The Final Stretch

Our journey was coming to an end.  In the wee hours of the morning, the ship docked in Murmansk and our captain shook hands with us as we disembarked.  Earlier we asked him, via interpreter, if host Russia would win the World Cup.  He said no, claiming they were better at hockey.  The next day, Croatia knocked them out of the tournament.

We had enough time to tour a bit more of Murmansk before heading to the airport.  It was warm and sunny with blue skies, and the locals were soaking it up, no doubt enjoying every minute they could during their short summer.  We visited a memorial dedicated to the sailors who died when their nuclear submarine sank in the Barents Sea in October, 2000. 

A lighthouse overlooking the Kursk Submarine Memorial (still from video)

A picture-perfect summer day in Russia's northernmost city (still from video)

This time we had no trouble moving through Russian passport control, and our charter flight to Helsiki landed ahead of schedule, which allowed us time to tour parts of the city we hadn't previously seen.  Like in Murmansk, the weather was perfect.  That evening we had a final, celebratory meal, and the next morning we departed for home sweet home, Chicago.

Also a nice day in Helsinki!

It will take some time for us to process what we've experienced over the last 16 days.  We've found that writing this journal has helped us keep things in perspective.  Now we'll begin going through our images and will add some to our posts.  As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Thanks for embarking on this journey with us to the North Pole!

Heading Back

We spent most of an entire day in Franz Josef Land, but it would take much longer if someone wanted to visit the entire archipelago.  It is only accessible by icebreaker, and tourism is severely limited.  It is the northern-most point of the Eastern Hemisphere and 85% is covered in ice.  Most of the islands have never been explored.

Massive glaciers dominate the islands of Franz Josef Land

Early on, conditions were windy, creating fairly large waves that drenched us during near-shore excursions.  We learned long ago to use rain covers on our gear when riding in zodiacs, because salt water and electronics are a bad combination.  But we wanted to get a closer look at some of the features of these islands, including spectacular glaciers, bird colonies, lichen and mosses.  We did get close to a pair of walrus and saw a large pod of whales off in the distance.  In the afternoon, the weather cleared and for the first time since early in the trip, we had some blue sky and sun, which made the scenery even more impressive.

We spotted two walrus and a pod of whales in this bay

In the evening we reached open water, free of ice, and were looking forward to the prospect of smooth sailing ahead.

Blue sky for the first time in ten days!

Nowhere to go but South

When it was time to head out, the captain turned the ship around and hoped to take the original route back, as it would be much smoother and less stressful on his passengers.  But he found that since the ice drifted so far, the path had disappeared.  So it was going to be another violent, ice-crunching, polar smack down on the way to Franz Josef Land, an archipelago of 191 islands, and part of Russian Arctic National Park.

On our way south from 90 degrees latitude

Our first stop was outside a military base surrounded by dense ice, where the Victory crew delivered seasonal provisions via helicopter.  This base is so remote, they count on icebreakers to bring them supplies.  It is regarded as the largest man-made structure in the Arctic Circle.

A time-lapse shot of the helicopter delivering supplies to the Russian base

We visited two islands: Alexandra and Flora, where we had our own opportunity to fly in the ship's helicopter, and to explore the shoreline via zodiac.  Magnificent glaciers dominate the landscape, but also present distinct hazards, when huge chunks of ice fall into the sea, creating dangerous waves.  These are called "calving" events.

Our path through Franz Josef Land

More coming soon . . .

Polar Bears

In a perfect world, polar bears and seals would be friends.  And as visitors to the North Pole, Santa would invite us for lunch, since we traveled all this way to see him. But the harsh reality is we haven't seen Santa's workshop.  That doesn't mean it's not here - it's most likely very well hidden.  And unfortunately, polar bears and seals are not friends.  In fact, bearded seals and ringed seals are the main food source for these apex predators.  Polar bears are not picky, though - they will eat anything to survive, including humans.

We've now seen 15 bears on this journey, and according to an on-board reference providing qualitative data for subjective animal observation, just about every one has been healthy.  This is good news, because it means for the time being, there is a balance in the ecosystem - at least in this part of the arctic.

