{"id":11400,"date":"2019-08-25T08:23:37","date_gmt":"2019-08-25T08:23:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mikehorn.com\/?p=11400"},"modified":"2020-08-25T13:48:43","modified_gmt":"2020-08-25T13:48:43","slug":"northpolecrossing-1st-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mikehorn.com\/en\/northpolecrossing-1st-day\/","title":{"rendered":"#NorthPoleCrossing : 1st day"},"content":{"rendered":"

The beginning of an expedition is always exciting! It\u2019s the moment everyone gets together, and the anticipation starts building up because we all know, something epic is about to come up.<\/span><\/p>\n

Shortly after arriving in Alaska, our whole expedition team gathered up in Anchorage, Alaska and flew in together to meet up with me on the boat in the small Alaskan fishing town of Nome.<\/span><\/p>\n

I waited impatiently at the tiny airport to welcome them all. As I stood there, I remembered the last time I waited for a flight to land in this very airport. It was over 15 years ago during my Arktos expedition, when my wife Cathy and two girls Annika and Jessica flew in to spend a couple weeks with me here because I hadn\u2019t seen them in over 3 months.<\/span><\/p>\n

I see the small plane land in the distance. The team\u2019s imminent arrival means one thing to me: The sooner they arrive, the sooner we can get this expedition started! I already can\u2019t wait to be on the ice and to start walking. I\u2019m no good at waiting. Once I have a goal set in mind, I got to get going as soon as possible, otherwise I start getting impatient and restless. It\u2019s stronger than me, I live for adventure and it\u2019s what drives me!<\/span><\/p>\n

First person I see walk into the room is my daughter Annika. She will be joining the expedition to help me prepare the final details of the expedition as well as make sure the photos and videos we create are sent out to our team back in Switzerland so we can keep our website and social media platforms updated with content. I love sharing my adventures with my daughters, we always have so much fun together and I know I can rely on them to help me prepare and communicate my expeditions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Next person to walk in is Borge, my friend and expedition partner. Seeing him here in person finally makes this expedition feel real! In a matter of weeks, the two of us will be dropped off onto the ice and our traverse will begin. Last time we embarked on an adventure together was in 2006 when we rallied the North Pole by night during the polar winter season. Over a decade has passed but our flame for pushing the limits of the human body and mind still burns strong. It\u2019s great to realize that very little has changed since we proudly planted our Norwegian and Swiss\/South African flags on the Pole on that unforgettable 23rd<\/sup>of March 2006. That achievement bonded us for life, we risked our lives together and relied on each other to stay alive and make it safely back home to our families. Experiences like these are not easily forgotten, on the contrary, they are deeply marking\u2026embarking on a new expedition together was bound to happen at some point in time. And today, here we are!<\/span><\/p>\n

As we wait for all the luggage to arrive, the rest of the team walks in. Our Russian photographer Dmitry whom we\u2019ve been working with for many years now. Four young content creators from Switzerland and the United States. Bernard Stamm, a friend and famous Swiss sailor who will be captaining the boat once I\u2019m undertaking my expedition. And finally, Felix, a young Chinese and German guy who accompanied me to the North Pole in 2011 as part of the Young Explorers Program during my Pangaea expedition. What is extra special about having Felix back onboard is not only because I\u2019ve taken him to the North Pole as a kid, but also because he was part of Pangaea\u2019s crew during expedition to Antarctica in 2016. It is great to have him back on the boat, this time for the Arctic expedition because he knows all the ins and outs of Pangaea, super reliable and dynamic, and a real asset to the team.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once the luggage is collected and the concern of any missing bags cleared, we load the trucks and off we go to introduce the team to their new home for the next month! Given the small size of this town, it takes us less than 10 minutes to make our way from the airport to the port where the boat is docked. We make one last turn and we see Pangaea\u2019s mast in the distance, the team points towards it, you can feel the excitement building up! As we arrive, Jacek, Laure and Sebastian, the boat\u2019s long-term crew greet the newcomers with open arms. We are going be a total of 13 people sailing up towards the North Pole for the drop-off. Pangaea is big enough to sleep up to 30 people, but 13 people living in a confined space with no sight of land for up to a month can at times be quite challenging. So, before anyone jumps onboard, I give a small welcome talk and lay down the boat\u2019s basic rules: no shoes, respect each other\u2019s spaces, and above all, stay clean and organized. We load the luggage on deck, I give a quick tour of their new home, allocate everyone\u2019s sleeping bunks and off to work we go. Everyone knows what they are here to do, and no one wastes a second. I like this energetic approach, when everyone has a role to play and is confident in that role.<\/span><\/p>\n

