Successful Departure
Published on 08.12.2007 - Interchange Shakleton South Pole Expedition 2007
The three men arrived safely at their departure point after of a bit of an adventure getting there. They are now out on the polar plateau.
After having left Cape Town (South Africa) on 29th November aboard an Ilyushin 76, Richard Dunwoody, James Fox and Doug Stoup stopped over at the Russian Novolazarevskaya base, which is located at 70° south in the Dronning Maud Land. Novolazarevskaya is one of six Russian weather bases in Antarctica.
They spent two days there putting the finishing touches to their preparations and waiting for the right weather conditions. The three explorers then boarded a DC3-67 specially equipped for landing on the ice. The plane flew them down to their departure point at 80°S / 30°W, not far from the Antarctic coastline and the edge of the Ronne Ice Shelf which borders the Weddell Sea. These are parts of the Antarctic that are not often visited by polar adventurers and explorers.
On 1st December, the three men set out on their long march towards the South Pole. They covered 50 km during their first 4 days out on the ice. Skiing 9 hours a day, all three are fully fit and in good health.
