Cape Farewell Greenland Voyage 2007

In September 2008 Cape Farewell returned to Greenland to visit the spectacular Disko Bay and continue the work started in 2007. The Art/Science crew began their 10 day sail in West Greenland, visiting the Disko Bay area and Jakobshavn Glacier, one of Greenland’s largest glaciers moving at a faster rate than ever before, losing 20 million tons of ice every day.

Working in partnership with the British Geological Survey, the scientists extended their investigations of climate change with extensive surveying below the seabed.

The arts crew, dominated by an international array of musicians including Laurie Anderson, Vanessa Carlton, Jarvis Cocker, Feist, Robyn Hitchcock, Ryuichi Sakamoto, KT Tunstall and Martha Wainwright also featured artists, comedians, architects, film-makers and journalists.

Follow the 2008 Disko Bay Expedition in blogs from over 40 artists, musicians and scientists as we sailed through the extraordinary Disko Bay. During the voyage we brushed aside snow and broke out our portable satellite gear to broadcast text, images and video direct from the deck of the boat. Check the expedition website, subscribe to the podcast or view the galleries of images and video to journey with us.
http://www.capefarewell.com/diskobay/

[photopress:time_magazine.jpg,full,pp_image]
Cape Farewell are proud to announce Time Magazine ‘Pictures of the Year’ 2007 features Nick Cobbing’s photograph from the voyage. The end of year issue of TIME Magazine (December 31, 2007 – January 7, 2008) carries the photograph by Nick Cobbing from the 2007 expedition with a quote by David Buckland. The article aligns the Cape Farewell voyage to the NASA space mission (only a bit cheaper) and also carries a feature on Al Gore.
Click to read the full post >

[photopress:final_group.jpg,full,pp_image]

Final crew portrait as we leave the Noorderlicht in Akureyri, Iceland. Massive thanks to the Noorderlicht crew (Gert, Ko, Renske, Barbara and Anna) for getting us to Iceland safely and in style. 

[photopress:Cobbing6612.jpg,full,pp_image]

[photopress:Cobbing6613.jpg,full,pp_image]

[photopress:Cobbing6608.jpg,full,pp_image]

[photopress:Cobbing6535.jpg,full,pp_image]

[photopress:Cobbing6723.jpg,full,pp_image]

The Nooderlicht Crew

[photopress:CC_anna_renske_barbara.jpg,full,pp_image]

[photopress:emily_crowsnest.jpg,full,pp_image]

The last 24 hours now seem like a distant memory. Yesterday lunch time we were listening to Christmas carols as the snow fell outside. Last night we were heeling over in the middle of a force 9 under only bare poles, taking it in turns to hang on for dear life whilst watching out for icebergs. Between 2 and 4 the sky began to clear, and we even had a glimpse of a northern light as we weaved our way through endless bands of ice.

This morning, I have spent a good few hours totally mesmerised by our setting. Since first light when the moon and Venus were stunningly bright, we have watched the sun rise from the mouth of an idyllic fjord, not a breath of wind or a cloud in the sky. We then did a couple of circumnavigations of a breathtakingly sculpted iceberg, which, in my scientific wisdom, I think looks just like a Mr Whippy!

On that note, I can’t stay inside any longer, having rested and emptied my camera, and topped up my coffee levels, I’m off to take in some more of this awesome scenery.

It’s great to get your messages, I wouldn’t have wished the last eight days upon anybody, but now I really do wish you could see this!

This is just a quick message for everyone who has taken the time to post comments to the crew – thank you! All your messages of good luck and calm waters have reached the Noorderlicht – On Sunday 30 September, the crew were almost to the east coast of Greenland, towards the mouth of Scoresby Sund (they could see the ice! A moment of elation)!. However, as it is currently covered with some floating ice they are heading a bit further north to try and get on to terra firma (Monday 1 October), this has meant another day at sea, but the oceans are calmer (so I’m told). Ko, the expedition guide has been sharing stories of the outstanding beauty of the Fjord so everyone is hoping to get into the Sund.

Please continue to post your messages and I will make sure the sailing crew get them.

Thank you

Hannah Bird
Cape Farewell
PS you’ll all be pleased to know that the Noorderlicht is not going round in circles (as our map showed). We were having a few technical issues showing east/west longtitude which have now been resolved!

[photopress:dh_sailing27th.jpg,full,pp_image] 

[photopress:nc_sailing28th.jpg,full,pp_image]

[photopress:nc_sailing28.jpg,full,pp_image]