On April 13th 2023 I'm setting off to Greenland for a solo kayak from the south to the north, a journey of about 3000 km. Hoping to finish around the end of July - it has come about from my passion for the arctic brought about by spending a large portion of the last three years there.
- Throughout the journey (duration about three months) I will be
eating solely a traditional Inuit diet - so only food that can
be caught in this environment, some fresh but most will be dried
and fermented. The water will be glacial runoffs (in the form of
fresh water and ice). Eating your environment is a big passion
of mine - going back to how we have been eating for the past
several hundred thousand years is part of our evolution and
something I believe is hardwired into us. In complete contrast
to the profit driven and catastrophic global food system that
has increasingly negatively controlled our health and well-being
for the last 200 years. I have an incredible team of researchers
and microbiologists on board - from Aviaja Hauptmann in Nuuk,
the Sonnenburg Lab in Stanford, Cork University, Dr Miguel
Toribio-Mateas from London South Bank, Professor Tim Spector,
anthropologist John Speth and uber-fermenter Sandor Katz - all
incredibly interested into how my gut microbiome reacts and
deals with the ancestral diet I'll be switching to. It looks to
be a groundbreaking project.
- The second project is in collaboration with some prestigious scientific organisations; I will be collecting intestinal samples (more poop..) of sea mammals at various locations. The samples will be analysed at 4 different scientific labs and used to determine the levels of microplastic pollution within the food chain of the entire west coast of Greenland. The data will be used to decide the location of a large scale research project in Greenland in 2024.
I've spent the last three summers in Greenland and have been writing a food book - 20 (ish) traditional Greenlandic recipes but with each one telling an aspect of the story of the Inuit and the Norse who developed some amazing food techniques to try and survive in such a hostile environment. The idea for the kayak expedition came about from my research into the food and the little known history of the country. Food such as kiviaq - 450 Little Auk seabirds stuffed inside a seal and fermented for 6 months, fermented contents of caribou stomach, fermented seal fat, dried and semi fermented cod and capelin - the list goes on and is SO fascinating.
I have a Norwegian film outfit turning the trip into a documentary and we're looking at holding the premiere in Nuuk in 2024.
I'll be posting on Instagram (@mikekeencooks) and YouTube frequently as I go.Perks
So I'll only be eating what I can catch or forage as I go (there isn't much to forage...) so a fishing rod is pretty key to the exercise. With a rod holder behind the cockpit of the kayak, I'll launch the line and keep paddling, hoping I'll get enough for that day and maybe the next.
Having spent some time in the cold, I know that a good quality bag maybe the most important bit of kit - when I get to the northern stretches there will be a fair bit of ice around so a bag that'll keep me warm is crucial after a day of paddling - especially when there's a good chance I'll be damp and cold and maintaining my body temp is super important.
Again, as per the power packs, the solar panel will hopefully be my main source for power. By the time I hit midsummer I'll be in 24 hour daylight, all I need is the sun to keep me connected.
Polar bear deterrents are up there on my list of Thing's I Don't Want To Cut Corners On. This is a double wire that I set up around my tent with blank cartridges fixed to the poles. Should a bear trigger it, the resulting blank shot will hopefully scare the bear away and also frighten the life out of me as I scramble to make sure the bear actually goes away.
Sorry, more bear deterrent kit; making as much noise and general commotion when a bear approaches is fairly important. Spray is seen as one of the most effective methods of moving the bear along and the spray shoots out around 40 ft - combined with a flare it 'should' be effective and will keep Mikey safe..
Eating the diet that humans would've eaten in the arctic for thousands of years is a massive part of this trip. The more we connect with and become aware of what's available in the environment around us, the more we can pull away from the hugely damaging global food system. I'll be fishing most of the way but there will be times when I need local food that I haven't been able to or just plain can't get. This is where I'll be tapping into the local economy and buying food from hunters in settlements as I travel north.
A boost to the campaign fund for which you get my absolute heartfelt thanks!
Did I mention I have an amazing Norwegian film company turning it into a documentary?! Well, I do - which not only is super exciting but will also help spread the climate change message and inform people about this absolutely beautiful part of the world. For £50 you will not only get my gratitude but also your name on the credits of the documentary!
For this one I'll do a personalised thank you video that I'll stick up on my Instagram Stories from the kayak, with an iceberg or two in the background! PLUS the credit on the documentary (and my immense thanks!)
The documentary will have it's Premiere in Nuuk in 2024 - For this you'll get an exclusive link to a live stream of it (and free tickets if you want to attend in person, but you'll have to make your own way there). PLUs a credit on the film PLUS the personalised video (and my sincere thanks!)
Highlights
See all activity42Activity
So I'll only be eating what I can catch or forage as I go (there isn't much to forage...) so a fishing rod is pretty key to the exercise. With a rod holder behind the cockpit of the kayak, I'll launch the line and keep paddling, hoping I'll get enough for that day and maybe the next.
Having spent some time in the cold, I know that a good quality bag maybe the most important bit of kit - when I get to the northern stretches there will be a fair bit of ice around so a bag that'll keep me warm is crucial after a day of paddling - especially when there's a good chance I'll be damp and cold and maintaining my body temp is super important.
Again, as per the power packs, the solar panel will hopefully be my main source for power. By the time I hit midsummer I'll be in 24 hour daylight, all I need is the sun to keep me connected.
Polar bear deterrents are up there on my list of Thing's I Don't Want To Cut Corners On. This is a double wire that I set up around my tent with blank cartridges fixed to the poles. Should a bear trigger it, the resulting blank shot will hopefully scare the bear away and also frighten the life out of me as I scramble to make sure the bear actually goes away.
Sorry, more bear deterrent kit; making as much noise and general commotion when a bear approaches is fairly important. Spray is seen as one of the most effective methods of moving the bear along and the spray shoots out around 40 ft - combined with a flare it 'should' be effective and will keep Mikey safe..
Eating the diet that humans would've eaten in the arctic for thousands of years is a massive part of this trip. The more we connect with and become aware of what's available in the environment around us, the more we can pull away from the hugely damaging global food system. I'll be fishing most of the way but there will be times when I need local food that I haven't been able to or just plain can't get. This is where I'll be tapping into the local economy and buying food from hunters in settlements as I travel north.
A boost to the campaign fund for which you get my absolute heartfelt thanks!
Did I mention I have an amazing Norwegian film company turning it into a documentary?! Well, I do - which not only is super exciting but will also help spread the climate change message and inform people about this absolutely beautiful part of the world. For £50 you will not only get my gratitude but also your name on the credits of the documentary!
For this one I'll do a personalised thank you video that I'll stick up on my Instagram Stories from the kayak, with an iceberg or two in the background! PLUS the credit on the documentary (and my immense thanks!)
The documentary will have it's Premiere in Nuuk in 2024 - For this you'll get an exclusive link to a live stream of it (and free tickets if you want to attend in person, but you'll have to make your own way there). PLUs a credit on the film PLUS the personalised video (and my sincere thanks!)
