Crossing the Arctic Ocean to draw attention to Global Warming. http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/ Fri, 21 Nov 2008 06:23:11 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.projectthinice.org/images/thin-ice-podcast-icon.gif http://www.projectthinice.org Feed provided by Greenpeace and Project Thin Ice. Click to visit. http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/14297/ On Sunday, July 16, Lonnie and Eric are scheduled to arrive at Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport at 11:45 A.M. Their friends and family are waiting expectantly to embrace the two explorers and to see what toll the expedition has taken on their bodies and minds; how much weight have they lost, how is Lonnie's back, how sunburned are they, are they mentally exhausted. These are all thoughts going through the heads of the welcoming party.I will be at the airport too, wondering the same things. However, because I have communicated with Eric and Lonnie almost every day of the expedition, it seems, in a sense, as if they were not very far away. Since I jumped on the team just two weeks before departure, I have spent more time interacting with and thinking about Lonnie and Eric while they were away, than I did when they were home. Communications between Lonnie and Eric, and I have consisted mostly of terse email exchanges and efficient satellite phone conversations. Most of my job has involved coordinating logistics, communicating with sponsors and the media, and updating the web page. Through all of this work I am constantly trying to identify with Lonnie and Eric's perspective on the ice, so I can then coordinate things for them most easily and effectively. It is this thought process that has been most fun and educational for me. It is one thing to purchase a flight for someone; it is another thing entirely to purchase a flight for two yellow Esquif canoe-sleds. In order to navigate to solutions for this sort of logistical issue, I make persistent phone calls at all hours of the day. I work hard to communicate clearly, thoroughly and honestly so that whomever is on the other end of the line does not get annoyed with the countless details that can be involved with Arctic Ocean logistics. While I was not able to experience travel on the melting Arctic Ocean, I gained a tremendous appreciation for the commitment required to bring the urgency, scale and impact of global warming to people's attention. While each individual person can do a lot, it is also their job to educate others. Every evening of this exhausting expedition Eric and Lonnie painstakingly wrote their blog entries and recorded their podcasts. Backed by Greenpeace, the One World Expedition has shown the impact of global warming on the Arctic Ocean and the polar bear to millions and millions of people. Way to go, Lonnie and Eric and Greenpeace. Job well done! John Huston (Expedition Manager) Fri, 14 Jul 2006 17:57:41 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/14015/ It seems like a long time ago that Lonnie and Eric were battling their way through the towering jumbles of ice rubble just north of Ward Hunt Island, Canada. At this point in the expedition, it was all they could do to advance 3 miles toward the Pole. While Eric and Lonnie clawed their way north, two other expeditions slowly advanced south from the Pole. Wed, 12 Jul 2006 12:02:28 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/14005/ Lonnie and Eric have been picked up by a helicopter and are on board the icebreaker. They will be in transit back to Minneapolis for the next 8 days. While they are thoroughly enjoying the so many simple comforts that we all take for granted, like showers, furniture, and clean clothes, stay tuned here for information on their progress, news articles, recaps of the expedition and the very latest on global warming. Fri, 07 Jul 2006 23:26:51 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/13967/ Day 67. The wind picked up considerably last night, or at least, what we call the night. The gusts also brought the biggest rain storm we've had to date. We hesitate to say it 'poured' but a steady drizzle lasted well into the morning. The hard wind-packed snow of yesterday turned to mush, slush and any other 'ush' word you might want to make up. overcast, 33.3 F, 2 nautical miles Thu, 06 Jul 2006 15:52:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/13933/ Day 66. From Lonnie: On May 1, 2006, Eric and I embarked on an unprecedented journey to the North Pole. To get here, we pulled and paddled specially modified canoes across 700 miles of shifting sea ice and open water of the arctic ocean. Our objectives were to complete the first-ever summer expedition to the North Pole to help save the polar bear by bringing attention to the growing issues surrounding global warming. On July 1, 2006 after 62 grueling days, the we attained the North Pole. overcast, 33.7 F, 0 nautical miles Wed, 05 Jul 2006 21:36:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/13901/ Day 65. We no longer have to melt snow for drinking and cooking. We simply camp next to a meltwater pool and fill all our nalgene bottles and cook pots with all the fresh water we want. This of course saves greatly on our fuel. overcast, sun, 32.8 F, 0 nautical miles Tue, 04 Jul 2006 20:48:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/13873/ Day 64. We finally got that rest day we had been hoping for. We were planning to sleep in; however, spent much of the morning (and rest of the day) fielding questions from reporters over our satellite phone. overcast, sun, 33.0 F, 0 nautical miles Mon, 03 Jul 2006 23:42:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/13768/ Day 63. We woke up in the eastern hemisphere singing old Beatles songs... 'back in the USSR'. Last night we drifted 3.5 miles south toward Siberia: the exact opposite direction of where we expected (and hoped) to drift and need to go. So, we had to delay our much needed rest. overcast, rain, 33.7 F, 3.5 nautical miles Sun, 02 Jul 2006 20:26:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/13723/ Day 62. At 4 am this morning, Eric froze in his sleeping bag. Not from being cold, but rather to try to discern a noise outside that sounded a lot like footsteps in the soft snow. overcast, freezing rain, 32.5 F, 1.5 nautical miles Sat, 01 Jul 2006 21:16:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/13696/ Day 61. The ice appeared eggshell thin as the forces of wind and current have recently fractured this area into a maze of pressured ice, leads and small pans. There was so much open water that the scent of warm (almost warm) salt water was constantly in the air. overcast, 32.7 F, 7.5 nautical miles Fri, 30 Jun 2006 22:40:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/13668/ Day 60. One more step. One more step. One more step. It has become our mantra. morning sun, overcast, 34.2 F, 9.5 nautical miles Thu, 29 Jun 2006 23:34:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/13626/ Day 59. "For anyone who has wondered how global warming and reduced sea ice will affect polar bears, the answer is simple -- they die," (This is Rick Steiner's quote in the Dec. 14 WSJ article on polar bears in Alaska drowning.) morning sun, overcast, 32.8 F, 6 nautical miles Wed, 28 Jun 2006 19:10:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/13588/ Day 58. The ice is not sinking, it's simply readjusting its equilibrium to a newly acquired mass (one of us jumping on it) in relation to its buyoancy. Sometimes that new balance is above the water level; sometimes it isn't. Regardless, we have to mentally remind ourselves of this fact: We're not sinking, we're not sinking, we're sinking. some sun, overcast, 33.8 F, 8.5 nautical miles Tue, 27 Jun 2006 20:50:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/13512/ Day 57. The Arctic Ocean is breaking up underneath us. The fractured slabs of ice we traveled across today made us reassess everything we know (or thought we knew) about sea ice. For us now, all bets are off. We can only take each day as it comes. some sun, overcast, 33.4 F, 6 nautical miles Mon, 26 Jun 2006 20:38:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/13458/ Day 56. A few open spots of blue gave way to a full-fledged sunny day. No kidding, after 10 million days traveling under spirit-draining overcast, we had a shiny bright morning. It was nice to see the snow we were skiing on for a change. some sun, overcast, whiteout, 33 F, 8 nautical miles Sun, 25 Jun 2006 20:12:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/13386/ Day 55. Seals at 89:10.00 north! We have never heard of seals this far north and are wondering if the lack of ice in the south due to global warming is driving them north? Or is it thinner ice in the north with more open areas? Either way, these changes are a stark reminder that we need to act now to stop global warming. overcast, 33.5 F, 7.5 nautical miles Sat, 24 Jun 2006 18:02:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/13320/ Day 54. For those of you who don't know us, there is supposedly only seven degrees of separation between you and someone who does. However, right now, there is only one degree of latitude separating us and the North Pole. We can't even begin to express how that makes us feel. overcast, whiteout, 34 F, 6 nautical miles Fri, 23 Jun 2006 17:20:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/13247/ Day 53. All we can do is laugh. When it's another whiteout, the fog is so thick that all we need to do is open our mouth to get a drink, the snow is soft as sugar and no longer supports our weight on skis... These conditions are so over the top and ridiculous that all we can