Sunday April 26, 2009
Coordinates: 88°11' N, 2°53' E
t -20°С, north-wester, 3-4 m/sec
Distance from the Pole: 201 km.

All the skiers in the Arctic were picked up by helicopters and brought to BARNEO runway. Then they were taken back to civilization by the last flight of An-74.

BARNEO season of 2009 is over.

Collective picture	Dismantling the camp	Loading expedition equipment

Saturday April 25, 2009
Coordinates: 88°15' N, 2°58' E
t -21°С, north-wester, 4-5 m/sec
Distance from the Pole: 195 km

Today is the latest day when Barneo works.

Early in the morning (at 4:30a.m. MST) the expedition leaders together with especially invited guest Borge Ousland flew to the North Pole - 36 [SP-36] drifting station located in 190 km to the east from BARNEO. They brought for the winterers provisions and took eight polar explorers form the station as in early April other scientists were delivered to substitute them. While the helicopter was unloaded and reloaded SP-36 inhabitants showed the station to Borge Ousland (the canteen, the sites of scientific investigations) and steamed him out in the polar Russian bath.

On their way to BARNEO the helicopter took the group of skier guided by Rayan Allen from the Pole. All the five were in excellent mood and good health. They decided to camp near BARNEO and wait for Rick Schweitzer’s team to return (by calculation they are to reach the Pole tomorrow).

The helicopter returned to the base right before the first flight from Longyearbyen landed. By this time (11 a.m. MST) only three living modules and the kitchen left in the camp. Both the mess-rooms and the rest of the tents were dismantled the night before.

Within an hour and a half Antoshin AN-74 was loaded with expedition equipment. Part of the personnel left with the plane. After the take-off BARNEO residents who stayed in the camp continue dismantling the camp. By the evening there were just three tents left on the ice-floe – those of the pilots and radio operators who will go on serving the runway. All the equipment was taken out by the second flight. After the traditional collective photograph to remember the season BARNEO inhabitants left the flow which served as their home during the month.

Friday April 24, 2009
Coordinates: 88°17.066' N; 3°34.27' E
Distance from the Pole - 190 km, t -20°С, north-wester, 5-7 m/sec.
Fine and sunny weather.

At 1 a.m. MST two planes from Moscow landed at BARNEO. They had an official delegation headed by the Priklyuchenie [Adventure] Club director Dmitry Shparo and a group of mass media representatives onboard. The guests arrived to honour the participants of the Second North Pole Expedition of Russian Youth and to cover this important event in the press. Among the visitors were the vice-mayor of Moscow Sergey Baydakov, the deputy minister of Russian sports, tourism and youth policy Gennady Alyoshin and other respected guests.

Alexander and Irina Orlovs, Victor Boyarsky and Nikita Shparo welcomed the delegation in the camp and after a short coffee and tea drinking they started all together to the place where Matvey Shparo' expedition was located. Since the "shparoites" had reached the North Pole the ice drift moved them a little to the south.

The polar celebration was rich for events and exciting: there were a press-conference with the "shparoites" and the organizers of the expedition, presentation of gifts and the traditional mounting of the North Pole Column. But the most thrilling thing was the football match among the "shparoites" and the "fathers". Among the latter was a real Dinamo players Nikita Shparo. The experience of the "fathers" won with the score 4:2. Two of the goales were scored by a participant of Dmitry Shparo's expedition of 1979 Vladimit Ledenyov. The two 15-minutes times were so tense that one of the correspondents of a national newspaper who grew much heated got his arm fractured. On return to the camp the doctor put his arm in plaster.

The team of Chinese tourists guided by Borge Ousland also finished their voyage and were delivered to the base. All the participants bravely stood the expedition though the snowstorm and wind were really tough.

At the base the "shparoites" and the guests were invited to the mess tent were there was a surprise for them: borsch and Russian pancakes. That's what they could not expect to see in the ice camp finishing its season. During the holiday breakfast the leaders of the Polus Expeditionary Centre Alexander and Irina Orlovs handed to the guys souvenirs with BARNEO symbols. The guests in response thanked them for the excellent organized work in the camp and the assistance to their expedition.

Not in the least wanted the "shparoites" to leave BARNEO and Arctic and return to Moscow, but after some time both the planes with the expedition participants and the guests onboard took off for Moscow having "waved their wings" at parting.

After several hours of the deserved rest BARNEO residents continued to dismantle the tents and the second mess-room.

Shparoites return to BARNEO

Thursday April 23, 2009
Coordinates: 88°30.57' N; 2°55.29' E
Distance from the Pole - 166 km, t -17°С, north-wester, 10-12 m/sec.
Visibility: 2 km. Snowstorm, ground wind.

Despite the difficult weather conditions a plane from Longyearbyen has landed at BARNEO. Alexander Begak's team who finished their High-Latitude Troposphere Experiment left for home together with an Italian skier. After the tourists left the base the northernmost souvenir shop in the world was closed.

