| May 5. Ice deltas | |
 | A hard day. Navigation by compass, no contrast, westerly cold wind and snowfall. Traveled through ice fog over vast ice deltas of riversize collapsed leads. At one point we only discovered we were on thin ice upon hearing the familiar murmuring sound. The snow fall had hidden the lead! The sledges are still heavy and we bury our feet deep in the snow when they come catapulting downhill behind us. We must be steadfast as they come to an abrupt halt in the pulling line. On one occasion Tina was getting ready to cross an open lead when Arctic Spirit came rushing at her from behind, hitting the back of her knees and nearly threw her over into the water. We are learning to predict the sleds behavior in different terrain. "Communication between people" is our sponsors, Ericssons, motto. We hope to have promoted that as sat phone messages buzz between tents. Dave, for instance, is letting us know that he'll pass us 2 days from the pole! Well, Dave is a wizard and he can do ANYTHING. Yesterday we heard, he made himself spare sunglasses out of his fuel bottles, with lenses cut out from his toe nails! And news at last from Chris, Otto & Bear the dog. Apparently, Bear put up with this "White Fang" stunt for only so long, sponsors or not, and has now decided that he too will sleep in the tent. Read about it in the "link" section on this web page (snowmobile expedition). What the pic has to do with it all? Just wanted to share yesterdays rest day feast with you: Real hot dogs, mashed potatoes and scrambled eggs! N 85 57,8 W 70 14,3 D 15,6 km TT 10 h TD 322,8/45days DNP 448,5 km, sleds w 141 kg, T(UTC-5) 10.00 p.m. -13C/12ktsSW, As, Sc 8/8. Contrast: poor/nil, Sky: grey, visibility: 1 km, sf. Ice crystals: light. GPS: 1018 mbar (-), pos am 8549,4/7020,9 drift E |
| May 4. Rest day | |
 | -"They call us the Murder brothers", said Sjur Mordre and smiled. Sjur is our Norwegian North Pole coach and everything is his fault: The storage of sleeping bags in -50C, the 1920s Italian style netting polar underwear we dress in and the absolute negligence of basic human comfort we suffer. -"You don't need that" he chants (to minimize our sleds weight) and we oblige, as in a hypnotic haze we question and cut down on everything along our way: Do we REALLY need a camera? A change of clothes? A spoon? Toilet paper? Our arms?...our legs?..."you would be SURPRISED how little you need when it comes down to it!" In a recent issue of National Geographic Borge Ousland pays a tribute to Sjur. For this modern days Amundsen knows his stuff. Yesterday, it was exactly 10 years ago since he stood on the North Pole himself. Congratulations! Poor weather and 84 in rest pulse finally called for a lie up. We work the tech and charge up for the last twenty something days leg. We hope the rest will speed us up even further as our tormented bodies gets a chance to heal at last. (Jon, stop stalking us). N 85 49,4 W 70 30,5 D 0 km TT 0 h TD 307,2/44days DNP 463,9 km, sleds w 143 kg, T(UTC-5) 5.00 p.m. -19C/4ktsSW, As, Sc 8/8. Contrast: poor, Sky: grey, visibility: 3 km, sf. Ice crystals: light. GPS: 1024 mbar (-), pos am 8549,4/7030,5 drift E |
| May 3. Silent partners | |
 | Woke up every bone in the body aching but don't want to take a rest day until really foul weather arrives. Came out late due to repairs of skins. Put on our yellow ski goggles and contrast improved greatly. The mask also protected Tina's eye, she has had an eye infection lately. Really good news were that the tent is now so warm, that we can thaw several bottles of snow to water overnight. It helps saving our precious gas. The day was clear but low cumulus rolled in towards the evening from the west. We quickly calibrated and synchronized our compasses whilst we still could see the sun. Have to hold the unit far away from our body as we are pretty wired with tech, and then watch the marker slowly get in position. The compasses deviate