1 00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:09,000 There are still parts of our planet... 2 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:11,840 ..yet to be explored. 3 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:16,320 WATER DRIPPING 4 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:18,560 OXYGEN HISSING 5 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:19,800 Descending! 6 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:22,640 These are remote and unforgiving places. 7 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:25,880 I'm in. 8 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:27,520 And the journey to reach them... 9 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:30,400 We're in very real danger of getting trapped here. 10 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:33,000 ..will push me and a team of explorers... 11 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:35,200 Ah, ah! Uh... 12 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:37,160 ..to the limit. 13 00:00:37,160 --> 00:00:38,480 STEVE: It's really tight. 14 00:00:38,480 --> 00:00:39,680 HE GURGLES AND SCREAMS 15 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:45,160 The reward? 16 00:00:45,160 --> 00:00:47,280 Aw, amazing! 17 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:49,480 Breathtaking new discoveries. 18 00:00:49,480 --> 00:00:51,880 UNDER WATER: The thought that we're the first people 19 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:54,520 ever to see them is almost beyond belief. 20 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:55,760 This time... 21 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:57,840 OK, you might want to have to power through these 22 00:00:57,840 --> 00:00:59,000 before they close. 23 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:00,600 ..we're in the Arctic. 24 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:02,920 I don't think there's anywhere else on Earth 25 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:04,760 where you feel quite so vulnerable. 26 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:09,320 Navigating treacherous sea ice to kayak up the largest fjord 27 00:01:09,320 --> 00:01:10,440 in the world. 28 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:15,280 You just got to keep paddling. 29 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:18,360 We see how the warmest winter on record 30 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:20,440 is affecting everything that lives here. 31 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:21,720 Look at that! 32 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:23,760 And come face-to-face... 33 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:27,320 It's smelt us. It's lifting its head up, sniffing the air. 34 00:01:27,320 --> 00:01:29,480 ..with the Arctic's top predator. 35 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:30,640 Hah! Hah! 36 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:31,680 Hah! 37 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:35,200 Ah, he looks like he's coming back. 38 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:53,240 HELICOPTER WHIRRING 39 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:10,600 STEVE OVER WHIRRING: Greenland is a place of superlatives. 40 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:14,320 It's the world's largest island. 41 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:17,560 The least populated country on Earth. 42 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:20,240 There is no icecap bigger than the Greenland one, 43 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:21,640 outside of Antarctica, 44 00:02:21,640 --> 00:02:24,480 and way up inside the Arctic Circle. 45 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:26,920 This place is what adventures are made of. 46 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:33,640 Greenland is the northernmost country on the planet. 47 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:37,760 ICE CRACKLING 48 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:39,960 In winter, it's connected 49 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:42,160 to the North Pole by sea ice 50 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:44,120 and temperatures can drop as low as 51 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:45,480 60 degrees below zero. 52 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:49,880 I've come to the remote east coast, 53 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:52,960 and I'm starting my expedition here, 54 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:55,560 at the Inuit town of Ittoqqortoormiit. 55 00:02:57,400 --> 00:02:59,440 DOG BARKS 56 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:06,720 Home to fewer than 400 people, this is officially 57 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:10,280 the most remote settlement in the western world. 58 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:12,480 And this is just the start of our journey. 59 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:23,800 Ittoqqortoormiit's nearest neighbours are 300km away. 60 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:28,760 And right now, at the start of the summer, 61 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:30,240 the sun doesn't set 62 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:31,840 for two months of the year. 63 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:42,480 Simply stunning. 64 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:46,240 Hello. 65 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:47,760 CHILDREN GIGGLE 66 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:04,640 People here rely on hunting and fishing to survive. 67 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:11,160 An important source of clothing and food 68 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:12,560 is the polar bear. 69 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:21,080 The people here have been living subsistence hunting lives 70 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:23,480 for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. 71 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:28,600 And this is very much a part of their culture. 72 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:30,920 What they do is sustainable. 73 00:04:32,840 --> 00:04:35,840 But, as a naturalist... yeah, it's hard. 74 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:40,640 I'm entering a harsh and unforgiving world. 75 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:51,920 Ittoqqortoormiit sits on the edge of a vast inlet. 76 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:54,360 Carved by glaciers, 77 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:55,880 it's known as a fjord. 78 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:03,400 Here, the freezing Arctic Ocean 79 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:05,840 reaches 300km inland. 80 00:05:08,280 --> 00:05:09,840 Scoresbysund is the biggest 81 00:05:09,840 --> 00:05:11,680 fjord system on the planet. 82 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:16,320 But it's also on the front line 83 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:17,760 of climate change. 84 00:05:22,840 --> 00:05:25,360 The Arctic sea ice is shrinking, 85 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:29,280 and following one of the warmest winters on record, 86 00:05:29,280 --> 00:05:32,600 the ice here has broken up earlier than ever before. 87 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:38,880 This gives us a unique opportunity 88 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:41,000 to kayak up the fjord 89 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:44,560 and see what impact rising temperatures are having 90 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:45,920 on this wilderness. 91 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:53,240 I've put together a world-class team 92 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:55,880 of Arctic explorers to help me. 93 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:02,640 Sarah McNair-Landry is a polar adventurer 94 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:04,280 who's been to both poles 95 00:06:04,280 --> 00:06:07,960 and crossed the Greenland icecap six times. 