Today is the only day on the season when there are no tourists in the camp. As a result the personnel of BARNEO who have long forgotten of free time and days off are somehow confused: no need to rush somewhere every now and then. But tomorrow Borge Ousland's team will return and the camp's normal expedition life will restart. Now they continue to pack the belongings of BARNEO and prepare them for transportation to Longyearbyen.

Wednesday April 22, 2009
Coordinates: 88°42.13' N, 3°01.10' E
Distance from the Pole: 144 km, ice-drift is much slower now.
t -17°С, norther-north-wester up to 12 m/sec.
In the morning - strong snowstorm, ground wind, low visibility.
In the afternoon - much better visibility, there is the sun and hope for tomorrow's flight arrival.

No more tourist groups are expected and the general layout of BARNEO removal has been developed.

Scientific investigation at BARNEO in the season are over. The scientists are preparing the equipment for removal, dismantle the laboratory tents and pack the specimens of snow and ice to continue the careful studying at home.

All the groups moving towards the Pole have almost finish their way - they need only one or two days to reach the aim.

Tuesday April 21, 2009
Coordinates: 88°44.37' N, 3°10.49' E
Distance from the Pole – 140 км, ice-drift has slowed down.
t -24°С, norther/north-wester, 9-12 m/sec.
Snowstorm, blizzard with ground wind.

In the morning BARNEO residents found that the construction of the igloo was over. It was finished yesterday night. Everyone agrees that the snow house is just first-rate. It has become especially popular among those who like to take photos.

Before midday the team of Borge Ousland was delivered by a helicopter to the place of their start: 25 km from the Pole at 160°E. Borge wanted them to be left near open water to make the expedition even more difficult (and his companions were not frightened at all). But when approaching the district of landing there appeared no open water anywhere near it. So the skiers will have to do without water so far.

After that the helicopter moved to the position of Matvey Shparo’s team with a noble mission – to cheer the guys up and congratulate them to the Easter. Especially for them there were Easter cakes, painted eggs, sandwiches and hot tea on board. The guests who literally “fell from the sky” found the “shparyots” making their morning coffee (in a real cezve!) The time for common tea- and coffee-drinking seemed to everyone very short. All the guys are cheerful and fresh and quite well-nourished.

The evening was traditionally creative. This time BARNEO’s pilot Stepan Pokhabov made a slide-show of his photographs.

Shparoites seeing off the helicopter with guests	Visiting the shparoites

Monday April 20, 2009
Coordinates: 88°47.873' N, 6°34.136' E
Distance from the Pole – 135 km, t -16°С,norther/north-wester, 2-3 m/sec
The weather is fine and comfortable.

In early morning it seemed that the foul weather which caused the cancellation of the flight from Longyearbyen would set in for long. But the new day surprised the inhabitants of BARNEO with clear sky and almost windless weather. The tourists who were hold back in the camp for a whole day were happy more than others. It was quite clear as for instance Doug Stoup had to cancel the banquet which he had ordered beforehand in one of Longyearbyen restaurants.

The plane which finally arrived brought the fuel for BARNEO and Borge Ousland together with a group of tourists from China. The homeward voyage took back to Spitsbergen the teams of Doug Stoup, Peter Voloschak and Mikhail Krasnoperov.

It turned out that the newcomers were no usual tourists. Two of them were representatives of one of the greatest Chinese TV-channels: Travel Channel China with the audience of more than 300 million people. The other two are the winners of a reality show organized by the channel. The participants of the show were 1500 people, 12 of them became the finalists and continued to compete in the 4 stages of the main contest: in Mongolian desert, Swiss Alps, Norwegian province of Finnmark and Spitsbergen.

On request of the channel employees Alexander Orlov agreed to answer there question and told them about the history of creation of BARNEO base, its aims and mission. The correspondent agreed that too few people came to Barneo from such a great country as China. The reality show on Travel Channel China have already interested many people in Arctic. And Alexander Orlov expressed the willingness to accept up to 200 Chinese tourists in the camp. After the interview Borge Ousland and his group made a training ski voyage in BARNEO’s neighborhood.

Alexander Begak’s team started to build an igloo (snow house). The day finished with an interesting lecture of Borge about his expeditions to Arctic and Antarctic.

Sunday April 19, 2009
The Resurrection!

Coordinates: 88°53’56 N; 4°54’48 E
Distance from the North Pole - 122 km, ice-drift slows down.
t -21°С, norther/north-wester, 3-5 m/sec, gusts up to 7 m/sec.
The weather is wet and dank. Visibility: 5 km. In the afternoon - blizzard with ground wind.

GAZPROavia airline’s Antoshin An-74 has made a special flight to BARNEO and delivered the Holy Fire that occurred the day before in Jerusalem. The delegation to bring the fire is headed by the special presidential representative for international cooperation in the Arctic and Antarctic, Hero of the Soviet Union and Russia Artur Chilingarov. (see video)

The delegation also includes a priest Father Valery (Stepanov) who was specially empowered by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill to hold the great service and the choristers. Among the guests are: the Head of Presidential Property Management Department Vladimir Kozhin, General director of ROSATOM state corporate Sergay Kirienko, the president of Russian Railways Vladimir Yakunin who also is the Head of the Tutorial board of the apostle St Andrew First-called Fund which traditionally organizes the delivery of the Holy Fire from Jerusalem to Moscow. By the guests’ arrival the mess-room was adjusted for conducting the public prayer. The ceremony was watched the delegation itself, the personnel of the base and tourists from Switzerland, Italy, Sweden, Slovakia, Great Britain and USA who were in the camp at that time. The service finished with the religious procession around the camp. In honour of the holiday there were fireworks and refreshments and the performance of the world known violin player Dmitry Kogan.

