Help Me Finish Greenland at 50

The January 31 Deadline!

This is my 50th birthday white whale. I’m turning 50 this year, and I’m crossing Greenland’s ice sheet in May to prove I actually live what I teach. Three years I’ve been building toward this. I’m petrified of it. But it’s something I have to do.

I’ve invested nearly €8,000 in training expeditions, gear, and months of preparation. Some came from my own pocket. Some came from people who believed in me early on. I’m deeply grateful for both. Those expeditions weren’t optional. They’re required to be accepted for a Greenland crossing. I had to prove I could handle polar conditions first, mentally and physically.

Now comes the part I didn’t expect to be hard: asking for help to finish what I started. But the way people have shown up during training, followed the journey on Instagram, asked how it’s going. That belief is real. It’s what makes me think asking isn’t weakness. It’s just the next step. Turns out that’s part of the journey too. Not the physical part.
The human part. The part where you realize you can’t do extraordinary things alone.

I need to raise €6,250 by January 31 to lock in the guides, permits and everything else to make the expedition happen. Miss that, and this gets pushed back a year. That’s the reality of polar logistics. After three years of preparation, waiting another twelve months isn’t just inconvenient. It cuts deep.

This crossing isn’t about me. It’s about showing people I coach, speak to, and work with that the stuff I teach actually works. That you can face what scares you. That preparation plus commitment plus asking for help equals something real.

When I come back from that ice, those lessons become part of everything I build next.

Where The Money Goes

January Payment (€6,250)

Expedition deposit and slot confirmation
Guide team commitment for May
Logistics coordination
Safety permits and evacuation insurance

March Payment (€6,250)

Final expedition costs
Equipment transport
Final logistics coordination

Flights and Accommodation (€3,800)

Copenhagen transit to Greenland
Pre- and post expedition accommodation
Return flights after crossing

Specialist Expedition Gear (€2,200)

Specialist ski bindings
Expedition harness
GPS and communication equipment

Total needed: €18,500

100% of donations go directly to expedition costs. I’m not making money off this. There’s no markup. Every euro funds the actual crossing. If I raise beyond €18,500, 100% goes to Greenland conservation efforts. We’re exploring partnerships with organizations like Polar Bears International to protect the environment we’re crossing.

How To Donate

For donations in ZAR (South African Rand):

Account Holder: Gerard van der Walt
Bank: Discovery Bank
Account Number: 13976977167
Branch Code: 679000
SWIFT Code: DISCZAJJXXX

For donations in EUR (International/Euro):

Account Holder: Gerard van der Walt
Bank: First National Bank (FNB)
Account Number: 63188112866
Branch Code: 255355
SWIFT Code: FIRNZAJJ

Use “GREENLAND2026” as your reference so I know the donation is from you.

You can also donate by using PayPal by using the button below.

What Comes Next

This crossing isn’t the endpoint. It’s the foundation for everything that comes after.

End of August 2026: Brand new courses, coaching manuals, and new keynote talks on resilience, mindset, and performance. Not polished corporate content. Real lessons from 28 days on Greenland’s ice sheet. Raw moments. Failures. How I handled doubt. How I kept moving.

These aren’t theoretical frameworks. They’re what actually works when you’re terrified and choosing to show up anyway.

The Bigger Picture

This is just the first leg. After Greenland, the North Pole. Then the South Pole. The full Polar Trilogy. Each crossing building on the last. Each one feeding new material, new insights, new stories into the work I do. Then after that, who knows!

But it starts here. On Greenland’s ice.

What Your Support Means

You’re not just funding a trip. You’re investing in a real-life story that unfolds over the next few years. In a world of curated content and polished narratives, you’re part of something actually lived. Actually documented. Actually transformational.

That’s the future you’re building with this support.
Real stories. Real lessons. Real impact.

Fewer Than 10 South Africans Have Ever Done This

More South Africans have summited Mount Everest than have completed an unsupported Greenland ice cap crossing. That’s how rare this is. That’s how hard this is.

When I return in June, every story, every failure, every moment of doubt overcome becomes material I use to teach, coach, and speak. Real lessons. Lived experience. Not theory.

For South Africa. For men and women questioning what age and fear mean. For anyone wondering if extraordinary is still possible. This crossing becomes proof that it is.

Your support makes this possible. Not just for me. For what comes after. For the work that changes how people think about what’s achievable.

End of August 2026: Brand new courses, coaching manuals, and keynote talks on resilience, mindset, and performance. Raw lessons from 28 days on Greenland’s ice sheet.

This is just the first leg. After Greenland, the North Pole. Then the South Pole. The full Polar Trilogy.

But it starts here. On Greenland’s ice.

More South Africans have stood on the summit of Everest than have walked to the South Pole and crossed the Greenland Ice Cap combined. This May, I am attempting to join a group of fewer than 10 South Africans who have conquered the world’s second-largest ice sheet.

Because transformation isn’t about motivation. It’s about movement. Into the unknown, where hands shake and doubts whisper, but you keep moving anyway.

FAQ

Q: Why are you asking for money if you’re already successful as a coach?
A: Because serious expeditions cost serious money. I’ve committed everything I could scrape together. Polar logistics, guides, permits, flights, accommodation for a month. That’s not cheap. I’ve put my money where my mouth is. Now I’m asking people who’ve gotten value from my work to invest in this next chapter.

Q: What happens if you don’t hit the goal?
A: The expedition gets cancelled. The guide team moves on. The slot gets filled by someone else. The money I’ve already invested doesn’t come back. Any donations get refunded. That’s the reality of polar expedition deadlines.

Q: How do I know the money goes where you say it goes?
A: Check my website. Look at the Svalbard expeditions I’ve run. Read what my coaching clients have written. I’ve been transparent about my work for years. This isn’t different. I’m happy to show you itemized costs if you ask.

Q: Can I give something smaller than €25?
A: Yes. Every amount counts. €10 is meaningful. €5 is meaningful. Give what makes sense for you.

Q: What if I want to help but can’t afford to donate?
A: Share this. Forward it to someone who might believe in this. Tell people about it. That matters as much as money. Community isn’t just financial.

Q: What’s the deadline actually about?
A: Polar expeditions have fixed seasons and fixed costs. The guide team books slots months in advance. If I miss the January payment, they give the slot to the next person on the list. There’s no rescheduling in polar logistics.

Q: Will you share what happens on the ice?
A: Yes. I’m documenting the journey. You’ll get updates, stories, and the raw lessons from out there. This becomes part of the content and coaching work that comes after.

Because transformation isn’t about motivation.
It’s about movement.
Into the unknown, where hands shake and doubts whisper, but you keep moving anyway.

Gerry van der Walt
Mindset & Performance Coach | International Expedition Leader | Public Speaker | Co-founder of Wild Eye
Email: info@gerryvanderwalt.com
Website: gerryvanderwalt.com
WhatsApp: +27 82 509 5617
Instagram: @gerryvanderwalt