The Arctic Arc: leaving Belgium
Published on 23.02.2007 - The Arctic Arc
MI 8 russian helicopter
© International Polar Foundation
Tonight at 6pm, the Arctic Arc team will leave Brussels airport (Zaventem) to fly to Copenhague. Alain and Dixie will then fly to St Peterbourg and then on to Norilsk, Stredny and finally to Cape Arktichewski, where they will arrive early next week.
The last days are always a bit stressful before arriving on ice: among other things, communication infrastructure must be thoroughly tested. Yesterday, Alain Hubert and one of the computer specialists at the IPF worked on the satellite link which will be used to send information during the expedition: photos, voice dispatches, videos. Tests have been quite promising: a transmission of medium definition pictures and small videos of more than one minute will be allowed.
Yesterday, weather conditions were quite bad at Cape Arktichewski, with temperatures down to minus 40°C, that is without taking the windchill factor into account. This does not look good for Michel de Wouters (Michel de Wouters Productions - cameraman) and René Robert (photographer), who will be accompanying the team until their departure on the ice.
