Both teams dropped
Second UPDATE March 8, 2018: Trackers show both teams now dropped on Ward Hunt Island (around 5 pm EST.)
UPDATE March 8, 2018: Sebastian texted Exweb/Pythom that he and Mark are dropped and about to start within next 2 hours (around 20:00 UTC.)
Previous:
Martin Murray and Sky, waiting at Resolute Bay for pilot Dave Mathieson to pick them up, reported 45 minutes ago, “Sky and I will be taking off shortly for Ward Hunt Island where I will start the expedition, finally!”
Therefore, it seems as if the Sebastian Copeland and Mark George were dropped off.
Earlier reports said the start point would be Ellesmere Island, due to better ice conditions there, but now Martin talks about Ward Hunt. Check in again for confirmation.
Latest report on Sebastian’s blog, yesterday: It seems as if the weather has improved and there was a possibility for them to get in the air to be dropped off. No confirmation yet if or when they were dropped on the ice.
Flight to Eureka
No easy task to get to the edge of Canada. From Resolute Bay, the plane lands at Eureka Weather Station to refuel. Sebastian and Mark were grounded there for more than a day.
“A golden rule of adventure is: don’t get mad at the weather,” wrote Sebastian March 7. And so you try. Upon leaving Resolute yesterday morning [March 6], there was a chance that we might miss the small window to get us out. Resolute is about 880 kilometers from our insertion point on the northern most coast of Ellesmere Island, at the edge of the Canadian continental shelf. And trying to line up conditions at both ends, favorable to flying, is like trying to thread a needle from a rollercoaster.”
Sebastian, Mark and their cameraman, Bryan, arrived at Eureka weather Station, with their Single Otter pilot, Dave Mathieson. The night before departure, they have spent an hour loading the plane. ” There was barely any room to sit, said Sebastian, “four sledges (two each) and the extra fuel, and the plane’s survival equipment should it go down at either end, and we will need to put our legs up and over the loads during flight!”
After 3 and half hours the wheels touched down imperceptibly onto the ice runway. Outside, the wind dropped temperatures from a mean -35ºC to negative 50ºC.
Latest report on Sebastian’s blog:
It seems as if the weather has improved and there was a possibility for them to get in the air to be dropped off. No confirmation yet if or when they were dropped on the ice.
Follow the teams’ daily updated in the Dispatch Stream on pythom.com
2017 Ski North Pole Expedition List by Explorersweb/Pythom
2017 North Pole maps by Explorers House
Previous 2017 North Pole
North Pole Skiers Dropped, Update: In Eureka
Waiting game in Resolute – North Pole 2017 ski update
Too much weight for North Pole plane – Skiers in Resolute Bay – Updated
North Pole Interview with Sky, the Dog: “Things might get bloody”
North Pole Interview: Martin Murray with dog, Sky
Interview: Sebastian Copeland, North Pole attempt despite grave notes
2017 Ski North Pole Expedition List by Explorersweb/Pythom
Dixie Dansercoer: North Pole Gear and Antarctica kiting
KK6PGW to RW0BG: Messages From Russia (Interview)
Sebastian and Mark’s Website and Facebook
Martin and Sky’s Website and Facebook
Radio Canada North Pole reports
Note: A North Pole Ski expedition covers the full distance between land (Canada/Russia/Greenland) and the Pole, no flying part/most of the route. The two 2017 teams will start from Canada: ice-depending, either Ward Hunt Island (775 km) or Cape Discovery (780 km) on Ellesmere Island.The distance from Land to Pole is calculated in a straight line from where the skiers start. What is not added to this distance, are all the detours around high ridges, hummocks, ice blocks, rubble, thin ice, or leads (open water). Also not added are the negative drift and relaying sleds.
#Arctic #northpole #northpoleski2017
