they were buzzing from the knowledge that very few people in the world had walked where they had today.

Mixed feelings as we get ready to leave. Although full of excitement and readiness for the crossing, I will however be sad to say goodbye to the crew, without whom we couldn’t have got this far. Their patience and humility was inspiring. Whilst I was attempting to retie my bowlines for the fifth time or rack my brains to interpret the language of sailing or just not be sick; these intrepid young sailors, some of whom are still at university showed determination and fortitude beyond their years as they cheerfully lapped up whatever mother nature could throw at them and still have capacity for more. They have my gratitude and best wishes for the next stage of their own adventure.