Diary
30th of November 2008
At 22h00 on Sunday evening Mike rang to say that he had arrived safely in Antarctica!
It was only on Saturday evening, after a few (too many) days of anxious waiting in Punta Arenas, that Mike was finally given the thumbs up. At long last, it was time to leave!
Having done all the necessary customs checks at the airport, Mike boarded a large Iluyshin 76TD aircraft and settled in for a comfortable 4 and a half hour flight to the highly organised American base at Patriot Hills situated West of the Antarctic Peninsula. It was well after midnight when the aircraft touched the Antarctic ice of the runway, which incredibly enough, sits on 800 meters depth of ice! This runway is known as a Blue Ice Runway and is formed by the force of the crosswinds rushing around the surrounding mountains.
Mike was stunned by the calmness when he walked off the plane. It was a very still evening and he was overjoyed to be back!
Just 1 km away sits the ALE base where Mike was able to set up his tent and grab a few hours sleep before starting on his way the following day.
Sunday, at 6 am, Mike awoke. After a quick check-in at the base would he be able to leave. Not so fast Mike - it was only three hours later that he was given the okay to leave! Staff there wanted to check his route, equipment, plans, provisions and discuss the do's and don't's of this rigorously controlled continent.
A 12 minute helicopter flight took Mike down to Hercules inlet. At long last he was where he wanted to be - alone with only his sled and provisions and the white Antarctic landscape in front of him.
The first task ahead of him was to reach the continents edge which was situated 12 kms from his drop off point. Heading northwards Mike skied the 12 kilometers and set up his tent for his first real night on the ice.
Mike says " It's -15°C so it's pretty warm for the time being. Once I go up in altitude it will start getting colder. There are however strong catabatic winds blowing along the coast at the moment. I'll stay here tomorrow. It'll be a day of testing my boots and the feel of my equipment.
I'll take it slowly at the beginning and will probably only do 4-5 kms a day to start with. My sled is very heavy and it's not going to be easy going as I head over the mountains. "
"I'll keep you posted and will send some photos as soon as possible - but for now I'm just eager to start moving!"
1st of December 2008
Mike rang late evening on Monday to say that he had started walking to the South Pole.
He initially intended to stay by his tent for the first 24hours and spend the day getting the feel for his equipment but after all those days of waiting the urge to move was too great. It was time for him to get moving! Mike put on his crampons and by the end of the day Mike had hoisted his heavily laden sled 12 kilometers.
When starting from Hercules Inlet it is the first 33-40kms (20-25miles) that are the most difficult as it is an uphill walk. After that the terrain starts to level out and things become a little easier. The winds are still blowing on the coast but temperatures remain reasonable.
Mike is happy to be back!!
2nd of December 2008
Again Mike calls late in the evening. It is 20h00 hrs for him (Chilean time) and he has just entered into the tent. Finally some rest after a very long and tiring day!
It was a tough uphill climb for Mike today. He says,"The winds have been extremely strong. There is blowing snow but the sky is blue and the temperatures are not too bad at all! I've passed some small crevasses and am expecting more tomorrow. I have my crampons on and am pushing through deep snow. It's great to be energetic again after sitting on the boat for such a long time!"
Over the last two days Mike has covered 25 kms of ground since his departure from the coast. This is pretty remarkable as his sled weighed 196 kilograms at the start!
Another 15 kms of uphill grind. The landscape should start to flatten out and there should also be less accumulation of snow. Progression will then be faster.
3rd of December
Mike advanced 10 and a half kilometers today under pretty rough conditions. His GPS position at the end of the day was 80°14.225S and 80°23.798W.
"Today I had to zig-zag around very big crevasses whilst battling against poor visibilty and very strong winds. If the wind gets any stronger I will not be able to pitch my tent. If this is the case, I may be forced to stay put tomorrow", says Mike.
Mike thought the wind speed to be around 40 knots - very strong indeed! We hope that it will subside and the visibility will improve as indeed the forecast does suggest.
Otherwise Mike is well but tired. Physically, the first few days are always the hardest. As his physical state improves over the days to come, so will his progression.
4th of December 2008
Mike had a late start today. He stayed in the tent until midday in the hope that the winds would subside.
He reports, "The wind speed should reduce later today. I will head off as soon as it does as I don't like the idea of staying in my tent all day. I hope that the visibility will also improve so it will be easier to navigate around any crevasses."
Just after midday, Mike packed up camp and started walking again. He is clearly still walking uphill as his progression is slow. He is travelling at a speed of about 1 km an hour which would suggest he is encountering more crevasses along his route.
The ice formation is rather strange. The surface is undulating and wave like, rising steeply then flattening out again. Gradually rising in altitude, it will not be long now until Mike reaches the flatter ice on the plateau.
5th of December 2008
Another late start for Mike today.
The sky is blue but once again there are very strong winds blowing from the North. Mike will leave the tent this afternoon once the wind subsides. He is making the most of his time in the tent this morning to check his communication equipment.
Mike is eager to start sending us photos of Antarctica and will be sending through his first photographs of the Antarctic shortly.
He is happy with his progression so far and after another day of walking should be arriving onto flatter terrain.
6th of December 2008
It was a good day for Mike today. The wind has dropped at long last and visibility has also improved.
