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2007
North Pole
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2007
South Pole
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2007 North Pole Dogsled & Ski ExpeditionMarch:
April 15: April 16:
April 17:
April 18:
We enjoyed a lovely Thai
dinner tonight at an off the beaten path spot called Mary Ann's.
It is a very eclectic spot with a solarium with heated floors, completely
covered in plants. Quite a site in the midst of all the white surroundings!
Tomorrow we will get our first update at 8 a.m. and hope to have
more news. April 19: April 20:
April 21:
April 22:
April 23:
April 24:
April 25: April 26: April 27:
Once we got within throwing
distance of the North Pole, we left our sleds and started walking
around looking for 90 degrees North. After some searching, both
of our GPS's flicked exactly 90° N at the same time. We were
just feet away from a large open lead and drifting away from the
Pole. If we had arrived just a few minutes later, we would not have
been able to stand on the Pole, and none of us wanted to swim for
it. Later, that same lead kept another ski group searching for a
way to the Pole for a few hours longer.
We've been camped out and celebrating our arrival all day, giving ourselves and the dogs some needed rest. After sleeping in until 1:30, we relaxed in our tents, taking breaks to walk around outside, read, and, of course, drink whiskey. Everyone is in good spirits and having a great time. Current position is 89° 57.58' N; 04° 49' W. No sight of our fellow
Polar Explorers' Skiers, but perhaps we'll see them before we fly
back to Borneo at 10:30 tomorrow morning. April 28:
2007 North Pole Ski ExpeditionMarch: April 15: April 16: April 17: April 18: April 19: April 20: April 21: April 22: April 23:
April 24: April 25: April 26: At 3:00 PM, the flight
arrived. We climbed aboard, and were air lifted over 20 nautical
miles with many open leads and rough ice. We're now camped out for
the night on ice drifting south, but very slowly. Tomorrow we expect
more rough ice conditions, and hope to make it up to the North Pole.
While flying over 20 nautical miles of ice is a little dispiriting,
we will nonetheless celebrate our arrival at the North Pole soon!
The Arctic North is definitely a challenging place to travel. April 27: Our persistence paid off, and another two hours later we were standing on the Geographic North Pole! We skied for about 9 hours today and traversed 8 nautical miles total. This last days stretch saw a tremendous amount of open water to work around. We broke yet another pair of skis, and everyone got their boots wet - except for Jacob. It took lots of energy to get here today, but it was worth it. We broke out the champagne, and toasted our success. Jacob danced around the world in almost nothing but his birthday suit, and there was even a Santa Claus sighting (although that might have been the champagne). We're camping here for the night, and tomorrow morning we should be on a helicopter back to Borneo. We want to give a big
thanks to The Northwest Passage U.S. support team: Adam G., Will
T., Abe S., Jeanette, and especially to Nancy. April 28: 2007
North Pole
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Some of our team in front of the Borneo sign that welcomes visitors to this unusual basecamp. |
April
12:
We had an absolutely smashing day! The weather was beautiful this
morning, sunny and calm. We flew to the North Pole and had quite
the celebration there. Lots of photos, calls home from the top of
the world and the first annual Polar Explorers' golf contest! As
you might imagine, hitting a golf ball when layered in full Arctic
gear is quite the challenge! William Akridge was our champion- congratulations,
William! We were using biodegradable golf balls and picked up most
of them. We left a few on a high ridge to see if our other teams
dogsledding and skiing to the Pole would find them. Our fun meters
were definitely spinning!
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Santa and friends at the North Pole. |
On the way
back to Barneo, the chopper took a bit of a detour to help out a
team led by Alan Chambers and Pete Goss. They had encountered a
massive open water lead (several hundred meters wide) that they
had spent the last 24 hours trying to find a way around or over
to no avail. Their position was around N 89°34, E 69°. The
chopper picked them up and flew them over the lead to continue their
trek. Best of luck to the team! Then back on to Barneo for a night
of celebration. The wind is quite brisk now- a good 20 knots SW,
giving us a wind chill of -34° to -40°C (-30° to -40°F).
We continue to drift north and east. Current position of Barneo
is N 89°38.41', E 21°37.25' but it changes as we speak.
Such is life on the Polar ice!
Back to top
April
13:
The Akridge family chose to fly back to Longyearbyen today, hoping
to take part in some additional excursions and potentially find
some long sought after polar bears. Being able to see polar bears
was one of their goals in joining this adventure but no luck so
far. The rest of the team is staying in Barneo, enjoying the experience
of camping on the frozen Arctic Ocean and experiencing this international
hub of Polar adventure and research.
Back to top
April 14:
Quite the day! At some point over the night, the runway here at
Barneo developed some major cracks and is not operational. This
is not an unusual situation- as the runway is built of on a pan
of ice, it is susceptible to break up as is the rest of the Arctic
Ocean. When they determine the position for Barneo at the beginning
of the season, they are always looking for an area with other relatively
solid pans of ice in fairly close proximity in case situations like
this develop. The issue at this point is that we had a major blizzard
today which prevented the helicopters from flying to scout out other
potential runways. Once they do find a new runway, it will require
some maintenance to get it fully up and running. The temperature
was quite warm this morning but then dropped about 30°. Current
position of Barneo as of 9:30 PM local time was N 89°48.15'
E 17°09 and we continue to drift to the East. So long story
short- we are here for the duration. With any luck, they will find
a new runway tomorrow and we will be flying back to Longyearbyen.