After that the delegation headed by Artur Chilingarov and the tourists guided by Mikhail Krasnoperov started for the North Pole by helicopters. There was hold a ceremony of ordaining as conquers of the Pole for the delegation members and special diplomas were given to them. Mikhail Krasnoperov’s team landed at a distance of 10 km from the Pole.

On the return to the base there was organized a holiday dinner for the guests and BARNEO inhabitants. Sergey Kirienko’s wish to swim in the ice-cold water before leaving the camp was a surprise fro everyone. He bravely dived in the ice-hole used by the scientists fro probing.

The schedule of the afternoon was corrected by the weather – strong wind, snowstorm and low visibility. Michail Krasnoperov’s team was evacuated from the Pole as they could not stay all night there as it had been planned. The second flight from Longyearbyen for today was postponed too. And Borge Ousland’s team could not come to BARNEO while Doug Stoup’s and Peter Voloschak’s groups did not leave for Spitsbergen.

This day rich with events has ended with the performance of the Honoured Artist of Russia and constant (during 7 years) worker of BARNEO base Yury Sergeev. He sang Russian romances and songs and also delighted the Frenchmen and Swiss by a lyrical French song Dead Leaves.

The photos are coming soon!

Saturday April 18, 2009
Coordinates: 88°58’41 N, 6°40’46 E
Distance from the Pole: 112 км, t -20° С, norther/north-wester, 5-7 m/sec
Cloudy in the morning, by midday - sunshine.

Yesterday night Victor Boyarsky read a lecture on his Transantarctic crossing. The lecture had great success no matter that some of the listeners had heard it before. This time they could also learn new details of the expedition accomplished 20 years ago.

A group of tourists guided by Mikhail Krasnopyorov has landed at Barneo today. They were welcomed according to the modified Russian tradition (in Arctic style): with bread-and-salt + stroganina (sliced frozen meat or fish) which delighted the guests very much.

This morning a helicopter started to the North Pole to pick up several teams of skiers who have finished their routs. Later they left for Longyearbyen. In the afternoon another flight was fulfilled to bring back two more groups which reached the Pole. The skiers of Doug Stoup’s team (from Italy, France and USA) and Peter Voschak (from Slovakia) are quite cheerful despite the difficulties they had to face in the end of their route.

Alexander Begak’s team with active assistance of Evgeny Bakalov and technical staff of BARNEO continued preparation fro the flight of Begalet in the surrounding of the camp. Finally the flight could be fulfilled in the afternoon when the weather changed for favorable. The flight was made at the altitude from 15 to 50 meters, time of the flight: 22 minutes. Thus a world record was set for the aircraft of the corresponding class (micro planes with flexible wings) in the range of the high-latitude flights.

In the hard weather conditions the young members of the team showed their heroic character. They selflessly worked preparing the Begalet for the flight and were sincerely happy when their captain successfully landed. Their participation in the experiment demonstrates the youth of Russia continues the glorious traditions of brave aviators and polar explorers with dignity.

The Sky Odyssey youth team expressed their gratitude to all the members of BARNEO team including Alexander and Irina Orlovs, Victor Biyarsky, Milhail Shumavtsov, Igor Timofeev, Evgeny Bakalov and also – to the special presidential representative for international cooperation in the Arctic and Antarctic Artur Chilingarov who was among first people to congratulate the guys on the phone.

Alexander Begak's team with the Begalet

The latest results of the Russian scientists’ investigations at BARNEO demonstrate that while the floe has moved to the South the upper 20-meters layer of the ocean water has become sweet. But why? The temperature is still rather low, about minus 20°C which means that the ice cannot melt yet. The scientists decided to double their efforts when taking measures (probing)

The preparations for the Easter celebrations are over, everybody at BARNEO looks forward to arriving of the Holy Fire on April 19 and celebrating the Orthodox Easter.

Friday April 17, 2009
Coordinates:  89°06’04 N,  8°03’36 E
Ice-drift has lowered down to 13 km a day, its direction has changed from south-western to southern.
Distance from the Pole: 99,3 km, t -26°С, north-wester, 8 m/sec.

Yesterday night the Begalet was finally started and set going over the runway. That discovered a number of technical problems of the aircraft when being used in the arctic conditions.

Since the weather has been cold and windy Rick Schweitzer’s dogs start to freeze badly. BARNEO organizers decided to build a special shelter with the help of the tractor. The dogs have THANKED them with loud barking.