Progression is slowly getting easier for Mike but his sled is still very heavy. Today he walked 16kms before stopping to pitch his tent. After 6 days on the ice he has already walked over 100kms (65miles) and climbed 890 meters of altitude.
He is finding the cold of the Antarctic quite different to that of the North Pole. The dry air makes the cold temperatures more supportable and surprisingly enough his hands and feet warm up nicely while he is walking!
He is sounding great - obviously happy about the improving conditions! Another 5 oclock start tomorrow so it's time for him to rest.
7th of December 2008
Mike rings from his tent. The news is good. He sounds positive and seems to be settling down into a daily routine.
Its been another uphill climb today for Mike! He is longing to get his skis on and to start gliding!
Mikes says, "The climb is getting easier but I'm still zig-zagging around crevasses. I'm tired today but did 17kms in all. I'm satisfied with that. I'm not after beating any records to the pole and think I'll be there in about 47 days."
Mike sends his first photos from Antarctica. The mask he is wearing in the photo is protecting his face from the bitter cold, southerly winds. The ice collects on the inside while he is walking and he simply taps the ice off once there is an accumulation.
Still many small crevasses like the one shown in the photo. The bigger crevasses are normally on the steeper slopes.
The weather is stable with southerly winds around 8 knots.
8th of December 2008
The terrain is getting flatter and Mike's sled is starting to slide!
Mike thinks that in one more day he'll be able to put his skis on. Today Mike advanced while walking in constant wave-like motion. The ice would raise steeply then flatten out, raise steeply again then flatten out.
Today his progression was 20kms - a record!
Mike says the temperatures are gradually getting colder. For the first time ice is forming around his face. He still remains surprised that he is warm in the tent when sheltered from the wind. In the North Pole, you remain cold at all times, both inside and outside of the tent. It is of course a welcoming change but next time he'll bring less fuel as he needs less to reheat himself.
The weather is stable and his spirits are high! His position is Lat 80°55.4'S and Lon 80°31.3'W.
9th of December 2008
Another 10 hours of walking and 21 kms closer to the South Pole!
A frustrating day for Mike as he encountered rough terrain and a very steep hill.
He walked further than other days but unfortunately saw no improvement in the distance he covered due to the fact that he needed to zig-zag as he went up in altitude.
The higher Mike gets the colder it becomes. The snow is becoming more like sandpaper and the sled doesn't slide as well as it did.
Mike has now walked 473 kms from the continent edge and has a little less that 1'000 to go until he reaches the pole.
Mike has sent us though a photo on him lying on a sastrugi. A sastrugi is a mushroom like ice formation caused by the wind.
They can get a high as two metres are can create problems for somebody using a kite as they are very well hidden.
The weather is still good, calm winds and temperatures of around -24°C. Lets hope conditions stay like this!
10th of December 2008
Mike rang today at midday Swiss time. He has just finished a hearty breakfast and is about to leave the tent.
He explains that he is starting a new routine as he would like to try and cover more distance each day. This means that he'll walk longer hours and will get into the tent later in the evening.
He remarks that he is comfortable in the tent. Out of the tent however, the temperature is -25°C and is getting colder as he rises in alitude. He continues," The cold is nothing to laugh about and you must act wisely in these conditions. I still have a 1'000 meters to climb so it will get a lot colder yet!"
The sky in blue and with moderate southerly winds. He hopes to cover 25kms today.
Mike's position this morning Lat 81°7.1' S Lon 80°34.4' W
11th of December 2008
Mike continues to advance at 2 kilometers an hour. He feels that this isn't enough but he still managed to cover 21 kms again yesterday.
Mike is still walking with crampons and this has lasted a lot longer than he expected. He hopes that in the next few days he can put on his skis.
"My sled is still very heavy and the terrain is irregular. It's impossible for me to put my skis on as I would only slip backwards. It is beginning to cloud over. A new weather front is arriving. I hope the winds won't be too voilent. The morning when I get out of my tent, it's cold, but it's a dry cold, quite different to that of the North Pole. Here you can take your gloves off for a few seconds but in the North Pole that is unimaginable!"
Mike has now spent 10 days on the ice and is satisfied with the performance of his equipment. His position when he rang was 81°18.4 S, 80°36.4’W.
12th of December 2008
It was another reasonable day for Mike yesterday. He advanced 22 kms at -25°C and in white-out conditions. His pace is steady and he is still on crampons.
In his tent last night, Mike prepared his skis by gluing skins down the entire length. Today he'll try and see if it will help him advance at a faster pace. If this does not work he'll need to continue with his crampons - he thinks at least for another 5-6 days!
Mike is walking on relatively flat terrain but until today he has only climbed up to 900 meters - he still has another 2000 to go!!!
It's 7h45 (Chilean time) when we speak and Mike is eager to get walking. "I should reach the Pole in another 35 days, but enough speaking for now - I better get a move on!!!"
13th of December 2008
Mike calls from Lat 81° 47.2' S Lon 80° 39.1' W
The skins down the entire length of the ski did the trick. Mike advanced 23 kms which is his record distance since he left the coast!
Mike was very pleased to get rid of his crampons but said he needed to adjust to using skis again. The technique is quite different.