violently each day; the GPS refuses to calibrate its compass altogether. The sun is our best navigational tool. And we saw another set of polar fox tracks - 300 km/200 miles from land! The not so cute thing about the fox is that they sometimes lead polar bears to big prey, in order to feast on the leftovers. Better check that gun again. Came in with 20km; almost 11NM! Could sense we had it in us lately, getting it confirmed at last made our day. N 85 49,4 W 70 33,0 D 20,0 km TT 9,5 h TD 307,2/43days DNP 463,9 km, sleds w 145 kg, T(UTC-5) 11.00 p.m. -20C/8ktsSW, Sc 7/8. Contrast: poor, Sky: grey, visibility: 3 km, Ice crystals: light. GPS: 1025 mbar (-), pos am 8538,7/7029,3 drift 0 |
| May 2. Positions on canvas | |
 | Surprisingly short distance gained today; must be the drift. Compensated sharply towards west as well, only to end up half a longitude further east. Good pans most of the day, with large open leads however. The ice is so thin it sways when we cross. To save time we don't remove our skis on pressure ridges. This calls for serious acts of balance. Tina fell headlong from 1m/3ft altitude yesterday, down on hard blue ice. Luckily, she rotated in the air, her hip and shoulder catching the fall. "Man, I can't believe what a great Karate turn that was!" Tom yelled overjoyed, jumping up and down as Tina counted her bruises. His falls are more brutal: The tip of his skis gets caught in sastrugi and he falls flat over. We are bruised and battered like toddlers. We need an airdrop of a shrink. We talk to our sleds. "Good boy! good girl!" when they perform a good passage. Stuff like that. Tell the shrink to bring egg salad sandwiches too. The walls of our tent are scribbled with our positions. We are far out on the ocean now. Injuries, drift, rubble - so much can still happen. Each lead crossed, each hour passed is a victory. Every day feels like escaping towards our goal. We joke and fool around, but run hearts in throat. N 85 38,7 W 70 29,3 D 15,2 km TT 9,0 h TD 287,2/42days DNP 483,8 km, sleds w 146 kg, T(UTC-5) 10.00 p.m. -22C/4ktsN, Sun, As +Ac 1/8. Contrast: good, Sky: blue, visibility: 10 km, Ice crystals: light. GPS: 1029 mbar (-), pos am 8530,4/7058,4 drift SE |
| May 1. Adrift | |
 | A foggy day with a cold, moist wind, and deteriorating towards the evening. The ice murmured all night below the tent. The wind combined with the high tide put the leads in party mode.Their shores move like industrial elevators trying to get aligned sideways, with the sound of a heavy chain getting tied up on a wheel. We balance on this moving ice, jumping, running or slowly staking our way with the skipoles, depending on the situation. It's always an adrenaline rush. But to cross these treacherous ice waters in a spooky fog is really something else. Another record distance today, but the easterly drift worries us. We need to be closer to the 74th longitude. On the ocean floor, along this longitude runs the Lomonosov ridge. East of it, the currents become very strong. Getting caught there, we could get trapped in a polar drift carrying us southeast faster then we can ski. Although we headed 15 degrees towards the west all day, we still ended up farther east then this morning. N 85 30,8 W 70 57,9 D 18,2 km TT 9,0 h TD 272,0/41days DNP 498 km, sleds w 149 kg, T(UTC-5) 10.00 p.m. -20C/15-20ktsSSW, As 8/8. Contrast: poor, Sky: white, visibility: 3 km, Ice crystals: light. GPS: 1025 mbar (-), pos am 8521,3/7122,3 drift E |
| April 30. To the friends | |