If not tomorrow, then the day will come eventually. Is it time to
break out the saying "This is why we call it adventure travel?!?"
The good news is that we have plenty of food and still a fair amount
of wine left! So spirits are good and we're all enjoying the adventure.
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The crack in the runway was in a precarious location, running vertically down the runway. |
April 15:
No changes from yesterday. The blizzard conditions continue in the
area and no planes or helicopters are flying. We continue to stay
safe and warm in our tents with plenty of food and fuel. We're just
waiting for the weather to clear which will allow the helicopters
to scout out a new runway. Then it's back to Longyearbyen we go.
"Hurry up and wait" is sometimes said to be the mantra
of Polar travel. This seems to be one of those years. Any connections
with the weather gods and goddesses will be most appreciated!
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Borneo during the storm. Low visibility and high winds made flying impossible. We were thankful to be inside! |
April
16:
We continue our wait in Barneo. The excitement for the day was welcoming
in the various expedition teams who had been waiting on the ice
for helicopter pick-ups, including our Polar Explorers 4 day dogsled
and ski expedition team members. The weather cleared sufficiently
today for the helicopters to fly and bring them all in. 28 various
expedition team members arrived and it's been quite the day of celebration.
We await our return flight to Longyearbyen. One day at a time…
Back
to top
April
17:
The weather in Barneo today is relatively warm with light winds
out of the East, 5-10 knots. Visibility is improving. The crew are
working on the new runway. Unfortunately, the weather is predicted
to deteriorate in the next 24-48 hours with a low pressure system
moving in. In spite of everything, all spirits are very good. There
are a lot of interesting people in camp between the scientists and
adventurers. There are even some kids from Switzerland who Nelson
Jr. can hang with. We did receive an air drop from a Twin Otter
yesterday with food for the dogs and some needed supplies. So all
are well fed and well cared for in this international community
full of life and culture.
Back
to top
April
18:
We spent another day on the ice at Barneo, and are anticipating
a flight out any day now. A Russian repair team is working hard
on repairing the runway and the job is close to being completed.
Everyone is staying positive while enjoying the comfort of the heated
tents.
Some smart traveler hauled out a guitar today and a major Polar
Jam Session '07 quickly ensued. The Scottish team let loose with
some Rock N' Roll - while in kilts, no less! Even one of the runway
repair workers came out of the cold briefly to sing some Russian
romance songs.
Weather conditions are the same as they have been for the past few
days, and our hopes are high for a flight out tomorrow.
Back
to top
April
19:
We continue to hang tight here in Barneo. Our current position is
N 89°20.26' E 1°42'. The weather is warm with winds out
of the East/NorthEast at 10-15 knots. We're still waiting for that
weather window that will allow us to fly. Everyone is poised and
ready to go at a moment's notice. A good time was had by all till
the wee hours of the morning with our polar jam session. Today has
been much quieter. We're all resolved to the realities of waiting
for Mother Nature to cooperate. But we definitely are ready to go!
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Our jam session went into the wee hours. Everyone had fun, some people had too much fun (yes, those are beer cans)! |
April
20:
We're back in Longyearbyen! The weather cleared sufficiently for
the Antonov to fly from Longyearbyen out to Barneo and pick us up
this afternoon. We arrived back in Longyearbyen around 4:00 PM.
We all rejoiced at the opportunity to take a warm shower. We're
all in very good spirits and looking forward to our flights home
later today. It has been quite the adventure and will give us stories
to tell for many years to come!
Back
to top
2007
4-day North Pole
Dogsled & Ski Expedition
March:
We are in final preparations for our upcoming expedition to the
North Pole. As we speak, over 400 lbs of food and gear are being
packed and shipped to Norway. Make sure to check back starting April
10 for the latest on the expedition!
Back
to top
April
10:
The team members began arriving in Longyearbyen Saturday evening,
April 7. We had a few days to explore Longyearbyen and take a ski-doo
trek out to the Noorderlicht- a schooner frozen in the ice where
we overnighted on Sunday. The weather has been beautiful- bright
blue skies, unlimited 24 hour sunshine, no wind, temperatures around
-10°C (14°F). Tonight we enjoyed a traditional Arctic dinner
with a polar history presentation by our guide Annie Aggens. She
shared with us highlights from the last 200 years of polar travel.
We're ready to begin writing our own pages of adventure!
Back to top
April 11:
We flew from Longyearbyen up to Borneo today. A short layover in
Borneo and we were ready to head out onto the ice! We were dropped
off around 6:30 PM local time. Due to the lateness of the hour,
we only traveled a short distance before setting up camp. Our current
position is N 89° 47.946', E 83°42.946'. We have beautiful
weather with slightly overcast skies and a mild wind. Temperature
is around -20° to -25°C (-4° to -13° F). Everyone
is doing well and we are excited to be on the ice. We're having
hot drinks and appetizers and it's about 8:00 PM. Looking forward
to a fine dinner of "reindeer rice and beans" with cheesy
bagels, then a good night's sleep to be ready for a full day tomorrow.
