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2007 Online Expedition Tracker
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2007
North Pole |
2007
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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.
|
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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The team enjoying the travel day. Only 15 more miles to go! The cloud build-up in the background prevented us from seeing the polar station till our final day of travel. |
January 23: Current
position is 89°44.020 S; 88°20.077 W. We traveled 8 nautical
miles today. This morning, we woke up to -30°C (-22°F) with
a 6 knot wind, bone chilling conditions to tear down camp and start
moving. It was all we could do to keep warm. By mid-day, there had
been a 7°C rise in temperature which was extremely noticeable
to the team. It's amazing at these cold temperatures what a few
degrees can do to your level of enjoyment! We are eagerly anticipating
being able to view the buildings of the Amundsen-Scott station.
With good weather and good movement, we should be starting to see
them sometime tomorrow morning. And with some luck, at some point
in the evening on January 25, we shall be within arm's reach of
the bottom of the world!
Antarctic fact of the day: In 1916, on his fourth try, Shackleton
reaches Elephant Island and rescues the 22 survivors from the Endurance.
They survived by turning the remaining lifeboats upside down and
setting up living quarters beneath.
Riddle from Ajeet: What did our ski expedition do on its day off
in the Antarctic?
Answer: Just "chilled out"!
Lots of messages today!
To the Goldsmiths:
"Everything is fine with the boys. We are all following your
adventure on the internet. Laurie- I bet you've had to "dig
deep" a few times. We love you!" Mom, Dad, Lee & Brad
"Hope you are having fun. You can not believe all the money
you are spending on the race car. It will be in fine shape! Best
to you both," From Kent and Lyn
"I haven't had any luck finding a Ham operator at the South
Pole! If one is there, please get his info for later. Aloha,"
Mom & Dad/Jane & Glenn
"Here you are very close to fulfilling your dream of reaching
the South Pole. Best wishes and I will see you soon in sunny Gilroy."
From Kim
"Glad your trip is going smoothly. Hope you have an exciting
last few days on the ice. We're all thinking of you and are looking
forward to you coming home. Lots of love," Daniel, Nathan and
Katie
To Keith, Ajeet, Laurie and Richard,
"You are on the home stretch. You must be seeing the South
Pole by now. Every inch you are moving brings you closer to your
hard earned goal. Soon you will be savoring your triumphs together
and I will be there in spirit with you all. I send you wings for
the last miles so you can fly and get there not too exhausted. Let's
hope the weather is good to you for that. Enjoy, enjoy my buddies.
Lots of love," Anna
To Keith: All sounds good. Keep up the progress. You're the man.
Your father in law, Fred PS The Bears creamed the Saints (39-14).
Messages from the team:
From the Goldsmiths:
Daniel: A very happy birthday to you! We hope your day is a good
one. Let us know what you plan to do or did, love Mom and Dad
Nathan: We hope school and soccer are going well. Give us an update.
How did the soccer sleepover go for you and the team?
Boys: We plan to reach the Pole on the 25th. We'll try to call the
house or cell phones via sat phone if possible when we reach it.
Thanks to everyone for sending the messages. We greatly appreciate
them!
From Keith: Thanks, Fred. Please say hello to Alex, Rachel, Nicki
& Pam for me.
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January 24: Current
position is 89°52.015 S; 90°29.132 W. Despite our excitement
to spot the Amundsen-Scott station, we woke up this morning to overcast
skies with a slight breeze, thwarting any chances throughout the
day of seeing the station. Making camp tonight, conditions were
the same with 5 km visibility and 4 knot winds with a temperature
of -30°C (-22°F). Despite the weather conditions, the travel
was good. We traveled 8 hours and completed 8 nautical miles. We
are sitting around Ajeet and Keith's tent, frying salami, making
one last meal on the trail as we prepare for the final 8 mile push,
hoping to accomplish our ultimate goal by 7:00 PM Chilean time tomorrow,
January 25.
Antarctic fact of the day: July, 1957- the International Geophysical
Year (IGY) begins with Antarctica, the main effort of scientists
from 67 countries over the next 18 months. Twelve new bases are
constructed with the Amundsen-Scott base at the South Pole. December,
1959- The twelve leading nations participating in the IGY signed
the Antarctic Treaty in Washington, DC. The treaty was framed as
an agreement so the continent "shall continue forever to be
used exclusively for peaceful purposes." The treaty came into
effect in 1961 and guarantees access and scientific research in
all territory south of 60 degrees latitude.