Doctor Stanislav Boyarsky have seen two patients today: the first one with the posttraumatic right knee joint bursitis – the joint has been immobilized (this medical help was provided with assistance of a non-staff nurse Galina Fedorovna). The second patient was delivered from the North Pole after finishing his skiing program. He had got bad callosities of both inguinal regions and inner parts of the thighs. Doctor Stanislav provided the necessary treatment and the patient could peacefully fall asleep in a warm tent.

First-aid post - getting ready	Patient and doctor Boyarsky after the operation

As the experience of the current season reveals a lot of sportsmen and tourists are not quite ready for the long skiing and staying outdoors in the extreme cold and without the customary civilization comfort. Therefore the medical service of the ice camp BARNEO has made a decision to prepare the essential recommendations for prevention of traumas, becoming too cold and chilblained and the rules of personal hygiene in the arctic zone and publish it at www.barneo.ru  

Today nine skiers and two dogsledders were delivered to their starts – at distances of 10 and 5 km from the Pole.  

For the two express-tourists from Canada a short performance was arranged at the North Pole. Borge Ousland’s team had arrived at the Pole too by the time and they willingly took participation in the show. On their return to the base at the instance of the tourists BARNEO’s expedition leaders Alexander and Vadim together with the camp’s bard Yury Sergeev participated in the staging about the golf game with Santa-Clause at the North Pole. Yury Sergeev once again demonstrated his acting technique and sang old Russian romances and songs to the accompaniment of his guitar.

Santa in the North Pole

The personnel of the base continue preparations for the celebration of the Resurrection. 

Thursday April 16, 2009
Coordinates: 89°13'12 N, 9°55'07 E
Iсе-drift: south-western, 16 km a day, distance from the Pole: 86,7 km.
t -25 С, norther/north-easter, 7-10 m/sec, with gusts up to 12 m/sec.
It's clear and cold, blizzard with ground wind.

At 00-20 UTC (4:20 MST) a special flight from Moscow has landed at BARNEO with a group of 14 people directed by Matvey Shparo. Among then there are 7 teenagers aged from 16 to 18 (four boys and three girls):
Yelisey Tretyakov - Sverdlovskaya oblast,
Anatoly Puchkov - Tomsk,
Vladimir Dzekunov - Moscow,
Nadezhda Kurilyonok - Pskov,
Polina Merkusheva - Moscow,
Tatyana Kuznetsova - Saransk,
Sergey Lomov - Cheboksary.

The young conquers of the North Pole will ski the Last Degree together with Matvey Shparo and Boris Smolin. The expedition is dedicated to the Year of Youth in Russia and the Year of Equal Abilities in Moscow (one of the guys doesn't hear well, he studies in a correctional school). More about the selection of the participants read here (www.shparo.ru)

Also the group includes journalists Vyacheslav Titov and Evgeny Milykh and guides Kirill Vshivtsev and Vlad Ledenev who participated in the expedition of Dmitry Shparo to the North Pole in 1979.

The weight of the sledges for the youngsters will be about 50 kg (which equals to 15 kg of a rucksack), for Shparo and Smolin - 80 kg. The time planned for the expedition is 7 days. The team is supplied with food on the basis of 1 kg per person in a day (food value - 5600 kilocalories).

During this day Shparo's team have finished the preparation of the equipment and made a training tour near the base. In the afternoon they were delivered to the starting point at a distance of 1°N from the Pole.

Matvey Shparo	Shparo&Smolin's team	Boris Smolin

Training run of the Begalet planned for today by Alexander Begak's team are postponed. Meanwhile they solve the remaining technical problems.

BARNEO has accepted another group of tourists who arrived with a GAZPROMAVIA plane fron Longyearbyen including Rick Schweitzer's team of 7 people, 5 of them were immediately taken by a helicopter and delivered to their route together with Shparo's expedition.

Among the newcomers there is a couple from Canada who wish to play a small performance about Golf and Santa-Clause in the North Pole. They have specially brought a costume of Santa. Vladimir Bulatnikov together with BARNEO's technical staff have successfully tested a radio-controlled car with an internal-combustion engine (capacity - 26 cm³). The model was tested at the temperature -25°C.

Vladimir Bulatnikov and his radio-controlled car

Tuesday April 14, 2009
Coordinates: 89°32’ N 24°45’21 E
t -26°С, distance from the Pole 56,8 km, drifting: 13 km a day.
Norther/north-easter, 7-10 m/sec, blasts up to 12 m/sec.
clear, visibility more than 3 km, no dangerous phenomenon.

There are 5 tourists groups on the path. As reported they move according to their plans, everybody’s in good health.

There are no flights scheduled for today. The personnel is busy with accomplishment of the camp. The preparation for the official Orthodox Easter ceremony on April 19 is planned.

Alexander Begak’s team directed by Victor Boyarsky has started to build the ice garage for the begalets and the taxiway from the garage to the runway.

