As the days get longer and warmer in the Northern Hemisphere, there are certain individuals who head northwards in search of the cold and the ice.
Ram Barkai (68, South Africa, MSF bio here, IISA bio here, @rambarkai_iceswimmer) is one of those ice-seeking swimmers. Ever since 2008.
Sometimes, he heads south to Antarctica, but in June, he heads towards Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago between mainland Norway and the North Pole, known for its rugged, remote terrain of glaciers and frozen tundra sheltering polar bears, Svalbard reindeer and Arctic foxes.
Barkai’s Arctic ICE Swimming Adventure Svalbard offers ice swimming events ranging from 100 meters to a 1 km Polar Ice Swim and a Polar Ice Mile while staying in Longyearbyen (78.22° N 15.64° E) surrounded by mountains, glaciers, snow, and wildlife. In and out of the water, Barkai, Expedition Head of Logistics Sam Whelpton (40, South Africa, MSF bio here, IISA bio here, @samwhelpton, shown below on left), and Medical Director Michal Starosolski (44, Poland, IISA bio here, @michal.starosolski, shown below on right) provides full logistics backup including escort boats, sauna tents, and polar bear protection.
The author of From Fire to Ice explains, “Join our polar ice swimming adventure in Svalbard by the North Pole, a unique life-altering experience. Be secure with the most experienced ice swimming support and guidance – but this is not for the faint-hearted. It is an adventure of a lifetime for those who are Never Scared to Dare.“
For more information on the June 7th – 11th adventure, visit here.
For more information on ice swimming, visit internationaliceswimming.com.
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