do is laugh at ourselves. overcast, whiteout, snow 33.3 F, 8 nautical miles Thu, 22 Jun 2006 07:08:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/13192/ Day 52. At exactly 12:01 am (the middle of our travel day), we stopped forward progress to pay special homage to this day. We wish we could say we were more excited by the first day of summer, but in all honesty, it played out much like all our other days on the Arctic Ocean. overcast, whiteout, 33 F, 7 nautical miles Wed, 21 Jun 2006 06:52:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/13128/ Day 51. We encountered quite a bit of pressured ice today. Unusual. As you know, we have been expecting the ice to flatten out a bit. It seems that we're close enough to the Pole so that if we were to stand on our tippy toes, we might be able see it. Not so with today's ice. overcast, 30.7 F, 8 nautical miles Tue, 20 Jun 2006 07:28:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/13086/ Day 50. With absolutely no wind whatsoever, we have remained nearly stationary overnight. This fact has helped us make the decision to take a full rest day. The past days of hard toil have taken a toll on both of us. Lonnie is especially stretched as the pain in his back is preventing him from sleeping soundly at night. overcast, 31 F, 0 nautical miles Mon, 19 Jun 2006 08:08:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/13057/ Day 49. Seal at 88:30?!? Small but rotund, it was sunning on the ice until the red coats came. We tried to sneak up and shoot some video, but we had no polar bear stealth and it dove through an open hole it had maintained in the ice. It is amazing to realize that life exists under all this ice at the top of the world. This place is much more than just ice and snow. overcast, 31.7 F, 10 nautical miles Sun, 18 Jun 2006 07:14:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/13021/ Day 48. All of our previous experience with sea ice, our attempt last year off the coast of Russia, all of our knowledge accumulated over the past month and a half, all of the information gleaned from previous expeditions did little, if anything, to prepare us for the ice today. overcast, partly sunny, 31.5 F, 9 nautical miles Sat, 17 Jun 2006 08:50:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12991/ Day 47. The icescape is softening with each day over 32F. The sharp edges of ice and snowdrifts are now rounded. A curved blanket of white has folded into the abrupt corners of each drift. On the down side, our ski tips are starting to submarine periodically under the snow, creating additional effort for our legs as we have to stop, put the leg in reverse, then lift the ski back up to the surface. sunny, overcast, sunny, 32.5 F, 7 nautical miles Fri, 16 Jun 2006 08:42:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12937/ Day 46. We'll give you the most important information first, then, as Paul Harvey would say, the rest of the story. On June 16th the public comment period on getting the polar bear listed as a threatened species ends. There is still time for you to help save the polar bear. Take Action: http://members.greenpeace.org/action/start/84/thin_ice overcast, whiteout, snowing, 31.5 F, 6.75 nautical miles Thu, 15 Jun 2006 07:24:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12914/ Day 45. We took a full day's rest instead of our normal half day due to the tough slogging we had between 87 and 88 degrees north. It gave the Norwegian and French (you have to guess) contingencies of the team time to re-energize sore muscles and heal any strains. overcast, whiteout, 33.5 F, 0 nautical miles Wed, 14 Jun 2006 08:12:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12868/ Day 44. Hey folks, Lonnie and Eric here. Are you looking for pressure ridges? How about a total whiteout? Fog? Maybe you're the type that likes soft sticky snow. No? You're interested in semi-frozen brash ice, then. overcast, whiteout, 33 F, 8 nautical miles Tue, 13 Jun 2006 08:02:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12844/ Day 43. One of the subjects of conversations during our sit down breaks (we take two during the day) is, obviously, ice. Ice we've seen, ice we can see and the ice that might be just up ahead. We are surprised by the amount of pressured ice this far north. overcast, whiteout, 31.5 F, 10 nautical miles Mon, 12 Jun 2006 08:58:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12824/ Day 42. There have only been a few days when we've ended the travel day early - not by much, just five or ten minutes. Yesterday was one of them. Looking a few hundred yards ahead we saw a flat pan, but first big pressure. Rather than risk making a sore back worse, we set up camp. But you already know this. Still, that one simple decision may have saved us from serious injury or worse. overcast, whiteout, 31.5 F, 8 nautical miles Sun, 11 Jun 2006 07:36:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12784/ Day 41. They say the Inuit have 200 words to describe snow and ice. The English language isn't quite as colorful, but after five weeks on the Arctic Ocean we can probably find enough adjectives and related nouns to come close. overcast, 32.5 F, 10 nautical miles Sat, 10 Jun 2006 08:20:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12754/ Day 40. We woke up to a sunny and warm morning, 32 degrees when we hit the trail. As far as we're concerned, that's almost too warm for traveling as we overheat and sweat easily. It was so warm, in fact, that we could thought we could smell summer. sunny, 32 F, 6.75 nautical miles Fri, 09 Jun 2006 07:52:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12708/ Day 39. At the end of today, we felt like a couple of hungry, over-worked sled dogs (just trust us on that one). The day brought lots of cracks, pressure, brash ice, leads and broken ice - a smorgasbord of Arctic hardship. We should have known this was coming. sunny, some fog, 27 F, 6 nautical miles Thu, 08 Jun 2006 08:04:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12672/ Day 37. We have finally left 'camp depot'. It was a comfortable piece of ice, but it was time to move on. For one thing, our camp was beginning to smell a lot like 'people' and even though we are about 300 miles from land, we are still concerned about curious polar bears. overcast, fog, some sun, 28 F, 9 nautical miles Wed, 07 Jun 2006 08:22:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12604/ Day 37. The rations in our depot gave us a smorgasbord of new flavors for our taste buds. Though the amount of food per day, per person (30 oz) is the same, we have changed the menu slightly. We have dried and aged Italian salami, aged parmesan cheese, dried Finnish rye bread, and chocolate with hazelnuts and raisins, just to name a few of the items. overcast, 28 F, 3 nautical miles Tue, 06 Jun 2006 06:12:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12582/ Day 36. We are still camped at 87 and waiting to for our depot. Just for the record, we aren't enjoying our extra day of rest. At least that's the official line we're towing today. overcast, 27 F, 0 nautical miles Mon, 05 Jun 2006 07:28:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12551/ Day 35. We seem to be camped near a wildlife oasis. Today, what appeared to be a lone snow goose flew directly over our camp. A snow goose! So, we've done a bit of quick math and figured that we have had feathered visitors at all but 86 degrees. completely sunny, 27 F, 0 nautical miles Sun, 04 Jun 2006 07:50:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12495/ Day 34. Houston we have 87, but actually we say Huston, for John Huston our expedition manager. Of course, they're pronounced the same, but for the sake of being accurate we thought we'd spell it out for you. overcast, 33 F, 6.75 nautical miles Sat, 03 Jun 2006 07:12:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12441/ Day 33. The solar radiation heats up our tent to nearly room temperature as we sleep. Sometimes it gets too hot and we have to lay outside our bags - a scary and smelly phenomenon. sunny, 31 F, 6.5 nautical miles Fri, 02 Jun 2006 06:06:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12434/ Day 32. Raindrops keep falling on our heads. Raindrops keep falling on our heads and coating our glasses as well as the entire right side of our bodies with ice. rainy, overcast, 27 F, 10 nautical miles Thu, 01 Jun 2006 07:10:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12403/ Day 31. The day started with sun but as usual was gone after the first hour of skiing. We had some nice flat pans during this same time. There were few serious obstacles today, with the exception that we had to catamaran the canoe-sleds twice to cross leads. sunny (1 hour) overcast, 28 F, 13 nautical miles Wed, 31 May 2006 07:12:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12377/ And then it was easy, the weight of the sled-canoes nearly vanished behind us, our legs swishing back and forth effortlessly, smooth unimaginably flat ice for a quarter mile. We stretched our arms out bird-like and pretended to fly. But this was the last 20 minutes of the day; there are nine other grueling hours in this story. overcast, 27 F, 11.5 nautical miles Tue, 30 May 2006 08:30:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12347/ Unzipping the vestibule this morning, we were greeted by a two-foot wall of snow that had covered the leeward side of the tent, sled-canoes, skis, snowshoes and anything else in the vicinity. The snowdrifts from yesterday's storm also disguised dangerous pockets of open water, thin ice, and slush. sunny, partly cloudy, windy, 32 F, 9 nautical miles Mon, 29 May 2006 08:08:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12334/ The day seemed to start off nicely with a bit of sun and high wispy clouds. But like the ice conditions, we know that good weather will be followed by bad - or in our case constant overcast. Today turned into the rawest of raw bone devils (see May 18th entry) that we have had to date. sunny (1 hour) cloudy, windy, blizzard, 24 F, 6 nautical miles Sun, 28 May 2006 03:50:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12322/ Right away we labeled the day's travels as a dirty slog. The rest of the day seemed to live up to its moniker. Traversing pressure ridges and leads most of the day in low contrast conditions was laborious at best. sunny (1 hour) cloudy, 25 F, 10.6 nautical miles Sat, 27 May 2006 07:10:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12293/ When things are going good - we mean really good - do you ever stop and think if something bad might happen in the near future? Today, with our spirits up and the miles ticking effortlessly by, we made a classic blunder and forgot our standard assessment of ice conditons. cloudy, 24 F, 10 nautical miles Fri, 26 May 2006 08:26:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12276/ We traveled for 9 hours and 45 minutes through the usual ice and snow. We had some larger flat pans, but also some pressure and drifted areas. Whenever there's good ice, we now know, bad is sure to follow. cloudy, 24 F, 10 nautical miles Thu, 25 May 2006 08:42:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12257/ Last night our bodies were aching and tired. After 23 days on the trail without a full day rest, we decided to move our day off to today. Another day of travel in our current state could easily result in an injury. A unanimous vote confirmed the decision (2-0). cloudy, no wind, 20 F, 0 nautical miles Wed, 24 May 2006 07:42:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12218/ Often when travel becomes really difficult and a clear route through the pressured ice is difficult to find, we unhook from our sled-canoes and climb a nearby chunk of ice. Five or six feet of elevation later, a fairly navigable route usually appears. Perspective. cloudy, 24 F, 8 nautical miles Tue, 23 May 2006 08:04:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12185/ Our days are governed by three basic principles: ice, tent time, and food. We've talked about the first two nearly every day. However, we feel it's now time to give our expedition victuals their time in the lime (no pun intended) light. cloudy, west wind, 24 F, 10 nautical miles Mon, 22 May 2006 08:16:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12159/ The day began with clear blue skies this morning, but after two hours it was gone. We have not had a full sunny day in a week and a half. It was difficult to get out of the sleeping bag this morning as we were still tired from the previous hard day. sunny, cloudy, south west wind 20 F, 8 nautical miles Sun, 21 May 2006 08:10:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12148/ We know that you have been running around on the stuff for quite some time, but for us the experience of seeing solid ground is not quite so commonplace in all this snow, ice and water. OK, so it wasn't exactly bona fide terra firma, but it was as close as we are going to get in the next two months. cloudy, west wind 30 F, 8.3 nautical miles Sat, 20 May 2006 08:28:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12121/ We began our day with a nice rain that coated our glasses with a thin film of ice, making it even more troublesome finding definition in the no-contrast landscape. The cheery conditions had us singing, "skiing in the rain, we're skiing in the rain, what a not quite so glorious feeling..." cloudy, rainy, snowy, west wind 24 F, 7.75 nautical miles Fri, 19 May 2006 07:18:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12111/ We woke up this morning, ate breakfast, packed up our gear, strapped on our Granite Gear harnesses, clipped into our Asnes skis and made our way north. Along the way, we went over some pressured ice, skied on a few flat pans, had our feet get wet breaking through thin ice and veered north west for nine and a half hours. cloudy, west wind 31 F, 10 nautical miles Thu, 18 May 2006 08:04:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12029/ Welcome to our fine establishment. Would you like a hot drink? Please, rest your travel-weary body. Don't bother trying to stand, the ceiling is only 40" above the floor. How about a warm bowl of noodles? No need to get up. Everything is within arm's reach at the Hilleberg Hotel. cloudy, freezing rain 21 F, 4 nautical miles Wed, 17 May 2006 07:40:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/12008/ Which would you prefer: mind-numbing travel on a flat pan, the physical strain of powering over pressure ridges, or the emotional stress of negotiating fractured ice and leads? Having a hard time deciding? Don't worry, we'll give you all three. sunny, cloudy 19 F, 9 nautical miles Tue, 16 May 2006 07:38:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/11961/ The good: our day started out under clear blue skies. It was, hopefully, a positive omen. We set out skiing for over two hours through a heavily drifted area of old pressure. sunny, 9 F, 9 nautical miles Mon, 15 May 2006 07:08:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/11919/ We were roused from a deep sleep sometime last night to find the skies had cleared and it was clear blue all the way to the horizon. We gave each other groggy high fives then snuggled back in our sleeping bags. Little did we know that the upcoming day's travels would yield the worst weather we've seen to date. sunny, cloudy foggy, 15 F, 5.5 nautical miles Sun, 14 May 2006 05:44:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/11898/ This has been our fourth day of white-out conditions. If we only had the sun. Our spirlts would improve as well as our ability to see where we are going. To make matters worse, a brisk north wind froze our faces. overcast , 20 F, 5.75 nautical miles Sat, 13 May 2006 06:30:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/11859/ The terrain we traveled over today must surely be beautiful. If only we could have seen it. Completely overcast skies created white-out conditions once again and traveling today was just as grueling for our eyes as our bodies. overcast , 20 F Fri, 12 May 2006 08:32:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/11850/ Squeak, slide, squeak, slide, squeak, slide. Thu, 11 May 2006 18:05:59 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/11830/ We are eternal optimists but this is starting to get a bit ridiculous. We are happy about staying on the 77th parallel, then we drift east. We enjoy traveling on a flat pan, then a huge pressure ridge. Today, after enjoying so many backbreaking days in complete sunshine, it was overcast. overcast, 23 F Wed, 10 May 2006 18:14:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/11798/ If we could only start every day like today: a 9:30 wake up, casual breakfast in ... sleeping bag, and a 12:45 canoe-sled time. Sound relaxing? Well, it was - more than you can possibly imagine. We were so incredibly tired after a relentless week of arctic toil that it was all we could do to just set up the tent last night. sunny, 9 F Tue, 09 May 2006 19:36:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/11773/ After a full week on the trail, we are bone weary, dog tired and whatever other quippy phrases one might use to describe our tired state. Its been quite a week on the Arctic Ocean for us. Above all else, we are thankful to be making good progress. sunny, 10 F Mon, 08 May 2006 19:32:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/11745/ We managed a few welcome breaks from the jumbled pack-ice today. In the morning, we found a newly frozen lead that headed north. It was easy going for almost a half an hour which put big smiles on both our faces. sunny, 7 F Sun, 07 May 2006 18:34:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/11729/ Today started out hard, got worse, made a nice comeback, then ended OK. You would think, after preparing, planning and training for almost four years for the first summer expedition to the North Pole, that nothing out here would faze us. Well, we wish we could say that were true. sunny, 5 F Sun, 07 May 2006 08:58:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/11698/ Had an outstanding day, despite the difficult pack ice, and we eventually made 5 nautical miles in 7 hours travel. We spent 30 minutes putting frozen boots on this morning, and another 30 on the trail getting them warm. sunny, cold 5 F Fri, 05 May 2006 18:20:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/11657/ Live in the moment or plan for the future? With day 4 of 120 barely under our belts its hard to think past tomorrow. Yet, all day we talked of possibility - flat pans of ice, a smooth newly frozen lead running straight north, a big pan on the horizon... partly cloudy, 8 F Thu, 04 May 2006 19:24:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/11633/ Long day, short miles. We managed to cover about 2.25 miles today. But considering the ice conditions, we really couldn't have done one inch more. Once again, we find ourselves iin the tent and tired. sunny 8 F Wed, 03 May 2006 20:06:52 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/11607/ It's almost like we never left. So much of traveling on the Arctic Ocean is routine. Waking up this morning in the tent was so familiar that it seemed eerily like last year. That is, until we looked outside. sunny 4 F Tue, 02 May 2006 20:18:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/11518/ The expedition