May 8, Dikson, Siberia
It's not quite house arrest, but it's close. We remain here in Dikson - still, unable to leave as conditions for flying are nearly whiteout. While the rest of the group, John, Melanie and Mark are able to go outside, we must not leave because our visas already state that we have left the country and can not return. Therefore, we have spent the entire day inside staring at the ceiling.
On the plus side, we've caught up on our sleep as well as worked off the excess Russian vodka we consumed last night with Alex. Field Logistics Manager John Hoelscher has spent the entire day trying to work out the glitches in our palm pilot. While we have been able to send out messages with the OQO mini computer, we need the palm pilot as backup. Already, John has resoldered the serial cable. Now he is working on setting up the right E-mail account - not an impossible task, but one made difficult by the fact we have no Internet or other resources.
Other highlights from the day include watching old Russian war movies on TV, a visit from the border guards (who arrived with smoked fish and beer), mac and cheese made by Lonnie and lots more lying around and staring at the ceiling. You know, it ain't easy being a polar explorer!
Alex has just arrived from one of his many town sorties and informed us that we have a 90% chance of leaving tomorrow , which is a good thing because we're not sure how much longer we can sit around. Regardless, we are still very pleased at how easily we've made our way through Russia. The authorities in Dikson are pleased that we are here and are looking toward the future and having other North Pole expeditions travel through here.
The outlook for tomorrow: If we leave early, we'll be on the ice tomorrow afternoon. If we leave later we'll overnight in Sredny.
May 7, Dikson, Siberia
We tried to leave Norilsk at noon today, but we ended up at the airport, waiting, for over five hours. We are now in Dikson, a sea port in the middle of the Arctic. Before perestroika, the population here was 100,000. Today it is 1,000. It is amazingly run down, yet the people we've met have been incredibly nice.
We were hoping to make Sredny today, but to no avail. We simply ran out of time. Hopefully we'll be there tomorrow to maintain our schedule of being on the ice tomorrow as well.
Meanwhile, Lonnie and Alex {the amazing negotiator, pictured above right} are cooking spaghetti for the crew. Listen to the audio report for more details of our day.
May 6, Norilsk, Russia
For a while, it seemed like the red sea was parting before our very eyes - but that part of the story comes later. Our flight from JFK to Moscow was relatively uneventful and we arrived in Moscow on a sunny and warm 70 degree F afternoon. As we made our way to customs, we silently prayed that all our baggage had arrived safely and that our electronic equipment would pass through without notice. This is one of the things we most worried about since leaving Minnesota.
We were met by a representative of Victor Boyarski's VICAAR Agency right after having our passports and visas checked. It was a big relief to see Alex as we still had to clear customs (no small task in an ideal situation). So, we began filling out our customs forms. A few minutes later Alex appeared again, saw us with the paperwork and said, "No, don't do that. Follow me."
So we did and there was all of our gear nicely stacked on carts. "OK," Alex said, "Let's go." And so we did again, past serious-looking officials, through metal detectors, alongside other travelers having their bags searched and out the door, even nosing in front of most of the other people on our plane. It was amazing.
Our luck lasted for most of our seven hour stay in Moscow. However, checking in for our flight to Norilsk proved slightly more difficult. Our canoes would not fit in the elevator for oversized baggage. With Russian airport officials yelling at us to go faster, we stripped off all the packaging and shoehorned them one at a time in the elevator. Lonnie escorted them down and remarked later, "I didn't know if we'd ever see our gear again."
But here we are in Norilsk, with all our gear safe and sound. It's cold and there is a lot of snow on the ground. Alex has showed us images that place the main pack ice only three kilometers off Cape Arctichesky. We leave tomorrow for Sredny. That means we might be on the ice as early as Saturday morning!
May 4, New York
No more Minnesota and this is an image of our last few hours in New York. What's next? Stage three: an Aeroflot flight to Moscow
May 3, Minneapolis, Minn
Tuesday, Tuesday. the day nudged gingerly before Wednesday and after Monday. What is so remarkable about Tuesday? For us, everything. Tuesday, May 3 marks the beginning and the end.
We left Grand Marais at four in the morning. The good-bye's were difficult at best and we had to tear ourselves away from Kelly and Sarah. It was cold (18 F) and dark, but we still tried to soak in all that was our beautiful little city. What would happen here this summer while we are gone? We can only wonder now.
We had a great time getting interviewed on Minnesota Public Radio's Mid Morning, and after a short interview with the Star Tribune, the rest of the day was spent running errands. Most important today was to insure a proper nod to new expedition lead sponsor ACR Electronics, manufacturer of our PLB (personal locator beacon). With the help of Expedition Manager, Ann Possis, we managed to find a last minute tailor to sew several sponsor patches on our clothing.
Tim Harincar of X-Plot and www.webexpeditions.net fame was called in to our aid. Working with Mike J. from Greenpeace, they tried to establish a connection between our palm pilot and satellite phone. Roughed up but not beaten, we will renew the technology fight tomorrow with an increased vigour.
May 2, Grand Marais
Our lives boiled down look like this. All of our personal gear fits in these few bags. This sifting is representative of everything that we are doing. The chaff is gone and all that remais are a few basic components. Our minds can focus only on today and tomorrow. Our future will be winnowed away later.
John and Josh called in with a report that travel with the One World gear is progressing smoothly. They spent the night with long-time OWE supporters Patty Holmen, Paul Mozina and Ruth O'Malley in Milwaukee. Thanks again guys!
Other great news today includes a cover spread on the Minneapolis Star Tribune as well as Chicago Tribune! Finally, don't forget to tune to Minnesota Public Radio's Mid Morning program at 10 tomorrow morning.
May 1, Grand Marais
John hoelscher has left the building - and the county and state for that matter. John and GREENPEACE`s Josh are now in Wisconsin heading for New York and JFK airport. Along for the ride is our entire life support for the next three and a half months of our lives. Canoes, stoves, food and more are now tooling merrily down I-90 and a new adventure. Big Apple look out!
What a relief! We can`t even begin to describe the emotions that have been flooding through our brains lately. All this, everything actually, for the past two and a half years has been preparation for the next few days. It`s overwhelming and satisfying in the same breath.
Of course, we have been so extremely busy that to even try to picture our lives on the Arctic sea ice stretches the limits of our imagination. But for this small moment, I`ll try. Instead of talking, we will be doing. To replace the Sawtooth Mountains of our backyards, we will only see pressured ice. The shores of Lake Superior will disappear, for us, this summer. Instead, we`ll get salt water and ice.
But like I said. We still have to make it through the next few days running on empty with our heads spinning!
