Polar Experience

Our polar activity at Expeditions Unlimited has acquired its international dimension, not least thanks to our long and fruitful collaboration with world-class Belgian explorer and polar guide, Dixie Dansercoer, who tragically passed away in June 2021 in Greenland.

For some twenty years, Dixie and his partner Julie Brown trained and led a team of polar guides, talented and friendly like the boss, with whom we continue our collaboration. This is the Polar Experience team of guides, each of whose values we share: respect for the environment, safety, preparation and training, quality of equipment:

• Respect for the environment: going places and leaving no traces, this is what we implement the best way we can during all our Polar Experience guided trips and expeditions. As expeditions are inherently based on a minimalist’s attitude, we stick to the basics and avoid excesses. Respect for local cultures;

• Safety: our knowledge and know-how has been developed with a major focus on maximum experience and minimal risk for our participants. Preparation and high-quality equipment are obviously two major issues with no compromise. We have as well weather, medical and rescue partners on stand-by 24/7. Your guide has a satellite telephone, an Iridium Go! VHF radio, mountaineering safety equipment, a location beacon, GPS and other equipment necessary for a journey in the best safety conditions;

• Preparation & training: full immersion in physical and mental training, equipment knowledge, first Aid basics, logistical challenges and crisis management. Understanding the environmental, cultural and geographical characteristics of polar environment, learning from pioneering and contemporary expeditions. Preparation calls and expeditions training (theory, practice) over a weekend;

• High quality equipment: constant improvements and customized adjustments for maximum efficiency and performance. Screening of personal clothing and advice on purchase of special polar clothing at partner’s stores with special discounts.

So it is Julie who now leads this top-notch team: Manu, Brecht, Henk-Jan, Karin, Rob and others.

DIXIE DANSERCOER

12 JULY 1962 - 7 JUNE 2021

Born in 1962, Dixie Dansercoer brings his unique knowledge of the poles, which he has reached many times. Belgian and specialist in Polar Regions, he has led numerous expeditions and conducted “world firsts”, solo or in tandem. Dixie passed away on 7 June 2021 in Greenland.

With the Belgian polar explorer Alain Hubert (designer of the Belgian station Elisabeth Antarctic), Dixie crossed Antarctica in the winter of 1997, a world first in terms of distance and the use of kite skiing for this type of expedition: 99 days for a distance of 3,924 km. They both leave for the European Space Agency (ESA) on a mission to measure Antarctica’s snow cover in order to calibrate and verify the measurements of the European satellite Cryostat. In 2007, they left on a unique journey from the Arctic Cape in Siberia all the way to Greenland via the Pole: 55 days to the North Pole and then 51 days to Greenland. A new world record.

Between November 2011 and February 2012, Dixie beat the world record for the longest Antarctic expedition without supplies and without motorized assistance with Sam Deltour: 74 days on the ice and a distance of 5,013 km. Even more recently, in April-May 2014, with the Canadian Eric McNair-Landry, he was the first to complete the tour of the Greenland ice cap by ski kiting for 55 days.

Dixie was one of the few worldwide guides accredited “Master Guide” by the International Polar Guides Association. He often used to lead participants towards the North Pole, the South Pole and elsewhere in Antarctica like in Queen Maud Territory. Author of a unique and useful book, Polar Exploration: A practical handbook for North and South Pole expeditions, Dixie was an exceptional athlete, explorer and educator. He brought to the world of polar expeditions his unique guiding proficiency and his warm-heartedness, all of which increased the chances of a successful expedition. Dixie was a volunteer ambassador for UNICEF. He will always remain a model for us all and the community of polar guides.