Russian military conducts training near the North Pole. Flights resume from Longyearbyen.
(Correne Coetzer) Usually Barneo Ice Camp, drifting inside 89ºN, gets it’s supplies from Longyearbyen on Svalbard. But with the plane that was damaged when landing with a second cargo flight on April 4th and a replacement Antonov-74 (AN-74) that had to fly from Russia to Longyearbyen, supplies from that side were cut off.
Two AN-72’s from Murmansk in Russia were scheduled to fly in to Barneo, with cargo, military personnel, scientists and media. Barneo got special permission to receive supplies and equipment with these planes. “Very difficult and expensive way, but it’s a chance to continue the planned program,” reported the Russians.
Bad weather grounded the AN-72’s on Franz Josef Land, but they were able to land with much needed food like bread and sugar. They had to drink tea with sweets, reported the Russians yesterday. The Camp was still waiting for fuel supply from Russia yesterday.
The replaced AN-74 has resumed flights from Longyearbyen today at 10h00 and arrived at Barneo at 12h30 with the delayed Last Degree skiers.
Last Degree teams
A ski team with guide Miroslav Jakishev reached the NP on the 7th and was flown back to Barneo with the helicopter yesterday morning. At the same time a member of David Hempleman-Adams group was flown out with frostbitten fingers. Alan Chambers is also on the ice with a group.
Guide Eric Philips, who flew in today, reported they collected stove fuel, got briefed by camp manager Victor Serov and flew by Mi-8 helicopter to 88.20 North. Due to their delay they decided to shorten the trip by 20′ / 35km, lest they fall short of the Pole. He said conditions and weather were good and they could not have asked for a better start.
PolarExplorer’s dog team spent a few hours in Barneo going through the debrief and readying themselves for the helicopter ride. They were dropped at 88°39’35” N, 045°12’61” E. It was around 5:30 PM local time so they decided to make camp (which went very efficiently), have dinner and get ready for an early start tomorrow, reported their home team. The weather is relatively warm, around -15°C with no wind.
Thomas Ulrich and his Last Degree team were also scheduled on this flight to Barneo.
Divers
They two divers, Christian Redl and Marcus Fillinger, are scheduled to fly in tomorrow (10th).
Races
The North Pole marathon runners are scheduled to fly in tomorrow and run tomorrow afternoon. This race is delayed because of the airplane situation.
A ski race, The Marmot Cup, covering the Last Degree (110km), is scheduled for April 15th. Prior to the official race, the teams consisting of 4-5 members, each led by an experienced guide, will go through a training program at the Barneo. The Mamont Cup will be awarded to the first team reaching the North Pole.
Team captains includes David Hemplemam-Adams, who leads an All-British team, French adventurers François Bernard, Christian de Marliave and Jean Gabriel Leynaud, and an all-woman team lead by Denmark’s Bettina Aller. They are joined by competitors from Sweden, Italy, Russia, Germany, Switzerland, Canada and the USA.
Barneo Ice Camp position
April 8, 2015
Coordinates: N 89° 39’ W 26° 52′
Distance from Pole: 39 km.
Weather: partly cloudy, north wind 3-4 m/s,
Temperature -18°C
Previous/Related
One Breath at the North Pole: Exweb interview with Free-diver, Christian Redl
Barneo plane damaged on the ice, skiers grounded in Longyearbyen
Exweb interview with Thomas Ulrich: North Pole to Canada solo skier
North Pole 2015 Expedition List
Barneo Ice Camp sites
Expeditionary Center of the Russian Geographical Society
Barneo Journal (follow their daily updates in the News Feed on Explorersweb)
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