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Antarctic fact of the day: On January 25, 2007, 3 amateur adventurers (Laurie and Richard Goldsmith, Ajeet Bajaj) and lead guide Keith Heger skied 103 nautical miles to reach the Geographic South Pole in 16 days! |
January
25: Major success! Current position is 90° S!! We arrived
at the South Pole at 7:30 PM Chilean time. What a feeling! We woke
up this morning to -30°C (-22°F) temperature with clear
skies. We were able to see a small blip on the horizon which turned
out to be the protective shell of the satellite communication system
of the Amundsen-Scott Station. Watching the Station grow steadily
larger as we skied was incredible. When 6 nautical miles out, we
were able to see the new Station. Skiing in was very impressive.
We're all overwhelmed by the enormity of the base and the bustle
of activity. It's like a scene from Mars! There are 270 people here
right now and it feels so strange to see cars driving around, Hercules
aircraft flying in and out with people and supplies, all of this
civilization after so many days surrounded by emptiness and white.
We celebrated our accomplishment, took lots of photos and had a
tour of the Station. The Twin Otters are here now to take us back
to Patriot Hills tonight.
Many thanks to all of our family and friends who supported us, sent
messages, and tracked our progress on the website. It means so much
to all of us! We will continue the daily updates until we arrive
back in Punta Arenas and have our final celebration dinner.
Antarctic fact of the day: On January 25, 2007, 3 amateur adventurers
(Laurie and Richard Goldsmith, Ajeet Bajaj) and lead guide Keith
Heger skied 103 nautical miles to reach the Geographic South Pole
in 16 days!
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Richard making a phone call home with the solar charger on the ground and the Twin Otter in the background ready to whisk us back to Patriot Hills. |
January 26: We
arrived at Patriot Hills at 2:00 AM Chilean time. The wind was gusting
to 40 knots! Setting up our tents was the most challenging camp
set up we have experienced the entire expedition. It took 6 of us
to deal with one tent at a time. We then went into the large guide
tent which is shared with multiple expedition teams. It has a 4
burner propane stove and a snow melting system along with tables
and chairs. We had a quick meal, then we hit the sack. Due to the
windy conditions, it was a restless sleep. But after yesterday's
full South Pole activity, we were able to sleep for a few hours.
Due to the high winds today, there was no chance of flying back
to Punta Arenas. We considered a ski tour but decided not- we were
due a day of rest and relaxation! Temperatures are around 0°C
(32°F)- relatively balmy compared with what we're used to! It
feels almost tropical. Our next check in will be at 4:00 AM to see
if the pick up flight may come from Punta Arenas in the morning.
It is on standby, just waiting for the weather to clear.
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This semi-permanent tribute is placed at the
South Pole every summer season. The flags in the background
highlight the countries who signed the Antarctic Treaty in 1959.
The gold marker in the foreground is the actual USGS marker
placed at the Pole every January. The South Pole drifts 10 meters
every year. The Amunsdon-Scott station is the large building
in the background. |
January 27: The
wait continues. Winds of 30-40 knots here in Patriot Hills so no
flight today. One day at a time… We'll see what tomorrow brings
and hope for the best.
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January 28: Play
it again… another day in Patriot Hills. Winds averaging 30
knots so no flight today. We spent the day yesterday resting and
playing cards. We'll be coming back ready to take any of you on
in Uno, hearts, etc! Can't say we're not learning great new skills
here! And for any of you concerned about our food situation, we
had packed out many days of extra food which we left here in Patriot
Hills for just such an occasion. We didn't take this food on the
trail with us but it was waiting here when we got back. So we're
not about to go hungry. And ALE has back-up food if we run out of
our own (highly unlikely). But we can't say we're not smelling,
tasting, dreaming of the celebratory dinner awaiting us one of these
days back in Punta Arenas! Annie has been serenading everyone in
the guide tent for the past 2 hours. This tent is 45' x 25' (13.7
m x 7.62 m) and we'll have 20 of us sitting here at a time. Quite
cozy and a great international community. Any thoughts and prayers
to the wind gods and goddesses will be most appreciated!
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Team photo. Annie and Sara in red, Richard, Laurie, Ajeet and Keith in the middle. Congratulations and thank you for all the support. |
January 29: YAHOO!!!