The sun is out again and there are moderate SW winds. Conditions couldn't be better. The terrain is still rising slightly and is getting a little monotonous. There's not alot happening out there!
We hope today will be another good day for Mike.
14th of December 2008
26kms yesterday! Mike hs challenging himself to beat his own record! Everyday he wants to do more and more kms. 26kms is very good!
Now that Mike is on skis he is finding it a little easier to pull the sled as he has more traction to pull with. The terrain stays the same with its undulating wave-like surface.
The temperature is around -22°C today, partly cloudly, with virtually no wind at all. Mike is curious because it is so calm. He asks, "Whats cooking?" as he thinks a storm might be brewing, but no, it will continue to stay like this for the next few days.
He can see mountains far in the distance and if he looks back at the Peninsula, he can see heavy cloud and bad weather. He prefers to be where he is and is looking forward to a pleasant day walking.
15th of December 2008
This morning Mike calls from Lat 82°11 S Lon 80°41 W
It was another excellent day yesterday. Mike pulled his sled for 28kms! It's hard work says Mike. "I'm feeling pretty tired and have to force myself get out of the tent each morning. It would be so easy to sleep all day but I cannot! I must get a move on as I have an important meeting on the Pole."
"I am looking forward to being met by my North Pole companion, Borge Ousland, and two young adults that attended the training camp in Switzerland. Clémence and Nicolas must be in training this very moment. They'll meet me just after the New Year at which time it would be great if I could be at the pole. If my timing works out we'll all arrive at the South Pole together. What an appropriate place for Borge and myself to meet up! Until then, there is still quite a bit of route to do so it doesn't help if I sit in my tent. Gotta go!"
Mike continues his ascent, in calm, overcast conditions.
16th of December 2008
Yesterday was a tiring day for Mike. The day was a complete white-out which made his progression very difficult.
Mike is still hauling his sled at every step, so to advance 24kms under these conditions is quite remarkable.
With yesterday's bad visibility also came the fresh snow so Mike thinks this may slow him down a little today.
"I'm now at around 1'000 meters in altitude" says Mike. "The terrain is slowly leveling out but I guess it would be until another week before the sled will actually start sliding behind me. Today the sky has cleared again so I will be able to advance a little further. I've just had my porridge for breakfast and am ready to move. I'm eating well, feel satisfied and enjoying the ice dried food (Trek'N Eat) that has been kindly supplied to me by Katadyn."
Mike has posted some more photos for us today. The third photo is a picture of an Antarctic white-out!!!
17th of December 2008
The start of another day on the ice!
"I was expecting a wonderful day yesterday but as soon as I left the tent it quickly turned into white-out conditions again. Frustrating.
I kept strictly to my direction South, even while approaching steeper slopes and all of a sudden I was in a zone of crevasses. They weren't big ones but they surprised me as I couldn't see them at all because of the poor visibility.
Here is a photo of me eating my mixed vegetables - very good. You can see I'm not wearing much in the tent. It's so warm I can almost leave the doors open!! Yesterday I heated up so much while I was walking that I needed to stop to take off a layer of clothing!
Another 820 kms to go until I get to the Pole!!", says Mike.
18th of December 2008
Mike calls from Lat 82°51.9'S Lon 80°37.5'W
"It's warm today. There is absolutely no wind and the temperature must be somewhere between -12°C and -15°C. When I was walking yesterday, I had to stop and take off my jacket. All that I had on was my woollen first layer and Eider powerstretch jacket. I even took off my gloves during the day."
"My sled sank into the fresh snow that fell the day before so that slowed me down a little but I quickly regained any lost ground on a few flat areas. This is the very first time that I encountered flat ground - a very positive sign. I did 26kms yesterday and hope to have another good day today!" Mike.
19th of December 2008
Mike's moving ahead nicely. The terrain is slowly flattening out and he is in good spirits.
He has now reached the 83° South and has 767kms to go until the Pole.
It's snowing today, unlike yesterday, which was a beautiful day. Here two new photos have been posted.
20th of December 2008
Mike's batteries are flat after a few days of white-out conditions. He hopes the sun will come out today.
"It's hard to make good progress when you see nothing in front of you. Yesterday I did 26kms but I would like to do more. There has also been quite a lot of fresh snow so it is harder to pull my sled.
A SE wind of 15 knots is blowing today. I think it's going to blow away the cloud so the day should end out to be nice and clear. I hope to recharge my baterries with my flexcell solar panels.
My position this morning is Lat 83°20' S and Lon 80°36 W.
21st of December 2008
Here is a picture that Mike took from his tent this morning. Another windy day in the Antarctic!
Mike says, " I fought against the wind all day yesterday. It slowed down my progress as I only did 25 kms. ¨
In general the wind is good because it blows away the fresh powder snow that falls and there is less traction for my sjed to slide on. When there is fresh soft snow I must pull harder to get my sled to move through it.
Not much to see out here - just sastrugi after sastrugi! These mushroom-like formations get higher and higher the closer I get to the pole.
I should be about 200kms away from the Thiel Mountains but I can't see anything yet!!"
22nd of December 2008
It was my best day yet - 29.5kms!!!
