"It was a kind of dream trip for a lot of us, to take the boat for three weeks and sail from Iceland to Greenland and hope we get to ski some really big, beautiful couloirs up from the ocean."
Graphic by Ilka Hadlock
"Being on the boat and being able to go up the coast and look as we go and decide to ski things...it's kind of the only way to access that terrain."
"We all showed up right on the cusp of this big pandemic. We made it less than halfway across when we found out that Greenland had closed its borders. We sailed for about 20 hours, and got a message from a contact back on land that said that Greenland had closed its borders to foreigners. So, we would not be allowed to enter the country on the boat. That, combined with the fact that our skipper was coming down with the flu and pneumonia-like symptoms, we made the decision to turn back around and return to Iceland."
Graphic by Ilka Hadlock
"We were stuck in Iceland. Definitely getting a little stir crazy and with the coronavirus and things changing really quickly, there were just so many unknowns about when we'd be able to get home and if the flights were still going out. Everyone was getting a little bit nervous and pretty ready to get home."
"It seemed like most things went wrong that could've, and more things would still keep going wrong. We all just kind of realized there's nothing you can do, and we need to make the most of it."
"In the end, the pandemic shut us down. But luckily, everyone is healthy and happy and safe, and we'll be able to try again next year. Greenland will still be there, and maybe the seas will be less stormy."
