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North Pole update: Bear!
19:32 p.m. EST Apr 11, 2004
Well there you go - we've had no bears yet on the NP this year - but Wave was up for a treat yesterday. And how about this live pic over Contact 2.0 from the encounter! Check Wave's dispatch:
"Here in the arctic, you have to be careful what you say and/or think. Until today, I had experienced every aspect of an expedition to the North Pole - except for one thing.
I started the day out late. The ice was mostly really nice today. Large flat pans, with about two dozen leads and a dozen or so pressure rides. The leads varied, from frozen, to open water.
Around 5pm, as I was working hard and pulling my sledge, something was moving off to my left, facing into the sun. I stopped and looked, and there were three polar bears! A mother and her two cubs. They had been walking the same direction as I, and were only about 50 feet away.
As soon as I stopped, they stopped. I quickly grabbed my camera inside my sweater and took a picture. Then I went to my sledge, to get my - videocamera! I wasn't afraid based on the polar bears body language. As I got my videocamera and better digital camera the bears slowly approached me.
The bears had positioned themselves directly downwind, and mother was taking in big whiffs of my scent. The cubs stayed at moms back legs as they came closer.
Meanwhile I'm trying to get my camcorder battery warmed up, and am blowing on it with the warm air from my mouth.
When the bears were about 25 feet away I figured I better let the mother know I'm not a potential dinner for her and her cubs. I let out a 'wu-wu-wu-wu-wu', which sounded like a broken children's toy. The bears stopped, and the cubs hid behind mom's legs. Slowly mom backed away from me, but never taking her eyes off of me.
I finally got the videocamera running when the bears were about 70 feet away. Then I started talking very sweetly to them. I told them I wouldn't hurt them, and they had nothing to fear from me. I also told them I was going to the North Pole, and I pointed towards north a couple of times.
Then I started calling the bears back to me, slapping my leg and encouraging them to come closer, just like you would a dog. And they came! They stopped about 50 feet away and listened to me talk. I was trying to film them, and also get high-res digital pictures.
After a few minutes mom backed away, but always kept here eyes on me and walked backwards away from me. I guess she understood that I was going north, and she and the cubs began walking south.
I continued to take a few more pictures, and said goodbye to them. I do carry a shotgun, but have been keeping it buried at the bottom of my sledge, I often don't bring it in the tent at night. I never thought for a moment I would need it.
I wasn't afraid of the mother polar bear and her two very cute cubs. I can't say I'd feel the same way about an encounter with an aggressive male polar bear.
When the bears were out of sight, I felt excited, warm, and peaceful. I also knew for sure that I will reach the pole, and felt even better."
Five expeditions set out for a North Pole expedition this year, all from the Russian side. Wave Vidmar to be the first American to ski solo and unsupported to the North Pole. Frédéric Chamard-Boudet to do the same for France. British Ben Saunders was to attempt a first solo, unsupported crossing. Danish/French duo Bettina Aller and Jean Gabriel Leynaud to ski to the pole with support and French/Finnish woman Dominick Arduin to attempt the first solo, female North Pole trek with support.
A big open water lead just off the starting point posed the first immediate problem for this years expeditions. Two solo skiers, French/Finnish woman Dominick and Frenchman Frederic decided to ski/paddle across the huge, 55 km semi open water area, in an attempt for a clean North Pole expedition (which must start from land). The other teams opted for an air drop onto thick ice.
Frederic Chamard-Boudet, fell in the water and was rescued. He is treated for severe frostbite. Dominick is missing since March 5th. Her tracks were found disappearing in an open water section, which she had planned to paddle over. No traces of Dominick, her kayak, sleds or other gear have been found.
Live image of Wave's bears provided by Contact 2.0. Courtesy of Wave Vidmar.
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