Back to top
April 12:
Current position is N 89°55.43' E 101°25'. We are drifting
quickly to the east. We were on the trail for almost 8 hours and
everybody did a fabulous job! We went about ½ mile out of
camp on relatively easy terrain, then for the next 4+ hours we experienced
very heavy rubble with big pressure ridges and some recently frozen
over leads which we had to navigate around. The sled kept getting
turned over and jammed. We experienced baptism by fire and have
been ordained into the dogsledding and the skiing culture of Polar
travel! In the first 5.5 hours we were only able to travel about
2 miles- quite challenging! Then in the last 2 hours, we managed
to do about 5 miles as the conditions got significantly easier.
Everyone was pretty tired by the end of the day and rather banged
up and bruised. Gus fell on his thumb which is rather sore but he
says no worries, he has another one! Everyone is in very good spirits
as this comment tells. Our youngest team member, Nelson Jr. (age
9) has been doing a fabulous job and is a real trooper. He even
says he's having more fun than he expected!
We experienced some very
strong winds, about 20 knots out of the south. Setting up camp was
a challenge but fun. The temperatures today were around -29°C
(-20°F) ambient. With the wind chill, it was probably around
-43°C (-45°F). Everyone got a little cold but now that we're
inside the tents having hot drinks, pretzels, and soup, all is looking
much brighter. We're drifting north now due to the southerly winds.
We hope we don't drift to the Pole overnight because we really want
to sled and ski there. But you can never tell what's around the
corner in the Polar regions! We're anticipating getting to the Pole
tomorrow.
Back to top
April 13:
After a really good night's sleep for most of us, we started the
day with pretty good ice conditions. We did have to cross quite
a few leads. At two of them, we had to build our own ice bridges
by shoveling snow by the edges of the lead and shoving blocks of
ice together. It's quite an experience crossing the lead as you
feel the bridge undulating under your skis. But we all crossed without
a bit of dampness. We reached the North Pole around 5:00 p.m. local
time. We celebrated our accomplishments, took photos and gave each
other lots of high 5's. We were all very happy to have reached our
goal.
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Nelson Sr. and Nelson Jr. at the North Pole. By this point the wind was quite strong, making face masks a necessity. |
We saw another group
of skiers who had arrived shortly before us and decided to make
camp near them. The team was led by Swedish adventurer Ola Skinnarmo.
The wind has picked up this afternoon and it's now a full on wind
storm with gusts up to 48 km/hour (30 mph). The temperature this
morning was around -23°C (-10°F) but with the wind now,
the wind chills are around -40°C (-40°F). We'll be spending
the night here at the Pole and are due to check in with Barneo at
9 a.m. Overall, it was a beautiful day despite the wind and leads
and a great way to finish a wonderful trek. The team sends their
best wishes to all their family and friends and hope you have enjoyed
following their journey.
Congratulations to our team members! Fabulous job!
Nelson Del Rio and Nelson Del Rio Jr. from Beverly Hills, California
Dr. Gus Martinez from Edinburg, Texas
Guides: Lisa Strom of Sweden
Annie Aggens of Wilmette, Illinois
Back to top
April 14:
Quite the day! We have spent the day holed up in our tent for the
most part. We are now about 9 miles from the North Pole, having
drifted quite a bit. We have a major blizzard with very strong winds
and blowing snow. Visibility is very minimal, about 9 m (30') currently.
At times today, visibility has been nil. The helicopters did not
fly today due to the blizzard. The runway at Barneo has broken up,
developing some major cracks. This is not an unusual situation-
as the runway is built of on a pan of ice, it is susceptible to
break up as is the rest of the Arctic Ocean. When they determine
the position for Barneo at the beginning of the season, they are
always looking for an area with other relatively solid pans of ice
in fairly close proximity in case situations like this develop.
The issue at this point is that the blizzard prevented the helicopters
from flying to scout out other potential runways. Once they do find
a new runway, it will require some maintenance to get it fully up
and running. So long story short- we are here for the duration.
With any luck, they will be able to set a new runway tomorrow.
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Hanging in the tent with our team. We laughed a lot, told many stories and drank mug after mug of hot coco and chai tea. |
But the good news is
that we have plenty of food and fuel. We've been having a dance
party in the tent thanks to tunes from Nelson- we're currently jamming
to Nirvana. Gus has been telling jokes all night. And Nelson Jr.
is keeping us all entertained by being Nelson Jr.- quite the character!
Can't imagine a better crew to be stuck in a tent by the North Pole
with! Who knows what tomorrow will bring but whatever it is, we're
ready!
Back to top
April 15:
No changes from yesterday. The blizzard conditions continue in the
area and no planes or helicopters are flying. We continue to stay
safe and warm in our tents with sufficient food and fuel. We're
just waiting for the weather to clear and looking forward to getting
back to Barneo and then Longyearbyen. "Hurry up and wait"
is sometimes said to be the mantra of Polar travel. This seems to
be one of those years. Any connections with the weather gods and
goddesses will be most appreciated!
 |
The tent and dogs were being pounded by the wind. We were all comfortable in the tents, and the dogs were cozily curled with their noses protected by their tails. One dog, Vashi, has a thin coat so she slept in the tent with Lisa and Annie. Lucky her! |
April 16:
The storm yesterday was quite intense. Expedition leader Annie Aggens
reported that it was like nothing she has previously experienced
at the North Pole. There were relentless winds and no visibility.
