Girls Gone Polar

Five girls, a 60 foot sailboat, two 50 caliber guns and a bunch of hungry polar bears - what could go wrong?

On May 23rd, a team of 5 female athletes and adventurers plan to embark on a 12 day sailing and skiing trip in Svalbard, Norway.  Our goal is to document climate change in the Arctic , wildlife and human interaction in a remote environment and exploration of rarely visited areas by sailboat and ski touring. Svalbard offers outstanding unexplored wilderness, and is one of the most fascinating truly Arctic regions left in the world. We plan to film the entire journey start to finish, interviewing members of the local and native population, visiting a remote climate research camp and monitoring polar bear sightings and behavior. As you may be aware, this year is incredible significant as well as it is one of the warmest on record in the Arctic . 

Why this story is important to tell: 
 Svalbard is 800 miles from the North Pole, and worryingly the Arctic is where the earth appears to be warming the most. Why this is happening and what it means for our planet is of course a huge debate currently. We are in a unique position to observe, film and document the impact of the warmest Arctic year on record while we access incredible remote areas within the Arctic Circle.

Similarly, the polar bear has always been a symbol of the Arctic wilderness; both beautiful yet dangerous. Norwegian authorities take stewardship of the bear’s natural habitat very seriously. The presence of the polar bear in Svalbard is a serious part of Arctic exploration, and preparation for encounters with this massive predator is very prevalent and intriguing part of the adventure. 

With two filmmakers on-board the boat, we will to capture hours of content relating to the reality of climate impact in this area, how it affects the wildlife, the landscape and culture and use it to produce a film and raise awareness worldwide. The film plans to explore serious topics with a definitively humorous spin as we tell this tale through the eyes of 5 strong minded and strong willed women. What is it like to ski with rifles? How do you manage a boat with 5 women and one male boat captain? What really goes down on an expedition? Prepare to laugh, fall in love with each teammate, and see adventure through a new perspective as we take on this journey. 

The reality of undertaking such a project is that the costs are significant - and although we have applied for grants, they may not come through until the trip is underway. We are reaching out to you to invest and be a part of this important research and documentation - to help raise awareness for climate change and wildlife preservation. 

The film produced will tenatively premiere in 2017, and will be entered into Banff Film Festival, Backcountry Film Fest, and Telluride Mountain Film among others. In addition the social aspect of the trip has the potential to reach many more people through you, post trip media and our sponsors, as we continue to work towards more sustainability and conservation. I know that I want my children to be able to play in the snow and have the opportunity to see the incredible places that I've been so fortunate to visit in my lifetime. This is a personal step to help shift the conversation towards what we stand to gain and lose with the current rate of climate change. In addition, I have applied to take saltwater samples for Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation  to study the amount of microplastics found in the ocean in this area. 


Your donation will help cover a portion of travel costs, boat and operational expenses, as well as production expenses.  It will also be utilized to help build a website  to share our journey and research findings along the way. 

I am incredibly grateful for all and any support in making this trip a reality. Each person who donates will get a copy of the final version of the film from me, and a personally signed and framed photograph from the trip as a thank you. EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS! 

Thank you for being a part of the solution and investing in exploration and research in one of the most remote places on the planet! Learn more about the journey here: underthemidnightsun.com