Posted: May 13, 2008 06:12 pm EDT
(ThePoles.com) The little action for the North Pole this year was made up for by an eventful Barneo season.

To accommodate the airlift of Matvey and Boris following their winter trek to the pole, the drifting ice camp - constructed annually near 89°N to assist skiers, scientists and polar visitors - opened up early this year.

A tractor was airdropped on the ice, but broke shortly after. A parachuter bringing spare parts got frostbite and had to be evacuated to Spitsbergen.

–42°C temps made tractors repairs difficult and then some difficult ice, which can only be worked out by hand, slowed down the construction of the 1200 meter runway.

Marathon wild bunch and the American Bison

On April 20, the floor of the mess tent was wrecked by participants of the North Pole marathon and the entire camp site had to be dismantled.

Mechanic Denis Bogdanov was sent to Spitsbergen on doctor’s orders after he overstrained himself when loading gear for American scientists. “The Ski Track of Russia – the North Pole” youth expedition however reached the Top of the Planet without incidents.

The next morning a snow storm hit the base, bringing out the hero in an American scientist who challenged the snowdrift "like a Bison" and freed the entrance.

The water-mattress

A flight from Moscow carrying journalists got stuck in bad weather at Nagurskaya base (Franz Josef Land). Head of American science group Andy Heiberg and part of his team arrived Barneo by Russian aircraft after earlier flight there by a Hawker airplane.
On April 22, the floe bearing Barneo crossed the Greenwich meridian and landed in the Western hemisphere.

April 23, an AN-74 aircraft landed at Barneo with the team of journalists and Dmitry Shparo. Helicopters shuffled them, the youth expedition, and Borge Ousland with his group of 6 skiers between the Pole and Barneo. This is when the mess-tent floor was wrecked and the heating went out. Over-eager repairs resulted in a “water mattress” effect with the ice melting beneath. The heaters had to be shut off and morning air temperature in the mess-cabin bottomed out at -18C that day.

A game of tennis

Mikhail Malakhov was there as well, doing a degree and a half with his Ryazan expedition who played tennis at the pole. It took the team more than 3 hours to build the court and adjust the net. A set of rackets had been presented to the participants by members of the Russian national tennis team. The game was 3 sets "and appeared to be very exciting and stubborn" according to organizers. Oleg Naumov and Lev Safonov won.

Orhtodox Easter and Arthur Chilingarov

By April 25, the camp had drifted 5 km south in only 12 hours. Borge Ousland and his six skiers found themselves chasing the pole against the drifting ice. Explorers from the Scott Polar Research Institution meanwhile flew to the Lomonosov mountain ridge to check temperature and salinity of the Arctic water there.

By April 26, it was time to close base and Barneo staff members did a head count to make sure no one was left on the ice.

On April 27, all tourists, skiers, scientists and dogs left camp on the first flight. Only Barneo team members remained awaiting a flight carrying Arthur Chilingarov (NP submarine) to haul the Barneo flag and close the 2008 season.

Weather spoiled this plan and staff members decided to instead celebrate Orhtodox Easter. Just as the table was set in a flapping tent, Arthur Chilingarov arrived and performed the procedure, leaving camp again late that night.

April 28, the ice base was officially closed and at 12:00 UTC (16:00 MST). The final flight from the ice airdrome took off the next day with all gear, including waste, removed. The floe on which the camp was situated is now empty.

Russian drifting base Barneo will resume operation next year.

Barneo is a drifting ice camp that is annually constructed near 89°N to assist the skiers, scientists and other polar visitors during the spring season.

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