I hope I can carry on like this. I've posted some photos of the sastrugi. They are very impressive and are getting bigger and bigger as I get closer to the pole. Each has another form, like dolphins jumping through waves etc. It keeps me entertained while I walk.
My days are long and my body its tired from pulling this heavy load. I better keep up the pace however as I still have a 686 kms to go until the Pole.
Another white-out day today. Hope it'll clear up soon! Time to take down my tent, put on my skis and start walking." Best regards! Mike
23rd of December 2008
The days are slowly going by and Mike is making good and steady progress. His position this morning when he rang was Lat 84°18.4' S Lon 80°38.6' W.
Yesterday Mike did another 27kms and he is now past the 84°latitude and also past half the distance to the South Pole.
Mike can now see the Thiel Mountains rising about 100kms away in the distance.
Conditions remain variable, one minute sunny, one minute cloudy which is a little frustrating at times as he must stop frequently to adjust his clothing.
Mike is alone for Christmas but is thinking of his family and friends. He sends his seasons greeting to each and everyone and best wishes for an adventurous and joyful New Year!
25th of December 2008 - Christmas day!!!
"Merry Christmas to all my friends..
I'm happy to be here alone on the ice but sad not to be with my family. I've phoned around and they are all enjoying each others company.
I'm struggling on. Did another 28 kms yesterday which is good. The terrain is bumpy and irregular and progress is hard.
I'm not sleeping so well these days as I find it too hot in the tent. Last night I didn't even get into my sleeping bag and of course there is continual daylight which is not condusive to sleep.
I'm happy to be here in this amazing scenery. What an amazing world we live in!
Wishing you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS!"
Mike
26th of December 2008
At 23:00 UTC on the 26th Mike is at Lat:85°2.1'S and Lon:81°12.5' W.
Yesterday he did another 27kms. It was a slow day from him. He moved gradually uphill on bumpy and uneven terrain and by the end of the day clocked up 540kms since he left the continents edge.
Now Mike is around 1'300m in altitude and is expecting to rise another 2'800kms over the next five days.
The extra big chocoloate sausage full of jelly beans was a super Christmas treat for him. More that than is hard to give to him as it will only laden him with more weight.
27th of December 2008
"Here are some photos of my sled. Like a faithful dog, he is always there, following his master. My sled carries my home, my food, my livelihood!!! The companion that you cannot do without!
I am still doing a regular 27 kms a day. The terrain, sometimes covered with sastrugi and other days not. The weather sometime clear, sometimes not. It's very hard to predict how the day will turn out. Instead one just has to take it as it comes.
I've now done 566 kms and have another 554kms to do until I reach the pole. I have to keep up this pace if I want to arrive on the Pole by the 16th - so no rest day yet!!
Hope all my friends are well. Thanks for all the Christmas messages!!"
Mike
28th of December 2008
"Yesterday was a bad day! Once again it was a complete white-out and it seemed that the snow had turned into one big sponge. My sled would crack through the top layer of hard snow and I had to haul my sled through the deep soft snow underneath. I ended up walking an extra two hours in order to do my normal day of 26kms - very frustrating!
The Thiel Mountains are now about 40 kms to the left of me. I can see tracks leading to the mountains so I imagine there is some kind of depot there. I have also crossed tracks of two other people, sometimes they're on skis and other times they are walking. They seem to be two days ahead of me. I would love to know who they are. It's interesting to see other peoples tracks for a change. Even though I haven't seen a soul since the 4 weeks I have been out here, it's strange to know that I'm not alone," says Mike.
30th of December 2008
Mike rings and sounds very happy. "I started late yesterday. My delay was due to the fact that I left a cache in the snow. I lightened my load substantially! I offloaded fuel and equipment that will not be required until my return. I imagine I must be around 20 kilos lighter!
Even with the late start I managed to do 31 kms so think that I'll be able to advance a lot more today.
I want to advance as much as possible before Borge comes out with Clémence and Nicolas. Not terribly sure when that will be. They will arrive in Patriot Hills around the 6th of January and will have a few days training with Borge. Only when he feels they are ready, will they come and join me on the ice. Ideally I would like for them to reach the Pole so that means I must get a move on now and advance my pace.
Nothing else to report. The Year is almost over so I find myself thinking about what has happened over the last year. There certainly hasn't been a dull moment!! More about that tomorrow!"
Mike
31st of December 2008
Mike calls from Lat 86°S Lon 81°34.0 W.
It's the last day of 2008 and a storm is brewing. "I don't know what this means," says Mike. "I think it must mean the worst is over and the best is to come! I'm looking forward to 2009 and all the challenges that lie ahead. I'm especially looking forward to sharing my experiences with the younger generation -
that is my way of looking forward into the future.
Due to this bad weather I may have a later start this morning. The blizzard conditions should calm down during the day so I will be able to move soon. Tonight I will treat myself to gorgonzola cheese soup and beef stroganoff. I will also call my girls back home and wish them a Happy New year! It's always great to speak with them!
675KMS done and 445kms to go until I reach the Pole. I'm getting closer and have so much to look forward to. Firstly the visit of my dear friend Borge Ousland and two YEP kids, Clémence and Nicolas. A few days later HSH prince Albert of Monaco will join me and we should all arrive at the Pole at the same time. I'm looking forward to it immensely!!
