Suffolk man kayaks up Greenland coast in 'poo-centric expedition'

The BBC

Suffolk man kayaks up Greenland coast in 'poo-centric expedition'

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A man has embarked on a 3,000km (1,864 miles) kayak voyage in icy waters as part of a "poo-centric expedition". Mike Keen, from Suffolk, is almost a month into his three-month paddle from Qaqortoq in the south of Greenland - to Qaanaaq in the north. Along the way, he is collecting poo samples from sea mammals to check the levels of microplastics. He is also only eating a Greenlandic diet - food that can foraged or hunted - as part of a microbiome study. Mr Keen, who set off on 20 April and expects to complete his journey at the end of July/early August, described his mission as a "poo-centric expedition". He said the "tough bit" so far had been the cold. The 53-year-old chef, from Holton St Mary, near East Bergholt, has been rough camping and relying on the generosity of locals along the way. "Getting up in the morning, putting all your wet gear on for an eight-hour paddle in a kayak is pretty tough going but once you're out on the water it's OK," he said. He said he has had to haul his kayak across frozen fjords as he makes his journey up the west coast of Greenland. The high fat and protein diet of fish, seal, shrimp and reindeer also "took some time getting used to," he said. The samples of sea mammal poo he is collecting will be sent back to laboratories in Greenland's capital - Nuuk - to be analysed for microplastics. Samples of his own faeces will be sent back to a team of microbiologists to see what effect the diet has on his gut microbiome, his physiology and mental wellbeing. Mr Keen said he was not looking forward to the sea ice as he continues to head north - and added that he "may need to think up a plan B" for getting through it. He said he wanted to raise awareness of climate change in the Arctic and the two scientific research projects he would be carrying out were "important". Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter . If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk A really simple guide to climate change Microplastics found in fresh Antarctic snow Climate change destroying homes across Arctic Mike Keen - Chef, Kayaker & Adventurer We visited steam museum and gardens for a multi-generational day out and this is what we thought Man arrested on suspicion of kidnapping young girl from her home in Suffolk town British Sugar plans new office building at Bury St Edmunds factory 5 Suffolk icons our readers want to see immortalised with a statue Suffolk town to feature on Channel 5 show 5 places where you can see the autumn change in Suffolk Morocco rescuers dig with bare hands as foreign aid sent US denies Cold War with China in historic Vietnam visit How Russia and West agreed on Ukraine G20 language How Russia and West agreed on Ukraine G20 language US denies Cold War with China in historic Vietnam visit 'Everyone in this village is either dead or missing' A Serbian scientist's long quest to name Srebrenica's dead How chronic pain feels for me. Video How chronic pain feels for me Guyana scrambles to make the most of oil wealth The spongy creatures cleaning Zanzibar's oceans. Video The spongy creatures cleaning Zanzibar's oceans Inside a 'hijacked' South African building. Video Inside a 'hijacked' South African building The rise and fall of a parenting influencer Florida's first hurricane-proof town The greatest spy novel ever written? Why is everyone crazy about Aperol? 2023 BBC.