Irish tourists Pat Falvey and Clare O’Leary who arrived at BARNEO the day before are busy checking and preparing their expeditionary equipment. They also have made a testing ski tour around the camp. Pat Falvey owns a tourist company specialized among others on extreme tours to Antarctica. He has come to BARNEO in order to extend his business and develop the arctic expeditionary direction (the North Pole, Greenland, Spitsbergen). During the last 20 years Pat has guided more than 65 expeditions and twice reached the highest mountains of 7 world continents. Clare O’Leary is a doctor by profession, in 2005 she became the first Irish lady who reached the highest mountainsof 7 continents and also reached the Youth Pole and crossed Greenland from East to West. Beside the development of the business Pat and Clare wish to make a detailed plan of their own great expedition to the north Pole from Russia or from Canada.

Monday April 13, 2009
At 7.00 a.m. UTC (11.00 a.m. MST)
Coordinates: 89°37’ N 32°31’24 E
t -29°С, distance from the Pole: 45,7 km
Norther/north-easter, 7-10 m/sec, clear
Ice-drift has intensified and come to 7,7 km a day.

According to Russel’s dogsled team moving towards the Pole there has appeared open water at a distance of 5 km to the north-east of BARNEO.

Despite the difficult weather conditions (strong frost and high wind) seven parachute jumps were successfully accomplished near BARNEO. Among them was the first jump of the Polus Expeditionary Centre Irina Orlova which was made in tandem system with an instructor Yury Zharkov from the altitude of 3300 meters.

Polar parachute jump – Irina Orlova and Yury Zharkov (below and above)

Four flights of Mi-8 helicopters have been fulfilled to: - bring tourists to their programmed start points and take others from the routes - deliver express-tourists from Russia to the Pole and back. The traditional ritual round-the-world tour and football march were organized for them.  

On finishing their investigation program the foreign scientists have left BARNEO for Longyearbyen and there started fixing their specialized buoys. After the buoy are repaired they will be sent back to BARNEO where the personnel together with Russian scientists will set them again. 

At 7.00 p.m. UTC (23.00 MST)
Coordinates: 89° 35’ 18 N 28° 29’ 12
Distance from the Pole: 50,2 km.  

Together with the express-tourists an official delegation of Russian youth was delivered to BARNEO: the participants of the North Pole-2009 High-Latitude Tropospheric Experiment in the contest of the Youth National Project “Sky Odissey – To Glory of Russia!”. The experiment itself lies in using 2 begalyots: Arktika-1 and Arktika-2 (microplanes constructed in the Scarab aviation laboratory in Pyatigorsk city with the leadership of Alexander Begak) in polar conditions. Tha delegation consists of 3 adults and 3 teenagers:


1. Alexander Begak, 35 – leader of the expedition
2. Nikita Kuprikov, 20 – responsible for the scientific part, public relations and project development
3. Maxim Suraykin, 30 – responsible for the psychological state of the team
4. Alexander Kerimov, 16 – responsible for the technical part and maintenance of the engines
5. Gennady Rudenko, 17 лет – understudy navigator, watches over the work of the instruments: GPS, cameras etc.
6. Daniel Kozlov, 16 – navigator.

The team plan to accomplish its experimental work within 10 days. They will carry out the sports and technical test, make aerial photography and the investigator-pilot id going to clear the record “bar” of 5000 meter (by the way the temperature in the sky over the Pole is – 55 to -60°С).

Both Arktikas with flexible wings were built especially for the polar expedition. The aircraft of the class have never been used in high latitude before. Some characteristics of Arktika begalets:
Cruising speed – 60 km/h
Range ability – 350 km
Cruising altitude – 4000 m
Maximum windspeed – 8 m/sec
Fuel consumption – 4,5 l/h
Engine power – 32 hourse-powers.

When visiting the North Pole the team of Sky Odyssey have also put the flag of the Year of Youth in Russia. During 2009 year the flag will cross the territory of Russia and will be mounted on Elbrus and the South Pole and also delivered to the International Space Station.

BARNEO expedition leader have read the lectures on the activity of the camp and safety measures on its territory. BARNEO doctor has reported on  the precautions from chilblains and consequences of not following them with demonstration of video materials.
The members of Alexander Begak’s team have got the essential elements of the equipment (masks etc.).

Begalet

Sunday April 12, 2009
Coordinates: 89°39’04 N, 36°07’108 E
t - 29°С
Distance from the Pole: 38 км
easter / north-easter, 10-12 m/sec

The strong wind makes the frost much harder to stand. Russian Hydrometeorology Centre promises intensification of the wind up to 15-18 m/sec and the weather change for the worse.

There are no tourists at the base today and the personnel are busy with waste utilization and accomplishment of the camp. They have set a sun-dial and tuned it to the local time.

