North Pole Jumble–Sitting Around…: Apparently, just getting out onto the ice is one of the hardest parts of any attempt to walk to the North Pole or across the Arctic Ocean. Ben Saunders, who’s planning to ski solo and unsupported from Russia to Canada via the North Pole, was cooling his heels in Khatanga over the weekend, desperately trying to move on to Sredniy, near his jumping off point. His sense of humor is starting to wither:

“I’m starting to wonder if we’ll ever leave Khatanga.

One of the joys of being solo on the ice (if I ever get there!) is that I’m entirely in charge of my own destiny. Right now, that couldn’t be further from the case – our stay in the frozen town of Khatanga has now doubled and Russian bureaucracy (which at its best can only be described as baffling) has conspired to extend our sojourn here still further. So far we’ve had permit delays, radio operators unwilling to work on the weekends, gunfights over who runs the polar base and official delegations commandeering our helicopter. We have been told ‘definitely tomorrow’ at least four times. We fly to Sredniy on Monday. ‘100% for sure’, apparently. Hmm.”

I don’t think Saunders has discovered the art of the well-placed bribe yet.

Wave Vidmar, who’s also in Khatanga and hoping to be the first American to ski solo and unsupported to the North Pole, isn’t any happier:

Well, Monday morning has come and we are still here in Khatanga with no clear idea of when we will be able to proceed. This morning’s excuse was ‘bad weather’, but we all know it is simply game playing and leverage for control and money disputes that keeps us grounded. Unless things change dramatically with Cerpolex (the local expedition organizer) and their situation, planning an expedition from the Canadian side might be a wiser choice for future expeditions…[W]e (the expeditions on hold here in Khatanga) are pawns and are being leveraged by each side in this drama for polar control….[A]t the forefront of our thoughts is each day wasted waiting lessens the chances of a successful trek to the North Pole.

We got news shortly before lunch that all of our expeditions are in jeopardy, and Cerpolex conceeded that they may not even be in business next year. Not even starting the expedition would be tragic and I dare not think about the consequences. Hopefully everything will work out but things are very much up in the air at the moment.

Hmmm, sounds like the final negotiation phase has started….



“Heh-heh. Just keep stalling another day or two and these stupid capitalist adventurers will bury us in dollars….”