96 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:10,720 I'm really excited about this area because I've spent a lot of time 97 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:12,800 in Greenland, but mostly on the icecap, 98 00:06:12,800 --> 00:06:14,240 kite-skiing and skiing. 99 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:15,920 And a lot of time on the west coast 100 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:17,680 of Greenland, but I've never... 101 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:19,520 This is a totally new area for me. 102 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:27,240 Martin Rickard has kayaked over 11,000km in sea ice. 103 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:32,120 It's managing the risk of the ice and the weather, 104 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:35,160 and then the effect that the weather and the tide will have 105 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:38,680 on that ice, and how it can move very dramatically - 106 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:40,560 block us off, trap boats. 107 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:43,680 It could blow us all out to sea quite quickly 108 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:45,600 if we weren't on our game. 109 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:53,440 The final member of the team to arrive 110 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:56,280 is my good friend Aldo Kane. 111 00:06:56,280 --> 00:06:58,720 Dude! 112 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:00,560 He's a former Royal Marine, 113 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:03,800 and will be our safety expert and medic. 114 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:05,560 I've never been to Greenland. 115 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:08,880 I've wanted to come here since I was, honestly, about that size. 116 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:10,560 This is wonderful. 117 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:18,560 WIND WHISTLES 118 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:22,440 ANIMALS SQUEAL AND BARK 119 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:25,120 Before we set off, Sarah and I 120 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:28,000 are meeting up with local hunter Aqqalu. 121 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:29,080 Hello. 122 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:30,400 Steve. Aqqalu. 123 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:32,360 Nice to meet you, Aqqalu. 124 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:33,440 Sarah. 125 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:36,120 He's taking us a short distance up the coast 126 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:38,520 to show us how the changing climate 127 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:40,720 is affecting his hunting grounds. 128 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:44,440 And the easiest way to get there 129 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:46,440 is dog sled. 130 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:49,280 Word used for left and right? To turn? 131 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:54,800 Lju? Yeah. Lju. Lju. 132 00:07:57,240 --> 00:07:58,240 Yeah. 133 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:02,480 DOGS PANT 134 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:13,000 The Inuit have used dogs to pull sleds 135 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:14,680 for over 4,000 years. 136 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:20,720 These hardy animals made travel and hunting in the Arctic possible, 137 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:23,000 allowing humans to make a home here. 138 00:08:30,760 --> 00:08:34,400 Aqqalu has brought us to a place overlooking the fjord, 139 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:36,680 where he'd usually hunt with his dogs. 140 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:53,400 Is this the earliest break-up you've seen? 141 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:54,520 Yeah. 142 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:57,160 And how does that affect hunting? 143 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:10,640 So maybe ten years ago, 144 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:13,200 our expedition would be impossible. 145 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:16,240 You would not be able to kayak down... No. ..into the fjord. 146 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:20,320 And now? 147 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:22,520 SARAH LAUGHS 148 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:27,600 No-one has ever kayaked up the fjord 149 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:29,120 at this time of year. 150 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:36,160 Our goal is to reach the solid sea ice... 151 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:40,440 ..which now lies far up the fjord, 152 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:42,680 to see how the animals that live here 153 00:09:42,680 --> 00:09:45,040 are coping with their changing world. 154 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:49,160 HELICOPTER WHIRRING 155 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:51,600 It's a huge, dangerous undertaking. 156 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:54,440 And the most important bit of kit 157 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:56,560 is our kayaks. 158 00:09:56,560 --> 00:09:58,480 Yeah, first glance, they all look pretty good. 159 00:09:58,480 --> 00:09:59,640 Yeah. 160 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:02,760 VEHICLE BEEPING 161 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:06,560 They're streamlined and can squeeze through 162 00:10:06,560 --> 00:10:08,640 narrow gaps in the broken ice. 163 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:12,520 Nice. 164 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:25,560 We're packing everything we need to survive. 165 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:28,640 Easier said than done. 166 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:32,800 You look at the volume of kit that's got to go in the boat, 167 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:34,280 and you look at the space you've got, 168 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:37,080 and they don't correlate at all. 169 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:38,480 Yeah, look at that. 170 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:47,240 What lies ahead is unknown and unpredictable, 171 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:50,280 but we're as ready as we'll ever be. 172 00:10:50,280 --> 00:10:51,520 OK. 173 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:55,440 We got so much gear that we need 174 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:58,200 a front loader to haul it down. 175 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:05,600 After years of dreaming, 176 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:07,280 months of planning, 177 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:10,000 finally we have a chance to get on the water. 178 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:12,840 How far we'll get, we have absolutely no idea. 179 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:18,920 Right now, it's 6am 180 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:22,720 and we just have to pray that the wind 181 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:25,240 and the weather stays with us. 182 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:27,080 Aldo, is this your med kit? 183 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:31,880 We've tried to think through every eventuality. 