Rev Bob Shepton (with Laurie Haynes, Steve Holland, James Jackson & Dudley Smith as 'First Crew' and Graham Austick, Angelica Heisel, Paolo Paglino & Alberto Zuchetti as 'Second Crew'. June-September 2000

This was the first part of a two-year project to explore and climb the mountains along the west coast of Greenland, using the leader's 10m sloop 'Dodo's Delight' as a mobile base camp, after sailing it from Scotland. From Kangerdluarssugssuaq Fjord, Shepton, Haynes & Holland made first ascents of Pt 1510 and Pt 1230, which in view of their nationalities they named 'Scotland the Brave' and 'Aussie Peak'. (Innuit translations are still awaited!) Sailing further north to the Upernavik area and climbing directly from the boat onto the first pitch, Austick, with Italians Paglino & Zuchetti (supported by Shepton & Heisel) used siege tactics over 14 days of mixed weather (6 climbing) to make the first ascent of the N Face of Sandersons Hope, at 1045m the country's biggest sea cliff north of the Arctic Circle. They called the route 'Arctic First Born'.