What a pleasure it will be to be with other people!
I hope your New Year can also be shared with others! VERY BEST WISHES FOR 2009!"
Mike.
1st of January 2009
I hope today will be a great start to the year as yesterday, the last day of 2008, was certainly one of the worst days I have had on the ice!
What a crazy day! White-out conditions with strong gusts and the worse snow conditions ever! Pulling my sled felt like I was pulling it through wet concrete! I was exhausted by the end of the day and noticed that I only advanced 23 kms!
Today, the 1st of January 2009, already promises to be better. The weather seems to have cleared and the wind has died down.
Hope you all have a wonderful day and best wishes for 2009! Mike
2nd of January 2009
Yesterday was better than the day before. "I managed to do 27kms but had to walk an extra 1 and a half hours to do so! It's still really tough going as I am battling through loads of accumulated snow.
I'm now at 86°30.S and in a few more days will be at 87°S. Only 395 kms to do until the Pole. Its getting closer!
I'm in the tent preparing my porridge for breakfast. At the same time I'm listening to my MP3 player. It's good to listen to music at times. It helps the time pass.
Let's see what the day will ring us today. I'm hoping to do 30kms but with these conditions I think I might be exaggerating some what!" Mike.
3rd of January 2009
"Yesterday I did 31kms! The wind calmed down a little and conditions were are lot better. The wind from the previous days had blown the loose snow away so the sled didn't sink in so much.
I'm now at an altitude of 2000m and have 800 meters to go. I'm slowly but surely skiing my way up this glacial ice cap.
It's 7h30 am so it's time to get moving. It'll be a good 13 hours before I get into my tent again. I hope it'll be a good day. 360kms to go until the pole!" Mike
4th of January 2009
Mike rings from Lat 86°58.4' S and Lon 82°15.93'W.
"Yesterday was a frustrating day" says Mike." I advanced 25kms in deep snow, lots of Sastrugi, and white-out conditions.
At one stage the wind changed so I thought I would get out my kite. I changed my boots, took the skins off my skis and then the wind changed again. I wasted time arranging my equipment when I could have been moving!!! 782 kms done and 338kms to go!!"
In the meantime, Borge Ousland along with our two young explorers Clémence and Nicolas, are supposed to fly into Patriots Hills today. It seems unlikely they will fly today due to white-out conditions. The next flight leaving Punta Arenas will probably be on the 6th!
5th of January 2009
Mike hits the 87° latitude!
"The day started very well but deteriorated quickly from there on. The winds had turned and I saw the opportunity of taking out the kite. I imagined myself doing 100kms in one go so was very excited. Ha ha! I was mistaken because as soon as the kite was up un the air, a nasty wind gust came and tangled the kite cords. It took forever to untangle them! After fixing them I decided to use a smaller kite instead and as soon as it went up, low and behold, the wind died down and my opportuntity was over! I sadly packed the kites away again. I guess that is why kites in general are not used when heading to the pole. Only once you are leaving the pole does it become an option"
"To regain lost time I continued walking through the evening. I did 16kms and only stopped and got into my tent at 1h30am!"
"Lets hope today will be a better day." say Mike.
6th of January 2009
Mike calls from Lat 87°24.464'S Lon 81°47.757' W.
"It was a greaet day yesterday! I progressed 33kms!!! The weather has become more stable and temperatures have dropped conciderably. This makes the sled glide better and of course is great for the morale after all the struggling over the last few days!"
"The temps must be around -28°C so I need to protect my nose and of course my fingers."
"Unfortunately it seems that Borge and the two young explorers are stuck in Punta Arenas still. They will arrive in Antarctica as soon as the wind drops and the landing piste has been cleared. I will use the time I have now to advance as quickly as possible as my pace will most likely slow down when they arrive. My goal is to arrive at the Pole on the 16th of January so I must do an average of 28 kms a day!"
"I hope that today will be a good one."
Kind regards!
Mike
7th of January 2009
Another tiring day!!!
" I walked the whole day yesterday and stopped after having done 28 kms - What a day!! The wind was very strong and of course blew at me, head-on, for the entire day. As well as that, I had to pull the
sled through very soft deep snow. I think I only slept for four hours so I'm very tired today!
I'll see how I go today and if I do not advance as I would like, I may think about putting down another cache.
It seems that Borge, Clémence and Nicolas must still be waiting in Punta Arenas as I have not had any news from them. I hope they'll be able to fly soon, as I hate to think of them loosing days out here.
It might be hard work but there is no experience like the Antarctic!"
Mike
9th of January 2009
Less than 200kms until the South Pole!
Mike advanced 33kms yesterday and is now 199kms away from the Pole. His position this morning was 88°13.85 S, 81°42.928 W.
Even with very difficult conditions, strong head-on winds and deep snow, Mikes’ progression has been very good over the last few days.
“I have continued to climb in altitude and have now reached the last plateau before the pole. I am at 2700m of altitude and the pole is at 2834m.
The temperature has dropped and with these violent wind gusts, the temperature must to be around -40°C! As expected, my face is frozen on the nose and chin, but luckily no problem with the hands and feet. I take every precaution necessary to not expose them to the cold.” Says Mike.
Mike must be careful! A frozen finger may mean the end of his expedition.