Saturday April 11, 2009
Coordinates: 89° 38’ 562 N, 41° 07’ 750 E
t -32° C
Light south-easter: 2-3 m/sec
Light ice-drift: 1 km a day, distance from the Pole is 39,7 km

Today the longest flight in the season has been accomplished by the helicopter. First of all a group of tourists guided by Rick Schweitzer and traveling to the Pole with dog sleds have been lifted by the helicopter to the place of their start at 88°15’ N. Their aim is to reach the Pole in 2 weeks. It will be the hardest work for the dogs as the sleds are loaded so heavily that they had to be dragged to the helicopter by a snowmobile and to lift them on board five robust men were needed. After that the helicopter made a resupply of fuel and food for the two teams moving to the Pole in the Western hemisphere from Canada:
- Keith Heger and Sebastian Copeland who started from 85°N where there were brought by a helicopter from Canada. Doctor Stas Boyarsky gave the treatment for the chilblain and callus.
- the team of Lonnie Dupre, Max Chaya and Stuart Smith. They started from the Canadian coast (Ward Hunt Island) in the beginning of March.

Foreign scientists today are busy with their planned work on setting their equipment. Russian scientists measure the ice radiation level.

Friday April 10, 2009
Coordinates: 89° 36' 748 N, 41° 47' 660 E
t -33°С, south-easter, 2-3 m/sec. Atmosphere pressure 763,5 mm

A group of scientists directed by Andy Heiberg have arrived to the base today. Other participants: Takashi Cicuchi (Japan), Sigrid Salo and William J. Shaw (USA). They have immediately started their program.

A very important event has happened at Barneo today – the first wedding ceremony at our polar station! On their arrival the couple from USA had a presentation on safe behavior in the Arctic region (it can’t be helped – security is above all!) and were delivered to the Pole by a helicopter together with their guests. The wedding ceremony itself was held there by Victor Boyarsky. After he declared William Browning and Alexis Fredrick a husband and a wife the newly wedded exchanged kisses and rings. The bride was as she should all in white and the groom – in black (arctic) costume. To celebrate the marriage they made a shoot from an alarm pistol. Right away the married couple started their wedding journey – a ritual dance around the Pole. Having in mind the frosty weather the Champaign started to flow like water only in the warm helicopter with multiple toasts.

A tourist from Canada David Shannon has arrived to the camp with a companion since David is invalid and moves in a wheelchair: ha has a back disease. Visiting the Pole has been his dream since childhood. By his trip to the Pole he wanted to support all invalid people and to show the world that a person in a wheelchair can and must lead an active life. His companion Christopher Watkins said: "What happened today at the North Pole has never happened before. It was shown with a great team of people there is no dream too big to dream, no challenge too big to overcome. It shows that true human spirit, if we cooperate, is that we have no limit, so we live in Respect." After David and Christopher visited the wedding and made a round-the world voyage at the Pole, they were invited to the pilots’ tent where they were treated with the Siberian hospitality.

Meanwhile in the mess tent the wedding celebration was going on. When the newly married returned from the Pole they were presented by the proxies with an offering of bread and salt on a specially prepared for this ceremony national broidered towel and led them to the festive table. Barneo team member Yury Sergeyev sang a song in Gypsy style to their health. There were lots of congratulations, gifts, toasts. The just married were shining with joy and shared their plans on the future life.

Before leaving for Longyearbyen a collective photograph was made: the young couple, their guests, David and Christopher, the pilots who came to say buy to the guests and personnel free of duty altogether. It has been a wonderful day!

The bride and the groom
The just-married and their guests

Thursday April 9, 2009
Coordinates: 89° 38' 34 N, 42° 51' 19 E
t -35°C, windless.

Ski groups of Eric Philips (2 persons), Doug Stoup (2 persons) and Miroslav Jakes (4 persons) have finished their programs. They were evacuated from the North Pole as it had been planned. Also one of the skiers from Borge Ousland’s group had to be evacuated: he had bruised his chest when falling down from an ice-hummock. He was delivered to the camp and after examining him Doctor Stas Boyarsky assumed he might have a slight rib injure. The required medical help has been provided and the skier feels better.

By the way the first lady – citizen of Mexico has reached the North Pole today as a member of Doug Stoup’s group. She was going to report about this to the President of Mexico on coming back to Barneo over the satellite phone. This morning a group of tourists with 3 dog sledges left for the North Pole. They plan to return to Barneo on their own too.

A group of 11 express tourists (more about Express tours read at) has arrived at the base today. They have been brought to the North Pole by a helicopter and celebrated this with a football match (this has become a tradition).

Wednesday April 8, 2009
Coordinates: 89°39’ N, 43°00’ E
t -37°C, south-wester/wester, 5-7 m/sec.

This morning at 10 a/m/ MST the Polar Marathon at Barneo has finished.

The winners:
Among Gentlemen:
First place - Yevgeny Gorkov (Russia): result 4 h. 27 min. 05 sec.
Our congratulations to Zhenya!
Second place - Reno): 4 h. 44 min. 13 sec.
Third place - Willy Roberts (New Zealand): 4 h. 44 min. 59 sec.
Among Ladies:
First place - Puspa Chanvra (Canada): result 7 h. 27 min. 31 sec.
Second place - Daniella Sprivihliozzi (Great Britain): 7 h. 30 min. 54 sec.
Third place - Sarah Ames (Germany): 8 h. 24 min. 13 sec.