 | In 1996, we were on Everest with Brigitte. It was our first and her second attempt. We failed that fateful Everest year. Next year, Brigittes expedition leader died unexpectedly in his tent. Again, things didn't look good. But that year, Brigitte summited Everest. Last fall, we got a mail from Eric. He was a friend of Brigittes husband; Jon. Jon & Eric planned an unassisted attempt on The North Pole, did we want to share logistics? Plans were made but fate put us in Canada and them in Russia (with an earlier start date). Jon & Eric are expected to reach the North Pole today, as the only successful expedition out of four from Russia this year. The year after Brigitte summited Everest, we made friends there with a team from Singapore. The expedition leader, Dave Lim, was mysteriously paralyzed following his attempt. One of the team members, named Swee, summited. Two years ago we met with Swee again; in Punta Arenas, Chile. He was there for Mnt Winson, we for the South Pole. Next year, Swee attempted the North Pole but failed. We too had to come back once more - for the South Pole - meeting Paul this time in Punta Arenas, an excellent veteran polar guide from Iqualit. Paul & Swee are now only days from reaching the North Pole as the first of the teams going from Canada (the expedition use air drops). And two days ago we received a mail in our Arctic tent from a Himalayan 8000+ base camp. It was from Dave Lim, the Singapore Everest expedition leader. Dave, who recovered from the paralyze, is attempting the summit of Shishapagma tonight. (As for us; we made another record distance today, in bumpy terrain of rubble and open leads. Beautiful day and getting closer.) N 85 21,3 W 71 27,4 D 17,2 km TT 9,5 h TD 253,8/40days DNP 516 km, sleds w 151 kg, T(UTC-5) 10.00 p.m. -25C/2ktsN, Sun. Contrast: good, Sky: blue, visibility: 10 km, Ice crystals: mod. GPS: 1032 mbar (-), pos am 8512,1/7145,1 drift E |
| April 29. Knifes edge | |
 | Traveled in whiteout conditions today, crossing quite a few new open water leads. Alarming reports keep coming in; Jon & Eric paddling kayaks on 88,30, First Air pilots reporting lots of rubble right up to the 88th, Paul estimating a back drift of 5-6 NM a day on 88,30 and sat pics showing a mess of leads right here on 85th. Our gas is on strict rationing, we store snow inside the tent to bring its temperature up before melting. Discovered a crack in the sole of Toms shoe this morning. If it gets much bigger, we could get in trouble. Our entire supply of regular painkillers got lost a few days ago. We sure travel on a knifes edge here. But its warmer and today, upon checking an air supported expeditions log from last year, we found that we are on their daily distances now. If we can keep pace with their progress, we have a big chance to reach the pole in 26 days. The trouble is the unpredictability of this ice. We repeat our mantra: Don't think. Just go. N 85 12,1 W 71 45,2 D 15,2 km TT 9,0 h TD 236,6/39days DNP 533 km, sleds w 154 kg, T(UTC-5) 10.00 p.m. -23C/2ktsN, As, Ns 7/8. Contrast: poor, Sky: grey, visibility: 1 km, Ice crystals: light. GPS: 1022 mbar (-), pos am 8503,8/7133,0 drift SE |
| April 28. 85 degrees North, Arctic rendezvous | |
 | Here we are, for 40 days travelling our own planet of ice. We worry about pressure ridges, black ice and blue rubble; stuff nobody else cares about. And so we create our own register for joy, despair or just general assessment of a good or a bad thing. Then suddenly; people turn up in our solitude! Living in our world! What do you say to them? "Hey girls, WHAT'S UP?!" Tina yelled to the camp. And there they were, the British women, in their round, roomy tent, laying around their stove like Bedouins preparing couscous in a Sahara camp. Except this was the Arctic ice dessert and for 20 minutes we chatted eagerly about the cold, the gas, frostbite, the gear, the ice, the time. And then we must go again. Anne came out and we hugged; "See you at the Pole" we all whispered. Alone again, we entered the 85th latitude. And the full moon night was still. N 85 04,0 W 71 37,0 D 15,2 km TT 9,2 h TD 221,4/38days DNP 548,1 km, sleds w 156 kg, T(UTC-5) 10.00 p.m. -23C/0kts, Sun, As, Cs 6/8. Contrast: mod, Sky: white 6/8, visibility: 5 km, Ice crystals: light. GPS: 1020 mbar (-), pos am 8455,9/7143,3 |
| April 27. 100 days | |