Two days ago, another potential problem could have stopped him. A ski had pierced a fuel bottle in his sled and the fuel leaked over his extra clothing and some of his food. It took Mike two good hours to verify which of his food had been contaminated and to clean up the leaked fuel. Wisely Mike stored his food on the opposite side of the sled so this incidence had little consequence apart from the fact that Mike will have to stay in the same clothing until the end of the expedition!
News of Borge, Clémence and Nicolas is also good. They were finally able to take their plane to Patriots Hills. The Antarctic adventure finally starts for our two young explorers. Excitement is running high at Patriots Hills as they should be meeting up with Mike tomorrow!!!
11th of January 2009
Mike has company at 88°42.436' S 82°37.137' W!
It was an emotional moment for Mike Horn when he heard the engines of a twin otter approaching from the NW direction of Patriot Hills. Onboard this aircraft where three adventurers eager to join him and to walk with him the last degree to the South Pole.
At 8 am Chilean time, in favourable weather conditions, explorer and friend, Borge Ousland and two young explorers, Clèmence Cadario and Nicolas Valdivieso, stepped off the plane and were greeted by an elated Mike.
It had been 41 days since Mike left the Antarctic coastline and since he had seen or spoken to other people. He was thrilled to have company again! For Clèmence and Nicolas also, this was an unbelievable moment that will rest in their memories for the rest of their lives.
After the first Pangaea selection camp in Château-d'Oex, Switzerland, these two YEP candidates were chosen to accompany Mike on the last degree of his trek to the South Pole and it was decided that they would be accompanied by only the best of the best! Borge Ousland, undoubtedly the most experienced of any other polar explorer, and Mike Horn, with his wealth of exploration experience, will accompany these two youths, share their knowledge and experience, and will ensure that Clèmence and Nicolas will arrive saftely to the Pole.
With temperatures of -28°C the team decided not to stop for long. They quickly started walking to reheat their bodies and to acclimatise to the Antarctic conditions. It was about 3 hous later that they set up camp and celebrated their meeting in true Swiss style, with a typical fondue from the Swiss region of L'Etivaz and Chilean wine. Afterwards Clèmence and Nicolas familiarised themselves to their four man tent and Antarctic environment as Mike and Borge discussed their stategy for the next few days.
With 144kms to walk until they reach the Pole they will take it easy initially and will try and advance more and more each day. Today, being their first real day on the ice they will try and advance somewhere between 10-15 kms. Mike estimates they will arrive at the Pole in about 9 days time.
After a hearty breakfast the team will set off. Weather conditions today are favourable with sun, no wind and temperatures of around -28°C. Clèmence and Nicolas are both pulling sleds, laden with 12 days food and other odd and ends, so the going will not be easy. It will imply huge adjustment on their behalf
with a lot of stamina and motivation. They have been well prepared for the task that lies ahead of them. They are also both ready to face the challenge and are excited to live this amazing experience.
We'll be following Clèmence and Nicolas's progress closely as they approach the Pole and send them lots of encouragement from the Mike Horn team back in Switzerland!
12th of January 2009
From a lone traveler to one of a group!! Mike calls from Lat 88°51 S Lon 83°14 W!
Mike, Borge, Clèmence and Nicolas are joined on the Antarctic ice cap by H.S.H Prince Albert, and his team of 8 people.
HSH Prince Albert II left South America on the 5th of January for a three week tour of Antarctica. This trip, in acknowledgment of the end of the international polar year, is to visit 26 international scientific bases on the glacial continent which are currently measuring the impact of global warming on this greatly affected continent.
"The royal team arrived at 7 pm local time, just when Borge, Clémence, Nicolas and I were about to complete our day and set up camp. It was the first day walking for Clémence and Nicolas and we were happy to have advanced 16.5kms - not bad at all! Clémence ad Nicolas took it all in their stride, with no problems at all, even with the very cold conditions."
"With visitors dropping in on us like this, we quickly set up several tents, with one larger one where we could congregate and chat about our Antarctic experiences. It's always a great pleasure meeting up with Prince Albert. We have meet many times in the past, but this was certainly unique! We have a joint passion for the ice and have both visited the Arctic and Antarctic. I am very fortunate to have the Principality of Monaco supporting the Pangaea Expedition and to be associated with like-minded and motivated people who concentrate their efforts in creating awareness about the environment and the importance of its' preservation."
"Tomorrow we'll all walk together towards the Pole. It will be interesting for me to be with a group of people for a change. I'm looking forward to sharing this amazing time with these dear friends.
Even though it may be short, it'll be an experience I will never forget!"
Mike Horn
16th of January 2009
Back on course!
Mike, Borge, Clémence and Nicolas only returned to their equipment at 17h00 yesterday.
There was no time to waste. The team attached their sleds and walked for four hours in the direction of the Pole.
Mike was happy, "It's great to be moving again. The stop-over at the Pole with Prince Albert was an amazing experience for the four of us, and of course it was a great honor to accompany him.
As we had to wait the following day at the Pole we were invited into the research station. The station is normally closed to visitors so we were very fortunate to do this and to learn about the ice cube project that they are currently doing.
But now we must return our thoughts to the reason we are here. For me it's to ski from the continents edge to the South Pole and for Borge, Clémence and Nicolas, their goal is to ski the last degree to the South Pole.
