Personal Equipment

Some days ago we received the final amount of weight we can carry along on the expedition. Personal being clothes, medication and toiletries: 7kg! Luckily boots not included - their weight is about 2,5kg. We will be wearing them on the plane.
Our personal bag, which is only part of what we will pull in the sled or pulka, will contain: underwear (2 slips and 2 long sleeve shirts of merina wool - luckily the label says "no stink"), 2 pair thermal long pants, 2 thin fleeces (100), 2 thick fleeces (300), fleece pants, GoreTex coat and pants, 2 pair of anti-friction socks, 2 pair of thick socks, thin gloves that dry fast, thick gloves, down mittens, pair of surgery gloves - to be put on bare skin to keep the rest of the hand layers dry - and for our head and face: thin balaclava, thick balaclava, snow mask, neck gaiter, hat, gletsjer glasses and snow glasses. As toiletries the list is quite limited: small toothbrush and paste, small light weight towel, sun cream, multipurpose hydrating creme, lip cream, compeed, anti bacterial creme, analgestic cream, and our personal medication. This all put together in a small waterproof bag. Clothes packed in seperate compression bags to reduce volume.
Rest of the sled will be stuffed with common equipment and other gear that is provided by our expedition leader Dixie. More about that later.

Cold Water Swimming

Many people, when telling that I'm member of the ice bear club, asking me if I'm crazy and telling they think they would freeze to death. I can assure that it's very healthy and when coming out of the water you get a glow from the inside of your body that makes you feel warm and very good. The first dive I did was last year on Jan 1st. 2009. We were in the Ardennen and it was one of the coldest days that year. As in plenty of cities and villages, they organized a new year's swim in the lac de L'Eau d'Heure. As I decided already some time before participating the expedition to the North Pole, I wanted to give it a try. First a 5 km run, and then into the water. Outside temperature was about -10C, water temperature 4C. As there were not that many participants and I stayed a bit longer than the rest in the water, I was interviewed by a camera crew of RTL and the item was broadcasted in the new of 7 o'clock.

This dive was the trigger to become member of an outdoor swimming club, the Deurnse IJsberen. Every week on Tuesday, between 6.30 and 7pm we swim in an ecological pond in a gorgeous park, where it's oh so silent and the smell of the trees and the fresh water make you high. Last week, the oldest member - she's 85 years young - stopped. The darkness in the park and the slippery paths made her insecure.

New Arrivals

Today I could pick up the last gear I needed. My third layer of mittens and the second - thick - balaclava. I'm soo happy with my new stuff! My friend Gert was so kind as to bring them from the US where this brand is much cheaper than in Europe. The balaclava is fleece with a windstopper TM layer and above a much thinner one, it will protect us from temperatures of -40°C. It can be put open if you want to have more air, but in extreme windy conditions it protects the nose from freezing off. My mittens are the best you can find! OR Alti Mitts for expeditions to the world's coldest, most extreme places. Although I will regret this statement in 4 months, but now I can't wait to experience the cold!

Schedule

Today we received our preliminary scheme.
All flight have already been booked for a while - most of the team is flying on March 28 to Oslo, and on March 29 form Oslo to Longyearbyen (Spitsbergen) - and arrival on our homebase for the expedition is foreseen March 29 in the evening.
Vicaar, the Russian company that is taking care of us dropping on the ice (yes, the Russians control the Artic) promised us that our team would be the first to be on the polar ice in 2010. What a privilige!
Thursday, April 1st at 17h30 we will be receiving a briefing in the Warehouse of Longyearbyen. Luggage check in at 18h30.
On Friday April 2, we will have an early flight at 4am to Barneo Ice Camp. This is the base station from where all expeditioners start. During of the flight is app. 2,5h. After arrival and unloading the plane, there's another meeting. If weather permitting, we will start on our adventure right after the meeting. Otherwise, waiting... waiting on the right conditions to start. And as experienced on our preparation expedition in Iceland, next to a good health, right mindset, you need a lot of patience...