We're being told we are flying out tonight!!! The plane is anticipated
to be here at Patriot Hills around 11:00 PM- midnight. This would
get us back to Punta Arenas around 6:00 AM tomorrow. Can we tell
you how excited we are?!? Our spirits are obviously very upbeat.
Just finished a lovely meal of Mexican beans, rice and chorizo sausage.
We're looking forward to a shower and getting home to see friends
and family. It's been a blast but we can't say we're not a bit homesick.
To all of you who sent prayers to the wind gods and goddesses, thank
you! You're more powerful than you may realize! We do really appreciate
all of your support and caring and can't wait to see you soon!
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Lauri, Richard and Ajeet homeward bound! Job well done! |
January 30: We
arrived in Punta Arenas around 8:00 AM after a long night! We were
checked into our motel by 9:00 AM and in the shower by 9:01 AM!
What a glorious feeling! We had a chance to get a little sleep in
a real bed. What a concept! Sara is heading back up to Torres del
Paine for a few days as her flight out of Punta Arenas is scheduled
for Friday, Feb. 2. Ajeet's flight leaves this afternoon. Keith,
Richard, Laurie and Annie all fly out tomorrow, Jan 31. We'll have
a chance for a final celebratory dinner here in Punta Arenas, then
a real night's sleep in a real bed. It feels wonderful being in
Punta Arenas and we so look forward to seeing all of you very soon!
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January 31: Homeward
Bound! Most everyone is en route home by now. We're savoring our
memories of an incredible adventure and looking forward to seeing
friends and loved ones. It has been an amazing journey which we
will never forget. We'll be posting pictures to the website soon.
Thanks again to everyone who has been following our adventure and
giving us such support- we truly appreciate it!
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2007 South Pole 1 degree ski expedition
December
update:
Less than a few weeks to go before Annie
and Sara arrive in Antarctica! This past weekend they were together
in California training and reviewing equipment. Everything seems
to be coming together nicely - all of their gear has arrived in
Punta Arenas and both Annie and Sara are looking forward to the
upcoming adventure! We will begin updating this page on a daily
basis starting January 2nd - so
make sure to bookmark the page and check back in regularly for daily
updates and messages from the team. Happy holidays!
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January
1, 2007: Annie and Sara both arrived safely (with all our luggage!)
in Punta Arenas today. We met up with the 2° expedition team
who were glad to see us though of course had really hoped not to
be seeing us till we all arrive at the South Pole. They helped us
collect our gear from the ALE office. We now have a few days (or
perhaps more than a few....) to recover from our journey, final
prep of gear and be ready to hit the ice. We are currently scheduled
on a flight to Patriot Hills on January 4 but of course, all schedules
are totally weather dependent. We'll keep you posted.
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January
2: We spent the day splitting up our equipment and going through
our personal clothing and supplies. We had a chance to do some last
minute shopping. We're in good spirits. We're off to dinner now-
Chinese food is the plan for the evening!
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That's a lot of gear - and that's only half of it! Annie's hotel room exploded with clothing and equipment as we started sorting and packing. Everything is accounted for and ready to go. |
January 3: Extremely windy conditions in Punta Arenas today- 60 knots! Conditions at Patriot Hills also continue to be windy- 23 knots gusting to 25 knots. For lunch we went to the 6th floor restaurant with a panoramic view of the city and the Straights of Magellan. We could see huge waves with lots of spindrift in the air. The roof was shuddering. We could see bits of plastic bags and fabric blowing around as high as the 6th floor. It was a fascinating place to be in a strong wind because we could experience it all around us without actually being in it. The wind abruptly died to mere windy conditions but not gale force in the afternoon.
We had our weigh in with
all of our equipment. With the2° team members, we had a contest
after lunch to see who could guess the weight of the sleds. Sara's
weighed in at 31.45 kilos and Annie's at 45.4 kilos (granted, Annie
had packed extra food that we're planning to leave at Patriot Hills).
Ajeet was closest to guessing the weight of Sara's sled with Richard
coming in a close second. Annie was closest to guessing the weight
of her sled with Laurie coming in a close second. Fun times had
by all! The folks
at ALE then loaded all of our gear onto the bus to take it to the
airport to be ready to transport to Patriot Hills whenever we are
cleared for flying. We're ready when they are!
