NORTH POLE 2010
**NEWSFLASH: Postponement of Ice Warrior's World First Arctic Pole Expedition
Sadly, the world first expedition to the Northern Pole of Inaccessibility that Vanessa Lindsay and Louise Cameron were selected for by veteran polar explorer and Ice Warrior Jim McNeill has been postponed until 2011 due to unseasonably poor sea ice. The sea ice is the worst recorded in the last 30 years, say scientists. Have a read of this and take a look at these satellite images. As Jim explained to the press on February 7th - the day he called off our expedition, "The risks of early failure, of cold injury and of needing to be rescued are too high to justify setting out. I believe to venture out in the current conditions would be foolhardy and not achieve any of the scientific and adventurous aims we have and could possibly endanger lives unnecessarily.”
OUR NEW MISSION - THE NORTH POLE 2010
Due to work and family committments (and also fearing that the ice will be no more stable next year), Vanessa and Louise were adamant that they wanted to make use of this year's tough polar training and stick to their plan of going to the Arctic in 2010 on a purposeful, worthwhile expedition. And, fortunately, after much hard work, they've found a place on another expedition with Norwegian guide Inge Solheim and explorer Henry Cookson, which means they will now be going to the Geographic North Pole.
Lou and Ness say: "We're delighted to keep our dream of standing On Top of the World 2010 alive. Inge Solheim has been there 10 times already, so we will be in experienced hands. Sad as we are that our world first expedition has been cancelled, we are very excited about making a bid for the North Pole 2010 and are much looking forward to the challenge and the journey ahead."
THE ROUTE
From Longyearbyen we will head to the ‘drifting’ Arctic Ice Station Barneo (only exists in April annually) where we will walk the last two degrees to the Geographic North Pole and back again, 240km. We leave the UK on April 4th and set out on expedition on April 8th 2010. Although it is light 24 hours a day, we will be skiing around 10 hours daily before setting up camp. Click here to see our route.
We will be making the journey in the purest way possible, without resupplies and carrying all own food and equipment, while dragging sleds weighing our own bodyweights behind us. Much of the distance we will be covering will be over rough icy surfaces, traversing broken ice pressure ridges many feet high, fast-moving drift ice and crossing open water leads - cracks or rivers that appear in the arctic ice pack.
Apart from trying to stay warm, we will be doing our best to dodge hungry polar bears and an ever-diminishing layer of ice between our skis and the Arctic Ocean below!
JOIN US (IN SPIRIT)!
We will endeavour to keep you regularly updated with our stories and observations about the current state of the Arctic Ocean, along with pictures and videos from the top of the world in our blog
Schedule:
April 1 - Assemble in Longyearbyen, Norway
April 4 - Fly to Barneo Ice Station
April 8 - Ski the last degree to the North Pole - and back to Barneo - 240kms
“More people have gone into space or climbed Mount Everest than have sledged to the North Pole.”
Bruce Henderson, True North: Peary, Cook and the Race to the Pole (2005)
"Difficulties are just things to overcome, after all." Ernest Shackleton
"Nothing beats standing on the North Pole. This mystical place is all and more than it's made out to be. I have been back 10 times, and I plan to return many, many more times; there is nowhere more magical in the world." Inge Solheim
"The Arctic ocean is in a state of emergency. Scientists are reporting this Arctic Season to be been one of the warmest in recorded history." Polar veteran Doug Stoup, March 2010