We stayed snug in our tents. Last
night we noticed the barometric pressure climbing, and our hopes
raised for a morning pick-up. Sure enough, our flight arrived and
dogs and travelers climbed aboard. We are now back in Barneo, spirits
are high and everyone is having lots of fun.
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Back at Borneo. Gus, Lisa, Annie and Nelson Jr. toast to a great expedition. |
There were 28 expeditioners
picked up today, so Barneo is a place of celebration tonight. Weather
today has been clear with minimal wind. The skies are blue with
a grey haze on the horizon. We have had plenty of food but have
run out of dog food. Twin-Otters are expected soon at Borneo with
a load dog food, but until then, the other expeditioners are putting
all their left-overs in a box to help feed the dogs tonight. We're
all in this together and there is a great spirit of everyone helping
one another out. We'll see what tomorrow brings…
Back
to top
April 17:
The weather in Barneo today is relatively warm with light winds
out of the East, 5-10 knots. Visibility is improving. The crew are
working on the new runway. Unfortunately, the weather is predicted
to deteriorate in the next 24-48 hours with a low pressure system
moving in. In spite of everything, all spirits are very good. There
are a lot of interesting people in camp between the scientists and
adventurers. There are even some kids from Switzerland who Nelson
Jr. can hang with. We did receive an air drop from a Twin Otter
yesterday with food for the dogs and some needed supplies. So all
are well fed and well cared for in this international community
full of life and culture. We organized a dogsled competition around
Barneo today which kept everyone in high spirits. Awards will be
given out shortly.
Back
to top
April 18:
We spent another day on the ice at Barneo, and are anticipating
a flight out any day now. A Russian repair team is working hard
on repairing the runway and the job is close to being completed.
Everyone is staying positive while enjoying the comfort of the heated
tents.
Some smart traveler hauled out a guitar today and a major Polar
Jam Session '07 quickly ensued. The Scottish team let loose with
some Rock N' Roll - while in kilts, no less! Even one of the runway
repair workers came out of the cold briefly to sing some Russian
romance songs.
Weather conditions are the same as they have been for the past few
days, and our hopes are high for a flight out tomorrow.
Back
to top
April 19:
We continue to hang tight here in Barneo. Our current position is
N 89°20.26' E 1°42'. The weather is warm with winds out
of the East/NorthEast at 10-15 knots. We're still waiting for that
weather window that will allow us to fly. Everyone is poised and
ready to go at a moment's notice. A good time was had by all till
the wee hours of the morning with our polar jam session. Today has
been much quieter. We're all resolved to the realities of waiting
for Mother Nature to cooperate. But we definitely are ready to go!
Back
to top
April 20:
We're back in Longyearbyen! The weather cleared sufficiently for
the Antonov to fly from Longyearbyen out to Barneo and pick us up
this afternoon. We arrived back in Longyearbyen around 4:00 PM.
We all rejoiced at the opportunity to take a warm shower. We're
all in very good spirits and looking forward to our flights home
later today. It has been quite the adventure and will give us stories
to tell for many years to come!
Back
to top
2007 South Pole 2 degree ski expedition
December update:
Wow - how time flies. Not long ago it seemed that our expedition
was months away and here we are with less than 2 weeks until most
people depart. We are in great shape as we head into the final weeks
before departure. We just received confirmation that all of our
gear arrived in Punta Arenas and everyone's personal kits are packed
and ready to go. Everyone is excited and eager to embark on this
adventure! We'll begin updating this page on a daily basis beginning
Dec.29th - so make sure to bookmark the page and check back in regularly
for daily updates and messages from the team. Happy holidays!
Back to top
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Just some of the personal gear ready and on display. |
December 29th:
Punta Arenas - Greetings everyone and welcome to our first expedition
update! We were supposed to be leaving Punta Arenas today, but the
reports yesterday from Patriot Hills were of light snow, wind and
poor visibility which doesn't bode well for flying. As predicted,
the call this morning was that we were grounded. So we walked around
town, went down to the beach where it was quite windy out of the
SE (around 20 mph). Still, the sun was out and it was a balmy 60
degrees. Spirits are high and we are ready to move as soon as we
get the word. As we wait we are catching up with world news on CNN
at the hotel. Time permitting we may try to find some tires to pull
on the beach. Richard says "We are ready to get out of here!"
Ajeet seconds that "We are raring to go!" Make sure to
check back regularly - it is great to be able to share our adventure
with everyone back home and around the world!
Back to top
December 30th:
Ahh...more time in Punta to get excited about the expedition. The
winds this morning had picked up to 30 knots and and the plane won't
land in anything over 20 knots. Every 6 hours we get another update
on the weather. If all looks good we get our things together and
head to the airport - no time to lose! Otherwise we wait around
for the next update and hope for the best. As usual it's one of
the Polar Regions favorite games - hurry up and wait! All the nervousness
about the expedition has faded as we relax in the hotel and mingle
with the other expeditions (mostly all mountaineering expeditions).
With calmed nerves we are now as excited as ever to get on the ice.
Our next update on the weather is this evening- Keep your fingers
crossed for us!