The weather is favorable today with blue skies, no wind and temperatures around -25°C.
Everybody is on form. We are getting on well and all have the same mission in mind - to get to the pole!
With only 105kms to go we think we'll be there in four days time." Mike
17th of January 2009
A happy Mike calls! "We're back into routine and things are going very well. Borge, Clémence and Nicolas are going like rockets! They have the advantage of having lighter sleds than mine so are able to move at a faster pace. As usual my heavy sled sinks into the soft snow. For me it doesn't change a lot as I'm progressing at my usual pace. Yesterday I did 27 kms and met up with Borge, Clémence and Nicolas at the end of the day. They walked for 10 hours and because I was slower, I needed another 2 hours to cover the same distance. Today we have 76 more kms to walk so we'll arrive at the Pole in three days time!"
18th of January 2009
"We only have another 50.6 kms to go to the Pole. Yesterday we covered 27kms and so if we do 25kms for the next two days we will arrive at the Pole on Monday evening,"says Mike.
"Conditions may become favorable for me to use the kite today as the wind seems to be turning and coming from the west. The kids normally move faster than me during the day and I meet up with them at the campsite in the evening. If I can use the kite I may ski past them during the day and beat them to the campsite. That'll be fun but I best not get my hopes up too much because the last time I took my kite out it was a complete disaster."
News from the Mike Horn Team is also very positive. The YE's are preparing themselves for the Pangaea raid, a two day hike over the Swiss mountains involving several different activities. The day today is spent learning communication skills and the youths are divided into teams and are learning about filming and editing techniques. It's a lot of fun as the teams are running disguised around the Hotel de Ville enacting funny scenes. Tonight will be hilarious as we watch the final cut films that the teams have made and grade them.
Tonight it will be the Mike Horn team that will be doing the filming as we will interview all our young explorers individually to get their opinions of the camp. We will discuss their motivation towards the Pangaea Project and how they would like to continue with the Pangaea initiative in the future.
After this serious moment, a fun evening is planned with a game of bowling - a relaxed night before the energetic raid!
20th of January 2009
Mike Horn, Borge Ousland, Clémence Cadario and Nicolas Valdivieso arrive on ski, to the South Pole (on the 19th of January) after several days of pushing their physical and mental limits. The team are thrilled to have achieved their goal and to be able to share in this victorious moment together.
Mike Horn, renown South African explorer, started his South Pole expedition from the northern edge of the Antarctic continent on the 1st of December 2008. This Antarctic leg represents the first expedition of Pangaea (Pan Global Adventure for Environmental Action ) and Antarctica is the first continent to be visited throughout the four year global project, which departed from Ushuaia, the southernmost town of Argentina, in October 2008.
Throughout this journey, employing the Young Explorers Programme (otherwise know as YEP) young adults from around the world, are being invited to join Mike Horn on various stages of his expedition.
Clémence Cadario (20yrs, FR) and Nicolas Valdivieso (18yrs, Chile), two YEP candidates who applied to join Pangaea via www.mikehorn.com attended the first Selection Camp in Château d'Oex in September 2008. Six of the 12 chosen candidates had the opportunity to explore the Antarctic Peninsula in October 2008 with Mike Horn and whereas Clémence and Nicolas were chosen to meet up with Mike Horn later, as he skied the last degree to the South Pole.
Mike reports " Clémence and Nicolas are tired but happy. They have excelled in their efforts to push forward under the harsh Antarctic conditions. They will be amongst the youngest young adults to ever ski the last degree to the South Pole and certainly they would rank as the fastest of their age. It's wonderful to be able to share these great moments of achievement with the younger generation and to hand down some of the knowledge and passion that I have for the environment and exploration."
Meanwhile, the second Pangaea YEP (Young Explorer Programme) selection camp currently taking place in Château-d’Oex, Switzerland, is in its last days. Sixteen youths from 13 different nationalities are now competing in the famous Pangaea Raid, a two day trek over the Swiss Alps. On Wednesday the final choice will be made as to who of the 16 will be chosen by our jury to join Mike Horn himself on an expedition in the Fjordlands of the South Island, New Zealand, in May 2009 aboard Pangaea.
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22nd of January 2009
Mike calls from 89°37.611S 90°57.004W.
"It's the second day I am here. I tried to advance in the evening with the kites but didn't get far. The wind quickly stopped blowing and I was left once again with my kites cords all tangled.
Now it is snowing hard and there is a thick layer of fresh snow on the ground. This is a good point for me however as it makes the kiting smoother and less hard on my body. I just have to wait for the wind direction to change to a Southeasterly rather than a Northeasterly and then I will be able to get my kites out again. The wind should turn on Saturday and is predicted to be in my favour for two days. I doubt that it will be enough as I must be in Patriot Hills for the 27th but I'll give it all I can!"
In the meantime all our YEP have now left Château-d'Oex and are returning to their respective homes all around the world.
It was a wonderful 10 days we have had in their company. Things will seem a little quiet in our offices for the next weeks as we sift through the load of photos and film that we took and we remember the amazing time we had!
23rd of January 2009
Mike writes from his tent, "I feel my trip is coming to an end.
