In two days, I will be heading to the Greenland ice sheet! I am excited and a little nervous. What would you pack if you were camping on the ice for 3 ½ weeks?
Sunscreen? Bug Spray? Actually, these are two very important items on my list.
Sunscreen is important because the sun will be in the sky 24 hours a day while we are at Summit camp. I’ve been warned to make sure that I put the sunscreen under my chin. Why do you think I need to put sunscreen under my chin?
Why do I pack bug spray? I won’t need bug spray at Summit camp. However, we will be in the town of Kangerlussauq the day before we get to Summit camp. The weather in “Kanger” is much warmer than Summit camp because it is not on the ice sheet. In the summer, Arctic mosquitoes are very active there. They are giants compared to the mosquitoes that we have in Georgia. I’ll try to take some pictures of them so you can see how big they are.
What is next on my packing list? Glacier glasses. These are special sunglasses that block out most of the sunlight. They would be too dark to wear in Georgia, but they are perfect for the Greenland ice sheet with the bright sunshine bouncing off the white snow.
Kevin McMahon models the glacier glasses he will wear on the Greenland ice sheet.
Would you pack a balaclava? No, it is not a tasty dessert. It is a hood that covers my head and my neck. It’s wonderful for cold, windy days.
Wearing a balaclava during the summer in Georgia is not such a great idea but it will be perfect for the Greenland ice sheet.
Other Cold Weather Clothes and Sleeping Bag
I will pick up glacier boots, a parka, fleece jacket, fleece pants, sleeping bag (rated to -40 degrees Celsius), and other cold-weather clothes in the town of Kangerlussauq, Greenland. Thank you ARCUS (the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States), CH2MHill, and the National Science Foundation, for making sure that I stay warm.
I’ve checked the weather forecast for Summit camp next week and it looks like the coldest temperature will be a toasty -19 degrees Celsius! I’m glad I have my glacier glasses and sunscreen!
How long will it take to arrive at Summit camp? It will take three days! I travel by plane to Schenectady, NY on Sunday, June 26. Monday morning, June 27, I will fly to Kangerlussauq, Greenland in a LC-130 cargo plane. We spend Monday night in “Kanger”. On Tuesday, June 28, if the weather is just right, we will fly to Kanger in a LC-130 cargo plane to the middle of the Greenland ice sheet. I can’t wait to show you pictures of how the plane lands on ice.
Don’t forget that you can ask questions by clicking on the “Ask The Team” tab. It may take me a while to respond while I am traveling but I promise to answer your questions as soon as I can. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Oops, I almost forgot. Besides packing, I need to practice adding videos to my journal entries. Since I haven’t taken any videos in Greenland yet, I have posted a video of dusky dolphins swimming in the water off the coast of New Zealand. I hope you like it. I filmed the dolphins two weeks ago when my family was visiting my daughter, Kelly. She is studying in New Zealand this semester.
http://