I take extra time to introduce Bernard to the boat. I need to make sure he knows Pangaea almost as well as I do for him to feel comfortable navigating her once I leave. Being able to trust a dear friend with my boat is essential, it gives me peace of mind during my expedition and it guarantees Pangaea\u2019s safe sail through the Northeast passage for them to pick us up on the other side. There is a lot to know about this vessel, so the extra days we have here in Nome will come in handy for Bernard to familiarize himself with the boat and his new crew, as well as fix up the last details before departure.<\/span><\/p>\n

To celebrate everyone\u2019s arrival, we get invited over for dinner by an old friend of mine, Jeff Darling and his wife Peggy whom I met back when I was here in 2003. It\u2019s great to come back somewhere and to meet up with the same people you met over 15 years ago. Their kindness and generosity haven\u2019t changed a bit, only the years have passed. They cook us up a delicious barbecue to fatten us up a little before we head up in the colder temperatures. We have a good catch up and decent laughs. What a perfect way to start this journey!<\/span><\/p>\n

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Le d\u00e9but d’une exp\u00e9dition est toujours excitant ! C’est le moment o\u00f9 tout le monde se rassemble, et l’anticipation commence \u00e0 s’accumuler parce que nous savons tous que quelque chose d’\u00e9pique est sur le point de se produire… Peu apr\u00e8s notre arriv\u00e9e en Alaska, toute notre \u00e9quipe d’exp\u00e9dition s’est rassembl\u00e9e \u00e0 Anchorage, en Alaska, pour venir me rejoindre sur le bateau \u00e0 Nome, la petite ville de p\u00eacheurs d’Alaska… J’ai attendu avec impatience au petit a\u00e9roport pour les accueillir tous. Alors que je me tenais l\u00e0, je me suis souvenu de la derni\u00e8re fois que j’ai attendu un vol pour atterrir dans cet a\u00e9roport. C’\u00e9tait il y a plus de 15 ans lors de mon exp\u00e9dition Arktos, quand ma femme Cathy et deux filles, Annika et Jessica, sont venues passer quelques semaines avec moi ici parce que je ne les avais pas vus depuis plus de 3 mois. Je vois le petit avion atterrir au loin. L’arriv\u00e9e imminente de l’\u00e9quipe signifie une chose pour moi : Plus vite ils arriveront, plus vite nous pourrons commencer cette exp\u00e9dition !<\/p>\n

J’ai d\u00e9j\u00e0 h\u00e2te d’\u00eatre sur la glace et de commencer \u00e0 marcher. Je ne suis pas dou\u00e9 pour attendre. Une fois que j’ai un objectif en t\u00eate, je dois partir le plus t\u00f4t possible, sinon je commence \u00e0 \u00eatre impatient et agit\u00e9. C’est plus fort que moi, je vis pour l’aventure et c’est ce qui me motive ! la premi\u00e8re personne que je vois entrer dans la pi\u00e8ce est ma fille Annika. Elle se joindra \u00e0 l’exp\u00e9dition pour m’aider \u00e0 pr\u00e9parer les derniers d\u00e9tails de l’exp\u00e9dition et s’assurer que les photos et les vid\u00e9os que nous cr\u00e9ons sont envoy\u00e9es \u00e0 notre \u00e9quipe en Suisse afin que nous puissions maintenir notre site Web et nos plateformes de m\u00e9dias sociaux \u00e0 jour avec le contenu. J’adore partager mes aventures avec mes filles, nous avons toujours beaucoup de plaisir ensemble et je sais que je peux compter sur elles pour m’aider \u00e0 pr\u00e9parer et \u00e0 communiquer mes exp\u00e9ditions, avec Borge, mon ami et partenaire. Le voir ici en personne donne enfin l’impression que l’exp\u00e9dition est r\u00e9elle !<\/p>\n

