NORUK - North Pole Expedition 2009

THEY HAVE MADE IT!!!!!

Although national pride has always played a major role in Polar quests over the last century or more there has long been a common admiration between Norway and the United Kingdom for the great explorers of both nations and it is this mutual respect which the NORUK expedition aims to honour in some small way. In early April, 2009 Per-Thore Hansen and Petter Thorsen from Norway and Ceri Williams and Bob Russell from the UK together with dogs, three purpose-built sledges and all necessary equipment will be airlifted from Spitsbergen to the Russian ‘Barneo’ drifting Ice Base somewhere on the Arctic Ocean. We will either strike out for the Pole directly or be dropped by helicopter at an agreed point and the challenge begins. We shall be provisioned for 10 days making allowance for a possible additional 2 days at the end without food; we shall have fuel for water production enough for 12 days.

There are possible advantages and disadvantages in choosing to attempt this with dogs as opposed to man-hauling personal sledges: On the one hand, if ice surface conditions are good then we should make rapid progress and Petter, who will be on Skis, may need a ‘tow’ to keep up! On the other hand, if we are faced with areas of broken ice and pressure ridges then it will be a slow process to transport three sledges, the dogs and ourselves across such a surface. There is also the matter of the time it will take each day to produce sufficient water for the dogs as well as ourselves. Logistically, therefore, bearing in mind the quantity of dog food as well as our own which we will need to take, a period of more than 12 days would be extremely difficult unsupported.

Our primary aim is, of course, to reach 90 deg., the Geographic North Pole, however, should we do so with sufficient time in hand it would be our greatest pleasure to then locate ‘Barneo’ and attempt to make it back to base.

The Team

Per Thore Hansen

Bob Russell

Ceri Rhys Williams

Petter Thorsen