Back to top
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.
 |
Going to the penguin colony was a welcome break from Punta Arenas. We had a great time and saw hundreds of penguins. |
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: 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
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.
 |
Annie enjoying the view. What an incredible place! We were stunned with the beauty and we had incredible weather to enjoy it. |
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! We're thrilled to finally be in Patriot Hills.
 |
Loading the Ilushyn at Punta Arenas we are all excited to be on the move and eager to reach Antarctica! |
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 will be dropped off at 89° and our pick-up flight will be
January 23 as originally scheduled. We're ready to go!
 |
Sara testing out the terrain on our practice-run. All went well and we are looking forward to being dropped off at 89 degrees. |
January
9: We went for a full training ski of 7.5 nautical miles with
full kits under cloudless skies. Temperatures are above freezing
and are deceptively warm as reports from the South Pole station
yesterday were -26° C (-15°F). We plan to do another training
trip in the beautiful mountains surrounding Patriot Hills tomorrow
and are anxiously awaiting the next call. The 2 Twin Otters will
return tomorrow and will have a mandatory rest period before flying
us out. We are on pins and needles awaiting to hit the ice!
Back to top
January
10: We are still at Patriot Hills today and went for a short
ski to burn off energy. It was very cloudy this morning, then got
sunny and is clouding over again this evening. Temperatures are
still relatively very warm, hovering around freezing. We plan to
fly to the ice tonight. We'll load the Twin Otter at 6:30 p.m. and
anticipate being in the air by 8:00. We'll have a 2.5 hour flight
to the refueling station, then approximately 2 hours more to 89°.
We don't plan to move tonight but rather make camp, get a good rest
and be ready for tomorrow. Our plan for tomorrow is to do a light
day, approximately 3 nautical miles. The elevation at Patriot Hills
has been 2,700' (823 m) and elevation at 89° will be 9,300'
(2,835 m) with a relative altitude of 11,000' (3,353 m). Therefore,
we'll need to adjust gradually to the altitude change and plan for
a relatively short day, being sure to stay well hydrated. We are
very excited and looking forward to getting to 89°. Sara sends
a message home saying hello, she misses everyone and please take
good care of her dog!
 |
Our flight in the Twin Otter took us over some beautiful terrain. When we touched down at 89 degrees we were so excited it was hard to fall asleep. |
January
11: Current position is 89°00.546 S, 89°29.499 W. We
traveled 2.6 nautical miles today with conditions of -26° C
(-14.8° F) with 6-7 mph winds. We had a leisurely morning as
we didn't go to bed till 2:00 a.m. after our late flight to the
ice. We were dropped off before 89° S. We had relatively good
conditions for our first day. A few issues with cold hands and feet
but nothing insurmountable. We're happy and feeling good, looking
forward to a Mexican dinner and warm drinks. The cloud cover is
moving in significantly so we'll see what tomorrow will bring.
Back to top
January
12: Current position is 89°02.97 S; 89°09.86 W. We went
2.4 nautical miles today. We woke up to howling winds and stayed
in our tent for a while, hoping it would subside. It did somewhat
but continued to be quite windy all day from the east, about 15
mph. Temperatures were around -26°C (-15° F). Some issues
with keeping fingers and toes warm and having goggles fogging up.
We traveled 4+ hours and had one break. We're working on strategies
for increased efficiency and increased daily progress and our spirits
remain high.
 |
A typical tent scene...socks and sock liners drying and a gear loft filled with all sorts of items. We dubbed our tent "Julienne" after a character in a book we are reading. |
January
13: Current position is 89°09.86 S; 89°22.29 W. We made
6.91 nautical miles today and are thrilled with our progress! We
had total whiteout conditions- couldn't see beyond the length of
our skis. This made navigation rather tricky. Winds started out
about 2 knots then increased to 7-8 knots from the east. There was
a lot of blowing snow, leaving us totally snow and ice encrusted
by the end of the day. We're excited that our strategies for increased
efficiency seem to be working despite the challenging travel conditions
today and look forward to more progress each day.
 |
Sara with the daily task of removing boot liners. Boot liners that are left in the boot have a tendency to freeze-up easily, so we removed our liners each night - and our feet were nice and toasty. |
January
14: Current position is 89°16.895 S; 89°26.381 W. We
went 7 nm today. Conditions went from being relatively flat light
and low visibility to being a really nice day. Temperatures were
around -25°C (-13°F). It has been quite calm and now there
is just a hint of wind rattling our tent flaps. We're about to have
a super spaghetti dinner. We're quite happy with our progress the
last 2 days and are hoping to bump it up as we go on. We are hot!!
 |
Sara making her way to the South Pole. Note the shadow. We used the sun as our navigation aid. At 3 PM every day our shadow would point due South. This battery-free method of navigation is ideal - and very easy. |
January
15: Current position is 89°24.498 S; 89°36.775 W. We
traveled 7.6 nautical miles and we have 35 nautical miles left to
go. We are excited! We had a great day- very sunny, temperature
around -23°C (-10°F). At one point the sun hit the ice just
right so it looked like crystals were everywhere, paving a path
down our line of longitude, like we were following a road of crystals.
