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19 April 2003 - Marcus
Fillinger from Canberra, Australia, became the first person to dive solo
and unassisted at the Geographic North Pole.
At 9.14am EST this message was received from Marcus via Iridium satphone
direct from the North Pole:
"...I've done the dive! I think it was the world's coldest dive too, it's
so cold my [weather gauge] has frozen... I have frost on my teeth and
icicles from my nose...Feel good...getting picked up by Russians and
heading back to Borneo [ice based runway] later today..."
Marcus left Australia on 11 April on an expedition to become the first to
dive solo
 and
unassisted under the ice at the Geographic North Pole. Using Russian ice
base "Borneo" as his launching point, Marcus was airlifted to 89 degrees,
from here he dragged a pulk (Kevlar sled) with his gear weighing over
110kg to a suitable dive site at the Pole.
During the phone call to support in Australia (Imogen Scott) Marcus
described the ice as moving all around him and cracks appearing as he
spoke.
"I could hear the ice cracking and great chunks of ice and snow falling
into the water through the satphone connection. He sounded relaxed and
obviously extremely proud of his accomplishment...but very cold. He said
he'll be back at the ice base Borneo until 22 April now and would call
when he is safely back there." Said Imogen.
After months of planning and training Marcus has successfully completed
this incredible expedition and will return to Canberra on 28 April. On
his return Marcus will complete a documentary featuring the dive and other
spectacular images from the Arctic.
www.emulsion.net.au Background
information about Marcus and his expedition
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