184 00:11:33,560 --> 00:11:35,200 It's always a bit of a concern what you do 185 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:37,200 when you're out on the water and you need to, er... 186 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:38,440 Well...you know. 187 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:42,000 So I've come up with a little system, which is this, 188 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:44,320 which I'm going to strap to my leg. 189 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:46,360 What could possibly go wrong? 190 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:48,400 Oh, no, it's got a massive hole in it! 191 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:49,680 All my grand plans. 192 00:11:49,680 --> 00:11:52,200 And my pee-bag's got a massive hole. 193 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:55,080 Thank goodness I found it. 194 00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:57,520 ALDO: I'm kind of a little bit gutted that you did find it. 195 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:04,840 We have three larger boats 196 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:07,440 which will carry the film crew and their equipment. 197 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:14,160 They'll follow when possible. But if the ice blocks their way... 198 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:17,480 ..we'll push on in the kayaks without them. 199 00:12:20,560 --> 00:12:22,880 It's not a big day, in terms of distance. 200 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:24,760 If we head for, er... 201 00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:26,400 ..Kap Hope. Mm-hm. 202 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:29,080 Does it work out about 12, 14K? Yeah. I think so. 203 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:32,040 But it'll be much more than that because we'll be going all the way 204 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:33,880 around the outskirts of the bay, 205 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:36,520 and bumping our way off bits of ice 206 00:12:36,520 --> 00:12:38,760 as we go, so it'll be slow. 207 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:42,640 So I suggest that we hug the coastline, and head around. 208 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:48,320 Today, we're aiming for the abandoned hunting settlement 209 00:12:48,320 --> 00:12:49,960 of Kap Hope. 210 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:55,800 Our local boat captain, Johan, thinks we can spend 211 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:57,840 our first night there. 212 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:06,200 Happy? Letting go. 213 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:07,320 Yep, got it. 214 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:21,760 Oh, bring up the rear, yep. 215 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:33,600 Best practice is for us to be quite close together, 216 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:36,640 certainly within visual distance of each other 217 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:38,000 at all times. 218 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:40,080 And if I'm getting too far ahead, 219 00:13:40,080 --> 00:13:41,800 then you guys need to shout me. 220 00:13:44,840 --> 00:13:47,400 We need to watch each other's backs. 221 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:51,880 The air temperature is well below freezing 222 00:13:51,880 --> 00:13:55,160 and the sea is turning to ice around us. 223 00:14:07,560 --> 00:14:11,600 The narrow profile of the kayaks makes them unstable 224 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:15,320 and paddling in these conditions is dangerous. 225 00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:17,400 LOUD CRACK 226 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:21,440 The second anyone capsizes, 227 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:24,200 goes over, comes out of their boat, 228 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:28,080 it's going to become a survival situation instantaneously. 229 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:33,120 A capsize can take about 15 minutes 230 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:36,160 to sort out and get someone back in the boat, 231 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:39,000 by which time, you WILL be hypothermic. 232 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:50,480 This ice may look harmless. 233 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:53,040 But, stealthily... 234 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:55,560 ..and menacingly... 235 00:14:55,560 --> 00:14:57,080 ..it moves. 236 00:15:02,160 --> 00:15:05,200 Some chunks are larger than football fields, 237 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:07,240 and weigh thousands of tonnes. 238 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:12,720 Pushed by the wind, 239 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:15,120 and pulled by the ebb and flow of the tides... 240 00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:18,000 ..they could easily crush a kayak. 241 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:22,160 I don't think there's anywhere else on Earth 242 00:15:22,160 --> 00:15:24,520 where you feel quite so small, 243 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:27,600 quite so vulnerable, 244 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:32,200 and quite so much like the environment is... 245 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:33,320 ..the master of you. 246 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:54,560 So, that's a classic example of what's closed up since 247 00:15:54,560 --> 00:15:56,280 they've gone through. Yeah. 248 00:15:57,840 --> 00:15:59,400 Sarah and I make it through. 249 00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:02,200 But just behind us, 250 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:04,400 the ice has already closed in. 251 00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:11,080 What's that? They're already stuck. 252 00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:14,360 That's closed up already. 253 00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:18,960 I don't know if you can push it out the way. 254 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:19,960 Trying. 255 00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:23,800 It just completely, er, closed up again. 256 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:24,840 Yeah, I saw that. 257 00:16:40,880 --> 00:16:42,880 Are you guys all right behind me? 258 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:44,200 SARAH: Yep... 259 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:46,960 That didn't sound very convinced. 260 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:49,080 These guys are just a little stuck over here. 261 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:51,520 Oh, OK. Shall I wait? 262 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:53,360 Maybe just hold up for a sec. 263 00:17:07,320 --> 00:17:08,480 Yeah. 264 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:13,400 It's amazing how quickly it sets in round about you. 265 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:14,400 I know. And moves. 266 00:17:15,640 --> 00:17:16,800 Aldo's through. 267 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:20,880 But Martin's not so lucky. 268 00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:31,800 He needs to use his ice axe to drag himself 269 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:33,920 inch by inch. 270 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:35,920 That's why everyone needed an axe. 271 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:36,960 Yeah. 272 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:54,800 We've travelled just a few hundred metres from town. 273 00:17:56,640 --> 00:17:59,000 And we're already getting a sense of how challenging 274 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:00,720 this trip will be. 275 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:13,920 After pushing through the ice for six hours, 276 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:16,760 we've finally broken out into open water. 