Greenland 2009- Expedition Report
September 2nd, 2009
Please click below for the Scott Polar Institute release.
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Howies Wee-do
July 31st, 2009
- What a Do!
bristol shop posted this 27th July 2009 11:46am
We would like to say a massive thanks to Richard Spink from Carbon Neutral Expeditions, to Bristol Beer Factory, and to all of you who attended Friday night’s Wee Do. We had an amazing time, and reckon that the turn-out we had was the best yet!
Not only was Richard’s talk engaging and informative, but he also managed to create an almost-continuous hum of laughter from his audience – a rare talent indeed.
We learnt about the educational aims of CNE, their rigorous training schedule, the planned trip to Greenland, and finally the catastrophic storm that forced them to quit their expedition and almost cost them their lives. The audience was even treated to some previously unseen footage of their rescue by a passing oil-tanker.
All this excitement was washed down with plenty of Bristol Beer Factory’s Sunrise Pale Ale. It was the ideal antidote to the sticky evening heat that pervaded the air in Bristol after a day of freaky hail storms and glorious sunshine. August’s Wee Do will see Chris from BBF telling us how they make their beer so yummy – more on that in the coming weeks.
Sad Departure
July 25th, 2009
Much as this pains me to write, Raoul Surcouf is taking leave of CNE. He is heading to the USA for a new start in warmer climes! There have been many highs and sadly following our Greenland exploits some lows. I’m sure I speak for all who have been associated with CNE over the years in offering my sincere thanks for all you’ve brought to CNE.
Keep plodding on….
Reaction from Raoul and Rich
May 17th, 2009
It’s been a cruel blow having our expedition cut short in such a dramatic way in the North Atlantic. Nature is a cruel mistress as they say and we feel humbled and very fortunate to be back safely with our families.
Expeditions and adventure are not without risk. But these risks have to be calculated. The CNE team has taken well over two years to develop this project and have solicited advice from the very top in sailing, route planning, Polar travel, survival and rescue. Through the good will of our sponsors in particular Sigvaris we have been able to purchase the very best equipment for the job.
There will always be the unknowns on an expedition, weather is not an exact science, crevasses cannot be mapped and mileage, calorie intake and snow conditions can only be estimated. If everything was a foregone conclusion there would be no adventure.
Unfortunately in some circles we have been labelled, as Eco-activist. Activists we certainly are not. We have a passion for the arctic and adventure and are aiming to achieve our expedition goals in a sustainable and responsible manner. We fully appreciate the irony of a tanker rescue but there was little alternative.
We would like to thank family and supporters of our expedition and chosen charity who have supported us over the last two years or more. The schools that have followed our progress and welcomed us into their classrooms, our kind sponsors who believed in what we were doing and even those who said the project would never get off the ground. Not to mention a superb ground team, particularly Jess and Alex- an amazing job.
“….far better it is to dare mighty things than to rank with those poor timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat…”
We now stoop to rebuild our project and have plans for expeditions this autumn and onto 2010. For information on how you can get involved with one of our expeditions please contact us at cnexpeditions@gmail.com and watch this space.
Sailing photos, videos, and edge of your seat drama will be posted here shortly.
Summary of Recent Events- The Guardian UK.
May 12th, 2009
British polar yacht crew rescued after storm ordeal
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• Three hauled to safety aboard oil tanker
• Expedition had planned double crossing of Greenland ice cap
Tuesday 5 May 2009 13.30 BST
The British crew of a polar expedition have been rescued after their yacht was caught in a hurricane-force storm and capsized three times in towering north Atlantic swells.
The three members of the Carbon Neutral Expedition, two of whom were planning to cross the Greenland ice cap as part of a nationwide educational initiative, were hauled to safety on Saturday 400 miles off the coast of Ireland. They are now nursing their bruises on their way to Portland, Maine, where they are due to arrive in three days’ time.
Raoul Surcouf, 40, a landscape gardener from Jersey, and Richard Spink, 31, a physiotherapist from Bristol, had set up the expedition to show how journeys to some of the most remote places on the planet can be undertaken with minimal impact on the environment. Their relief was tinged with a sense of irony as the rescue craft sent by Falmouth coastguard was the Overseas Yellowstone, a 113,000-tonne oil tanker.
Their 40ft cutter, Fleur, had been knocked down three times and was overwhelmed by towering waves as the skipper, Ben Stoddart, tried to slow it down amid 60-knot gusts.
The ordeal began on Friday morning. Stoddart deployed the sea anchor but it was lost when a wave came over the stern, snapping the rope. The first of the three knockdowns happened in the early hours, causing the failure of the navigation instruments and structural damage inside and out. Water was flooding into the boat as waves broke over it.