got off to an inauspicious start today as we experienced a slight role shift. With nearly 70 Spaniards needing to get to the airport, we became, of all things, taxi drivers. partly sunny 8 F Sun, 30 Apr 2006 12:10:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/11483/ "I've got six or seven balls on the air right now," the charter flight company representative stated flatly over the phone. "After I grab on to a few I'll give you a call." The statement left little doubt to our fate over the next few days. Whether in Russia or Resolute, this is still the north and things happen a bit differently here. overcast 5 F windy Sun, 30 Apr 2006 07:32:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/11470/ Waking up in an Ottawa hotel with a courtesy call is hardly the stuff of a great expedition story. But, for us, mundane is far superior to the chaos of Russia last year. overcast, 9F Sat, 29 Apr 2006 12:07:05 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/11415/ We leave Minnesota in a few hours. Good bye spring and summer, hello ice. However, the latest satellite image from our departure point off the north coast of Ellesemere Island shows spring coming to the Arctic as well. sunny 50 degrees F Thu, 27 Apr 2006 01:47:25 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/11276/ One week. That's it. However, amazingly enough, things are relatively calm. Our new Jytte hats arrived as did our Rudy Project Sunglasses (they're very cool by the way). Perhaps our tranquility is due in part to Greenpeace's technology genius Mike Johnson's arrival in Grand Marais. overcast, 50 degrees F. Fri, 21 Apr 2006 11:58:30 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/11037/ The important news first and then the details. Thanks to all who attended our going away party. Our canoes, food and gear are on their way to Resolute Bay, Nunavut, and lastly, we are going to be on the Tonight Show on Thursday the 13th. Sunny and 45 F Tue, 11 Apr 2006 10:37:09 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/10764/ It's been over three and a half years since the One World Expedition crystallized from grain to full fledged expedition. In that time, we've faced many challenges, and despite outward appearances, the least of which involve our actual 2005 attempt. Traveling on the ice is relatively easy compared to the mountain of planning and preparing required to organize a major expedition. As with last year, it will be a big relief to finally step on the ice. Cloudy, 38 degrees F. Sat, 01 Apr 2006 23:39:39 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/10697/ One World Expedition headquarters received some much needed reinforcements last week. Straight from California, boxes and boxes. and boxes of Clif bars. (If you look close enough, you can even spot the polar explorer in the picture.) With our departure looming only a few weeks away, we were pleased to have this valuable shipment finally arrive. Sunny and 40 degrees F Thu, 30 Mar 2006 00:36:28 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/10432/ It may be a bit of a stretch, but sorting out all our equipment, clothing and gear is more nostalgic journey than expedition preparation. Most of our supplies were stored at the end of last summer, and now opening up the different bags and containers for the first time in so many months, we have been time traveling between past and future, then back to the present. sunny 35 degrees F Sun, 19 Mar 2006 20:28:40 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/10176/ With only six weeks until our Minnesota departure date, we have few idle moments. First and foremost, we are still fundraising to fulfill our remaining budget requirements. There are several opportunities to help. Join us in Greenland, come to our going away party, attend the Duluth, Minn. Aquarium fundraiser event or contribute directly or online. Overcast 32 F Wed, 08 Mar 2006 10:03:52 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/9629/ We're just two average guys from northern Minnesota trying to make our way across 1,250 miles of shifting sea ice and open ocean. Last year, when we took this picture, we began to wonder: are we tough enough? overcast 15 degrees F Mon, 13 Feb 2006 07:04:40 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/9369/ You might think that sitting in an office and working on the computer is not the kind of training critical to Arctic Explorers, but then again, we're not your typical explorers. We like our new Xvests so much that it seems like everything we do is a training for the Arctic Ocean. even checking E-mail?!? 29 degrees F, light snow Fri, 03 Feb 2006 07:21:56 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/8640/ Happy New Year! 2006 - this, we are confident, is our year. Early reports indicate a colder than normal weather pattern hovering over Siberia and Cape Arctichesky which bodes well for our departure in April. overcast, 33 degrees F Tue, 03 Jan 2006 15:13:05 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/8270/ The latest weather reports from the North Shore of Minnesota list snow accumulations of over 16" in some locations. What more could two Arctic Explorers ask for? 32 F and snowing! Thu, 15 Dec 2005 21:46:37 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/7877/ Canada is hosting the first meeting of the Parties involved in the Kyoto Protocol in Montreal, Quebec this week. 10 degrees F, snowing Tue, 29 Nov 2005 21:53:58 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/7590/ It has been a warm fall, unusually so, and we've been wondering if winter would ever arrive on the North Shore. Well, yesterday it happened - our first real snowstorm of the year. sunny and 9F Thu, 17 Nov 2005 07:04:10 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/7238/ While Lonnie may look a bit like a claymation figure from the '70s, he's actually trying the team's new Helly Hansen dry suit on for size. Gumby would be proud with the fit. Sunny, 40 F Tue, 01 Nov 2005 07:02:19 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/6910/ From Eric: There's no place like home. After over two months at sea aboard the Greenpeace ship, Arctic Sunrise, it feels great to be home. My time on board was incredible with stops in Greenland, Canada and the east coast of the United States. I really felt like I was able to continue OWE's mission to create awareness of Global Warming and promote clean energy solutions. Thanks again to everyone at Greenpeace for the incredible experience. Sunny, 40 F Tue, 18 Oct 2005 07:55:36 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/6675/ We've almost stopped counting the times that we've been to New York. Last tally: five since April. This visit, however, was unusually special as the Arctic Sunrise sailed up the East River and docked at Chelsea Piers for the Greenpeace open boats and Project Thin Ice party. sunny and warm Tue, 04 Oct 2005 06:10:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/6402/ Has it been so long? After over a month of separation, we were reunited in Boston for Greenpeace fundraising event on board the Arctic Sunrise. Rainy and warm Fri, 23 Sep 2005 06:18:21 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/6214/ From Eric: When I close my eyes I can still see ice bergs - towering, massive chunks of glacier floating in the sea. The images of Greenland are strong in my mind despite the hot September air. After nearly a month touring Greenland and Canada, I am almost back in the U.S. I am excited about this next leg of my journey and looking forward to talking with people about some of the things I have seen. Did you know that if the Greenland ice cap were to melt completely that sea levels would rise 7 meters? The sail on the Arctic Sunrise from Halifax to outside Boston (where we are currently anchored) was uneventful which, as I am learning, is how an ocean transit should be. I continue to learn new skills on board. I have also met a new batch of interesting people as new crew members joined in Halifax. Today, we were all treated to a series of whale sightings that awed everyone on board, even our sea-hardened captain. sunny and warm Thu, 15 Sep 2005 04:30:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/6048/ Lonnie writes: I spoke at Cape Cod Community College in Barnstable Sept. 6. While there I endorsed the proposed Cape Wind farm, a project to install 130 energy-efficient wind turbines in Nantucket Sound. On a more practical expedition note, I hope to start training again with the tires October 1 and also work full time in the office. Of course, there are more interesting activities in life, but pulling upwards of three tires at a time is an important aspect of our training. sunny and warm Wed, 07 Sep 2005 20:16:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/5618/ It's hard for me to imagine that little over two weeks ago I was still tucked snugly in the comfort and convenience of Grand Marais, Minn. Little did I know when I accepted Greenpeace's offer to join the Arctic Sunrise on the West coast of Greenland what I was in for. partly cloudy, 60 F Tue, 23 Aug 2005 17:42:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/5589/ The Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise just completed its tour of Greenland, investigating and documenting the latest evidence of global warming. The Arctic Sunrise now travels to Canada to begin the third phase of Project Thin Ice-a tour down the East Coast of the United States. The purpose of this tour is highlighting solutions to global warming, namely the use of cleaner, climate-friendly forms of energy such as offshore wind. This photo is from a recent activity in Nantucket Sound, where Greenpeace is working