277 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:19,200 Yeah! 278 00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:21,840 That's more like it! 279 00:18:28,920 --> 00:18:32,000 But the satisfaction of clocking up some kilometres 280 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:34,120 is tinged with a sense of unease. 281 00:18:38,840 --> 00:18:43,000 This should be an unbroken, infinite stretch of white. 282 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:46,240 You should be able to drive a tank across it. 283 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:49,400 But there's open sea, enough for us to paddle. 284 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:52,520 Earlier this year, the Arctic ice was measured 285 00:18:52,520 --> 00:18:56,680 and it was the second lowest that had ever been on record. 286 00:18:56,680 --> 00:18:58,560 Last year was the lowest. 287 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:03,800 So, the speed that things are changing here, 288 00:19:03,800 --> 00:19:08,200 the undeniable effect that it's having on the landscape 289 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:12,240 and the rhythms of the Arctic are tangible - 290 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:14,440 that's something that's absolutely real. 291 00:19:23,520 --> 00:19:26,400 I'd expected to see certain animals 292 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:28,760 which should be plentiful at this time of year. 293 00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:37,200 I just have a feeling that this just isn't right. 294 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:39,760 We haven't seen a single seal. 295 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:41,640 SARAH: I'm really surprised, actually, that 296 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:42,680 we haven't seen seals. 297 00:19:42,680 --> 00:19:44,200 This is, like, the time of year 298 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:46,560 that they should all be up on the ice. 299 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:50,880 Seals need the solid ice to rest, 300 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:52,520 digest their food, 301 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:54,960 and give birth to their pups. 302 00:19:57,520 --> 00:19:59,440 The sea ice is absolutely 303 00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:01,360 vital to their life cycle. 304 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:11,920 Are your feet ice blocks? 305 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:14,560 Absolutely frozen solid. 306 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:20,280 We're cold and exhausted, 307 00:20:20,280 --> 00:20:22,320 but we've made it to Kap Hope. 308 00:20:25,040 --> 00:20:29,640 So eerie seeing a ghost town like that. 309 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:32,440 Kind of looming out through the mist, isn't it? Mm. 310 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:37,440 I think it was an old community and now it's just hunting cabins. 311 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:44,040 This is us. 312 00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:54,680 The last residents of this hunting community left 18 years ago 313 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:56,840 when the demand for seal skins fell away. 314 00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:00,120 That is proper spooky. 315 00:21:08,800 --> 00:21:10,640 I'm not sleeping in there. 316 00:21:18,120 --> 00:21:20,000 Looks like an old muskox... 317 00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:23,120 ..skull. 318 00:21:23,120 --> 00:21:27,160 TAPPING FOOT ON FLOOR 319 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:29,280 DOOR CREAKING 320 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:36,200 Steve? 321 00:21:38,520 --> 00:21:39,680 Check this out. 322 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:43,120 Oh, wow. 323 00:21:43,120 --> 00:21:44,160 It looks like a.... 324 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:47,200 ..bit of a bothy, doesn't it? 325 00:21:50,840 --> 00:21:53,080 I, kind of, expect to see 326 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:56,160 white tape in the shape of a person on the ground. 327 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:03,880 That's not the atmospheric hunting hut I was thinking of. 328 00:22:03,880 --> 00:22:05,280 Wherever I lay my hat. 329 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:11,600 This one, so far, is better than the other ones 330 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:13,240 I poked my head in. Is it? 331 00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:15,440 Well, it's not full of snow. 332 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:18,000 Ah, no - there are bullets everywhere. 333 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:19,520 That's a big old round. 334 00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:22,280 It's got roofs, it's got walls. 335 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:25,800 So...yeah. It's home. 336 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:36,400 At this time of year, the sun never sets. 337 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:40,440 But it's been a full day of paddling 338 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:42,040 and by nine o'clock, 339 00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:43,280 we're all in bed. 340 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:46,480 SNORING 341 00:22:59,080 --> 00:23:01,960 Today's paddle has the potential to test all of us 342 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:03,760 to our limits. 343 00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:12,040 It's six degrees below zero, plus wind-chill. 344 00:23:12,040 --> 00:23:15,000 A wise person once said that there is no such thing 345 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:18,000 as bad weather, just bad clothing. 346 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:19,560 Er... 347 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:22,160 ..that person was... 348 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:23,720 ..full of it. 349 00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:27,040 There is ABSOLUTELY weather that you can't 350 00:23:27,040 --> 00:23:29,800 prepare for, and you can't have clothing for. 351 00:23:29,800 --> 00:23:31,800 And, er, this is borderline, you know? 352 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:36,080 Even our thermals and drysuits 353 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:37,520 can't keep out the cold. 354 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:41,360 Hopefully they'll warm up once we get in the water. 355 00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:50,080 There is a big, thick layer of ice ahead of us 356 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:51,920 which looks quite intimidating, 357 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:53,800 and might be impenetrable. 358 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:56,800 We just have to go and have a look. 359 00:23:56,800 --> 00:23:58,240 That's all we can do. 360 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:02,880 Check it out up close, and see if we can push through it. 361 00:24:08,360 --> 00:24:11,600 We have a huge inlet to cross. 362 00:24:11,600 --> 00:24:13,640 10km wide, 363 00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:15,680 and packed with slabs of broken ice. 364 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:21,280 We'll be paddling far from the safety of shore 365 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:23,000 and if the wind picks up, 366 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:25,440 we could easily get pushed out to sea. 367 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:36,320 This whole environment, even though it looks completely motionless, 368 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:39,040 it's always changing, always moving 369 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:43,120 and you just never know what's going to happen next. 370 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:49,200 Yesterday's paddle gave us a taste of how quickly the ice can move. 371 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:54,840 Today, venturing further from the coast, 372 00:24:54,840 --> 00:24:57,640 the winds and tides will be stronger. 