A healthy, curious polar bear (still from video)

We've spotted numerous polar bears next to openings in the sea ice, where seals come up for air.  They lay flat and perfectly still, patiently waiting for just the right moment to pounce on their next potential meal.  We did not witness an actual kill, and that's OK with us because we like seals, too.

Tomorrow: Nowhere to go but South

The reason there is no permanent marker at the pole

We arrived at approximately 6:20 AM, went down on the ice at 9:00, and by the time we departed 8 hours later, had drifted more than 4 nautical miles.  This came as a surprise because it did not feel as though we were moving at all.  It is also why the North Pole never looks exactly the same, even from one hour to the next.  Sure, you'll see snow, ice and water.  But the landscape is always changing because of strong ocean currents. Which means when the next expedition lands, it may be many hundreds of miles from where we were today.

Note that the sea ice can move up to 20 miles a day, which works out to roughly 600 miles a month.  Amazing!

Passengers in the process of forming a traditional circle at the North Pole

It is a tradition for crew and passengers to form a circle at the pole, which we captured in photos and video from the upper deck.  Afterwards, they also formed a peace sign and the number 100, commemorating this historic journey.  After lunch aboard the ship, many passengers went on guided excursions that took us more than a half mile from our landing site.  As a precaution, armed Russian guards accompanied us, in case we encountered polar bears.  

Armed Russian guards on the lookout for polar bears

These are beautiful but dangerous animals, and on occasion have attacked humans.  Looking out at this frozen world, it's hard to imagine how anything can survive here, especially in winter.  But polar bears are perfectly adapted for this harsh environment.  More about these predators tomorrow.

Happy 4th to everyone!!

What's it like to be at the pole?

When we disembarked and were allowed to roam the ice, the crew set up safety boundaries by placing poles with red flags in places that might be considered hazardous.  This included the perimeter of the ship, since there was open water around it.  Snow was prevalent, with some drifts rising above our knees.  Surprisingly, the layer below the snow was slushy, which is alarming, even though the ice is at least 9 feet thick in most places.  It was downright spooky to think the sea floor lay 3 miles directly below us, and we're walking around on a layer that appeared to be melting.  We had to put our faith in this seasoned crew, believing that as long as we followed their rules, the North Pole would not be our eternal resting place.  Overly dramatic?  Experience it for yourself and share your thoughts!

Later, we had some whiskey in the Victory Saloon and all is well.

Nothing like a drink chilled with a chunk of glacial ice

Will check in again soon with more insights. Thanks for your support!

The North Pole

We made it!  After more than 100 hours of grueling travel since leaving Murmansk, we've finally reached the top of the world.  Announcements were made on the ship P.A. system alerting us that we were getting close, and that we should dress in our cold weather clothing for a champagne toast on the bow.  When we were exactly at 90 degrees latitude, the Geographic North Pole, the captain set off the ship’s horn to commemorate our arrival.  It was time to celebrate and reflect on our journey thus far.

North Pole ceremony on the bow

The crew then prepared to have everyone disembark and take part in planned activities on the ice.  Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate, as it was too cold and windy to have an outdoor BBQ.  But nothing could stop those adventurers who vowed to take a polar plunge into the icy arctic waters.  Our Travel Quest host, Bill, who is always up for a good challenge, was one of the first to dive in, as we captured footage from a zodiac just off shore.  Many people asked us if we were also doing the polar plunge, and our response was always the same - “HELL, NO.”

This is a true polar plunge!

More about our travels in this frozen wilderness tomorrow . . .

Navigating the Arctic Pack Ice

It's taken us 4 whole days to forge a path through the dense, semi-permanent "old" ice, layers of new ice (which is not as thick) and pressure ridges, formed when ice flows collide, creating massive barriers the ship cannot always break through on the first try.  When that happens, there is a brief period of calm, as the icebreaker backs up and then gains enough speed to ram through the ridge.  Otherwise, there is a pervasive wall of sound, like rolling thunder, emanating from the hull, accompanied by jolting shock waves and vibrations so strong it's difficult to even type on the ships' computer to update our journal.  It's similar to experiencing moderate to extreme turbulence on an airplane for days on end.  This makes for very challenging working conditions, as well.  Conducting on-camera interviews is rather comical, as the subjects sway and bounce in their seats.  Hand-held footage, even with image stabilization on, sometimes is barely usable, so a tripod is almost always required. 