Dans quelques semaines, nous serons tous les deux d\u00e9pos\u00e9s sur la glace et notre travers\u00e9e commencera. La derni\u00e8re fois que nous nous sommes lanc\u00e9s dans une aventure ensemble, c’\u00e9tait en 2006, lorsque nous avons ralli\u00e9 le p\u00f4le Nord la nuit pendant la saison d’hiver polaire. Plus d’une d\u00e9cennie s’est \u00e9coul\u00e9e, mais notre flamme pour repousser les limites du corps et de l’esprit humains br\u00fble encore fort.<\/p>\n

C’est formidable de constater que tr\u00e8s peu de choses ont chang\u00e9 depuis que nous avons fi\u00e8rement plant\u00e9 nos drapeaux norv\u00e9gien, suisse et sud-africain sur le P\u00f4le ce 23 mars 2006 inoubliable. Cette r\u00e9alisation nous a unis pour la vie, nous avons risqu\u00e9 notre vie ensemble et nous avons compt\u00e9 les uns sur les autres pour rester en vie et revenir sains et saufs \u00e0 la maison pour nos familles. De telles exp\u00e9riences ne s’oublient pas facilement, au contraire, elles marquent profond\u00e9ment….s’embarquer ensemble pour une nouvelle exp\u00e9dition devait arriver \u00e0 un moment donn\u00e9. Et aujourd’hui, nous y voil\u00e0 ! alors que nous attendons l’arriv\u00e9e de tous les bagages, le reste de l’\u00e9quipe entre : notre photographe russe Dmitry avec qui nous travaillons depuis de nombreuses ann\u00e9es. Quatre jeunes cr\u00e9ateurs de contenu de Suisse et des Etats-Unis. Bernard Stamm, un ami et c\u00e9l\u00e8bre marin suisse qui sera le capitaine du bateau lorsque j’entreprendrai mon exp\u00e9dition. Et enfin, Felix, un jeune Chinois et Allemand qui m’a accompagn\u00e9 au p\u00f4le Nord en 2011 dans le cadre du programme Jeunes explorateurs lors de mon exp\u00e9dition Pangaea. Ce qu’il y a de sp\u00e9cial dans le fait que Felix soit de retour \u00e0 bord, ce n’est pas seulement parce que je l’ai emmen\u00e9 au p\u00f4le Nord \u00e9tant enfant, mais aussi parce qu’il faisait partie de l’\u00e9quipage de Pangaea pendant son exp\u00e9dition en Antarctique en 2016. C’est g\u00e9nial de l’avoir \u00e0 nouveau sur le bateau, cette fois pour l’exp\u00e9dition en Arctique car il conna\u00eet tous les tenants et aboutissants de Pangaea, super fiable et dynamique, et un r\u00e9el atout pour l’\u00e9quipe.<\/p>\n