and organizing in the Cape Cod area to promote the Cape Wind project, which would be the first offshore wind farm in the United States. Photo copyright Warshaw/Greenpeace. Ann, expedition manager, sunny, 85 F Mon, 22 Aug 2005 10:28:45 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/5324/ The One World Team is spanning the globe to continue their commitment to global warming. Recently, Lonnie made a trip to Long Beach, California to support another campaign. The events were a huge success as the group influenced the CSU Trustees and Chancellor's Office to push their goals further in the direction of clean energy. cloudy 60 F Wed, 10 Aug 2005 04:43:10 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/5159/ Satellite data for the month of June show Arctic sea ice has shrunk to a record low, raising concerns about climate change, coastal erosion, and changes to wildlife patterns. too warm! Wed, 03 Aug 2005 01:32:09 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4895/ Dramatic discovery Confirms Scientists' Predictions of Accelerated Global Warming Press Release Tue, 26 Jul 2005 10:48:38 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4793/ The One World team is definitely not idle. Lonnie is in California for several speaking engagements and to talk more about Global Warming and Eric is in Wisconsin on a similar mission. Meanwhile, John Hoelscher visits his old Greenland friends. sunny, 65 F (in Grand Marais) Wed, 20 Jul 2005 23:05:45 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4684/ Sure it's 85 degrees and as hot as it ever gets in Grand Marais, but that isn't stopping us from thinking about the future. On July 18, 2006 OWE will make another summer attempt at crossing the ocean's broken sea ice from the North Pole to Cape Morris Jessup, Greenland. Sunny, 85 F Tue, 12 Jul 2005 21:05:07 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4605/ My daily duties on board the ship have been to be on Watch twice daily for 4 hours, maintenance to the ship's equipment and field training and logistics support for the science programs. I have been training some crew in glacier travel, safety in the field and Greenlandic customs and way of life up here. 40 F light wind Tue, 05 Jul 2005 09:11:38 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4527/ Though the expedition was unsuccessful in dealing with the ocean conditions off the Russian coastline, it was successful in reaching our main goal of bringng attention to Global Warming issue. cloudy, showers, 65 F Mon, 27 Jun 2005 12:51:49 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4499/ Life does not stop for very long. In Grand Marais, we are already busy with planning and preparation for the summer of 2006 - One World Expedition, the next step. Please keep posted for more exciting information on this upcoming expedition. sunny 70 F Wed, 22 Jun 2005 07:29:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4445/ You are probably wondering what it was like out there on the Arctic Ocean so far away. We would like to share some of our experiences with you so that you can better understand the conditions that we faced. sunny, 65F Wed, 15 Jun 2005 11:30:27 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4418/ It's hard to believe we are home - especially since we almost didn't make it. A four hour train ride from Washington D.C. to New York, another hour on the subway and then our flight was cancelled?!? We were beginning to wonder if we would ever be able to come home. Everything everywhere just seemed difficult. sunny, 65 F Mon, 13 Jun 2005 12:00:36 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4390/ It's not that we don't like the East Coast, Washington D.C. and New York and it's not that we don't like the warm weather, either. (Well, actually, we are having a hard time dealing with the humidity.) But Dorothy knew what she was talking about when she philosophised, "There's no place like home." partly sunny, 80 F Fri, 10 Jun 2005 14:20:35 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4381/ We really enjoyed our time in NYC, but with nearly 1.5 million people passing through Times Square each day, it was a relief to finally leave. Sure we are still in a city, but it is a smaller city and we have many friends here. sunny and 85 F Thu, 09 Jun 2005 12:42:39 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4372/ From one extreme to the other. We are in New York City and literally melting in the 91-degree heat. Walking down the street and getting into a cab makes us both wish we had brought a little bit of Arctic weather back with us. Sunny and an unbelievable 91 F Wed, 08 Jun 2005 12:32:14 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4365/ It was amazing to be in Moscow, a place that not too long ago was completely off limits to most Americans. We went for a short walk before taking off and were impressed by the clean streets and ornately decorated buildings and fountains. sunny 75F Tue, 07 Jun 2005 11:30:52 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4354/ Lonnie and Eric are traveling today from Moscow to New York, and were unable to post a message. Check back tomorrow for the latest news. Mon, 06 Jun 2005 07:51:30 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4321/ "Dear friends," Alex VICAAR Agency's second in command begins. It is how he begins nearly every big announcement for us. "We leave in 20 minutes for Moscow." Mostly sunny and 52F Sun, 05 Jun 2005 05:53:53 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4311/ We stayed the night at Golomiannyi weather station near Sredniy airstrip, and not long after arriving, one of the local furry residents, (not one of the two station huskies) came to greet us. Oh my God! Not another polar bear...yes, so we had to scare that one away. We are really wondering if they are attracted to us, but no doubt we need a shower. Partly sunny, 40 F Sat, 04 Jun 2005 10:52:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4299/ Eric and I were airlifted off the ice today, June 3. I want to share my reasoning for making the decision to end the expedition. There are vast areas of thin ice and slushy leads too thick to canoe across and too thin to cross by skis. This combined with the unusually deep snow has thwarted our efforts to go forward. In addition, the month-early breakup of the ocean sea ice caused multiple breaks in the ice and our backward drift early on in the expedition. I have concluded that summer has hit this region early, making travel extremely dangerous at best. There is also a fuel shortage for Russian helicopters to provide adequate search and rescue, as well as their inability to fly in fog. Lonnie's own words Fri, 03 Jun 2005 10:41:12 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4294/ Eric followed the tracks of the polar bear that visited us yesterday. They led to one of those leads that have been so tough for us--ice too thick to swim through, too thin to walk on. It appeared that the bear just dove through the ice and swam under it to get to the other side. What incredible animals to be so adapted to this brutal environment. Rain, sleet, fog, 29 F Thu, 02 Jun 2005 09:51:52 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4278/ No written journal entry today, but listen to Eric's audio report on the electronic gadgetry that makes it possible to do these updates. warm, humid Wed, 01 Jun 2005 06:39:40 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4271/ We had another furry visitor today--a curious polar bear approached our tent. It was about 30 feet from us when we scared it away by shooting off five flares. I'm sure our yelling didn't hurt, either. Photo courtesy Rolex Awards/Marc Latzel. Warm and damp Tue, 31 May 2005 08:15:35 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4256/ It's Memorial Day. We're staying put in our tent today because it's raining. Puddles of water are pooling on our canoe covers when I look outside; special thanks to our waterproof Hilleberg tent with the high sides, it's keeping us dry here. Warm and rainy Mon, 30 May 2005 09:33:22 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4254/ The sun is out again today and it is really bright. Actually it is downright hot; intense -unforgiving. Luckily, we have brought an ample supply of sunscreen provided by one of our sponsors, Dermatone. It works really well and a little goes a long way, which for us is really important. The other thing we like about Dermatone's Z-cote is the smell. Every time we open up the container we are immediately transported to a warm tropical beach. Sunny and warm Sun, 29 May 2005 09:09:59 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4251/ The south facing sides of the blue blocks of pressured ice are beginning to melt. Their undersides have formed long dripping icicles, and the surface of the snow has become sticky at midday. The wind is blowing at about 50 mph and actually ripples the water in the open lead. Sat, 28 May 2005 08:46:39 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4248/ We've had some pretty scary experiences with polar bears- three different encounters in the first week. Once we actually had a bear sneaking up on us while we were setting up camp, that next morning a bear came into actual camp while we were in the tent and pounced on our tent while we were in it, and then a few days later we had a very aggressive polar bear coming into camp and threatening us before we were able to scare it away. Here's a shot of our ski next to a bear track. 