373 00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:02,680 If this started to close in on you, 374 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:04,840 you'd be in so much trouble. 375 00:25:04,840 --> 00:25:07,680 Yeah, that could be... That could be a bad situation. 376 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:12,920 But ice isn't the only danger out here. 377 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:19,480 Bear tracks. 378 00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:27,920 Look at the size of them! 379 00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:29,800 They're the same size as my paddle blade. 380 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:34,520 It's the first sign of life out here on the ice. 381 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:38,160 And it isn't entirely welcome. 382 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:44,440 Polar bears use sea ice to ambush their prey. 383 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:45,880 We need to be on our guard. 384 00:25:47,120 --> 00:25:49,480 When you're picking your way through the pack ice like this, 385 00:25:49,480 --> 00:25:52,920 it's really serene, it's really tranquil. 386 00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:56,640 But...you could go around any corner and come face-to-face 387 00:25:56,640 --> 00:25:58,160 with a polar bear 388 00:25:58,160 --> 00:26:00,520 and that could be really bad. 389 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:07,120 Our worries about bears 390 00:26:07,120 --> 00:26:09,440 are soon replaced by other concerns. 391 00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:14,040 Uh... 392 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:15,960 This doesn't look good. 393 00:26:17,160 --> 00:26:20,000 We can't go that way. We have to turn around. 394 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:24,280 We're in very real danger 395 00:26:24,280 --> 00:26:25,920 of getting trapped here. 396 00:26:28,720 --> 00:26:31,560 It's impossible to see past the ice. 397 00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:38,680 We need to get out to scan for a way through. 398 00:26:40,840 --> 00:26:42,160 It's risky. 399 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:49,280 The ice is unstable, 400 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:51,480 but we need to find the route ahead. 401 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:09,520 That does not look good. 402 00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:15,800 It's a blank expanse... 403 00:27:15,800 --> 00:27:17,960 ..of ice. 404 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:21,040 Only thing I think of, really, is sending up the drone. 405 00:27:21,040 --> 00:27:23,000 Just flying it good and high, 406 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:25,400 and using that as a way to try and spot the way. 407 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:42,720 With 100 metres of elevation, 408 00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:45,600 we can see there are water channels in the broken ice. 409 00:27:47,440 --> 00:27:49,880 But we need to move quickly before they close up. 410 00:27:53,680 --> 00:27:55,880 Everything here looks the exact same. 411 00:27:57,080 --> 00:28:00,360 Yeah. So easy to lose your bearings. 412 00:28:01,440 --> 00:28:04,400 Which direction would you say we're heading right now? 413 00:28:04,400 --> 00:28:05,840 I think we're, er... 414 00:28:07,960 --> 00:28:10,040 ..heading out west, and then... 415 00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:12,560 But ideally we need to be cutting north-east, don't we? 416 00:28:13,760 --> 00:28:16,360 To get back to land. Yeah, we do. Yeah. 417 00:28:18,240 --> 00:28:21,680 The shifting ice has forced us to paddle way off course. 418 00:28:25,120 --> 00:28:27,560 We're now 6km from land 419 00:28:27,560 --> 00:28:29,520 and water channels are closing quicker 420 00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:31,240 than we can paddle through them. 421 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:37,920 It's already started to close in behind us. 422 00:28:39,920 --> 00:28:42,000 We need to get out of here as quick as we can. 423 00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:52,280 I've pushed on ahead. 424 00:28:56,520 --> 00:28:59,280 But the ice has closed in all around me. 425 00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:05,160 Oh, I don't like the look of this at all. 426 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:07,600 Can you, er... 427 00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:10,400 Can you see Steve there? 428 00:29:10,400 --> 00:29:11,440 Can you see Steve? 429 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:16,120 I can see his paddle. 430 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:21,960 I'm separated from the rest of the team. 431 00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:28,760 There's just no way on. 432 00:29:28,760 --> 00:29:30,560 Every single time I paddle, 433 00:29:30,560 --> 00:29:32,760 it turns into a blind alley and you're stuck. 434 00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:37,520 And now, I also have no way... 435 00:29:37,520 --> 00:29:39,080 How am I going to get back? 436 00:29:41,920 --> 00:29:44,560 Steve is on the other side of this ice here 437 00:29:44,560 --> 00:29:47,400 but the general flow, it's all going that way. 438 00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:50,440 That's 180 degrees from where we want to go. 439 00:29:52,480 --> 00:29:55,120 We're going a long way, the wrong way. 440 00:29:56,240 --> 00:29:57,880 This isn't cool, is it? 441 00:30:03,640 --> 00:30:06,280 As the hours have passed, 442 00:30:06,280 --> 00:30:09,560 the tide and wind have started to move the ice. 443 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:16,080 Our worst fears are becoming a reality. 444 00:30:16,080 --> 00:30:18,920 We're being taken away from shore and out to sea. 445 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:30,200 We need to get back together and find a way out of the ice fast. 446 00:30:31,480 --> 00:30:33,680 Do you guys want to try pushing through on your boat? 447 00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:38,240 The filming boats have managed to stay with us, 448 00:30:38,240 --> 00:30:41,840 and Johan the driver tries to force a passage through the ice. 449 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:53,160 He manages to open a channel. 450 00:31:01,320 --> 00:31:03,480 And we're reunited. 451 00:31:03,480 --> 00:31:06,240 OK, you might want to have to power through these before they close. 452 00:31:10,520 --> 00:31:13,120 Oh, I think I see open water. 453 00:31:13,120 --> 00:31:14,960 Massive area of open water. 454 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:15,960 Yeah! 455 00:31:24,960 --> 00:31:26,920 We can see open sea ahead, which is good, 456 00:31:26,920 --> 00:31:28,760 but we're still a long ways off the coast. 457 00:31:28,760 --> 00:31:30,880 We're about 5km from where we want to be. 458 00:31:33,000 --> 00:31:35,120 But it's a nice sight to see the open ocean. 459 00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:42,520 We're worn out after seven hours on the freezing water. 460 00:31:42,520 --> 00:31:47,040 We need an easy landing spot so we can make camp for the night. 461 00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:50,080 Oh, I think we're in luck, mate. 462 00:31:51,120 --> 00:31:53,160 I think we are too. 463 00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:55,280 Right, this lead is taking us all the way in. 464 00:31:56,960 --> 00:31:59,240 All that's missing is a red carpet. 465 00:31:59,240 --> 00:32:01,680 And the margarita! And the margarita. 466 00:32:03,920 --> 00:32:04,920 Eventually. 467 00:32:12,040 --> 00:32:14,480 This will be our first night under canvas, 468 00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:17,520 and we won't have the safety of last night's hut. 469 00:32:17,520 --> 00:32:19,320 We need to be vigilant. 