Winter bathing shoes - The best shoes for winter bathing
Enhance your winter swimming experience with winter swimming shoes. They protect you from the cold and prevent injuries.
Långholmen Kayak x Nansen Polar Expedition
This is the story of the Nansen Polar Expedition and the collaboration with us at Långholmen kayak. With the collaboration, we have seen our self-designed products slide around among ice floes and penguins in Antarctica.
In the summer of 2021, Martin Enckell, one of the founders of the Nansen Polar Expedition, contacted us at Långholmen Kajak. Nansen Polar Expedition organizes fabulous expeditions through Antarctica, Greenland, Iceland and Svalbard with a base in Smøla in Norway.
Nansen Polar Expedition has two large ships that have been converted into luxury yachts. The smaller MV Villa maintains a high standard with a premium cabin and the rest with bunk beds and shared bathrooms. The larger MV Nansen Explorer is an "Explorer yacht" with a helicopter pad and a very high standard. The inside has hotel-like rooms/suites, fine dining, a gym and cozy social areas. The ships are full of expedition equipment of the highest quality such as rib boats, helicopters, diving equipment etc. What was missing for Martin and the team was kayaks , stand up paddle boards and dry suits which could cope with the harsh environment of cold and ice floes found in Antarctica and match the quality of the other equipment. This is where the collaboration between Långholmen Kayak and Nansen Polar Expedition began.
After ascertaining the needs of the forwarding company, we could confidently recommend some of our best-selling products. The products that are currently on board these ships are The sea paddle Triton (double kayak), Eskimo sea paddle (single kayak), the SUPs Sea Paddle Oden 10'8" and Odin 12'6” as well as our dry suit The sea paddle Valkyria .
Nansen Polar Expeditions stands out in that it owns the ships that operate the expeditions for adventurous small groups and film production teams. Here you need the right equipment and expertise to get close to the unique nature found in these areas. Nansen Polar Expeditions has over 30 years of experience in local knowledge of the places visited and knowledge of the environment and the animals that live there.
Antarctica
Antarctica is a magical place with incredible nature and wildlife. The incredible icebergs are only part of what you can expect to see in this environment. At the top, however, is the spectacular wildlife with 17 species of penguins, 46 species of other birds, which means that many bird watchers are drawn to this particular destination. Examples of birds that can be seen here are Wandering Albatrosses, Barn Swallows, Barn Swallows, Barn Swallows, Blue-eyed Terns, Diving Swallows, Cormorants, Featherbills and Terns. Here you also have the opportunity to see many different species of whales such as Fin whales, Humpback whales, Minke whales, Southern whales, Sperm whales and Orcas.
Svalbard
In Svalbard, it is not impossible to come across walruses and polar bears, and then you have to be careful when kayaking. During the paddling that is done during these expeditions, an experienced kayak guide always follows along with a safety boat that is on hand if needed. There is also a lot of bird life here, seals and whales if you are lucky. Other common animals are reindeer and foxes, but then usually at longer distances on glaciers or other parts of Svalbard's beautiful landscape.
Greenland
On Greenland's east coast, you can kayak and SUP through the famous fjord systems. Here you can also find the northern hemisphere's largest iceberg, which was once part of the enormous glaciers. Here musk oxen can be found in the distance and you also come across the occasional seal. On the east coast there is only one village called Scoresbysund, the rest is open landscape and nature. The west coast, on the other hand, is much more active with villages, airports and a lot of fishing industry. A popular destination for tourists with iceberg cruises and the opportunity to see humpback whales.
Iceland
Here there is not quite the same nature with icebergs and glaciers, but a coast with very beautiful landscapes and more greenery. Drysuits are still required during kayaking, even though nature is greener. The wildlife here is also a bit quieter, but a lot of beautiful birds can be seen from your kayak.
We look forward to a continued fine collaboration with Polar Nansen Expedition!
Would you like to join us on an expedition? Take a look at https://www.wefollowheroes.com and book your place!