36 F, overcast Fri, 27 May 2005 09:48:44 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4238/ The first thing we noticed today when getting out of the tent was the obvious change in snow consistency. It was wet and packable, which means warmer temperatures, and we were definitely surprised to find a 36 degree reading on our electronic Brunton weather station. Here's a pic of us cooking in the tent. 36 F overcast Thu, 26 May 2005 08:54:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4231/ OK, so today wasn't really a vacation day, but it's as close as it gets for us here on this jumbled mess of pressured ice we call the Arctic Ocean. Our schedule allowed us four hours of rest which we desperately needed. That meant we only traveled four hours today. With our drift now pushing us south and west that means we made two miles. Of course, we'll probably lose that gain by morning, but for now it's a small victory. Here's a shot of Lonnie scouting ice. 28 F, partly sunny and fog Wed, 25 May 2005 11:29:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4220/ It's not much, but it's home. It's also not very spacious. But weighing in at only 3.5 pounds, and with a set up time of under a minute, even in the worst of conditions, it is one of the best tents we have ever used. Our Hilleberg tent is a welcome sight after a day of hard struggle. Today we traveled about 2 miles. This is a shot of us in the tent from our training trip on Hudson Bay last year. Photo courtesy Rolex Awards/Mark Latzel. Deep snow Tue, 24 May 2005 10:47:41 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4205/ The day started brutally slow and grueling as we negotiated through a jumbled mess of pressured ice and leads. We seemed to move east and west as much as north. Then it was onto some of the largest pans we've been on so far - almost two hours of travel without crossing a lead. It was truly amazing. Here's a shot taken this winter of what our dry suits look like. overcast, 20F Mon, 23 May 2005 09:37:29 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4190/ We are trudging across a literal and figurative sea of ice. This white expanse seems to go on forever. To us, it is infinite. The only thing over each horizon is more snow and more ice. This photo is our Brunton Solar Roll recharging the batteries for our electronics. 25 F, cloudy, east wind, snow Sun, 22 May 2005 09:21:21 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4184/ Our sunglasses are working great, even more so now with the 1/16" of frozen sleet that accumulated on our lenses. Just when we thought it couldn't get worse, it did. Our word to describe our surroundings today: bleak. However, we managed to cover a little over 6 miles nonetheless. 30 F, cloudy, east wind, sleet Sat, 21 May 2005 10:37:00 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4180/ Today, it seemed as if all the Arctic had taken a break from trying to prevent our success. Sure, there were the usual awful pressure ice and semi-frozen leads, but at least today was sunny and calm, a first. We spent the whole morning trying to avoid leads, but ended up catamaranning our boats and paddling across four of them. Of course, most were semi-frozen which really slowed us down. 25 F, very sunny Fri, 20 May 2005 08:02:30 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4177/ Inhospitable - that's the best word we've found to describe the Arctic - at least for us. Polar bears may feel otherwise, but we've already had too many encounters with those. 20 f overcast blowing snow Thu, 19 May 2005 03:40:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4171/ As you may know, we are partnered with the University of Maine's Climate Change Institute. The snow samples we collect will be used to measure changes that are occurring in the chemistry of the Arctic atmosphere, as well as climate change. Upon our return, the samples will be analyzed for "major ions," oxygen and hydrogen isotopes, and trace metals. Photo courtesy Rolex/Marc Latzel. 32 F, progress slow, pressure ridges Wed, 18 May 2005 11:19:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4167/ Ice conditions are horrible and there are leads everywhere. We both fell through bad ice today. We also managed to make some northerly progress, about a mile and a half, but will be surprised if it isn't erased by morning. Still, we are getting better at traveling more efficiently. More info in today's audio update. 25 F overcast Tue, 17 May 2005 09:34:31 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4164/ Given the choice, we'd much rather have a polar bear jump on our tent than get pushed backwards by a strong south- easterly ice drift. Of course, we already had a polar bear jump on the front end of our tent. And for the past four days we have been drifting on a huge counterclockwise gyro of sea ice. So, as you can see, we don't always have a full vote. 20 f overcast Mon, 16 May 2005 06:02:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4161/ Many people would answer that question with a resounding "yes." But Dr. Gloria Leon, a psychology professor at the University of Minnesota, wants a little more data before drawing that conclusion. She's studying us as well as our partners left behind. 42 F, soft slushy snow Sun, 15 May 2005 07:52:59 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4156/ Check out today's audio entry for Lonnie's account of their first polar bear encounter. Soft slushy snow Sat, 14 May 2005 10:07:52 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4151/ We were about to write how this has been our best progress forward to date...how we covered almost four miles and how our small boats performed nicely in the water. We are in the tent after a long day in a big snowstorm. Instead, we just took out the GPS and found that we've actually drifted further back than where we started yesterday. We had drifted almost a half mile north the night before and with a strong south wind blowing all day, our lack of progress can only be blamed on the fact that it's Friday the 13th. 20 f snowing Fri, 13 May 2005 09:52:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4140/ It is hard to gain perspective standing in pressured ice as far as the eye can see. For us, there are two ways to solve this dilemma - understand that this is only our third day out or climb up on a tall piece of ice. Today was full of both. We have been relaying our canoe sleds forward one at a time. There is so much pressure that it would be impossible to move them alone. Lonnie has been doing the lion's share of the work as my (Eric's) cold was at its worst this morning. 15 F overcast Thu, 12 May 2005 08:08:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4136/ Today is a day that we wouldn't like to repeat. All day was a struggle. The lead we were hoping to be open ended up being covered with an inch of new ice. It was what we had most feared - ice too thin to ski across, yet too thick to paddle through. We ended up spending nearly the entire day skirting a mile-wide-by-three-miles-long lead. It was brutal travel at best, and in the end we progressed only a half mile toward the pole after seven hours of grueling travel. 15 F overcast Wed, 11 May 2005 09:20:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4116/ Slowly we have cut ties with the outside world. Of course the transition was not abrupt, but happened in subtle stages. First, we left Minnesota, then New York, and after that Moscow. Now, here we are on the Arctic Ocean all alone. 15 F sunny Tue, 10 May 2005 08:22:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4097/ It's a good thing our mothers didn't see the plane we flew in today. Several key safety features were a bit suspect as was one of the crew members who took an emergency bottle of oxygen off the wall, hooked up a mask and took a few long pulls. Landing in Sredny was a bit foreboding as well with two crashed planes alongside the runway. Needless to say, we arrived safely at weather station Golomiannyi outside of Sredny and we are poised to depart tomorrow morning. 5 F cloudy Mon, 09 May 2005 10:26:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4093/ It's not quite house arrest, but it's close. We remain here in Dikson - still, unable to leave as conditions for flying are nearly whiteout. While the rest of the group, John, Melanie and Mark are able to go outside, we must not leave because our visas already state that we have left the country and can not return. Therefore, we have spent the entire day inside staring at the ceiling. 10 F cloudy Sun, 08 May 2005 07:12:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4084/ We tried to leave Norilsk at noon today, but we ended up at the airport, waiting, for over five hours. We are now in Dikson, a sea port in the middle of the Arctic. Before perestroika, the population here was 100,000. Today it is 1,000. It is amazingly run down, yet the people we've met have been incredibly nice. 10 F cloudy Sat, 07 May 2005 09:58:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4068/ For a while, it seemed like the red sea was parting before our very eyes - but that part of the story comes later. Our flight from JFK to Moscow was relatively uneventful and we arrived in Moscow on a sunny and warm 70 degree F afternoon. As we made our way to customs, we silently prayed that all our baggage had arrived safely and that our electronic equipment would pass through without notice. This is one of the things we most worried about since leaving Minnesota. 