Introduction
1. Adventure activities farm an inseparable part of the Armed forces way of life. The Indian Navy has always been committed to furthering this quest and `make The impossible always possible`. According the Indian Navy picked up a team of 10 members to ski traverse to the geographic North Pole during Mar – Apr 08. The team underwent a rigorous and intense training and selection process over a period of nearly 10 months prior to the team’s departure for the North Pole expedition. It may be noteworthy to know that the Navy team has already scaled the Mount Everest in 2004 and south pole in 2006.Three members infact have successfully achieved the earlier also to be among the first Indians to have achieved the `Three Pole challenge.
2. The team left Delhi on 24 Mar 08 and arrived at Oslo on its first leg of the journey. The Defence Attaché, Sweden, received the team at Oslo and there was a formal reception and Flagging Off ceremony organized by the Indian Embassy, Oslo where the Ambassador, His Excellency, Shri Mahesh Sachdev handed over the expedition flag to the team at his residence. The event was also attended by several of the leading Norwegian media.
The Journey to the North Pole
3. From Oslo, on completion of initial preparation and formalities, the team flew to Longyearbyen on 27 Mar 08. Over the next couple of days the team did its final preparation in terms of procurement and packing of food, tents, sleds and ski equipment. Due to the inclement weather on the ice cap, the departure from Longyearbyen, got delayed by a day. On 02 Apr 08 the team flew out of Longyearbyen on a Russian chartered AN74 aircraft that landed on the sea ice base camp Barneo. After a brief halt at Barneo, the team boarded a MI helicopter and was further dropped at the starting point for the ski traverse to the geographic North Pole. It was a freezing day with the temp around minus 35 deg C and a raging gale. The sun was low on the horizon and provided no warmth at all. The team commenced skiing thereafter and later camped for the day.
4. Over the next eight days, the team skied across the frozen Arctic Ocean, facing average temperatures of – 40 deg C and the lowest of – 65 deg C, blizzards of over 50 knots. It encountered pressure ridges at an average of 50 – 60 each day, averaging around 1 – 2 mtrs in height with few towering well over 3 mtrs. The team had to negotiate these ridges as best as it could, sometimes even taking off the skies and dragging the sleds through the ice debris. The water leads, which were frequent and coated with very thin ice, required more detouring and tricky traverses. The greatest adversary was the sea drift that was to the SE / SW direction at a phenomenal rate of average 1 knot and the maximum of 2.4 knot. This necessitated the team to cover almost double the distance than what was initially anticipated.
5. Finally on 09 April 2008 at 2016 hrs (IST) the team reached the exact geographic North Pole at North 90 deg. The precise top of the world, where all the meridians converged and there was no further North to go. There was nothing to distinguish the spot from any other that the team had been skiing through. The sky was cloudy and snow flakes shimmered from the sky painted in bright gold as they reflected the sun rays. Due to the extreme hazards and freezing conditions, it was often a matter of pure survival that spurred the team forward, rather than raw courage. The conditions were so hostile that a moment of carelessness or any minor injuries could lead to certain death. Despite the exceptionally high moral and enthusiasm of the team there were moments when it was the collective courage of the team and team work that saved the day. Going forward was the only option and the team battled every possible hazard of terrain and extreme Arctic conditions over prolonged duration, despite apprehensions and touch-and-go situations. It called for the highest possible resolve and determination in the part of each member
6. Throughout the journey, the sun remained low on the horizon, around 20 deg above the horizon, therefore the sun provided absolutely no warmth and it was cold as the surrounding ice. Everything inside the tent was frozen solid with ice inside the sleeping bag, clothing and the shoes. North Pole being on the Arctic Ocean, the atmosphere is absolutely frozen and very humid, which is the worst kind of cold condition. The team unfurled the national flag and the naval ensign at the North Pole and sang the national anthem. The team camped at the North Pole for the day. The next day the team played an impromptu tri nation cricket match of 5 over each with a team from UK and Australia, who were camped at the area. The Indian Navy team won by one run. It is understood that this could be the first cricket match ever to have been played at the geographic North Pole.
7. On its return leg, the team was picked up from the North Pole by a MI helicopter and flown back to the base camp, Barneo. From Barneo, the team returned to Longyearbyen on 11 April 08. The team finally arrived back in India, Delhi on 24 Apr 08. |