Une fois les bagages ramass\u00e9s et le probl\u00e8me des sacs manquants r\u00e9gl\u00e9, nous chargeons les camions et nous partons pr\u00e9senter l’\u00e9quipe \u00e0 leur nouveau domicile pour le mois suivant ! Vu la petite taille de cette ville, il nous faut moins de 10 minutes pour nous rendre de l’a\u00e9roport au port o\u00f9 le bateau est amarr\u00e9. On fait un dernier virage et on voit le m\u00e2t de Pangaea au loin, l’\u00e9quipe pointe vers lui, on sent l’excitation monter ! A notre arriv\u00e9e, Jacek, Laure et Sebastian, l’\u00e9quipage de longue date du bateau accueille les nouveaux venus \u00e0 bras ouverts. Nous serons 13 personnes au total \u00e0 remonter vers le p\u00f4le Nord pour le d\u00e9barquement. Pangaea est assez grande pour accueillir jusqu’\u00e0 30 personnes, mais 13 personnes vivant dans un espace confin\u00e9 sans vue sur la terre ferme pendant un mois peuvent parfois s’av\u00e9rer tr\u00e8s difficiles. Donc, avant que quelqu’un ne saute \u00e0 bord, je fais un petit discours de bienvenue et j’\u00e9nonce les r\u00e8gles de base du bateau : pas de chaussures, respecter les espaces des uns et des autres, et surtout, rester propre et organis\u00e9. Nous chargeons les bagages sur le pont, je fais un tour rapide de leur nouvelle maison, je r\u00e9partis les couchettes de chacun et nous partons au travail. Tout le monde sait ce qu’il doit faire ici, et personne ne perd une seconde. J’aime cette approche \u00e9nergique, o\u00f9 chacun a un r\u00f4le \u00e0 jouer et a confiance en ce r\u00f4le, je prends le temps de pr\u00e9senter Bernard au bateau.<\/p>\n

Je dois m’assurer qu’il connaisse Pangaea presque aussi bien que moi pour qu’il se sente \u00e0 l’aise avec elle lorsque je partirai. Pouvoir confier mon bateau \u00e0 un ami cher est essentiel, cela me donne la tranquillit\u00e9 d’esprit pendant mon exp\u00e9dition et cela garantit la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 de Pangaea dans le passage du Nord-Est pour qu’ils puissent venir nous chercher de l’autre c\u00f4t\u00e9. Il y a beaucoup de choses \u00e0 savoir sur ce bateau, donc les jours suppl\u00e9mentaires que nous avons ici \u00e0 Nome seront tr\u00e8s utiles pour Bernard pour se familiariser avec le bateau et son nouvel \u00e9quipage, ainsi que pour r\u00e9gler les derniers d\u00e9tails avant le d\u00e9part. pour c\u00e9l\u00e9brer l’arriv\u00e9e de tous, nous sommes invit\u00e9s \u00e0 d\u00eener par un vieil ami, Jeff Darling et sa femme Peggy que j’ai rencontr\u00e9s lorsque je suis arriv\u00e9 ici en 2003. C’est formidable de revenir quelque part et de rencontrer les m\u00eames personnes que vous avez rencontr\u00e9es il y a plus de 15 ans. Leur gentillesse et leur g\u00e9n\u00e9rosit\u00e9 n’ont pas chang\u00e9, seules les ann\u00e9es ont pass\u00e9. Ils nous pr\u00e9parent un d\u00e9licieux barbecue pour nous engraisser un peu avant que nous nous dirigions vers le haut dans les temp\u00e9ratures plus froides. Nous avons un bon rattrapage et des rires d\u00e9cents. Quelle belle fa\u00e7on de commencer ce voyage !<\/p>\n\n

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The beginning of an expedition is always exciting! It\u2019s the moment everyone gets together, and the anticipation starts building up because we all know, something epic is about to come up. Shortly after arriving in Alaska, our whole expedition team gathered up in Anchorage, Alaska and flew in together to meet up with me on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":11419,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[346],"tags":[31,20,125,141,23,369,159,49,126,128],"class_list":["post-11400","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-northpolecrossing","tag-adventure","tag-arctic","tag-expedition","tag-mikehorn","tag-north-pole","tag-norway","tag-p2p","tag-pangaea-2","tag-pole2pole","tag-sailing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mikehorn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11400","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mikehorn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mikehorn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mikehorn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mikehorn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11400"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.mikehorn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11400\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mikehorn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11419"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mikehorn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11400"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mikehorn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11400"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mikehorn.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11400"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}