The crew alerted Falmouth coastguard at 5am, and at 9.30am the skipper suffered a blow to the head when the boat was flipped upside down. There was further damage to the boat’s external structure, the main electricity generator was torn loose and both solar panels were destroyed.
After the third knockdown in seven hours, coastguards were asked to mount a rescue and the crew huddled together in the front cabin, which was least damaged by flooding, and awaited rescue, which came at 7.20pm.
The bad weather began much earlier and Jess Tombs, a spokeswoman for the expedition, said Spink had described the ordeal as “36 hours of hell”.
“They are extremely relieved to just be alive,” said Tombs, who spoke to the crew by phone on board the tanker. “Disappointment that the expedition hasn’t worked has not kicked in yet.”
In a statement from the tanker after the rescue, Spink said: “We regret to inform you that the CNE Greenland expedition 2009 has been abandoned due to repeated, irreparable storm damage to our sailing vessel Fleur; in the north Atlantic we experienced some of the harshest conditions known, over a period of 36 hours, with winds gusting hurricane force 12. At 10.00hrs on 1st May 2009 the decision was made that the risk to our own personal safety was too great to continue and a rescue was co-ordinated with Falmouth coastguard.
“The team are now safely and ironically aboard the oil tanker Overseas Yellowstone. The ship’s captain and crew are being fantastic hosts. We are due to be in port in Portland Maine USA towards the end of next week. The CNE team would like to give heartfelt thanks to Falmouth and Irish coastguards for their professionalism in the rescue operation.”
Even the rescue did not run smoothly. Spink was first off the Fleur, jumping across to a rope ladder dropped from the tanker, and he was followed by Surcouf. Stoddart, who was last to leave, fell back into the sea and had to be hauled aboard manually by five men on the tanker deck. It is thought he may have broken some ribs in the fall.
Update from CNE team
May 2nd, 2009
Date: Saturday 2nd May 2009
Time: 15:58
Health: Fine
I have just received a phone call from Rich onboard the tanker, here is a transcript of would he would like to say;
We regret to inform you that the CNE Greenland expedition 2009 has been abandoned due to repeated, irreparable storm damage to our sailing vessel Fleur; in the north Atlantic we experienced some of the harshest conditions known, over a period of 36 hours with winds gusting hurricane force 12.
At 1000hrs on 1st May 2009 the decision was made that the risk to our own personal safety was too great to continue and a rescue was coordinated with Falmouth coastguard. The team are now safely and ironically aboard the oil tanker Overseas Yellowstone. The ship’s captain and crew are being fantastic hosts we are due to be in port in Portland Maine USA towards the end of next week. The CNE team would like to give heartfelt thanks to Falmouth and Irish Coastguards for their professionalism in the rescue operation.
Press please contact Jess Tombs at email address: jesstombs@hotmail.co.uk
Update will follow when details are known.
Felix
Blog From ‘fleur’
May 1st, 2009
Pos. N55 09.00 W21 36.43
Health. Fine
Time. 11:52 am
Have just spoken to Raoul, no new news, just to say that they are all ok after last nights’ force 11 storm and to notify their latest position
April 30th, 2009
Blog from on board ‘Fleur’:
Pos. N54 08.944 W021 30. 40
Time. 2100hrs
Have just spoken to Rich Briefly before being cut off. They are in the middle of a very violent storm, force 11 winds probably 10-14mswells, thankfully apart from seasickness they are ok. The good news is that this storm is going to subside later on down to force 6 ish, that’ll be welcome relief.
will update with more news tomorrow
CNE Greenland – Wed 29th April
April 29th, 2009
Position: 52° 38.52 N, 20° 08.75 W
Health: All fine
Weather: North easterly winds again but suntans coming along nicely!
Blog from onboard Fleur: So the good winds didn’t last longer than a day and we are back struggling against the north easterly winds. It has been another frustrating day as we head north, north-east to avoid another bad weather system. We’re now 800 miles from the southern tip of Greenland, approximately half way in terms of distance but not time at sea we fear!
Still we are keeping our spirits high and spent most of the chatting and discussing the meaning of life – good team bonding!
There are at least a dozen arctic terns that have been following Fleur from Ireland. We like to think of them as our guardian angels.
CNE Greenland - Tue 28th April
April 28th, 2009
Position: 51° 10.06 N, 19° 55.03 W
Health: All fine
Weather: Fair at last with a south westerly wind
Blog from onboard Fleur: A good day at sea at last! The weather has cheered up and lifted our spirits and today we made good progress, sailing at 6 knots for most of the day. The day was spent repairing storm damage to Fleur inflicted over the last couple of days when we experienced 40 knot winds!
With the sun shining today we have been able to wash and dry some kit and ourselves. Thanks goes out to Mail Organics for their biodegradable grooming products. We’re all smelling and feeling much fresher!
We’re currently heading north to get around another weather system and hoping for another good day tomorrow.