The sastrugi is about 15 cm (6") high, at some points closer
to 30 cm (12"). The sun can hit it and create shadows which
remind us of North Pole travel, like little seals popping their
heads out of the sea ice. We continue to read a chapter each night
from a polar history novel. We send our love and best wishes to
all our family and friends.
 |
Sara making her way South. The sunlight is intense requiring goggles all day every day when it is sunny. |
January
16: Current position 89° 32.483 S, 89°58.112 W. We traveled
8 nautical miles today. It was a beautiful calm day. We do find
that skiing is a bit easier when there is some wind as our face
masks don't freeze over quite as much but we're also grateful for
calm. When we passed 89°30 S, we had a little half-way point
celebration. It was so beautiful when we reached 7 miles, we decided
to push on for 8 nautical miles.
 |
Here we are celebrating our half way point. We figure the Pole is only a few days away. |
We can see
another expedition team far on the horizon- they look like ants.
We believe they're the team we shared the drop off flight with.
We find that our eyes and ears can play tricks on us too- at times,
we think we see birds but they turn out to be specks on the horizon.
At one point, we heard a sound like a moose but it turned out to
be our skis. Sara is looking forward to calling her family from
the Pole which we anticipate we should reach in about 4 days.
Back to top
January
17: Current position is 89°40.25 S, 88°50.86 W. We traveled
7.8 nautical miles today and have about 20 left to the Pole. It
was a little colder today (-15°F, -26°C) with a little wind
out of the East. This morning the snow was a little soft making
pulling a little harder but as the day wore on, snow conditions
improved and we had a lot of energy when we pulled into camp. We're
trying to enjoy the rest of the trip and not rush too much- getting
really excited to reach the Pole! But we're having a lot of fun.
Messsage to Sara: Abhi (son) and Raghu (husband) wish you a Happy
Pongal. We're all doing well. Ginnie is doing very well also. We
love you!
Great minds thinking alike as Sara had already planned the following
message to Raghu and Abhi: Belated Happy Pongal! I'm having good
fun here. Abhi- I will bring you to Antarctica sometime!
Back
to top
January
18: Current position is 89°48.10 S; 94°33.68 W We traveled
8.01 nautical miles today and have about 12 to get to the Pole.
We are camped just yards away from another expedition team and will
go over there after dinner and share snacks, hot drinks and music.
These are friends from Punta Arenas who we met when we were all
awaiting our flight to Patriot Hills. One of the team members came
with us hiking in Torres des Paine. It is fun to see some friendly
faces. We'll probably end up skiing in to the Pole with them.
 |
Having hot drinks with our friends. It was fun to swap stories and hear about their expedition. |
Today was a beautiful sunny day, though colder than the last few days (-30°C, -22°F with a 3-4 knot breeze). When we were 14 miles from the Pole, we spotted the South Pole station- it looked like a tiny white blip on the horizon. We've been skiing toward it though it never seems to get any bigger. It's a great source of motivation and excitement! We're passing a lot of ski tracks from other expeditions all traveling in the same direction. The end is literally and figuratively in sight!
|
A typical image of Sara. Her fur ruff did a great job of protecting her face from the wind. |
Messages to Sara from
Chitra, Kavithi and Sridevi- all are eagerly following her progress,
feeling very proud of her and excited about her adventures. Congratulations
on a super achievement thus far! We're eager to hear more when you
get home.
Message to Eleri, Lili & Aubrie from Annie- I'm thinking of
you. Puff and Kitty are having a great adventure!