Totally 38 persons participated in the Marathon, they were from 14 countries: Germany, USA, Canada, Spain, Great Britain, Luxemburg, SAR, France, Brazil, New Zealand, Japan, Netherlands (for the first time), India and Russia. The contest was observed by a correspondent of the Reuters agency: the agency is going to release a video to be shown in 80 countries. The oldest participant was 69-year-old American Dan Hamner, the youngest - a 16-year-old Brazilian Stefanie Petersson who was the last to finish (her result is 17 h. 07 min. 20 sec.) but did not quit. Without doubt she received great support from her father who came for the Marathon with her and competed in gentlemen’s race. Family participation has become a good tradition for the polar marathoners. This year the distance has been run also by 2 brothers from Scotland and 5 gentlemen from France: 4 brothers and the son of one of them. By the way one of the brothers took the second place.

Among the participants there was also a professional opera singer from the Great Britain Ted Jackson, who ran the risk of the most valuable, his voice, but finished the race. His compatriots just married Rupert and Lucinda Kitching came for the contest during their honey moon. Lucinda also had a noble aim: she ran in support of the British military men in Afghanistan. Unfortunately the strong cold and winter caused the lungs injure and after she was taken off from the distance doctor Stas Boyarsky took her to the hospital. Thanks to his efforts she felt much better soon so that decided to return to the racetrack avoiding the attentive personnel. But despite her blaze and the appropriate medical treatment she had to quit again after one circle.

The cold and wind caused more injures: one of the brothers from France did not take his glasses and got a chilblain of his eye, another runner Simon Wrenn, who had participated in Sahara Marathon a week before, could not acclimatize himself that fast and had to leave the track too, he was shivering all over. 2 warm jackets and a sleeping bag could not help him to get warm. Doctor Stas has had a lot of work today. But all the injured runners have got the competent medical care in time which was especially notes by the organizer of the traditional Polar Marathon Richard Donovan. He also said that this year the race was best prepared and organized and praised the work of Barneo personnel who did their best to help the runners in any way.

This time the runners who wear special boots with spikes did not enter the mess tent (as the spikes spoil the floor of the tent) but gave their numbered bottles to a special table at the racetrack. When passing the table by, they gave a sign to Barneo workers and the latter brought the full bottles right to them. Besides they watched the looks of the runners to prevent chilblain, cleaned their glasses and masks etc.
After the 16-hour race was over and the runners could have a meal and rest they were brought to the North Pole by a helicopter where they were still able to play a football match. The winner of the Marathon Russian Yevgeny and the youngest participant Brazilian Stephanie could make a shot from an alarm pistol, for the victory and the will for it accordingly.

Richard Donovan	The Marathon

Sunday April 7, 2009
Coordinates: 89°39’ N, 041°56’ E
t -35°C, light wind (3-5 m/sec), south-wester.
There is almost no drifting observed.

Borge Ousland has landed at Barneo with a group of skiers and immediately started their way to the Pole. Also today the other group of Marathon runners has arrived. The race has started at 17.30 MST.
“Stars and stripes nailed to the North Pole” again a hundred years after Robert Peary’s expedition. The tour devoted to the prominent American’s conquering of the Pole has finished today with a celebration at the North Pole: among other things there were a speech pronounced by the great explorer’s offspring (also Robert Peary) and a capsule with a message to the next generations left in the ice. After that the participants left for Barneo and Longyerbyen.
A Russian scientist Yuri Yevdokimov has landed at the base today and when diving near the edge of Barneo’s floe he observed an interesting phenomenon at a depth of 10 m: there was an ice ridge about 10 m thick. An average ice floe in the area is no thicker than 2 meters.

Richard Donovan and Mike King	Russian scientists	Borge Ousland (on the right) with his tourists

Tuesday April 6, 2009
Coordinates: 89°41’912 N, 041°19’304 E
Distance from the Pole 35 km, t -32°C, slight drifting.

The first group of marathoneers headed by Richard Donovan has landed at Barneo.
A photographer Daisy Gilardini who had accompanied a group of skiers bounding for the Pole, got frost-bitten and had to be evacuated to Barneo where doctor Stas Boyarsky took care of her injured feet. Thanks to his mastery Daisy recovered quite soon and continued her work in the camp pretty fit and cheerful.
The day before another skier named Hedrick with his guide Tortel Arnaud landed at Barneo. Now they are following their individual route: from the North Pole where they have been lifted by a helicopter to Greenland.

Sunday April 5, 2009
Coordinates: 89°43.445'N, 041°15.610'E
Distance from the Pole 30.7 km, t -29°C, Sun, good visibility.

Two flights have landed at Barneo today. One of them brought members of the expedition in honour of the 100th anniversary of the day Robert E. Peary first reached the Pole.
There is the grandson of the legendary explorer among the comers. To celebrate the memorable day part of the expedition team will ski 20 km to the North Pole while the rest will fly there by a helicopter and spend a night at the Pole expecting for the companions. Altogether they will return to the base.
By the second flight tourists-skiers have arrived at Barneo with their guides: Tomas Ulrich, Ramon Larramendi, Jason de Carteret and Rick Schwizer.
The broken tractor has been repaired.