Back to top
December 31: Still waiting in Punta...which isn't all bad. This
morning we went on a nice walk by the ocean and this afternoon we
are going up to the local ski hill where there are some great views
of the surrounding area. It is a beautiful day here in Punta, and
the 5 mile hike back from the ski area should feel great. Last night
we went to the historic Union Club, which is where Sir Ernest Shackleton
requested help from the government in rescuing his team on his incredible
1914 Endurance expedition. After that we called it an early night.
We are making friends here and despite our eagerness to get on the
ice we are having a good time. Next weather report is later in the
day - again, keep your fingers crossed for us!
Back to top
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Union de la Club, Punta Arenas, Chile. |
January 1, 2007:
Another day in Punta Arenas
awaiting Mother Nature's cooperation to get us out on the ice. Patriot
Hills reported the strongest winds yet today- 40 knots with gusts
up to 57 knots. Again, anything above 20 knots and the planes can't
land there. Next check in will be at 4:00 a.m. We had a lovely New
Year's celebration at a small local restaurant with filet mignon
and of course champagne. It was an intimate setting with local friends
and families. When the restaurant filled at 10:00 p.m., they locked
the doors and we all stayed for a grand celebration with noise makers
and all. Welcome, 2007! Annie & Sara arrived in Punta today
ready for their 1° ski expedition. We all went to the ALE office
to collect their gear and played like a sled dog team, hauling their
loaded sleds back down the hill. Everyone is still in very good
spirits, naturally eager to get out on the ice but knowing that
weather delays in Antarctica are the rule rather than the exception.
Back to top
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HAPPY NEW YEAR 2007!
|
January
2: Guess what!?! The team is really getting to know Punta Arenas
intimately! All flights to Patriot Hills were called off today as
the weather there continued to be very windy (consistent 30 knot
winds with gusts to 35). But that's improvement over yesterday's
conditions so we can only be hopeful that this trend of diminishing
winds will continue. We took advantage of having Annie and Sara's
expedition equipment being available and set up the North Face tent
on Avenue Colon which is a major parkway in Punta Arenas. To reinforce
the training, we set up the tent wearing our mitts. As the sky was
a beautiful blue with light puffy clouds and temperatures were around
18°C (65°F), we drew a fair amount of attention! But we
had fun and it was good experience for all. We pulled out the skis
and had a chance to practice with the bindings and mitts- all much
easier in these conditions than with winds howling at 35-40 knots!
Everyone is still in good spirits, having a lot of laughs. In the
afternoon, we enjoyed a nice though windy walk south along the beach.
We also had a chance to meet John Sedlak who arrived last night
and is scheduled to participate in the Champagne Flight to the Pole.
Our next chance for an update will be 6:30 a.m. Stay tuned...
Back to top
January 3: Short
and sweet update today. More intimate knowledge of Punta Arenas!
Conditions at Patriot Hills today were winds of 23 knots gusting
to 25 knots - over the limit for being able to land. Conditions
in Punta Arenas were actually worse- 60 knot winds! This limited
how much time we spent outside. The highlight of the day was feeling
the excitement as Annie & Sara (the 1° expedition members)
had their weigh in and loaded their equipment onto the bus so it
would be ready for transport to Patriot Hills in preparation for
their departure in the hopefully not too distant future.
Back
to top
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Team member Ajeet Bajaj admiring the beauty of Torres Del Paine National Park. |
January 4: Conditions today at Patriot Hills are complete whiteout with zero visibility. No chance for a flight today. An additional glitch has occurred due to the incredible winds in Punta Arenas yesterday. There was minor damage to the plane we were supposed to take from PA and a replacement part has been special ordered and will be hand delivered. Our next update for a flight out will be Sunday, January 7 at 4:00 p.m. At that time, weather conditions will again be assessed and we'll be back to waiting for a good weather window. This is a perfect opportunity for us to repeat the line "This is why we call it adventure travel!"
And in the true spirit
of adventurers, we are making the best of it! We're taking a land
tour to visit the nearby penguin colonies this afternoon. Then tomorrow,
we've rented a minivan and will head some 400 km north to Torres
del Paine National Park. We will spend two full days hiking and
exploring one of the most beautiful, unspoiled and remote places
of the planet. Snow-capped mountain peaks, cascading rivers and
waterfalls, glaciers and mirrored lakes all await us. We're happy
to make this minor delay in travel an opportunity to explore the
gem of Patagonia. We will continue to send updates and anticipate
coming home with some incredible photos!
Back
to top
January 5: Our
penguin adventure yesterday was phenomenal! Today we drove 6.5 hours
through spectacular country to the heart of Patagonian adventure,
Torres del Paine. We are right at the base of the Paine Massif.
It was a beautiful day with clear blue skies. We have a lovely spot
to stay and are looking forward to a couple of great days of adventure.
Back to top
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Several penguins having some fun. |
January 6: Spectacular
day! We hiked up to the base of the towers in Torres del Paine.
It was a 9 mile round trip hike with 3,000' elevation gain. Took
us about 6 hours. The weather was beautiful- sunny, blue skies,
little wind, about 24°C (75°F). Word is conditions at Patriot
Hills continue to be less than optimal- lots of snow and wind- blizzard
conditions. Our plan is to leave here early tomorrow morning to
get back to Punta Arenas for our next update at 4:00 PM.
