After a sometimes frustrating delay the Arctic Fox Mission departed Longyearbyen today for the Arctic Ocean. When they touched down on the ice runway they were excited and relieved to be there! Remember, they had already flown nearly the whole distance several days ago before having to turn back due to a crack in the runway.
The Borneo basecamp and runway from the air.
Unloading the plane.
After a warm dinner served by the Borneo staff the team wasted no time in heading North. They skied several miles during which time they made good progress across the ice. The team is excited, energized, and happy to be on the move. The sun was out and the temperature was minus 27 degrees with a slight wind from the south east.
Heading North!
From this point on the team will travel 6-10 hours a day, in some of the harshest conditions on the planet. They will navigate around open water "leads" and pressure ridges of ice. Each day, and each hour will bring new and different challenges. Make sure to listen to the daily audio report from the team, and check back again tomorrow for another update from the ice!
