On our way to Icebreaker Oden!

All participants are beginning to fly from their various cities of origin to Longyearbyen to join the icebreaker. In the case of our team, Johan Knulst (Sweden) has already left while the remaining four leave tomorrow July 29, 2008: Paty Matrai, Carlton Rauschenberg and Monica Orellana from the US and Andy Hind from the UK. We will board Oden and sail on August 1. We will be sampling open waters and the marginal ice zone already on August 1 and 2 so the first 2 days will be very busy.
We should enter the pack ice on August 3 and go north for the next 5 days.
We will be looking for an ice floe that is ideally large enough (approx. 10km) and thick enough (2-3m). The ship will tie to this ice floe and 2 sampling camps will be established: one for meteorology and physical oceanography and a 2nd one, on the lead (i.e., the edge of the ice) for water and aerosol sampling. This will take 1-3 days.

Radio Bío-Bío, Chile, has posted an interview of Mónica on youtube:

Penquistas viajan al Ártico contra el calentamiento global

http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=YVMmdPqMZ3Q

Preparing for the North Pole

In the Spring of 2008 a busy time starts, when all the equipment needed during the expedition needs to be gathered, repaired, completed, and send to the icebreaker in Sweden. At the same time a number of logistical issues have to be solved. During the first two weeks of June the equipement is loaded on board, and installed when possible. After which a reasonably quiet period follows, during which the participants can prepare physically and mentally for the big trip.