Yesterday, both Mike Horn and Borge Ousland set off in the darkness after only four hours’ sleep to try to link up with their two Norwegian friends, who were skiing toward them. The wind was picking up, precursor to a coming storm. After 11 hours of non-stop travel, the foursome were only seven kilometres apart, so Ousland and Horn decided to continue for another hour. Not only are they virtually out of food, they are low on fuel, which they need to melt drinking water.
Meanwhile, Aleksander Gamme and Bengt Rotmo, and the needed supplies they carry, have also made steady progress since Tuesday night. Tested almost from the outset by open leads, they proceeded cautiously. They eventually made 25km toward their friends, while Ousland and Horn made 25km toward them.
The two pairs of explorers are now just three kilometres apart but separated by a 150m-wide lead. The storm is now raging, so all are waiting patiently for the wind to calm down before Ousland and Horn attempt their crossing.