Saturday April 4, 2009
Coordinates: 89°45.148' N, 043°39.394' E
Distance from the Pole 27,6 km, t -31°C, sun and light wind, good visibility.

This night Antonov An-72 airplane with the commander of Russian Federal Security Service aviation Nikolay Gavrilov has accomplished a training flight over the North Pole with landing at Barneo. In 10 days it will bring a group of young skiers - winners of the Russia Skies race. They will make their journey from Barneo to the North Pole. This time they will be again directed by Matvei Shparo and Boris Smolin.
The skiers who left yesterday for the Last Degree are doing their way without problems: they have regular connection with Barneo and report on their location and health.

Friday April 3, 2009
Coordinates: 89°47.992' N, 050°32.857' E
Distance from the Pole 23 km, t -28°C, Sun, light haze.

Four groups of skiers who arrived at the camp the day before started their Last Degree program for the Pole. They are guided Eric Philips, Doug Stoup, Victor Simonov and Lyudmila Korobeshko.
One of the two Barneo's tractors has broken, but the breakage is reported to be not serious, the tractor is being fixed now.
The Russia Today television channel's group (correspondent - Igor Ogorodnikov, cameraman - Alexander Chekulaev) are working at Barneo. They are making reportage on the camp's life.
For them and also for the staff of the base the Expedition Leader Vadim Prudnikov has reported on Russian settlements in Spitsbergen: Piramiden and Barentsburg and has shown the photographs while the Camp Chief's Assistant Sergey Orlov has shared his impressions on the visit to NP-36 station. Such is the cultural program in the camp tonight.

Thursday April 2, 2009
Yesterday Barneo accepted its first guests: a group of 9 scientists from Russia directed by professor Igor Melnikov, and also 8 polar scientists who are to substitute for the winterers at the North Pole-36 drifting research station. The station is now 270 km away from Barneo and the scientists set off for it by a helicopter.
This morning the first team of 20 skiers has also started from Longyearbyen to Barneo.
N.B.
The members of Barneo team express their thanks for the efficient and well-organized work on parachuting of the materials for Barneo to the group of jumpers:

Igor Cherepanov
Alexey Budnitsky
Eugeny Bakalov
Yury Vavulov
Dmitry Podlesnoy
Oleg Yuschenko
Vladimir Pligin
Roman Dementyev
Igor Belov
Sergey Shishkin Parachute jumpers: on the baths day and before leaving Barneo

See also the Photos of Barneo section

Tuesday March 31, 2009
The third flight from Longyearbyen landed at Barneo yesterday evening with the equipment for the camp including warm toilets to be placed there soon. With one of the first return flights the group of 10 parachute jumpers left Barneo. They had brilliantly done what they were supposed to: the safe parachute landing of the materials for Barneo (see previous notes). The construction of the base goes on smoothly and comes to its end. The accommodation modules for tourists will soon be finished. As for the 2 mess tents, the kitchen and living modules for the staff they are ready and largely used by the team. Today there have been the first hot breakfast on the floe consisting of porridge with red bilberries and a fluffy omelet.
Air temperature: from -35 to -39°С, strong wind.

Sunday March 29, 2009
Barneo starts!
The ice runway of Barneo airdrome is ready and accepts several technical flights today. The first of them landed on the floe at 1 p.m. MST. The construction of the camp started immediately and after several hours there was a roomy mess tent built where the team can take a snack and warm themselves during their work. The temperature in the area is -39°C

Wednesday March 25, 2009
Sunny and frosty weather (with temperature around -25°С) at Longyearbyen has rapidly changed for -10°С, strong wind and snowstorm.
While the runway is being built on the floe the Barneo team are busy at Longyearbyen. In today’s schedule there are meetings with the Head of Longyear Airport Ole M. Rambech and the airport Security Senior Officer Liv Birgit Haustveit.

Tuesday March 24, 2009
The ice floe for Barneo was found in the morning «at the address»: 89°48' N 163°44' E. Air temperature -36°С. Also at 5 p.m. MST two tractors for building of the ice airdrome were parachuted on it. It’s the first time when two tractors are used instead of one (having in mind the experience of previous years: a broken tractor would cause long delays and serious problems for the organizers).

Monday March 23, 2009
Almost all the team of Barneo expedition has gathered in the Spitsbergen capital - Longyearbyen.

Also today is the celebration of the expedition leader Alexander Talanov’s birthday.

Sunday March 22, 2009
At 3 p.m. MST the Iljushin Il-76 successfully parachuted the fuel for the two Mi-8 helicopters. Today the helicopters have started the search for the Barneo ice floe.

Friday March 20, 2009
In Moscow Church of Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin the prayer service was held to bless the coming Barneo expedition.
Also today an Iljushin Il-76 airplane took off from Moscow to Murmarsk having onboard the load for Barneo construction and the fuel for parachuting onto the ice. The fuel is intended for 2 Mi-8 helicopters which will search for an ice floe steady enough to bear the airdrome. The helicopters have lifted from Norilsk enroute Dikson – Sredniy Island earlier this week.