Better temperatures, but strong winds.

Published on 21.04.2009 - Peary Centennial North Pole Expedition

Just like the two Americans Huston and Fish, the trio being led by Lonnie Dupré is picking up pace. They have to because there is negative drift on the sea-ice and Barneo base (from where the MI 8 helicopter will come and collect them) closes on 27th April.

There's no panic in the group, but there is certainly a sense of heightened awareness. Lonnie Dupré and his two companions Stuart Smith and Maxime Chaya simply must reach the North Pole before 27th AprilÂ -that's before next Monday when Barneo closes its doors for the year.

Which means they have precisely five days left out on the ice. And as we write, they still had a good fifty or so kilometres to go. Add into the equation the fact that they are losing one or two kilometres each night due to the negative drift pushing them back southwards. But overall, it should be feasible.

For all that, though, like the two young Americans Tyler Fish and John Huston, Dupré has wisely decided to increase the pace. They are now on the move for about thirteen hours a day. But the men are in good shape and remain totally confident that their adventure will have a successful and happy ending.

Their progress table:

March 04, D 01, Cape Discovery, N83.01.36 / W77.32.04, 2.3 NM, -48°C
March 05, D 02, N 83° 05' 02'' / W 77° 33' 11'', 5 hours walk, 3.7 NM, -42°C
March 06, D 03, N 83° 06' 37'' / W 77° 36' 08'', 4,75 hours walk, 1.3 NM, -43°C
March 07, D 04, N 83° 08' 58'' / W 77° 35' 19'', 4,5 hours walk, 2.2 NM, -45°C
March 08, D 05, rest day
March 09, D 06, N 83°12' 52'' / W 77° 36' 33'', 6 hours walk, 4 NM, -37°C
March 10, D 07, N 83°17' 04'' / W 77° 34' 16'', 6,5 hours walk, 4,1 NM, -39°C
March 11, D 08, N 83°22' 29'' / W 77° 33' 20'', 6,5 hours walk, 5.4 NM, -28°C
March 12, D 09, N 83°27' 56'' / W 77° 33' 15'', 6,5 hours walk, 5.5 NM, -32°C
March 13, D 10, N 83°32' 31'' / W 77° 31' 45'', -33°C
March 14, D 11, 83.6288 N / W 77.5855, -36°C
March 15, D 12, N 83°43' 28'' / W 77° 40' 18'', 7 hours walk, 5.9 NM,
March 16, D 13, N 83°49' 52'' / W 77° 53' 16'', 7,15 hours walk, 6.4 NM,
March 17, D 14, N 83°57' 07'' / W 77° 54' 42'', 7,25 hours walk, 7.25 NM.
March 18, D 15, N 84° 03' 30" / W 78° 08' 05", 7 hours walk, 6.4 NM
March 19, D 16, N 84° 10' 30" / W 78° 02' 18", 8 hours walk, 7 NM
March 20, D 17, N 84° 18' 25" / W 78° 12' 16", 8 hours walk, 7.9 NM
March 21, D 18, N 84° 27' 40" / W 78° 22', 8,5 hours walk, 9.25 NM
March 22, D 19, N 84° 34' 13" / W 78° 18' 11", 7 hours walk, 6.9 NM
March 23, D 20, N 84° 41' 26" / W 78° 23' 28", 6,5 hours walk, 7.4 NM
March 24,Â D 21, rest day, thye are waiting for the firsst resupply
March 25, D 22,N 84° 47' 04" / W 78° 25' 02", 6 hours walk, 4.5 NM
March 26, D 23, N 84° 34' 58" / W 78° 24' 33", 8.1 NM
March 27, D 24, N 85° 04' 58" / W 78° 24' 23", 10 NM
March 28, D 25, N 85° 14' 25" / W 78° 39' 28", 9 hours walk, 9.7 NM
March 28, D 25, N 85° 14' 25" / W 78° 39' 28", 9 hours walk,, 9.7 NM
March 29, D 26, N 85° 22' 27" / W 78° 39' 32", 8 NM
March 30, D 27, N 85° 32' 40" / W 78° 53' 57", 9 hours walk,, 10.2 NM
March 31, D 28, no data
April 01, D 29, N 85° 51' 13" / W 78° 51' 07", 9 hours walk,, 11.2 NM
April 02, D 30, N 86° 02' 57" / W 78° 45' 56", 9,30 hours walk,, 11.75 NM
April 03, D 31, N 86° 14' 17" / W 78° 32' 51", 9,30 hours walk,, 11.2 NM
April 04, D 32, no data
April 05, D 33, N 86° 34' 30" / W 78° 15' 36", 10 hours walk, 13.3 NM (best mileage sor far)
April 06, D 34, N 86° 45' 25" / W 78° 16' 08", 11.2 NM
April 07, D 35, N 86° 57' 54" / W 78° 51' 36", 10 hours walk, 12.2 NM
April 08, D 36, N 87° 11' 12" / W 78° 41' 26", 13.3 NM
April 09, D 37, no data
April 10, D 38, N 87° 38' 39" / W 78° 56' 51", 14 NM
April 11, D 39, rest day
April 12, D 40, N 87° 49' 29" / W 77° 31' 27", no further datas
April 13, D 41, N 88° 02' 19" / W 76° 23' 15", no further datas
April 14, D 42, N 88° 11' 33" / W 74° 20' 46", no further datas
April 15, D 43, no datas
April 16, D 44, N 88° 35' 04" / W 69° 39' 00", no further datas
April 17, D 45, N 88° 45' 51" / W 66° 15' 42", no further datas
April 18, D 46, N 88° 57' 43" / W 63° 28' 10", no further datas
April 19, D 47, N 89° 11' 05" / W 56° 29' 16", no further datas