Change of direction?
Published on 27.05.2009 - General Info
Despite the horrendous sea-ice (huge hummocks, too many leads of open water, white-out conditions, etc.), the two men are still making progress. Yet the main danger is still ahead of them!
All of the experts agree that this spring 2009 has seen the Arctic sea-ice disintegrate like never before at this time of the year.
And out there on the ice, in the far north, Arnaud and Charles are viewing the situation with some dismay. For one thing, the numerous obstacles standing in their way are making progress extremely difficult for them. These problems have been clear from their latest dispatches and here's what their blog has to say on the matter: "Arnaud and Charles have encountered a great many leads of open water in recent days  in other words areas that are either completely free of ice or covered with a very thin layer. They are on the move for 8 to 10 hours a day on average, covering between 10 and 12 kilometres a day. But the terrain, all chopped up and fragmented as it is, still remains too chaotic to make any better progress... 'We hope that we'll soon be out of this hell-hole,' Arnaud told us by satellite phone. Having said that, though, they remain very concerned about the situation because the sea-ice is changing far too quickly for the time of year."
As well as all that, it seems that the point they have been aiming for when they reach the Greenland coast is not the right one. At least, that's what Christian de Marliave thinks (a Frenchman well known in the world of polar travel and exploration), who has advised them to change course. According to de Marliave, and in particular according to the satellite maps he has been examining, their original course appears to be blocked by an impenetrable area of jumbled and open ice.
The big problem is, the new route recommended to the two men will extend their journey by almost 50 kilometres. So, what will they decide to do?