Our meals have been delicious, prepared each day by an efficient staff comprised mostly of Germans and Russians.  Even though this ship was not designed with passenger comfort in mind since it is, after all, a working icebreaker, the accommodations are more than adequate for an excursion into the frozen void.

We've seen 6 polar bears so far, including a mother and cub. When certain wildlife is spotted, the captain stops the ship and an announcement is made over the intercom, even if it's 2:00 AM, so passengers can go to the deck to view the animals.

With a little luck, we should reach our destination tomorrow morning!

A Momentous Journey

This morning we received our polar jackets and boots, for those times when we will disembark and explore the arctic waters in zodiacs (inflatable motorized boats) as well as the terrain, including the Franz Josef islands and dense ice environments further north.

We attended a very informative and entertaining lecture, given by one of the staff historians, about the Northwest Passage and Mapping the Arctic.  This gentleman reminds us of Sir Richard Attenborough, and we decided he would be a compelling interview subject. During the lecture, we learned the first time a ship reached the North Pole was in 1977 and that our journey is significant because it is the 100th time an icebreaker is carving a path to 90 degrees latitude, the top of the world.

A well-attended presentation in the Aft Saloon

If anyone has money to spare (lots) and wants to go on an adventure to practically any cold-weather environment on Earth, there are very few companies that can make that happen.  Quark Expeditions is not only our broadcast partner, they are the best polar excursion company in operation today.  They are taking very good care of us!

We are underway!

Due to an unscheduled military exercise occurring off the coast, our agenda was pushed back several hours, which allowed us to take a leisurely tour of Murmansk.  Soviet-era buildings are prevalent in this city of about 300,000, the northernmost in Russia.  The trees here are smaller than they are in other parts of the country, since summer is so short.  In fact, they often have measurable snow as late as the end of June. 

After (barely) clearing security, we boarded the 50 Years of Victory, the crown jewel of the Russian icebreaker fleet.  First up on the agenda was a mandatory intro and safety meeting, followed by dinner.  Mushroom soup, ocean perch, duck, and wine.  Around midnight, we launched into the Barents Sea and by 2:00 AM were in open water.  A steady diet of Dramamine and soup are the only items on the menu, at least for me, until we reach the ice - most likely tomorrow morning. 

We will search for whales, narwhal, and a variety of other arctic fauna, including numerous types of sea birds.  It has become noticeably colder as we head north east, and so the long underwear we packed may soon come into play.

Finland

Landed in Helsinki, where the weather is quite comfortable.  Being so far north, this time of year the sun rises at 4:00 AM and sets around 11:00 PM, so the hotels have black-out curtains, since it is bright most of the day.  Up at the pole, the sun rises and sets only once A YEAR.  So in the summer it is always light, and in the winter it is perpetually dark.  Think about it!

Traditional Finnish Architecture

Anyone who has traveled abroad knows there's always a chance of having your checked luggage lost in transit, especially when connecting flights are involved.  Over the years we've seen it all too often, and unfortunately this time it happened to our Travel Quest Host/Co-Executive Producer, Bill Ball.  So we'll need to modify our itinerary in Helsinki to include a shopping trip for clothes and other necessities, in case his bag doesn't make it before we depart for Murmansk, Russia.  When we've gone that far all bets are off, as the only way he could have his possessions in time is if they are brought in by helicopter, and even though he is a big-time television star, that is unlikely to happen!  Stay tuned . . .

Travel Day!

This afternoon, we will catch a flight to the beautiful city of Helsinki, Finland, which we’ll have a chance to tour before heading to Russia’s northernmost city, Murmansk.  This is where we’ll embark on our voyage to the North Pole aboard 50 Years of Victory, the world’s largest and most powerful nuclear ice breaker.  We will be capturing footage for two episodes of our television series Travel Quest while exploring this rarely-visited and remote destination.  As a final note, we will check back in whenever possible.  Thanks for following us on our journey!

Prepping for our North Pole Expedition

Starting tomorrow, 6/22, we'll make regular blog entries (as bandwidth allows)