470 00:32:22,000 --> 00:32:24,520 Everyone keep their eyes open for bears. Yeah. 471 00:32:35,800 --> 00:32:36,800 Flat. 472 00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:41,080 Good view for any potential bears coming in. 473 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:43,520 Perfect. 474 00:32:48,640 --> 00:32:49,720 Oh, it's cold now. 475 00:32:51,800 --> 00:32:54,240 Fingertips are absolutely frozen. 476 00:32:55,200 --> 00:32:58,840 Yeah, it'll nice to get camp set up, a hot chocolate. 477 00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:14,040 As the sun skirts the horizon, we sleep in shifts... 478 00:33:19,720 --> 00:33:23,960 ..each of us taking turns to scan for the Arctic's top predator. 479 00:33:26,560 --> 00:33:29,200 I'm on the midnight shift of polar bear watch. 480 00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:37,160 I've been here about 25 minutes, half an hour. 481 00:33:37,160 --> 00:33:40,120 What I can see up on the hill... 482 00:33:41,320 --> 00:33:45,040 ..are these last two white specks, going like, 483 00:33:45,040 --> 00:33:47,440 running all the way, they're two hares. 484 00:33:49,400 --> 00:33:52,280 Running down the hill and it's amazing to see. 485 00:33:52,280 --> 00:33:55,040 They're totally unaware that we're down here 486 00:33:55,040 --> 00:33:58,400 and just going about their own business. 487 00:33:59,680 --> 00:34:01,120 It's pretty amazing. 488 00:34:15,720 --> 00:34:18,560 It's 4:00 in the morning, 489 00:34:18,560 --> 00:34:22,520 and I'm taking my shift on bear watch. 490 00:34:22,520 --> 00:34:27,640 The whole midnight sun thing could really mess with your mind. 491 00:34:27,640 --> 00:34:30,600 The fact that for three months of the year 492 00:34:30,600 --> 00:34:32,880 the sun never rises here 493 00:34:32,880 --> 00:34:36,520 and then, through the spring and the summer, it never sets. 494 00:34:37,480 --> 00:34:40,120 It's bitterly cold. 495 00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:41,520 Oh! 496 00:34:42,760 --> 00:34:47,360 So we haven't seen a bear yet, but they're definitely out there. 497 00:34:48,640 --> 00:34:52,280 And their sense of smell is extraordinary. 498 00:34:52,280 --> 00:34:55,560 So our camp, with the food, 499 00:34:55,560 --> 00:34:59,080 will attract bears from miles and miles away. 500 00:34:59,080 --> 00:35:01,000 The fact of the matter is 501 00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:04,280 this is an animal that will attack and kill human beings 502 00:35:04,280 --> 00:35:09,160 and you don't want to find out that there's a bear nearby 503 00:35:09,160 --> 00:35:11,800 for the first time when it comes nosing into your tent. 504 00:35:18,480 --> 00:35:20,120 It's been a long night. 505 00:35:22,080 --> 00:35:25,200 But bear watch wasn't the only thing disturbing our sleep. 506 00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:29,480 Morning. 507 00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:32,920 Thank you very much. 508 00:35:33,960 --> 00:35:36,560 Was there a snorer in your tent last night? 509 00:35:36,560 --> 00:35:37,760 Snorer in my tent? 510 00:35:37,760 --> 00:35:39,120 Yes. 511 00:35:39,120 --> 00:35:41,040 Someone got into your tent. 512 00:35:41,040 --> 00:35:43,520 This is the one bonus that you have when you're on expedition 513 00:35:43,520 --> 00:35:44,920 with me is that I don't snore. 514 00:35:44,920 --> 00:35:46,520 Although you do. 515 00:35:47,960 --> 00:35:50,800 I can categorically guarantee you were snoring last night. 516 00:35:50,800 --> 00:35:52,360 Was I? Yeah. 517 00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:55,400 It's quite funny, actually. 518 00:35:55,400 --> 00:35:59,120 We have, between us all, the most unusual array of different snores. 519 00:35:59,120 --> 00:36:03,080 Like one tent you'll hear what sounds like a wounded bison, 520 00:36:03,080 --> 00:36:07,440 and then another one there's kind of like an old-fashioned steam train. 521 00:36:07,440 --> 00:36:11,320 And then from your tent there's a kind of cute whistle 522 00:36:11,320 --> 00:36:12,360 that kind of goes... 523 00:36:13,360 --> 00:36:16,400 STEVE SNORTS AND WHINNIES 524 00:36:18,280 --> 00:36:22,080 It's whistling through my beard, that's what it is. 525 00:36:22,080 --> 00:36:23,920 SHOUTS AND CRIES IN DISTANCE 526 00:36:44,960 --> 00:36:47,960 You can see already that it's smelt us because it's downwind of us, 527 00:36:47,960 --> 00:36:50,520 lifting its head up, sniffing the air. 528 00:36:50,520 --> 00:36:52,440 It's very, very aware that we're here. 529 00:36:54,560 --> 00:36:58,480 We are just like a glowing beacon of smell to this animal. 530 00:36:58,480 --> 00:37:04,080 Bears have been seen going in a dead straight line for 20 miles 531 00:37:04,080 --> 00:37:05,760 towards food that they can only have smelt. 532 00:37:07,400 --> 00:37:10,640 Polar bears are rarely scared of humans 533 00:37:10,640 --> 00:37:13,120 and so can be extremely dangerous. 534 00:37:15,880 --> 00:37:18,360 For our safety and for his, 535 00:37:18,360 --> 00:37:19,760 we have to scare him off. 536 00:37:21,600 --> 00:37:24,080 Aldo? Hmm? Make sure you've got the gun. 537 00:37:24,080 --> 00:37:25,920 Yeah. Have it just out and ready. 538 00:37:28,040 --> 00:37:30,480 Have you got bear flares and everything? Yeah. 539 00:37:30,480 --> 00:37:33,160 I don't think it's a wise idea for me to have a weapon. 540 00:37:34,800 --> 00:37:37,240 The gun and flares can be fired above his head 541 00:37:37,240 --> 00:37:38,960 to try and frighten him away. 542 00:37:40,200 --> 00:37:42,280 If we come over to this side of camp, 543 00:37:42,280 --> 00:37:45,280 and if everyone comes in nice and close together. 544 00:37:51,440 --> 00:37:53,880 That yawn there is directed at us. 545 00:37:53,880 --> 00:37:56,120 That's a threat display. 546 00:37:58,160 --> 00:38:00,200 OK, he's getting quite close now. 547 00:38:05,600 --> 00:38:06,720 From there, 548 00:38:06,720 --> 00:38:09,200 he could cover this distance in a matter of seconds. 549 00:38:13,400 --> 00:38:14,840 FLARE GUN COCKS IN DISTANCE 550 00:38:14,840 --> 00:38:16,520 You hear the guys cocking their weapons. 551 00:38:17,880 --> 00:38:20,520 SHOUTS AND CRIES 552 00:38:20,520 --> 00:38:22,480 Go on! Go on! 553 00:38:22,480 --> 00:38:23,760 Ha! Ha! 554 00:38:24,840 --> 00:38:26,840 Get out of here! Go on! 555 00:38:26,840 --> 00:38:28,400 Go on! 556 00:38:30,000 --> 00:38:31,480 Do you want to put the flare up? 557 00:38:31,480 --> 00:38:32,440 Yeah. 558 00:38:35,520 --> 00:38:37,360 Good job. Good job. 559 00:38:37,360 --> 00:38:39,680 We hope the bright light from these marine flares 560 00:38:39,680 --> 00:38:41,040 will drive him away. 561 00:38:48,040 --> 00:38:49,360 Hey! 562 00:38:50,360 --> 00:38:53,200 Hey! 563 00:39:00,120 --> 00:39:01,320 Shall we get another flare off? 564 00:39:05,800 --> 00:39:08,040 BANGING 565 00:39:08,040 --> 00:39:10,960 Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! 566 00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:14,640 REPEATED BANGING 567 00:39:19,520 --> 00:39:20,840 BANGING STOPS 568 00:39:24,080 --> 00:39:26,120 Yeah, I think, hopefully, 569 00:39:26,120 --> 00:39:28,800 that will be enough to make him get on his way. 570 00:39:28,800 --> 00:39:32,160 But you could see he just was not frightened at all. 571 00:39:32,160 --> 00:39:35,480 He could smell food and he just kept on coming. 572 00:39:39,960 --> 00:39:41,760 It looks like he's coming back. 573 00:39:47,240 --> 00:39:48,600 So, so far... 574 00:39:50,480 --> 00:39:53,680 ..all the things that we've used, flares firing into the air... 575 00:39:56,320 --> 00:39:57,800 ..but it's not having any effect. 576 00:39:57,800 --> 00:39:59,040 He still keeps coming back. 577 00:40:07,920 --> 00:40:11,440 BANGING AND SHOUTING 578 00:40:11,440 --> 00:40:15,880 As a last resort, we try a few well-placed stones. 579 00:40:18,600 --> 00:40:21,160 They won't hurt him through his thick fur, 580 00:40:21,160 --> 00:40:23,600 but may put him off. 581 00:40:23,600 --> 00:40:27,320 I know it seems crazy to be throwing stones at a bear, 582 00:40:27,320 --> 00:40:29,480 but it's for his safety as much as ours. 583 00:40:29,480 --> 00:40:32,560 You can see he's just keeping on coming. 584 00:40:34,960 --> 00:40:36,600 It's not putting him off. 585 00:40:38,400 --> 00:40:39,800 Go! 586 00:40:52,600 --> 00:40:54,880 There he goes. He's gone in the water. 