Back
to top
January
7: We woke up at 7:00 a.m. and drove 5.5 hours back to Punta
Arenas, arriving at 1:00 PM. We called in to ALE and were told that
the weather was looking good, the plane was fixed and we should
be prepared to fly at 4:00 p.m.! We were picked up at 4:30 p.m.
and in the air at 6:30 local time. It's a 5 hour flight from Punta
Arenas to Patriot Hills. We took photos, said our hellos, and had
an orientation meeting till 12:30 a.m. We then set up our tents
and were in bed by 2:00 a.m. A long but very exciting day! Everyone
is thrilled to finally be in Patriot Hills.
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Patriot Hills base camp. Alongside our tents you find our sleds and ski gear. The wall of snow behind our tent is man made as a wind block. |
January 8: We
spent the morning organizing our sleds and gear. Our flight out
is supposed to happen either later tonight or first thing in the
morning. There is no wind here and temperatures are around -1°C
(30° F) with intensely bright sun and clear skies. We will do
a group ski with sleds around the Patriot Hills area this afternoon.
We're ready to go!
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January 9: We left Patriot Hills today about 6:00 p.m. for the ice, planning to put down at 88°20 due to the report that the plane was having difficulty landing closer to 88° due to large sastrugi; lost time was also a consideration thrown into the decision making process. We expect to simply set up camp, have a good dinner and spend our first night getting a good rest before setting out for the Pole tomorrow morning. The Goldsmiths and Ajeet are excited to get on the ice and are ready to go. We were given one hour announcement to get ready to go and broke camp quickly, eager to being our expedition.
John Sedlak and a group of other internationall champagne fliers also left at the same time to visit the Scott Amundsen station at the South Pole and are expected to return back to Patriot Hills around 6:00 a.m. tomorrow. He left Patriot Hills with a big smile on his face and full of excitement.
Last night all of the
NWP groups together made a mass spaghetti dinner with food being
left behind and thoroughly enjoyed it.
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Departure from Patriot Hills. The long wait is over and the team is eager to start moving. |
January 10: We
were dropped off around 11:30 p.m. last night at a position of 88°17
S, 80° W. We made camp and began adjusting to the cold. Ajeet
said it was about -28°C (-18°F). We traveled 4 hours today
from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. and made 4 nautical miles. Current position
is 88°21 S, 80° W. It was a clear beautiful day with south
winds around 10 knots. Travel was smooth with small sastrugi. We
did hour marches, adjusting to the altitude and getting our systems
worked out. Our sleds weigh about 55 kg. Current temperature is
-26°C (-15°F). Attitudes are great as we're excited to be
on our way!
Antarctic fact of the day: If the Antarctic ice sheet melted today,
all of the world's oceans would rise about 60 m (197').
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The Goldsmith's with our Twin Otter plane preparing to depart. The expedition truly begins. |
January 11: Current
position is 88° 27.101 S, 80°29.162 W. Weather conditions
are -20°C (-4°F) and we had an 8 knot wind, less than yesterday.
Clear visibility all day. We were on the trail for 7 hours and made
6 nautical miles. We are still acclimatizing though no one is having
major issues with the altitude. The full day was travel was physically
and mentally challenging ("to say the least" per Laurie!).
But spirits are great because we met our goal of 6 nautical miles.
We recognize that the South Pole will not come without effort and
challenge!
The Goldsmiths say hello to all of their family and friends and
report that they are doing well. Ajeet also sends best wishes to
family and friends. And a special hi to Keagan and Stacey from Keith.
Antarctic fact of day: 99.6% of the Antarctic continent is ice and
snow; the balance is rock. So far, we haven't seen any rock!
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January 12: Current
position is 88°33.065 S; 80°28.5 W. We made 6 nautical miles
today in very difficult weather conditions. East winds of 12 mph
gusting to 18, complete whiteout conditions with drifting snow and
visibility less than ¼ mile. Our systems are becoming more
efficient though the environment continues to let us know that the
South Pole will not come easily! Our routine is to have breakfast
at 7:00 a.m., begin breaking camp by 9:00 a.m., on the trail by
10:00 a.m. We traveled from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. We take 10 minute
snack and water breaks every hour to hour and a half. Our spirits
are up now that we're back in the tent making hot drinks and preparing
dinner. We are feeling the pressure to increase our mileage as we
become more fit and acclimatized to the 9,000' elevation and -20°
temperatures.
Ajeet sends his love to his little girls!
Antarctic fact of the day: A domestic deep freezer runs at about
-20°C (-4°F); mean summer temperature on the great East
Antarctic icecap is -30°C (-22°F) and mean winter temperatures
are around -60°C (-76°F). Lowest ever temperature recorded
in the world was at the Russian station Bostok with -89.6°C
(-130°F)!
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January 13: Current
position is 88°37.046 S; 80°44.986 W. We made 4 nautical
miles today in blizzard conditions. Visibility was near zero. We
decided to stop and make camp at 3:00 p.m. The terrain was very
challenging due to the sastrugi and blowing snow. This led to a
frustrating and slow day of travel. Temperature has been around
-20°C (-4°F) with winds around 10 knots. Navigation is quite
easy when the sun is out as the sun works as a natural compass.
