The beginning
Crunching falls one footstep after the other sinking in a thin layer of snow. It's warm today, -15ºC. Every now and then we hear the sinister tearing of the ice on which we are walking. At 09.00 o'clock the sun appears as a red fire ball in the sky, the climate seams to be milder. We have time to enjoy the splendid view, snow as far as the eye can see, with a few elevations, which have to be some islands. Our goal, the city of Pajuniemi lays across the frozen sea, over 200 kilometers walking distance. But we will make it...

The First Crossing
The goal of this expedition is hidden in the name. During the expedition. Pieter Hallewas, Alexander Groen and Wichart Drost attempt to cross the Gulf of Bothnia on foot, the last sea on this globe that has never been crossed before. Because the Gulf is situated in between Sweden and Finland, the boundary will literally be crossed.

Boundaries
Of course this expedition will also take the utmost of the three participants , and so personal boundaries will be met, and hopefully shifted. The entire Gulf will not be frozen because of congestions from the South through wind and streams, which will make the ice crack and wrinkle. On top of that, icebreakers are crossing the route of the expedition, to supply the North of Finland. All in all this expedition will not be simple.

20 Meters of ice
The thickness of the ice will vary from a few centimeters to 20 meters in the coastal region. By making use of skis and kites, the team hopes to get some speed to gain extra time, which will make up for the time they lose on bad ice or open water.

What happens during the expedition?
The route gives an impression of the distance to cover. The team will cover about 10 nautical miles, which is about 10 to 20 kilometer. The journey will take over two weeks. The lion's share will be crossed on foot, and the time required will be dependant on temperature, height of snow, obstacles and wind.

Pulka
To survive the 2 weeks, supplies will be transported in kayaks. True to tradition, the arctic explorer uses the so-called "Pulka", a sleigh which moves easily by a walking or skiing expedition member. The expedition "Over IJsgrenzen" will have to cross open water, which is the reason they do not make use of a Pulka.

The crossing between floes is dangerous, because of the extreme low water temperature, and the sharp edges of broken ice. The team uses kayaks to move safely between those barriers.