Jeff Allen, an explorer who leads expeditions through earth’s most remote reaches, was fascinated by the story of Henry “Gino” Watkins, an explorer who went missing while kayaking Greenland’s Tuttilik Fjord in 1932.

Setting off from Falmouth, England, in June 2021, the team sailed north beyond the UK. They dropped anchor in the Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Greenland, with Jeff boarding his kayak to paddle inlets along the way. For his team to safely complete the route – often out of cellular coverage and the reaches of other traditional communications systems – they needed real-time global tracking and the means to call for help in case of an emergency.

Global Telesat Communications (GTC), a leading telecommunications organization that specializes in global remote communications, served as the bridge connecting Jeff to the Iridium Edge Solar. With its military-grade housing and solar-powered battery, the Iridium Edge Solar was the real-time tracking solution Jeff and his team needed. GTC also equipped Jeff with the Iridium GO!^® so he could make calls, view weather conditions, and share pictures and videos on social media. GTC routinely transmitted imagery and ice mapping to the crew to keep them apprised of potential hazards.

Despite some mechanical difficulties on the return home, Jeff and his team successfully completed the expedition in September 2021. Thanks to Iridium Edge Solar’s global tracking capabilities and the partnership between Iridium and GTC, Jeff remained in touch with his thousands of social media followers – but more importantly, their support crew and loved ones back home.