Ten years ago, four Scandinavian women in their twenties decided to ski across the frozen coastline and ice caps of Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic. Tongue in cheek, they dubbed themselves the Baffin Babes.
Over 80 days, Swedish sisters Emma and Vera Simonsson and Norwegians Ingbjoerg Tollefsen and Kristin Folsland Olsen hauled their 120kg sleds along the coastal sea ice of eastern Baffin, over crevassed glaciers and in and out of maze-like inlets.
The reward for their toil was time among some of the best scenery in the Arctic, even the world. Huge granite monoliths line the snowy 1,200km route from Qikqiktarjuaq in the south to Pond Inlet in the north, as if a rampaging giant had plucked Yosemite from its roots and cast it down on the Baffin coast.
The documentary captures the Baffin Babes’ experiences and emotions over the nearly two months. It’s got bears, poo, crevasses, boredom, tears, the cold and a healthy dollop of goofing around.
Their entertaining take on expedition life makes light of the difficulties of their journey. A nice shift from the usual self-serious expedition films.
Next time I head off on an expedition, I’ll be sure to take an air guitar, wacky dance moves and a better sense of humour.
Previous Links
Baffin Babes: Spring, sunscreen, snow and circus
