Broken Dreams

The simmering impasse between expedition logistics specialists Cerpolex and the Powers That Be in deepest Siberia seems to have finally imploded, and the three expeditions heading from Russia to the North Pole this spring were all airlifted off the ice today – Ann Daniels, Liv Arnesen and Ann Bancroft and the Poletrack team of Marc Cornelissen, Doug Stoup and Petter Nyquist.

I can't begin to imagine how disappointed and frustrated these guys must be, and my heart goes out to them.

Tony reminded me of the launch of last year's expedition, when we found our progress northwards delayed (for more than a week) by the same shady and intimidatory brand of Russian 'bureaucracy'. We were sat in our hotel room in Khatanga, going through my kitlist for the umpteenth time when I said to him 'maybe we should put it all off until next year'. I'm pretty glad we didn't.

— Filed under Other expeditions