The last news I had from Patriot Hills is that they are breaking up camp now as it is the end of the summer season.
If everything goes according to schedule I will be picked up on the 26th of January and will fly back to Chile on the 27th.
I feel frustrated because I have been in the tent for 2 days now. I was so looking forward to the kite trip back to Patriot Hills and to slide over the snow at a greater speed than I did on my way to the Pole. Unfortunately I am unable to change the weather or the date so will have to accept things the way they are.
I feel robbed from my pleasure but at the same time I have had a great experience in Antarctica. It was wonderful to walk the last degree with Borge, Clémence and Nicolas and of course to meet with Prince Albert.
I am sending you three pictures today. The first is of my kite under the snow, ready to go as soon as the wind will change with my tent in the back ground. I have 40 meter lines and to save time I leave them unrolled ready to go. The second photo is of me getting into the tent yesterday with some red ice cristals on my lip. It might look nasty but it is not bad at all. The last photo is 'canell' that Prince Albert gave me to add to my oatmeal. It is supposed to help your blood curculation in the cold. Well at least, that is what his doctor told him!
Best regards from the sitting duck in the tent!
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24th of January 2009
"The wind has changed", Mike calls from the South Pole at 5am Chilean time."The kite is ready and so am I! I'll try and kite as far as possible today. I've been looking forward to this for so long now that I hope I won't be disappointed. If weather predictions are good, I'll have two good days of kiting. It won't be enough for get me to Patriot Hills but I'll try and get as close as possible."
Good luck Mike!
25th of January 2009
Mike calls at 2pm Swiss time. "I had a fantastic day yesterday! I was using my Jojo kite and it was great! I used it to kite over the flatter area nearest the Pole and was going litle a rocket!
It was after 10 hours or so that the ice became more uneven and the sastrugi's started appearing. I needed to change my kite to a smaller, slower one. With the slower kite I was travelling about 10kms an hour and after 13-14 hours of kiting I stopped at 87°45 S and 82°27 W. I had done 220 kms so I was feeling pretty proud of myself!!!
Now I've had a few hours sleep and am ready to start a second day of kiting. I wonder if I didn't stop in a sheltered spot because there doesn't seem to be any wind where I am. I'll try and move and see if I cannot get the wind back in my sails again. Regards to you all."
Mike
26th of January 2009
"Yesterday had it's moments", explained Mike."It was a day of starting and stopping. The wind was good to start with and then it stopped. I would change my kite to a bigger one and then the gusts would come. Next thing I would need to untangle the cords, change the kite again, etc... The entire day continued like this and after 15hrs of hard slog I only managed to do only 43 kms!
I can feel that the summer is coming to an end as there is less heat in the sun. As for me, I keep myself warm when I kite by wearing my down trousers, jacket and big mitts. My face is protected from the wind so I can feel the frostbite on my chin and lips is slowly improving.
In a few more weeks the sun will start setting and the Antarctic bases will be closed. After speaking with Patriot Hills it seems that they will let me stay a few extra days on the ice. It would be great if I can get to Patriot Hills within this time.
Today the winds seem to be stable but are more Easterly than Southerly. It may be difficult for me to move with the kite but I'll give it all I've got!"
27th of January 2009
"Yesterday starting in disaster! One of my ski bindings broke!" says Mike. "The only piece of equipment that I didn't bring a replacement off because I was assured they would never break! I repaired it the best I could but each big bump I went over my ski fell off. I am now travelling downhill and pick up great speed. Falling is not so great when you're moving at 40 kms/hr!! The next thing of course, my sled would follow and hit me from behind at huge speeds and the cords of my kite would end up all tangled again.
The 7sqm kite that Daniel from Pleinair gave to me is fantastic and a pleasure to use. I'm really enjoying myself.
After all the struggling yesterday, I managed to do 85kms and am now at 86°34'S and 82°53'W.
I'm getting closer to Patriots. They don't seem to want to take me off the ice yet so I will keep on enjoying myself while I can!"
28th of January 2009
"This is it, my last day on the ice!
A twin otter will be coming to pick me up in two hours time and will take me to Patriot Hills. I kited 200kms yesterday but am still 480kms away. Patriot Hills is closing up and I will be on the last flight out to Punta Arenas. The flight leaving Antarctica might even be this evening.
This will be my last breakfast in the tent. I feel a little sad it's over but extremely happy with my Antarctic experience.
It was tough hauling my heavy sled but this was a great personal challenge for me.
I enjoyed the South Pole expedition. I marvel each day at its beauty and mysteriousness. As an explorer, I continue to compare the North Pole with the South Pole. The North Pole was definitely more of a challenge due to the open water and polar bears, whereas the South Pole more enriched with wildlife and history with its many relics of the past explorers.
What struck me the most about the South Pole was the thickness of the ice. When we walk on the ice cap we are on 3 kilometers of ice. I understand more the effects of global warming and the consequences to the rest of the world if the Antarctic ice melts. We have an important duty to preserve the poles and I hope that by sharing these emotions with Clémence and Nicolas and the other YEP's, we can start to stress this point to the people who can make a difference - the younger generation!"
Best regards,
Mike
30th of January 2009
Mike returns to Punta Arenas!
SOUTH POLE Expedition 
