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Expeditions to the North Pole

Expeditions to the North Pole

The spot known as the Geographic North Pole rests atop massive, shifting sheets of polar ice, over 900 km from the nearest land. One consequence of this feature is the difficulty of knowing exactly when one is truly at 90 degrees North. Not only are there no landmarks, the ice itself is moving so quickly that an expedition camping for the night at the Pole can awaken up to four miles away from where they set up camp.

Early expeditions relied upon astronomical navigation and compasses to fix their exact location. This was a time-intensive and error-prone process which made early claims of reaching the Pole sometimes questionable Today, expeditions use the Global Positioning System to quickly pinpoint their exact location. The GPS, as it is known, is a hand-held computer which uses a network of orbiting satellites to determine one"s exact coordinates.

Another peculiarity of Polar Regions is the length of one day. Because of the declination of the Earth, which is responsible for our seasons, the area above the Arctic circleremains in constant sunlight for several months -- the time during which the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the sun. During the Northern Hemisphere"s Fall and Winter months, the North Pole experiences a nearly six month-long night.

 

What a member of the expedition to the North Pole has to know

Expedition to the North Pole - is a complex mission that demands a good physical and psychological preparation. It is always better to enjoy the trek than to suffer of it. In order to estimate your abilities and prepare yourself better, you ought to know what to expect.

Physical exercises:

You are going to drive dogsled or walk on skis up to 8 hours daily for 1-2 days. The ice surface is mostly rugged, making smooth and comfortable sliding pretty unlikely.

Cold:

The air temperature in the Pole vicinity during the expedition period lies usually between -20 C. and -35 C. and it is good if you have endured it in the past. Apart that wind may dramatically increase cooling effect. Daily temperature deviations in the Arctic are not significant in April. Sun neither sets nor rises high over the horizon.

Conclusions:

1. Consult your doctor before making up a decision about expedition to the North Pole.

    

2. Previous experience of the tours, ascents, expeditions and winter camping could prove very useful.

    

3. Doing various winter sports would be very helpful.

    

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