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Latest insights into our latest mission to the Arctic.
Canada’s Arctic ice shelves have almost halved in size over the last six years.
Summer 2011 marks the second lowest sea ice extent on record
Viewing: 2009
Some Pre-Expedition Thoughts from the Explorer Team
December 14, 2010
The countdown begins
May 8, 2009
With the floating sea ice now starting to break up around Ward Hunt Island, it is only a matter of time before the summer melt begins further out into the ocean, including around the Ice Team’s location. As such, the countdown to the end of the expedition phase has now begun. Here in the UK [...]
Posted in 2009, Blog, Operations
Like being in a milk bottle
March 25, 2009
When we set off this morning the visibility was appalling, which makes life pretty uncomfortable. Martin summed it up by saying it’s like being in a milk bottle, looking out. A very lumpy, icy milk bottle I’d add. But we ploughed on and after our second session of an hour and five minutes the sun [...]
Frostbite (Contains Graphic Images)
March 25, 2009
On my last note on the body’s response to extreme cold I looked at the concept of “core” and “periphery”, and how the body will sacrifice the periphery if the vital core organs are compromised. This is what Pen, Ann and Martin are using all their experience to avoid, but what happens if things go [...]
The difficulties of filming in such extreme environments
March 20, 2009
My name is Al Boardman, I’m the principal cameraman for Snowline Productions and have been involved in helping the team with choosing and using some of the filming equipment they have taken on the expedition with them. I have also filmed some of the pre-departure interviews of the team you can see right here on [...]
Posted in 2009, Blog, Operations
Utterly utterly miserable
March 16, 2009
Given the recent light hearted website entries highlighting Pen’s talk to DfID and the use of underwear for navigational purposes, it is easy for us here in civilisation to assume that life on the ice is comfortable, or at least bearable. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Every living moment currently hurts [...]
Utterly bombproof
March 14, 2009
I once described Martin during a press conference as “utterly bombproof in a polar environment”, a remark that I stand by to this day. Not only does he capture the very essence of the moment in his images, be it action, emotion or event, he does so in the most inhospitable of conditions. Where others [...]
2215GMT
March 1, 2009
Sat 28th February has now become the official start date of the expedition. Becks and myself were camped out in the Ops Room all day and night glued to Google Earth, following the trail emitted by the Solara tracking beacon, activated upon departure from Resolute. After about a two-hour flight the Twin Otter touched down [...]
Posted in 2009, Blog, Operations
Today
February 28, 2009
The hope is that the Ice Team will head out to the drop off point in their Twin Otter light aircraft some time today. There is always a degree of uncertainty until the team are physically dropped onto the ice, as weather conditions can change en route, but the indications last night were that the [...]
Posted in 2009, Blog, Preparation
Today’s Ice Drop Off Plans
February 28, 2009
The hope is that the Ice Team will head out to the drop off point in their Twin Otter light aircraft some time today. There is always a degree of uncertainty until the team are physically dropped onto the ice, as weather conditions can change en route, but the indications last night were that the [...]
Posted in 2009, Blog, Preparation
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