 | Dropped another 8 kg/15lbs of weight. We are down to bare necessities now, there isn't a piece of gear we don't use and we are also taking some chances. Managed the clean-out without losing a minute of travel. Headed west to avoid another ground zero terrain as we spotted the dreaded jarred horizon of blue rubble and tall blue ridges. We also need to make up for the earlier easterly drift. The grounds now are old rubble and small pans edged by smaller pressure ridges. Crossed the British women's tracks. Might meet tomorrow as they await their air resupply. Found a good, old pan for the full moon camp tonight. Today, we are on day 100 of our bi-polar quest. Olympic cross country skiers practice 600 hours a year. In the past 5 months we have skied 800 hours. Taking the first Antarctica trip into account as well, we have skied 1300 hours in 14 months! We have fought off frostbite, had the same 100 meals of trail food, pulled all our gear without help of drops, pitched snow camps more times than we can count and even swam open leads to reach our goal. Will it be enough, however? We pray for it every single day. N 84 55,8 W 71 36,1 D 15,0 km TT 9 h TD 206,2/37days DNP 563,3 km, sleds w 158 kg, T(UTC-5) 10.30 p.m. -28C/4ktsN, Sun. Contrast: good, Sky: blue, visibility: 10 km, Ice crystals: mod. GPS: 1019 mbar (-), pos am 8447,8/7131,5 |
| April 26. Getting out there | |
 | The mornings are the toughest. To get out there, every single day. There are so many reasons not to: Repairs badly needed, body screaming for rest, weather windy or in whiteout. Let's rest, today only please. But the quest for the pole is without mercy. We must go. Left the worst rubble behind today - for this time. A foggy day turned into rainbow halos and diamond dust. We crossed frozen leads backlit by this shimmering sparkle. At times like these, we hear the whisper of Antarctica. N 84 47,8 W 71 31,5 D 9,0 km TT 9 h TD 191,2/36days DNP 578,1 km, sleds w 168 kg, T(UTC-5) 10.00 p.m. -23C/2ktsW, Sun, As, Cs 8/8,sundogs. Contrast: poor, Sky: white, visibility: 3 km, Ice crystals: mod. GPS: 1028 mbar (^), pos am 8442,8/7118,6 |
| April 25. Ground zero | |
 | The Arctic ice is formed in pans. Some pans are old and thick, covered by snow that is shaped into sastrugi by the wind. The newer pans are refrozen leads, thin and smooth on the surface. The leads forms when the pans crack open by ocean drift, tide and currents. Within days or hours they are pushed back together again, in which they collide and the edges builds up in ice ridges - a k a pressure ridges. Sometimes, when the wind is hard or the tide is high, and the pan is weak or close to land, the entire pan is demolished. It is ground into sharp pieces of bricks of ice; thrown around the ocean surface, turned upside down, showing its clear blue or green bottom. As conditions calms, this pulverized pan refreeze in a maze - the ice rubble. That is what has happened to this part of the 84th latitude. Only small parts of the once smooth pans remains, cracked up in all directions. Last night a crack opened just 2m/6ft from our tent. Tonight we camp on a bigger piece of ice, the closest lead still only 20m/60ft away. Our trek is very hard now. But the hardest is the arising concern. N 84 42,9 W 71 18,6 D 4,2 km TT 7,5 h TD 182,2/35days DNP 587,1 km, sleds w 170 kg, T(UTC-5) 9.00 p.m. -22C/5ktsW, Sun, As 8/8. Contrast: poor, Sky: white, visibility: 1 km, Ice crystals: light. GPS: 1025 mbar (^), pos am 8440,7/7121,7 |
| April 24. Rubble mania | |
 | Entered a horrible area of collapsed pans. For the past 6 hours we have crawled, pushed and pulled our way over broken blue ice. There are leads and cracks every 10 meters. Are camping on a tiny pan, cracked only 5 meters from the tent. We are surrounded by fresh, blue ice ridges and loose rubble. The conditions continues as far as we can see on the horizon. There is a haze on the sky and a halo. We hope it doesn`t bring bad weather to this dangerous campsite. N 84 40,7 W 71 21,7 D 6,7 km TT 8 h TD 178,0/34days DNP 591,2 km, sleds w 173 kg, T(UTC-5) 9.00 p.m. -25C/15kts WSW, Sun, Cs 7/8 halo. Contrast: good, Sky: white, visibility: >10km, Ice crystals: light. GPS: 1024 mbar (-), pos am 8440,7/7138,6 |
