Marc Wood : at the Pole
Published on 10.01.2012 - North South Solo Expedition -Leg 2
Marc Wood arrived at the SP on 10 January 2012
© Expedition website
Marc Wood has just completed the first leg of his North South Pole challenge. Reaching the South Pole solo and unsupported on 10 January 2012.
Explorer, educator and speaker, Mark Wood is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and Liverpool Wilderness Medicine Society, and ambassador to his home town of Coventry and to the Prince’s Trust.
Mark took exactly 50 days to ski 612 nautical miles to the South Pole, experiencing temperatures of -25C and wind speeds of 27 mph.
Exhausted and thrilled to have made it, the former firefighter from Coventry said the journey had been “immense” and that he was “living the dream”. “After 612 nautical miles and 50 days alone on Antarctic I am now standing at the Geographic South Pole and I feel good” said Mark. “I’d like to say I feel like I’m on top of the world, but I’m actually at the bottom of the world! To be here is just incredible, absolutely amazing even though I know I’m only half way through the expedition.”
Over 100 people have sponsored Mark by doing simple actions whilst he was on the ice, like stopping to use plastic bags, eating less meat, or making draft excluders. Together, they've saved over 21 tonnes CO2, the equivalent amount produced by having a six month long hot shower or driving from London to Edinburgh 100 times.
“Just like the trip itself, Mark’s far from finished - there's a long way to go before he reaches the ambitious 100 tonnes CO2 target,” commented Hermione Taylor, founder and director of The DoNation.
