INTERVIEW : INGRID ULRICH AT THE LOFOTEN ISLANDS !!!

Our ambassador Ingrid Ulrich has returned from the Lofoten Islands. This archipelago beyond the polar circle was the scene of her last SUP expedition.

Can you introduce yourself?

My name is Ingrid, I’m 43 years old today and I’ve been practising SUP for a few years.

What makes you want to go on an expedition?

My story is a little long and I think that now everybody knows it. My life has made me need to get away from it all and make my dreams come true. So GO! Head north or somewhere else! The living conditions are not “great luxury” on an expedition but as soon as I finish one, I already think of the next one. I don’t know why it’s like that. It’s only in these wide open spaces where I feel good, where everything has to be earned, where nothing is given. To live slowly (at the speed of my paddle stroke), to live simple, very simple things and to be content with the essentials: find a shelter to spend the night, eat and sleep. To be far from everything and find the silence of nature. That’s what I like.

How do you choose your destinations and why did you choose the Lofoten Islands?

I have always been attracted and fascinated by the polar regions. It’s like landing on another planet. The nature, the fauna and flora: everything is different here, more intense, bigger. My last SUP trips were Iceland and Greenland. The Lofoten Islands and Arctic Norway are places that made me dream. They are said to be some of the most beautiful islands in the world. The mountains beside the sea, the little red huts and the majestic fjords make a great playground for adventure. In the unavoidable and legendary destinations of the Arctic, there is also the Svalbard archipelago, but there, the security is very complicated because of the polar bears, but I’m thinking about it, maybe a next trip 😉

Why did you choose to leave at this time of the year?

For a thousand and one reasons. First of all because I was told that it was not possible in SUP in the middle of winter. So of course, I had to check! Winter is also the time of the Northern Lights. Few natural phenomena are as impressive. Seeing them is magical and surreal! So it was time to go. Moreover, at the end of February, the length of the days starts to be convenient (before it’s the polar night). And especially, in winter, the feeling of being alone in the middle of nowhere is quickly present, in front of the immensity of the landscapes.

How was your physical and mental preparation?

No pressure! It’s not a competition, but an adventure to fill my eyes and savour every moment that life lets me breathe. I drink beer and eat sausage (but I wear nail polish ?). You have to enjoy life, within reason of course. On the other hand, I meticulously prepare my adventure: I plan an itinerary, plans B and C, I study the maps, the weather, the currents, the tides, the various phenomena… My equipment is also suitable for extreme cold and survival in a marine and/or hostile environment.

What kind of conditions did you encounter?

That’s where it gets tough. The Lofoten Islands in February, it’s a daring SUP trip because everything depends on the weather, very capricious in the middle of winter. But who doesn’t try anything, has nothing! I had planned to leave from the south of the islands and go as far north as possible. But the wind (very often violent) and snowstorms (zero visibility) reduced my course. There is also a lot of current in the straits. I couldn’t do everything I had planned but I enjoyed myself anyway!

The icebreaker option on your SUP saved you more than once, didn’t it?

You have to know that in the Lofoten Islands, even above the polar circle, thanks to the Gulf Stream current, the sea doesn’t freeze. On the other hand, the bottom of the fjords where I would often pitch my tent to spend the night was often frozen, hence the SUP Icebreaker videos I posted on my Facebook page.

Can you describe your equipment?

To navigate I wear a wetsuit with feet, 7-mm hard-soled diving booties, a multi-pocket life jacket (to put among other things the safety equipment: mirror, VHF, phone, whistle, knife, compass, rocket…), a neoprene cap and waterproof gloves for cold work. Underneath the thick merino wool socks, merino leggings + fleece underpants; for the top a first layer of merino wool, a fleece sweater + a light jacket. For the rest of the material, everything is stored in waterproof bags (Zulupack brand) and the bags are strapped to the SUP. A bag is always ready and accessible with the minimum to survive. For the bivouacs, I have a 4 season tent that resists strong winds and the weight of snow, a sleeping bag very cold (down to -20 degrees), a mattress to insulate me from the frozen ground and to eat I have a gas stove (and another gas) with freeze-dried meals. I left with a fishing rod, but no hits, unlike in Greenland where I ate fresh fish every day. As for the SUP: The COUINE MARIE CRUISING 12’6 double room (security level, there’s no better than a double room), 2 paddles: if I break the one I’m rowing with or if I lose it in the water, I always have the other one. And of course a leash, also essential for my safety.

Did you find yourself in real danger during your expedition?

No, because I know my limits. I don’t take any risks. Too much wind, I stay ashore. And if the wind picks up, I’ll land on a beach or an island. It can happen to spend 24 hours in the tent waiting for sailing conditions to improve. I went around each fjord because there was too much current to cross them from one shore to the other. My adventures are my holidays, I’m not here to put myself in danger. I don’t have anything to prove to anyone, or even a feat to achieve. On the coasts of the Lofoten Islands, the icy wind blows strong, the sea temperature is 1 degree and the air temperature is negative. There is no room for error!

What has marked you the most?

The silence and the colors. The white mountains contrast beautifully with the icy blue of the water. The nature of the Far North is exuberant, devouring, almost to excess. On three quarters of the territory, not a sound except that of the wind bumping into high mountains and gliding over lakes and glaciers. The lights too: imagine a crescent of white sand lining a bay with crystalline blue-green waters, with snow-covered Arctic peaks as a backdrop: this is what the few beaches of the Lofoten Islands look like in the soft, cold daylight.

What was the most difficult part of your expedition?

Finding a place to pitch the tent to sleep. There is little beach, lots of cliffs and rocks. Also, there was a lot of snow.

We saw on your Facebook page that you met some of your boyfriend’s ex-girlfriends. How was the reunion?

Haha, they weren’t so smart there! Hanging out to dry like codfish ? I admit it wasn’t very nice but the joke was so tempting! So more seriously, the Lofoten Islands is also the cod that dries. Winter is the peak season for fishing. The smell is omnipresent in all the villages. Stretches of drying sheds are loaded with cod that will dry there until June. Even the strong wind can’t sweep away the strong smell here, I’ll leave you to imagine. But it’s all part of the scenery! And one thing’s for sure: cod stinks, even in the cold!

Well then, do trolls exist or not?

When the moon rises, anything can happen. I’ve only met good ones. But I have a piece of advice: if you come across a troll on your walks, don’t upset it, its anger is notoriously terrifying.

Is your next expedition already planned?

Yes, it’s been organized for a while, but with this health crisis that the planet is going through, it’s going to be complicated. In addition, I had to go up a river through the jungle to meet a people, and now with hindsight, I tell myself that this is also a carrier of disease. So I will certainly review my “good adventurer” charter and think about all this. What is happening to us today is historic, the planet certainly has a message for us. It’s up to us to listen to it and perhaps change. Adventure to follow… SUPeuse : Ingrid, GONG ambassador, and her GONG SUP 12’6 inflatable Couine Marie double room 2020.