10 F sunny Fri, 06 May 2005 02:30:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4051/ No more Minnesota and this is an image of our last few hours in New York. What's next? Stage three: an Aeroflot flight to Moscow 55 F cloudy Wed, 04 May 2005 17:38:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/4020/ Tuesday, Tuesday. the day nudged gingerly before Wednesday and after Monday. What is so remarkable about Tuesday? For us, everything. Tuesday, May 3 marks the beginning and the end. 50 F sunny Tue, 03 May 2005 21:30:35 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3992/ Our lives boiled down look like this. All of our personal gear fits in these few bags. This sifting is representative of everything that we are doing. The chaff is gone and all that remais are a few basic components. Our minds can focus only on today and tomorrow. Our future will be winnowed away later. 45 F cloudy, scattered flurries Mon, 02 May 2005 11:05:49 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3978/ John hoelscher has left the building - and the county and state for that matter. John and GREENPEACE`s Josh are now in Wisconsin heading for New York and JFK airport. Along for the ride is our entire life support for the next three and a half months of our lives. Canoes, stoves, food and more are now tooling merrily down I-90 and a new adventure. Big Apple look out! 40 F cloudy Sun, 01 May 2005 17:50:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3960/ Can you say crazy? Good, I thought you could. It has been an energy packed few days - to say the least. After a fantastic send off party in Lutsen, we packed our city clothes for a visit to New York City. The One world contingent included expedition manager Ann Possis, her husband Clyde Hanson and of course, Sarah Allen and Kelly Dupre. 40 F overcast Fri, 29 Apr 2005 09:19:32 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3820/ It is now a matter of days before the expedition departs Minnesota. On Saturday, we were able to celebrate with many of the sponsors, friends and relatives who have helped us over the past two and a half years. Even our mothers, Kate Cartier (left) and Judy Larsen (right), showed up to offer more of their unconditional love. The Bon Voyage Bash at Papa Charlie's in Lutsen was a huge success and a good time was had by all. 50 F sunny Mon, 25 Apr 2005 04:40:36 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3798/ Sure it's not the North Pole, but Grand Marais is as good as place as any to test our communications equipment. Yesterday we spent the afternoon with Greenpeace's tech-guru Mike Johnson. With only two weeks until our departure, it is imperative that all of our electronic equipment is functioning properly, 'bomb proof,' and easy to use. 45 F partly cloudy Fri, 22 Apr 2005 08:54:53 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3737/ Ann Possis is really racking up the frequent flyer miles lately. Her newest adventure finds her flying the friendly skies on her way to the Big Apple - New York, New York. But why send the 'Possinator' to the 'City that Never Sleeps' when the expedition departure is looming so near and we need her in Grand Marais? It's simple really: official OWE business. 60 F rain Tue, 19 Apr 2005 22:44:19 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3675/ As a member of the prestigious Explorers Club, Lonnie was recently awarded Flag #49 by their board of directors to take on the One World Expedition. While this may seem like a simple gesture, it is one steeped in tradition and history. Sunny and 50 F Fri, 15 Apr 2005 08:52:45 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3623/ We are comfortably nestled back in Grand Marais - at least for now. While we are very focused on getting through the next few weeks and our looming departure, it is hard not to remember our recent visit to Churchill. 50 F partly sunny Sun, 10 Apr 2005 21:13:45 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3599/ While April Fools passed with little high jinx, the newest member of the One World Team arrived in Grand Marais without his bags and little fanfare. John Hoelscher, Lonnie's Greenland Expedition partner and current OWE field logistics manager, has brought his south-of-the-equator Australian drawl and extensive experience to help with the final expedition preparations. 45 F partly sunny Wed, 06 Apr 2005 16:04:05 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3557/ A few days and a modest 100 degree temperature change later, we are now in sunny San Fransisco. After an unventful train ride back to Winnipeg and then home to Grand Marais, we had about 36 hours to unpack, check e-mails and pack again. Our time in Churchill, it seems, now was way too short. Sunny, 72 degrees F Fri, 01 Apr 2005 14:27:22 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3528/ It's hard to imagine our time in Churchill has nearly come to an end. There have been so many special things about our small adventure. 0 degrees F (-30 windchill) Tue, 29 Mar 2005 14:56:12 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3522/ It's spring now, but you would never guess it. The temperatures seem to have been steadily dropping here on Hudson Bay. Two days ago we traveled nearly 12 miles in sunny skies. Today, the weather is decidedly different. Each morning seems to be an exercise in willpower. Lonnie, especially, gets extra kudos for lighting the stove - easily the worst task of the day. Getting out of the tent and packing up is not much fun either. However, once moving, we tend to warm up quickly. Of course, the trick then is to avoid sweating. To remedy this we were sometimes even skiing in just our long underwear. Today, we had to contend with cold temperatures (around 0 F) and steady winds from the northwest. Of course, this was also the direction in which we were traveling. The problems compounded quickly. First, we need to wear enough clothes to protect us from the wind and keep warm. Then, we have to keep our faces covered to avoid frostbite, which in turn, makes it difficult to see and consequently navigate. At any rest break, we immediately have to put our warm coats on. Our bodies cool quickly and we can only stop for a few minutes before we're freezing. Spring has not quite arrived in Hudson Bay. Then there are polar bears. Earlier in the week, Lonnie and I had a bit of a laugh. Nearly asleep, we heard a slac move outside. Then, quiet - then another noise. I yelled out and ripped the zipper open to get at the shotgun. Lonnie grabbed the flare gun. In the end, it was just the wind. The same wind that has been making our mornings cold, our faces tighten and life generally difficult. 0 degrees F (-35 windchill) Mon, 28 Mar 2005 20:18:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3494/ At 2:30 today we ran into a large section of severely pressured ice. Looking for a route through, we climbed on top of huge ice slabs folded on end. For as far as we could see, there was pressure. It would be impossible to get our slacs through that mess. 15? F partly sunny Mon, 21 Mar 2005 07:44:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3493/ Once the film crew left, we took our first break to eat lunch. The slacs had arrived just that morning and we were able to take full advantage of them as arctic chairs. 15? F whiteout Sun, 20 Mar 2005 07:40:00 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3466/ "Did you feel that?" It was 4:30 am and we riding on a Via Ria train toward Churchill, Manitoba for two weeks of training and testing gear. A sharp jolt followed by a series of loud bumps made us understandably nervous. 10° F overcast Fri, 18 Mar 2005 06:07:44 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3434/ You're trying to cross what? When? What is it like up there? Are you crazy? Mon, 14 Mar 2005 15:58:59 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3439/ Seven pairs of boots and nearly $4,000 later. The team's footwear is is still under evaluation. Sat, 12 Mar 2005 15:48:01 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3418/ What would you pack for a three and a half month adventure on the Arctic Ocean? Sarah Allen, expedition graphic designer, added her elbow grease last week and divided nearly 20 gallons of powdered energy drink. Also divvied out were four gallons of olive oil, 20 pounds of dried salami, 25 pounds of dried caribou, a mountain of powdered goat's milk, 300 dried rye bread rounds, more oatmeal than you can shake a stick at and much more. Tue, 08 Mar 2005 19:34:38 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3374/ Training in Grand Marais - take 207. If the expedition were a movie, the director would be getting a bit tired of all the different 'takes'. The team's relentless training schedule finds them in all sorts of odd situations day after day after day. Lake Superior has proven to be an ideal location for testing equipment and travel strategies. Thu, 24 Feb 2005 17:49:13 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3373/ Ten years ago, Eric spent over a month north of Great Slave Lake dog sledding across the tundra. Seems like just yesterday. Of course the large collar, royal blue fleeces aren't quite as fashionable as they once were. And the hair? Its pre-pony tail length with a four-week grease factor. Hey, you can't blame the guy - it was the '90s. The Internet barely even existed. From those humble beginnings, Eric has gone on to dogsled over 10,000 miles in locales ranging from Michigan to Montana to Hudson Bay. Wed, 16 Feb 2005 17:48:35 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3372/ With temperatures hovering at a balmy -10 degrees F, the One World Team spent a few hours playing in Lake Superior. The cool dip was a welcome break (if you can believe that) from the strenuous business of fundraising. Appearing in Salt Lake City at the Outdoor Retailer and at several talks in Minneapolis, Minn. Lonnie and Eric have been more like road warriors than polar explorers. Mad Max look out!The numbers don't lie. Mon, 07 Feb 2005 17:47:55 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3371/ The One World Team would like to introduce Joel Sheagren. He has been shooting commercially for advertising for 25 years. His photography draws on the pulse of the human spirit. He uses the sense of place, environment and natural lighting to give an epic feeling to an assignment, whether it's commercial or personal work. Achieving photography awards since 1991, his photography is currently being honored in the American Photography 2004, published in America 24/7's book called Minnesota 24/7 and republished in the second printing of Selina Oppenhiem's Portfolios That Sell. Tue, 25 Jan 2005 17:47:08 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3370/ Russian Victor Boyarsky will be handling all OWE logistics and permits in Russia. Anything that happens in the Russian sector of the expedition (from Moscow to the start at Cape Arctichesky to the North Pole) is Victor's domain. This means all travel, cargo and helicopter logistics for placement of the expedition team at the Cape as well as search and rescue in case of emergency. While the expedition intends to complete an unsupported crossing, Victor will aid in coordination of rescue flights from Russian ice breakers if needed. Lonnie and Eric will depart on May 11. Their expected arrival at the Pole: July 11. The team then hopes to finish at Ward Hunt Island, Canada, in mid-August. No problem! Of course without Victor's help, getting to the starting point would be even more difficult. Fri, 07 Jan 2005 17:45:50 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3369/ What do you get when you cross two polar explorers, below zero temperatures and Lake Superior? If they're wearing specially modified Kokatat dry suits, then you get two completely dry and warm explorers. Mon, 20 Dec 2004 17:45:00 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3421/ Lonnie and Eric recently made an appearance at North House Folk School’s Winterer’s Gathering in Grand Marais, Minn. Lonnie instructed a full day course on what he knows best – winter camping! It was a great chance for folks to learn some of Lonnie’s secrets and see One World’s gear like Brunton’s solar roll first hand. Eric presented a short seminar on winter training tips and capped off the show with a tire pulling contest. Just wait – people everywhere will be pulling tires. It’s soon to be latest fitness craze. Wed, 24 Nov 2004 19:43:49 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3440/ On a Midwest tour that stretched from Grand Marais to Chicago, Lonnie and Eric hit the road last week to spread the One World word. Pati Holman and Paul Mozina hosted a fundraising evening at Lapham Peak State Park located just outside of Milwaukee, Wis. Who knew that southeastern Wisconsin was an explorers' mecca? Of special note were the posters (shown at left with Pati and Paul) Great Big Pictures, Inc. made specifically for the event.Also included in Lonnie and Eric's whirlwind tour was a stop at Chicago's esteemed Adventurers Club. With honorary members like Edmund Hillary, Theodore Roosevelt and Ernest Shackleton, the One World team was definitely in good company.The list of guests was equally impressive. Lonnie and Eric met adventurers who had traveled the world. Zbigniew Bzdak (pictured right) was the photographer for the first full descent of the Amazon River. Andrew Pietowski (pictured left) led a National Geographic expedition to find the true source of the Amazon in 2000. Wed, 10 Nov 2004 18:51:33 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3441/ The Adventure Duluth race featured the worst and best of Minnesota's North Shore. The swim in Lake Superior took place despite a bone-chilling 40-degree temperature. The mountain bikers raced up Spirit Mountain Ski Area and trail runners faced unforgiving rock trails and muddy lowlands near the St. Louis River and Jay Cooke State Park.The race was organized more like a relay race than a traditional adventure race. Therefore, each member of Big Swamp Adventure was responsible for competing in two events. Eric Larsen completed the mountain bike and inline skate sections of the race. In the bike, he had the third best time out of nearly 70 competing riders. The team finished the six events with a total accumulative time of 6 hours 29 minutes 42 seconds. Mon, 18 Oct 2004 18:52:52 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3442/ A sunny October day and unusually calm Lake Superior provided the backdrop for the One World Expedition's fundraising evening at North House Folk School in Grand Marais. The event was particularly special for Lonnie and Eric, as it was a great opportunity to give thanks for all the great community support.Festivities started with a lakeside cook out and silent auction. There were many familiar faces and lots of new ones as well. Lonnie and Eric took the stage with their One World show. New slides from Lonnie's icebreaker trip to the Pole and Rolex awards were favorites of the crowd. As usual, the gear show and tell was a big hit as well. The expedition presentations provide an excellent format for Lonnie and Eric to educate guests about the upcoming expedition, global warming and the allure of adventure. Fri, 01 Oct 2004 19:37:14 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3443/ On September 29, Polar explorer Lonnie Dupre was named one of five 2004 Rolex Laureates in a ceremony in Paris. The Rolex Awards for Enterprise are given every two years to provide visionary men and women worldwide with the financial support and recognition needed to carry out innovative projects that expand human knowledge or improve the lot of mankind. Over 1,700 people from 117 countries applied for this year's awards, which span five major areas of recognition: exploration and discovery (Dupre's category), science and medicine, technology and innovation, the environment, and cultural heritage.Dupre will use the $100,000 award to help fund the One World Expedition, the first-ever summer crossing of the Arctic Ocean, to highlight global warming. Dupre and teammate Eric Larsen leave in May 2005 from Cape Arctichesky, Siberia, on a 100-day unsupported journey across the geographic North Pole to Ellesmere Island, Canada. No one has attempted a summer crossing of the Arctic Ocean due to the dangerous nature of the crossing because of extreme fog, hypothermic temperatures, and unstable ice conditions. Dupre and Larsen will pull and paddle specially-modified kayaks over 1,200 miles of shifting sea ice and open ocean."I am so thrilled and humbled to be chosen for this honor," Dupre said. "Over one-third of our budget is now covered. We have many wonderful sponsors and a lot of individual donors, as well. We can now begin to shift our focus in part from fundraising to getting the word out about global warming."Dupre and Larsen hope to raise awareness of the growing threat of global climate change, which affects the entire planet but has particular impact on the Earth's delicate polar regions. The amount of ice covering the Arctic Ocean has diminished by 40 percent over the last 40 years. Wed, 29 Sep 2004 19:39:35 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3444/ Troubled when the Yamal stopped a few yards short of the North Pole, Lonnie decided to take the matter into his own hands. (OK, we know it's a bit of a set up. But hey - even polar explorers enjoy a good laugh every now and again.)Lonnie's journey to the Pole began on a definite low note. "Twenty-three foot waves meant that 70% of the passengers were seasick," Lonnie reported. "including me."The shipwide nausea eased considerably when the Yamal encountered the southern extent of the Arctic sea ice halfway past 82 degrees North. From his small cabin window, Lonnie watched as the ship's hull sliced cleanly through a relatively fresh set of polar bear tracks. It was ironic to see the tracks disturbed in such a manner. Lonnie reflected, "It was obvious that there is a new master in the Arctic." Wed, 01 Sep 2004 19:41:43 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3445/ While in Coral Harbor, Lonnie and Eric also made two new Inuit friends Sam Emiktowt and Eepah Netser. They were very generous with their time and resources and kindly allowed us into their lives. We were sad to leave, but spring was rapidly approaching and so were the snow geese. Eepah and Sam were anxious to go hunting. Mon, 01 Mar 2004 19:44:02 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3446/ How do you make an 8 1/2 foot kayak hold nearly 300 pounds of expedition gear? Easy - find a jigsaw and cut off the deck! In order to complete the first summer crossing of the Arctic Ocean, the One World Expedition team will need to be amphibious. That means the kayaks they use will have to be pulled like sleds and be paddled like kayaks. Recently, Lonnie and Eric spent an afternoon cutting off the deck of a creek boat and attaching a homemade spray skirt. The skirt adds extra storage capacity to the boat while still shedding water as it is being paddled. Welding plastic runners to the hull further modified the boat to reduce drag. The end result: an Arctic summer crossing secret weapon. Look out ice pans! Here comes the One World Expedition team. Sun, 01 Feb 2004 19:45:41 +0100 http://www.projectthinice.org/blog/view/3447/ Winter training for a summer expedition? Of course, Lonnie and Eric will be traveling in the summer, but remember that summer across the Arctic Ocean and at the North Pole resembles a Minnesota winter. Lonnie and Eric have progressed from fall training of pulling tires and backpacks full of bricks up the Sawtooth Mountains to pulling kayaks across the frozen lakes of the Boundary Waters. Thu, 01 Jan 2004 19:47:32 +0100