| April 23. White moon | |
 | "Hush! Listen!" We were in our sleeping bags when all of a sudden there were spooky sounds of freight trains around us. The trains shifted gear and switched tracks with laborsome moaning, groaning and squeaking. Clothing pins on the dryline in our tent trembled. Our blood ran cold and we jolted out. We saw nothing. Soon there were crashes and then it all stopped, as sudden as it had begun. Silence fell. Somewhere the ice had broken up with a terrifying force. We currently travel on pans, cracked by countless leads and divided by pressure ridges. There is a brisk wind setting the ice into motion, a drift that weakens the ice. A white moon has reappeared on the perpetually sunlit sky. In four days, midnight April 27, it will be full and at its farthest from the sun. The two will then engage in a power battle of gravity. The ocean will pay. It will rise in a tremendous high tide and the sea ice will split open. We'll look for a camping spot on old, thick ice. Last nights freight train station was a warning. N 84 37,3 W 71 38,6 D 13,3 km TT 9 h TD 171,3/33days DNP 597,6 km, sleds w 176 kg, T(UTC-5) 10.00 p.m. -28C/15-20ktsSW, Sun, As 3/8. Contrast: good, Sky: white 5/8, visibility: >10km, Ice crystals: mod. GPS: 1022 mbar (-), pos am 8430,1/7140,7 |
| April 22. No Arctic night too cold, my love | |
 | -"I`ll place a personals ad in classifieds" Tom announced at lunch break: "Calm, simple guy looking for a like-minded girl for uncomplicated, serene life and candle light dinners". -"Yeah, yeah" Tina skied off: "FOLWALD!" It is to be "forward" but the tooth has popped out again. We cannot believe the amount of leads now. Around 40 today, some the size of lakes with ice rubble forming islands within. The cold keeps them frozen, yet the wind is a threat. We also drift east at an alarming rate. More drama: Writes the Compaq webmaster (Alain&Dixie): "Canadian company First Air (which picks up adventuring explorers at the North Pole) has just confirmed some news...this year, unlike other years, its Twin Otters based at Resolute Bay will not be able to pick up adventurers at the North Pole after mid-May, whereas usually the pick-up happens up to the beginning of June (sometimes up to mid-June)...the weather is particularly lousy this year (-44°C around Ward Hunt in April) which is totally unprecedented); on the other hand, the previous winter was particularly warm, which had the direct consequence of breaking up and fragmenting the Arctic ice floe more than in the past. Landing after mid-May could prove far too dangerous". The webmaster concludes that if this is so, all expeditions unsupported by air drops are pretty fried. ExplorersWeb ground control have however checked with First Air and the info we have got is that this season will not differ from others. (Check Compaq Pole ll full dispatch at "links") N 84 30,2 W 71 41,7 D 12,9 km TT 9 h TD 158,0/32days DNP 610,7 km, sleds w 179 kg, T(UTC-5) 10.00 p.m. -30C/12ktsSW, Sun, Cs, Ac 3/8. Contrast: good, Sky: blue, visibility: >10km, Ice crystals: mod. GPS: 1013 mbar (-), pos am 8423,4/7156,7 |
| April 21. Gaining distance | |
 | The cold is back and bottomed out at -37C late last night. 8 kts wind brought us to -47C/-44F wind-chill on travel today. Crossed around 15 leads, all frozen. The sleds feels heavy, but got to do some good skiing today, instead of the past weekends swimming leads and climbing ridges. Gained almost 7NM, which is very promising. N 84 23,4 W 71 56,7 D 12,7 km TT 9 h TD 145,1/31days DNP 623,3 km, sleds w 179 kg, T(UTC-5) 10.00 p.m. -32C/8kts, Sun, As,Ci 3/8. Contrast: good, Sky: blue, visibility: >10km, Ice crystals: light. GPS: 1009 mbar (-), pos am 8416,5/7152,4 |