As long as you know the time and your relative position, your shadow
works like a compass. But in conditions such as we had today, we
had to rely solely on GPS and compass. We're feeling a bit frustrated
with the slowness of travel today but know there are more days ahead
and only hope conditions will ameliorate.
Antarctic fact of the day: Snow falling at the South Pole takes
about 100,000 years to flow to the coast of Antarctica before it
drops off the end as part of an iceberg.
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You may ask what does one consume their thoughts with on such an expedition? Just one of the many answers. |
January 14: Current
position is 88°45.533 S, 81°31.872 W. We traveled 8.5 nautical
miles in 8 hours of travel. Weather conditions: winds 2 knots, overcast
and blowing snow but enough contrast on the ground to make navigation
with sun possible. We're feeling upbeat though tired and ready to
refuel and sleep for the evening to get back on the horse tomorrow.
We're happy that the Antarctic land released its weather hold on
us and allowed us to enjoy a day on the Antarctic continent.
Message to the Goldsmiths from Nathan: Hope your trip has been fantastic- we're thinking of you especially since it's supposed to get down to 15° F here tonight (California)! Everything is great at home; animals are fat and happy. Have fun and be safe!
Message back to Nathan: 15° is nothing! Congratulations with Mitty (ball game). Say hi to all the animals, especially Nana. Love to everybody!
Warmest regards and thanks for the support to Anna Culpeck, Bob Douglass, and Toby Young.
Antarctic fact of the
day: The Antarctic ice cap has 49 million cubic kilometers of ice.
(We are feeling every km of it!) This is 90% of all the ice on the
planet and around 70% of all the world's freshwater.
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January 15: Current
position is 88°53.675 S; 81°36.667 W. Weather conditions
are -15°C (5°F), clear, no wind, an absolutely gorgeous
Antarctic day! We traveled over 8 nautical miles. We're feeling
a bit tired but hoping to do a few more days of similar mileage
and look forward to getting to 89° soon! Our spirits are confident
with the weather change and mileage. We've gained confidence in
our systems and efficiency and hope that this weather system will
last. Today's evening activity includes a culinary masterpiece by
Ajeet Bajaj, an Indian delicacy dal bukhara with mango chutney and
hot drinks. What a treat!
Antarctic fact of the day: One of the biggest icebergs ever broke
free from the Ross ice shelf in Antarctica in 2000. It was 183 miles
long and 23 miles wide with a surface area of 4,250 square miles,
similar in size to Connecticut above water and 10 times bigger below
water.
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The team is half-way to their goal! 89 degrees South. |
January 16: Current
position is 89°02.000 S; 81°35.700 W
Temp -20° C (-4°F), no wind, cloudy conditions. We traveled
8.5 nautical miles today. Our third day of 8+ miles and everyone
is feeling a bit sore but the rhythm and routine of travel and breaks
is getting more consistent. We commemorated crossing 89° (1°
down, 1° to go) with photos and video. We're excited to delve
into our second food bag tonight and discovered that we have crumbled
bacon bits- feels like Christmas dinner! In terms of food, we have
been on a 4,500 to 5,000 calorie diet each day. We start with breakfast
of oatmeal and hot drinks. On the trail, we have granola bars, trail
mix and assorted nuts with hot water and tea. Dinners are three
course affairs with soup, a main course with a pasta or rice base
and dessert of chocolate and hot drinks. We're hoping the good weather
continues and our bodies continue to hold up to the challenges.
Antarctic fact of day: Antarctica is the best place in the world
to find meteorites. Dark meteorites show up against the white snow
and are not hidden by vegetation.
On a side note, in Patriot Hills, we had the chance to interact
with a Korean governmental research team who are on the hunt for
meteorites using snow machines and helicopters. Keith says thanks
for the support to Sandy, Ernie, Fred, Pam and Eric, Nancy &
Dylan. Thinking about all of you all.
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January 17: Current
position is 89°10.000 S; 82°33.557 W. Weather is overcast
with limited visibility and blowing snow. Temperature is around
-25°C (-13°F).
We progressed 8 nautical miles, reaching our mileage halfway point
and were quite excited about that (had 102 nautical miles to start,
now have 50). We stopped and enjoyed a deep sigh of relief as everything
from here is all downhill. Spirits are up.
Antarctic fact of the day: The largest land animal in Antarctica
is an insect- a wingless midge called Belgica Antarctica . It is
less than .5" (1.27 cm) long. There are no flying insects in
Antarctica- they would get blown away. Just the shiny black springtails
that hop like fleas amongst the penguins.
Messages to the Goldsmiths from Daniel: Hope your trip is going
great. We're all thinking of you. All is well at home. What is the
coolest thing you've experienced about being in Antarctica? Love
you, Daniel
Message from Goldsmiths to Daniel & Nathan: Can you please call
Kim W. and Janet and give them this website. They would enjoy following
our progress.
To Daniel: The coolest thing we have experienced is when you look
around in all directions everything is frozen and white- there is
nothing out here as far as you can see and farther than that. Just
knowing where you are when you look around is amazing. Thanks for
the message!
Message from Ajeet & Keith to Anna: Thanks for your messages
and support. Hopefully in about 6 days we will be at the South Pole
and will send you a special message.