587 00:40:56,720 --> 00:40:57,800 He's in the water. 588 00:40:58,960 --> 00:41:01,280 Great. Perfect. OK. 589 00:41:01,280 --> 00:41:03,600 So that's exactly what we were hoping for. 590 00:41:03,600 --> 00:41:05,640 He's gone into the water. He's swimming around us. 591 00:41:05,640 --> 00:41:08,080 He finally decided that it wasn't worth the confrontation. 592 00:41:09,640 --> 00:41:12,760 But it is just pure and simple 593 00:41:12,760 --> 00:41:17,360 down to the fact that, right now, food is so, so scarce. 594 00:41:17,360 --> 00:41:21,200 Because the ice has broken up so quickly, there are no seals around. 595 00:41:21,200 --> 00:41:25,360 We haven't seen a single seal since we've been out here paddling, 596 00:41:25,360 --> 00:41:29,000 and he just has no option but to come and try out everything 597 00:41:29,000 --> 00:41:32,240 that could be food and it turned out that was us. 598 00:41:35,760 --> 00:41:38,840 Thankfully, we and the bear are walking away 599 00:41:38,840 --> 00:41:41,000 unharmed from this encounter. 600 00:41:45,040 --> 00:41:46,960 With the sea ice shrinking, 601 00:41:46,960 --> 00:41:50,120 polar bears are forced to look for food on land. 602 00:41:51,880 --> 00:41:56,240 This brings more bears into contact with people and many encounters 603 00:41:56,240 --> 00:41:58,360 don't end as well as this one. 604 00:42:01,680 --> 00:42:04,960 Climate change up here is not something that you see on a graph, 605 00:42:04,960 --> 00:42:07,280 or in stats, and facts and figures, 606 00:42:07,280 --> 00:42:10,840 it's in changes to every single day. 607 00:42:15,720 --> 00:42:18,920 Since the last Ice Age here, at this time of year, 608 00:42:18,920 --> 00:42:22,640 this has just been a flat expanse of ice and now it's not. 609 00:42:23,640 --> 00:42:25,800 Does it need to be any more definitive than that? 610 00:42:38,280 --> 00:42:39,920 All right, then. 611 00:42:42,960 --> 00:42:45,560 The goal of this kayaking trip was always to get 612 00:42:45,560 --> 00:42:48,840 as far as we could up Scoresby Sound 613 00:42:48,840 --> 00:42:52,240 to where the ice meets the ocean. 614 00:42:52,240 --> 00:42:55,840 So, back in our kayaks, there's big headwinds. 615 00:42:55,840 --> 00:42:58,400 It's going to be a tough day of paddling. 616 00:43:02,080 --> 00:43:05,480 We're now 30km from where we started. 617 00:43:07,120 --> 00:43:09,520 And there's still no sign of the solid ice that, 618 00:43:09,520 --> 00:43:10,720 at this time of year, 619 00:43:10,720 --> 00:43:12,800 should be covering the fjord. 620 00:43:18,360 --> 00:43:20,520 We kayak further and further. 621 00:43:22,160 --> 00:43:24,600 You've just got to keep paddling. 622 00:43:25,600 --> 00:43:26,640 We paddle... 623 00:43:28,440 --> 00:43:29,560 ..camp... 624 00:43:31,720 --> 00:43:33,280 ..watch for bears... 625 00:43:34,520 --> 00:43:35,560 ..then sleep... 626 00:43:37,800 --> 00:43:38,800 ..eat... 627 00:43:39,960 --> 00:43:41,240 ..and paddle some more. 628 00:43:48,960 --> 00:43:51,400 It's our fourth day on the water. 629 00:43:51,400 --> 00:43:56,200 And as we get further up the fjord and closer to the solid ice, 630 00:43:56,200 --> 00:43:59,320 we're finally starting to see more wildlife. 631 00:44:02,160 --> 00:44:03,840 Oh, my goodness look at that! 632 00:44:05,240 --> 00:44:06,640 Amazing. 633 00:44:06,640 --> 00:44:09,480 Huge flock of eiders. 634 00:44:11,200 --> 00:44:12,800 Look at that! Wow! 635 00:44:12,800 --> 00:44:13,840 Enormous amounts. 636 00:44:15,320 --> 00:44:16,640 Oh, king eider! 637 00:44:16,640 --> 00:44:18,240 That's quite rare. 638 00:44:18,240 --> 00:44:19,280 Beautiful. 639 00:44:22,800 --> 00:44:26,160 You know, it's a reminder that though this place may seem 640 00:44:26,160 --> 00:44:28,160 inhospitable to us, 641 00:44:28,160 --> 00:44:30,800 there are plenty of animals that need this place 642 00:44:30,800 --> 00:44:32,240 and need it just as it is. 643 00:44:34,680 --> 00:44:37,240 They're living in a very narrow niche. 644 00:44:37,240 --> 00:44:39,600 And when things change too quick, 645 00:44:39,600 --> 00:44:42,160 populations crash and animals suffer. 646 00:44:43,200 --> 00:44:45,840 And that's when extinction events happen. 647 00:44:57,400 --> 00:44:59,240 What is that little black dot there? 648 00:45:00,920 --> 00:45:02,320 A seal? 649 00:45:06,840 --> 00:45:09,920 We're now 48km up the fjord 650 00:45:09,920 --> 00:45:12,160 and we've spotted our first seal. 651 00:45:14,480 --> 00:45:16,720 That's all right, little fella. 652 00:45:16,720 --> 00:45:18,760 That's all right, stay there, stay there. 653 00:45:21,600 --> 00:45:24,240 At this size, it's very difficult to tell what species it is. 654 00:45:24,240 --> 00:45:27,680 But by far the most numerous up here is the ringed seal. 655 00:45:27,680 --> 00:45:33,160 And they're also the favourite food of the polar bear. 656 00:45:33,160 --> 00:45:35,800 Oh, that is beyond cute. 657 00:45:38,440 --> 00:45:41,280 This one here could well - it's young enough - that it could well 658 00:45:41,280 --> 00:45:42,960 still be being seen by its mother. 659 00:45:46,440 --> 00:45:49,800 Mother seals normally give birth on solid ice. 660 00:45:51,040 --> 00:45:53,920 The snow on top offers them sanctuary from the worst 661 00:45:53,920 --> 00:45:57,040 of the elements and some protection against predators. 662 00:45:59,480 --> 00:46:02,840 On the shore, like this, they're more vulnerable. 663 00:46:05,240 --> 00:46:07,920 Everything is relying on the pack ice. 664 00:46:10,800 --> 00:46:12,320 With the seals gone, 665 00:46:12,320 --> 00:46:15,920 there'll be nothing else for the polar bears to hunt. 666 00:46:19,080 --> 00:46:23,560 Knowing how reliant these seals are on solid ice, 667 00:46:23,560 --> 00:46:24,760 their future here, 668 00:46:24,760 --> 00:46:27,800 along with the polar bears that depend on them, 669 00:46:27,800 --> 00:46:28,840 looks bleak. 670 00:46:38,760 --> 00:46:42,040 60km from where we began our expedition, 671 00:46:42,040 --> 00:46:43,840 we stop for the night. 672 00:46:57,280 --> 00:46:59,080 On the hills behind camp, 673 00:46:59,080 --> 00:47:02,680 I spot another welcome sign of life. 674 00:47:05,320 --> 00:47:07,760 This ridge line is going to completely hide us. 675 00:47:14,120 --> 00:47:17,720 There are eight musk oxen just on the hill ahead of us. 676 00:47:20,320 --> 00:47:22,040 What's their eyesight like? 677 00:47:22,040 --> 00:47:23,720 Eyesight's terrible. 678 00:47:23,720 --> 00:47:26,320 Erm, hearing and sense of smell are both very good. 679 00:47:29,160 --> 00:47:30,360 I think we can creep in closer. 680 00:47:36,280 --> 00:47:40,360 There's a tiny calf walking along that ridge line. Can you see that? 681 00:47:40,360 --> 00:47:41,720 Look at that, it's running. 682 00:47:44,800 --> 00:47:47,240 That is special. That's really special. 683 00:47:52,120 --> 00:47:55,160 Musk oxen have evolved to survive here, 684 00:47:55,160 --> 00:47:57,600 making do with scarce resources. 685 00:47:58,800 --> 00:48:01,200 It is such a hard life, 686 00:48:01,200 --> 00:48:04,920 constantly grazing on these really low-lying shrubs. 687 00:48:04,920 --> 00:48:07,800 There's not an enormous amount of nourishment here, 688 00:48:07,800 --> 00:48:10,200 so they just have to keep on eating nonstop. 689 00:48:12,240 --> 00:48:15,640 And when you're this size, you need a lot of energy. 690 00:48:20,600 --> 00:48:23,200 These animals are really struggling under climate change. 691 00:48:26,360 --> 00:48:29,280 Warm spells during winter are now more common. 692 00:48:30,920 --> 00:48:33,760 When temperatures rise above freezing, 693 00:48:33,760 --> 00:48:37,000 the winter snow melts, then freezes again, 694 00:48:37,000 --> 00:48:41,040 creating a thick layer of ice over the musk oxen's food. 695 00:48:44,320 --> 00:48:45,760 In the last decade, 696 00:48:45,760 --> 00:48:49,000 musk oxen numbers have fallen dramatically, 697 00:48:49,000 --> 00:48:51,840 making this sighting all the more special. 698 00:49:10,720 --> 00:49:11,920 Sarah? 699 00:49:11,920 --> 00:49:12,960 Yeah? 700 00:49:12,960 --> 00:49:14,760 We've be going an hour. 701 00:49:14,760 --> 00:49:18,400 Nice. What say we stop and have a drink? 702 00:49:18,400 --> 00:49:19,440 Sounds good. 703 00:49:22,920 --> 00:49:27,840 Each day, we need to take on 6,000 calories to fuel our muscles 704 00:49:27,840 --> 00:49:29,720 and keep our bodies warm. 705 00:49:33,640 --> 00:49:35,480 Are you checking how you look in the camera? 