The Arctic Arc: They get closer and closer…
Published on 28.02.2007 - The Arctic Arc
Perhaps it's because The Arctic Arc expedition's main sponsor is the best Swiss clock jeweler that, ever since the departure from Brussels last Friday, everything has been running like clockwork.
Brussels, Friday evening: admittedly there was a bomb scare at Zaventem Airport which made everyone late, but the team set off OK. Sad families, TV researchers, pained expressions, gawping kibitzers, properly tied-up equipment, contented sponsors, pointed microphones, and so on and so forth.
Copenhagen, Saturday in the course of the day: in no time the two men had found a place to keep the food packages which would be dropped at the two foreseen supply points duly frozen. They also found a means of road to take them out, by road, of the southernmost village of Greenland, Narssarssuaqh, where they plan to finish the excursion, all the way to the first airport worthy of the name. On their way, they made the brief acquaintance of the Ambassadress of France; a little lobbying never does anyone any harm...
St Petersburg, Sunday in the course of the day: last administrative formalities with their friend Victor Boyarski, curator of the town's Polar Museum and the expedition's logistician (a far as the North Pole goes at least). No last-minute kerosene increase.
Norilsk, Monday: night flight and well deserved rest. They have entered another world (old mining town corroded by the weather and cold of yesteryear). The following day, Tuesday 27, round trip in the MI 8 helicopter to and from the region's capital with its unpronounceable name: everything is going according to plan and the necessary access licences for the area where they are heading have been obtained without the slightest problem. Night spent in Dudinka, delta port of the River Ienisseï.
Golomanyi: here, departure feels close: they were indeed in a research station located a few yards from Stredny and therefore not far from Cape Arktichewski. It is minus 42°C. They should be getting there today. As there's a lot of open water off Arctichewski (as we indicated in our last update), Alain has decided to be dropped off on the first proper ice they would see from the air. Thereby saving time.
They should be starting their trek tomorrow or on Friday March 2 at the latest.