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January 18: Current
position is 89°16.010 S; 82°58.266 W Today's weather was
clear, winds out of the south, temperature -30°C (-22°F),
our coldest day yet. We went 6 nautical miles. We had planned a
late departure and early stop today so we could rest up some and
do some gear adjustment. We're hoping that the cold weather snap
will subside overnight. Today's temperatures required us to have
very short breaks as the chill in the air would penetrate through
all our layers very quickly. Otherwise, it was a gorgeous day with
a beautiful blue sky.
Antarctic fact of the day: Antarctica has a peculiar group of fish
called the ice fish. They have no red pigment hemoglobin to carry
oxygen around in their systems. Because the temperature is so low
and oxygen dissolves better in cold temperatures, they get by without
it. Many other Antarctic sea creatures including fish have antifreeze
in their blood so they don't accidentally get frozen solid.
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January 19: Current
position is 89°24.000 S; 83°58.422 W. We traveled 8 nautical
miles in 8 hours today. Weather was -25°C (-13°F), light
south breeze, unlimited sun. It was a very comfortable travel day.
We took longer breaks than usual because it was nice to relax and
soak up the sun. The group energy was upbeat. We are looking forward
to reaching 89°30 with ½ degree to go. Our daily schedule
is to travel 1.5 to 2 hours at a stretch which will take us between
1.5 and 2 nautical miles. In that time, our minds wander and it
has been our goal to keep our thoughts positive. During breaks,
we talk, eat and drink lots of water. Beyond anything else, this
expedition is as much of a mental challenge as it is a physical
challenge. Thinking positively and thriving, not just surviving,
have been our mottos.
Antarctic fact of the day: On Dec. 14, 1911, Norwegian Roald Amundsen
and 4 team members reached the South Pole. Amundsen discovered a
new route which took only 57 days. He left letters for Scott (more
to come on Scott), a Norwegian flag planted and then they returned
to the Bay of Whales.
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January 20: Current
position is 89°28.700 S; 84°49.135 W. We traveled 5 nautical
miles today. Temperature was -20°C (-4°F), no wind, bright
blue skies, good travel conditions. We decided to call an early
day to give the group a bit of a break. We were able to spend the
afternoon making hot drinks and resting.
Antarctic fact of the day: On Jan 18, 1912, Robert F. Scott, Edward
Wilson, Edgar Evans and Lawrence Oates reached the South Pole. Unfortunately,
Roald Amundsen had already been there and left a flag marking the
spot. Terribly discouraged after a torturous journey, all of the
members perished on the return trip.
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Ajeet(right) and Keith. Covered up with hat, googles and face mask to prevent the cold and sun from penetrating their skin. Keith has a crude duct tape nose cover on his goggles to help as a sun and wind block. |
January 21: We
decided to take a planned rest day today. We spent the morning sleeping,
recuperating, rehydrating, and refueling. In the afternoon, we had
a vicious Uno tournament with Keith winning most of the games. We're
all in good spirits, ready to hit the trail and push on toward the
Pole tomorrow, rested and refreshed. We continue to live by our
motto of thriving, not just surviving. It's a cozy 4°C (40°F)
with no wind in the tent! Pick up flights have been rescheduled
so for any of you who may have been concerned about a January 23rd
pick up, no worries. We are under no major time pressure.
Antarctic fact of the day: In October, 1915, Ernest Shackleton has
a plan to cross the continent but is forced to abandon this idea
because his ship, the Endurance, is crushed in the ice of the Weddell
Sea after drifting for 9 months. The 28 men must camp on the floating
ice for 5 more months before an opening in the ice allows them to
take the boats to Elephant Island.
Message for Keith- your friends and family cheered you at the CTO
Ball. You were missed but everyone is thinking of you and wishing
you a safe voyage.
Message from Keith: Thanks to the Maddens, O'Riordans, Erich, Lori,
Joe, Kathy, Stacey & Keagan. All my love, Keith
Message from Ajeet: Love to my family and friends in India and the
States.
Message from the Goldsmiths: To family and friends worldwide, we
miss you and are thinking of you as we push to the Pole!
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January 22: Current
position 89°36.015 S; 85°49.371 W. We traveled 7.5 nautical
miles today in 8 hours. We had light 4 knot winds, clear skies,
temperatures around -25°C (-13°F). Team spirits are generally
upbeat as we kept up a good pace throughout the day. We're looking
forward to the approaching South Pole station as we will begin to
see it on the horizon when 15 nautical miles from the Pole. We certainly
are looking forward to that sight!
Antarctic fact of the day: In April, 1916, Shackleton and 5 of his
men leave Elephant Island in the lifeboat James Daird. In fifteen
days, they arrive at South Georgia Island. Unfortunately, they made
land on the wrong side of the island and Shackleton, Tom Crean and
Frank Worsley had to cross the island through difficult terrain
to reach the whaling station at Stromness.
Message to the Goldsmiths from Jane & Glenn- We send our love
and admiration to Richard and Laurie. We are very proud of you!
Aloha, Mom & Dad
Message back from Goldsmiths: We think about you often and will
be traveling to the tropics very soon! Jane: if you want to talk
to a ham at the South Pole, you only have a few days to find them.
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