SAMAYA x JOSEPH GANDRIEAU

 

 

Joseph Gandrieau is an adventurer with a passion for the great outdoors and the challenges it presents. Having cycled, skied and hiked through the Faroe Islands and Iceland, he is about to embark on the third part of his "3 Islands" project: Greenland. If his first stages were marked by performance and resilience, this final phase promises to be different. From now on, Joseph aspires to an adventure less focused on kilometers covered and more centered on contemplating landscapes, connecting with nature, and the pleasure of living each moment to the full.

 

It all started with a 20-day boat trip from Canada to Iceland. I was with my girlfriend and a captain who was looking for crew members. We were supposed to sail directly to the west coast of Greenland, but we soon realized that this was impossible because of the ice and storms. We were forced to sail further south, towards Iceland. It was a first setback, but strangely enough, it didn't frustrate me. I began to realize that, whatever the destination, the important thing was to move forward, to live in the moment.

 

Once in Iceland, I took a small plane to Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. That's when I really felt a change in me. My initial objective was to walk as much as possible, to cover as much ground as possible, but when I saw the grandeur and immensity of Greenland, I began to question all that. The idea of performance gradually lost its meaning. I began to realize that this trip wasn't just about kilometers, but an opportunity to savor every moment, to reconnect with nature.

 

Then I came up against two snow-covered passes that I couldn't get over. I tried several times, but the conditions were too dangerous. In the past, I would surely have been frustrated by this failure, but at that moment, I understood that it was just another lesson. Nature had its own rules, and I had to respect them. Instead of forcing it, I accepted the idea that sometimes you have to adapt.

 

That's when a boatload of researchers appeared. A real stroke of luck! They offered to take me around the passes by sea. I seized the opportunity, and once again felt that the journey was no longer just a question of planning, but of opening up to what was coming my way.

 

Eventually, I reached the remote village of Kapissillit, where I was greeted by incredibly generous locals. I spent three days with them, during which time I discussed my project with them. They advised me to change my itinerary, not to go north as planned, but to go south and follow a river to the glacier. They convinced me that this was where I would see the most varied scenery. I followed their advice, and have not regretted it.

 

So I headed back south for another two-week hike. The scenery was breathtaking. Immense valleys, glaciers, lakes where I could navigate with the kayak on my back. It was an incredible feeling to live in total autonomy, fishing in the fjords and feeding on the fish I caught. I really learned to appreciate each moment, to slow down, to let myself be guided by nature rather than by a strict itinerary.

 

But even there, nature reminded me that she was mistress of the place. The river I'd planned to kayak down was almost dry. Rather than be discouraged, I decided to let myself be guided by what I felt. I improvised, followed the rivers, explored the surroundings, without worrying about distance or exact destination. Every day I charted a new course, and that's what made this adventure so special. I was totally free.

 

Finally, I returned to Kapissillit, where I met up again with the locals I'd made friends with. From there, I took a boat to Nuuk, marking the end of my trip. The crazy thing was that, for the first time, I didn't feel that sense of regret at the end of an adventure. I was at peace. I had lived exactly what I was supposed to live.

 

Back in Europe, I realized just how much this trip had changed me. Greenland taught me humility, and showed me that performance was not the goal. It wasn't the kilometers covered that counted, but the moments lived, the encounters, and this deep connection with nature. This trip changed my way of seeing things, and I know it will mark all my future adventures.