Back
to top
January 19: Current
position is 89°56.20 S; 103°12.56 W. We traveled 8.17 nautical
miles today and are currently 3.8 nautical miles from the South
Pole! Our plan is to sleep in some tomorrow and take a leisurely
stroll to the Pole. The South Pole operates on New Zealand time,
15 hours ahead of Punta Arenas time which is what we have been operating
on. Our tent at night can be rather comical as Sara's Thermarest®
is almost the size of the tent itself- trying to blow it up each
night is quite the endeavor and fun to watch! Today was rather cold,
-25°C (-13°F), sunny but fairly windy. We hope to have good
weather for our anticipated arrival at the Pole tomorrow. We have
been in plain sight of the South Pole station all day and it has
been exciting to be able to make out more and more details of the
buildings as we progress. What a beautiful sight!
 |
Sara checking out the conditions before heading our for the day. We are within sight of the South Pole station and it is hard not to want to rush to the finish line, but we've decided to take our time and soak up the remaining miles as best we can. |
January 20: Major success!!! Sara and Annie arrived at the South Pole around 2:20 p.m. CST (12:20 p.m. PST, 5:20 p.m. in Punta Arenas). Can we say how thrilled we are to be here?!? It was a beautiful day, bit of a breeze, temperature -30°C (-22°F). We are due to have a tour of the South Pole station at 7:00 p.m. (Punta Arenas time) with tea, cookies and a bathroom! The Amundsen-Scott South Pole station is a place where international teams of scientists gather year round (primarily in the summer) to do all brands of science from research in global warming, astrophysics, meteorology, ice and snow coring, etc. We are excited to be able to tour the new base, opened within the last year. We have had our photo session and are extremely happy. Sara is calling her husband and conferencing in with her friends, sharing her incredible achievement!
 |
We made it! It's very exciting to stand at the bottom of the world where all lines of latitude converge and all time zones become one. We took dozens of photos and called family and friends to share the adventure. |
Editor's note: Three cheers and major kudos to Sara and Annie who have persevered for over 1° of latitude through some tough weather conditions and come out strong, well, even looking for more. Particular congratulations to Sara who has fulfilled a dream of a lifetime and has proven her mettle, her strength and her dignity to some who dared say nay, not to mention herself. May no hill remain unclimbed by those with strong hearts who believe in themselves! A mighty congratulations are due!!Back to top
January 21: No
flights in or out of the South Pole today so we are in a holding
pattern, savoring our success of reaching our goal. It has been
an incredible journey and we are just thrilled to be here! We alternate
between going into the South Pole station for hot drinks, playing
cards, reading books and hanging out in our cozy tent. We do look
forward to our flight out but it's an exciting place to be in a
holding pattern!
 |
The cafeteria at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole station. We often enjoyed hot drinks here, though actual meals are reserved for station staff and residents. Our mouths were watering... |
January 22: We
were picked up at the South Pole around 5:30 PM Punta Arenas time.
We had been in a waiting game all day as the satellite images of
the weather conditions at the refueling station were being checked.
At 5:00 PM, we received official word that we were to fly. We flew
over 2 teams heading to the Pole, one being our Polar Explorers'
two degree ski team. We were able to wave to Keith, Laurie, Richard
and Ajeet and drop off a small bag of additional supplies to them.
We had a beautiful flight over the flats and near the mountains.
We arrived in Patriot Hills around 9:30 PM and were treated to a
fine meal served on tables with tablecloths, complete with champagne!
Patriot Hills feels like Florida compared with the conditions we've
been used to recently. It is also thrilling to see the mountains
all around us after day upon day of flat, white conditions as far
as the eye could see. We now wait for word on when our flight from
Patriot Hills back to Punta Arenas will be.
 |
Take off! Shortly after leaving the Pole we flew over two different expeditions, about 10 miles apart from one another. They looked so small - like ants crossing the Antarctic plateau. |
January 23: We
are still in Patriot Hills where the weather has turned colder and
much windier- sustained winds of 9 knots with gusts up to 30 knots.
We won't be flying out today! We were planning to do a little ski
tour but decided that the weather was not conducive. Instead, we
took advantage of the time to sort through and organize our gear,
clean dishes, dry out clothing, super exciting! But this will decrease
our work load once we arrive back in Punta Arenas. We'll hope for
the best for tomorrow.
Back to top
January 24: We
continue to wait at Patriot Hills for our flight to Punta Arenas.
We're being told it won't be today. So we're going out for a ski
jaunt around the area. Hoping for tomorrow… remembering that
delays are the rule rather than the exception with Antarctic travel.
But we are very ready to get back to family and friends!