706 00:49:35,480 --> 00:49:37,480 No. Mmm-hmm! 707 00:49:37,480 --> 00:49:40,080 This is us on a stop on day five. 708 00:49:41,800 --> 00:49:44,040 And the wind has turned against us. 709 00:49:44,040 --> 00:49:46,680 Pretty much been paddling for one hour, 710 00:49:46,680 --> 00:49:50,080 and probably done about a kilometre, if that. 711 00:49:52,560 --> 00:49:55,000 Do you need your hand back so you can get into your cheese? 712 00:49:55,000 --> 00:49:56,080 No, I'm good. 713 00:49:56,080 --> 00:50:01,080 I can't believe you've stopped off with a whole block of cheese. 714 00:50:01,080 --> 00:50:02,120 You want some? No! 715 00:50:02,120 --> 00:50:03,760 This is how Canadians travel. 716 00:50:05,720 --> 00:50:07,800 I forgot to press record. 717 00:50:07,800 --> 00:50:09,000 Did you really? No. 718 00:50:09,000 --> 00:50:10,640 It's in. 719 00:50:10,640 --> 00:50:12,680 That orange cheese always kind of scares me a bit. 720 00:50:14,360 --> 00:50:16,720 Red Leicester. That's the one. 721 00:50:16,720 --> 00:50:19,760 So, you'll quite happily battle a polar bear 722 00:50:19,760 --> 00:50:21,600 but you're scared by cheese. 723 00:50:21,600 --> 00:50:25,040 THEY LAUGH 724 00:50:25,040 --> 00:50:26,520 God! 725 00:50:33,840 --> 00:50:35,560 This far up the fjord, 726 00:50:35,560 --> 00:50:38,280 there's less broken ice blocking our way, 727 00:50:38,280 --> 00:50:42,160 but the ice we do see is much, much bigger. 728 00:50:52,000 --> 00:50:53,520 Towering icebergs, 729 00:50:53,520 --> 00:50:56,560 many of them over 100 metres high. 730 00:50:59,720 --> 00:51:02,160 They are absolutely monstrous. 731 00:51:02,160 --> 00:51:05,200 Some of them the size of towns, it looks like. 732 00:51:08,320 --> 00:51:11,400 These icebergs broke away from gigantic glaciers 733 00:51:11,400 --> 00:51:12,840 at the end of the fjord 734 00:51:12,840 --> 00:51:16,640 and have been trapped in solid ice over winter. 735 00:51:16,640 --> 00:51:19,240 Now, they're freed as the ice thaws. 736 00:51:24,680 --> 00:51:26,800 We can't resist a closer look. 737 00:51:29,840 --> 00:51:33,200 Oh, my goodness, that is absolutely awe-inspiring. 738 00:51:34,320 --> 00:51:35,760 Yeah, that's pretty. 739 00:51:35,760 --> 00:51:37,600 So I think we'll paddle this way, Sarah? Yeah. 740 00:51:40,000 --> 00:51:41,640 Whoa! 741 00:51:45,120 --> 00:51:48,360 Oh, my goodness, that is absolutely incredible. 742 00:51:51,360 --> 00:51:53,880 This part of it is pretty beautiful, too. 743 00:51:53,880 --> 00:51:55,000 Wow, look at that! 744 00:51:56,640 --> 00:51:58,320 That is immense. 745 00:52:00,880 --> 00:52:05,960 This ice could have originally frozen 100,000 years ago, 746 00:52:05,960 --> 00:52:08,240 when Neanderthals still walked the Earth. 747 00:52:10,440 --> 00:52:12,880 Beautiful as it is, 748 00:52:12,880 --> 00:52:15,360 it's a potentially lethal place. 749 00:52:15,360 --> 00:52:19,240 We want to minimise our time here as much as we possibly can, 750 00:52:19,240 --> 00:52:23,880 because any part of this could break, crack and fall off. 751 00:52:23,880 --> 00:52:27,680 It could even roll and, well, 752 00:52:27,680 --> 00:52:30,600 you would not want to be anywhere near it when that happened. 753 00:52:34,040 --> 00:52:35,960 Don't get too close, Sarah. 754 00:52:35,960 --> 00:52:37,960 The wind really pushes you in. 755 00:52:37,960 --> 00:52:40,480 You see all these daggers aimed at your head? 756 00:52:40,480 --> 00:52:42,040 SARAH LAUGHS 757 00:52:42,040 --> 00:52:43,720 God, that would hurt. 758 00:52:58,080 --> 00:53:00,520 As sea and air temperatures rise, 759 00:53:00,520 --> 00:53:03,400 more icebergs are falling from glaciers 760 00:53:03,400 --> 00:53:05,520 and they're melting faster too, 761 00:53:05,520 --> 00:53:08,160 raising sea levels around the world. 762 00:53:12,040 --> 00:53:14,440 As ice melts, 763 00:53:14,440 --> 00:53:16,840 it creates something known as a feedback loop. 764 00:53:21,560 --> 00:53:26,040 White snow or ice reflects sun back up into the atmosphere. 765 00:53:26,040 --> 00:53:29,680 Dark sea soaks it up like a sink. 766 00:53:29,680 --> 00:53:32,360 So here this should be right now, 767 00:53:32,360 --> 00:53:36,240 one great big white mirror reflecting sun away. 768 00:53:36,240 --> 00:53:41,760 Instead, it is a dark object soaking up and retaining all that heat. 769 00:53:45,240 --> 00:53:48,160 The more it melts, the faster it melts. 770 00:53:50,440 --> 00:53:54,480 Already the seas here in the summer are four degrees warmer 771 00:53:54,480 --> 00:53:56,120 than they should be. 772 00:53:56,120 --> 00:53:57,160 Four degrees. 773 00:53:57,160 --> 00:53:58,880 You know, that might not sound like much, 774 00:53:58,880 --> 00:54:01,280 but it's the difference between it being covered with ice 775 00:54:01,280 --> 00:54:03,040 and being completely empty. 776 00:54:15,280 --> 00:54:18,720 73km in, and we spot a white line 777 00:54:18,720 --> 00:54:21,760 spanning from one side of the fjord to the other. 778 00:54:23,600 --> 00:54:25,360 What do you think, guys? 779 00:54:25,360 --> 00:54:28,400 I think this is our big white wall. 780 00:54:35,280 --> 00:54:38,080 We've had seven days paddling down the fjord. 781 00:54:38,080 --> 00:54:40,400 We've navigated shifting sea ice, 782 00:54:40,400 --> 00:54:43,640 freezing conditions and a hungry polar bear to get here. 783 00:54:45,000 --> 00:54:46,880 Go on, Sarah! You can do it! 784 00:54:52,800 --> 00:54:55,160 Woo-hoo-hoo! 785 00:55:15,640 --> 00:55:17,160 Are you standing on it, Sarah? 786 00:55:17,160 --> 00:55:18,280 Just one foot. 787 00:55:18,280 --> 00:55:19,400 STEVE LAUGHS 788 00:55:21,240 --> 00:55:23,320 Oh, ho, ho! Look at that! 789 00:55:26,600 --> 00:55:27,720 Solid! 790 00:55:33,400 --> 00:55:35,480 I'm still a little bit nervous. 791 00:55:37,880 --> 00:55:38,880 Great job. Well done. 792 00:55:38,880 --> 00:55:40,880 Well done. 793 00:55:40,880 --> 00:55:42,760 Awesome. 794 00:55:42,760 --> 00:55:44,320 Well done, old bean. 795 00:55:44,320 --> 00:55:45,560 Good job. Good job. 796 00:55:45,560 --> 00:55:47,440 We've made it to the ice edge. 797 00:55:49,280 --> 00:55:52,520 But what we've witnessed on our journey is shocking. 798 00:55:55,360 --> 00:55:58,800 This is the biggest fjord on the planet. 799 00:55:58,800 --> 00:56:03,680 To paddle up this is genuinely a privilege. 800 00:56:03,680 --> 00:56:06,160 But it's also quite sad. 801 00:56:07,960 --> 00:56:10,600 This time of year, this is the earliest 802 00:56:10,600 --> 00:56:13,440 that the sea ice has broken up on record. 803 00:56:14,640 --> 00:56:15,840 Bar none. 804 00:56:17,720 --> 00:56:22,480 And that is very definitely a signal that the planet is changing. 805 00:56:30,080 --> 00:56:34,360 Right now, there are over 200 square kilometres more open water 806 00:56:34,360 --> 00:56:36,960 in this fjord than ever before. 807 00:56:43,200 --> 00:56:48,160 Sea ice all across the Arctic is shrinking at an alarming rate. 808 00:56:48,160 --> 00:56:54,040 On average there are 82,000 square kilometres less each year. 809 00:56:57,120 --> 00:57:01,160 This is the place where climate change is a tangible reality. 810 00:57:03,080 --> 00:57:05,560 There is no question that it's happening. 811 00:57:05,560 --> 00:57:09,880 And here you can see it, and feel it, and touch it, and smell it. 812 00:57:19,120 --> 00:57:22,080 For the wildlife, it's catastrophic. 813 00:57:22,080 --> 00:57:26,680 It's a change in every single rhythm that this environment goes through. 814 00:57:28,800 --> 00:57:33,680 Climate change is changing everything now, 815 00:57:33,680 --> 00:57:35,280 not in 100 years' time. 816 00:57:35,280 --> 00:57:37,920 And unless people switch onto that, 817 00:57:37,920 --> 00:57:40,560 the impacts are going to be felt everywhere. 818 00:57:45,880 --> 00:57:50,520 Next time, we'll be pushing further into unexplored Arctic wilderness. 819 00:57:51,880 --> 00:57:54,920 From here on in, we're treading new ground. 820 00:57:54,920 --> 00:57:57,280 We'll face sinking sand... 821 00:57:57,280 --> 00:57:58,520 Argh! Oh! 822 00:57:59,960 --> 00:58:01,320 ..a mighty glacier. 823 00:58:01,320 --> 00:58:02,920 Come on, let's crack this last bit. 824 00:58:04,560 --> 00:58:08,960 ..and attempt to climb a vast, frozen, unsummited mountain. 825 00:58:08,960 --> 00:58:11,640 Everything is ready to go. 826 00:58:12,760 --> 00:58:13,880 Rock! 827 00:58:13,880 --> 00:58:14,960 Heads, heads, heads!