Back to top
January 25: The
wait continues here at Patriot Hills. We've been told we won't be
flying out today. We believe the flight logistics operations are
waiting to round up a number of others from various expeditions
to the Pole and Vinson Massif so we will all fly out together. The
Antarctic Reality. So we're going for a ski tour, doing a loop around
the mountains around Patriot Hills. Till tomorrow…
 |
After skiing every day it's hard to sit still so we decided to go for a ski trip to the backside of the mountains that border Patriot Hills. It was a gorgeous day - though a bit windy. Here's Sara taking in the sights. |
January 26: We
had a great ski tour yesterday, a 15 mile loop around the Marathon
Track which is used for the Antarctic Marathon. It was a beautiful,
clear day though rather windy. The track runs around the hills that
form the runway here. Today was way too windy to do anything. We
enjoyed swapping stories with the Polar Explorers' two degree ski
team who arrived from the Pole in the middle of the night. Our next
check in will be at 4:00 AM to see if the pick up flight may come
from Punta Arenas in the morning. It is on standby, just waiting
for the weather to clear.
Back to top
January 27: The
wait continues. Winds of 30-40 knots here in Patriot Hills so no
flight today. One day at a time… We'll see what tomorrow brings
and hope for the best.
 |
A typical scene of waiting. We were lucky enough to be with a great group of adventurers from around the globe who were also waiting to return to Punta Arenas, mostly Vinson climbers. A fun crew to be stuck with. |
January 28: Play
it again… another day in Patriot Hills. Winds averaging 30
knots so no flight today. We spent the day yesterday resting and
playing cards. We'll be coming back ready to take any of you on
in Uno, hearts, etc! Can't say we're not learning great new skills
here! And for any of you concerned about our food situation, we
had packed out many days of extra food which we left here in Patriot
Hills for just such an occasion. We didn't take this food on the
trail with us but it was waiting here when we got back. So we're
not about to go hungry. And ALE has back-up food if we run out of
our own (highly unlikely). But we can't say we're not smelling,
tasting, dreaming of the celebratory dinner awaiting us one of these
days back in Punta Arenas! Annie has been serenading everyone in
the guide tent for the past 2 hours. This tent is 45' x 25' (13.7
m x 7.62 m) and we'll have 20 of us sitting here at a time. Quite
cozy and a great international community. Any thoughts and prayers
to the wind gods and goddesses will be most appreciated!
Back to top
January
29: YAHOO!!! We're being told we are flying out tonight!!! The
plane is anticipated to be here at Patriot Hills around 11:00 PM-
midnight. This would get us back to Punta Arenas around 6:00 AM
tomorrow. Can we tell you how excited we are?!? Our spirits are
obviously very upbeat. Just finished a lovely meal of Mexican beans,
rice and chorizo sausage. We're looking forward to a shower and
getting home to see friends and family. It's been a blast but we
can't say we're not a bit homesick. To all of you who sent prayers
to the wind gods and goddesses, thank you! You're more powerful
than you may realize! We do really appreciate all of your support
and caring and can't wait to see you soon!
 |
When we heard the plane was to arrive soon, people gathered in chairs to watch the welcomed landing. It was a perfect evening..no wind and a beautiful sun which is noticeably lower than when we arrived. |
January
30: We arrived in Punta Arenas around 8:00 AM after a long night!
We were checked into our motel by 9:00 AM and in the shower by 9:01
AM! What a glorious feeling! We had a chance to get a little sleep
in a real bed. What a concept! Sara is heading back up to Torres
del Paine for a few days as her flight out of Punta Arenas is scheduled
for Friday, Feb. 2. Ajeet's flight leaves this afternoon. Keith,
Richard, Laurie and Annie all fly out tomorrow, Jan 31. We'll have
a chance for a final celebratory dinner here in Punta Arenas, then
a real night's sleep in a real bed. It feels wonderful being in
Punta Arenas and we so look forward to seeing all of you very soon!
 |
Sara and I, sleepy yes, but happy to be homeward bound after such a wonderful adventure. |
January
31: Homeward Bound! Most everyone is en route home by now. We're
savoring our memories of an incredible adventure and looking forward
to seeing friends and loved ones. It has been an amazing journey
which we will never forget. We'll be posting pictures to the website
soon. Thanks again to everyone who has been following our adventure
and giving us such support- we truly appreciate it!
Back to top
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