Posted: Jul 09, 2008 11:48 am EST
(ThePoles.com) When the Alex Hibbert and George Bullard started their return journey to their first depot they were sodden wet, cold, sledging in deep snow and short of food, eating into their emergency food, but they kept going and crossed their 1000 mile (1853 km) mark unsupported as well as their 100th day on the ice.

They report about their expedition by sending short text messages.

On 18 June they were tent bound with soaking snow and high winds, and fine-tuning their strategy. The next morning the surface outside was covered with one foot of new snow, which made the sledges heavy to pull.

22 June: The surface eased a bit, but Alex’s left ski snapped in half. “Hoping a splint of snow stakes will hold.” The ski gave more problems the next few days and made Alex’s leg very tired.

24 June: “The team passes the 1000 mile barrier unsupported and join handful who have done so. Alex’s 1st polar ambition. Happy.”

27 June: “Another great day left us excited about bed!” Both know that “the decent is the dangerous part” must stay alert.”

30 June: “Good conditions but pulking felt sluggish. Will consider move to night skiing. Not long before sun sets again.”

3 July: “Our 100th day was windy and overcast. Imagine spending 100 days 25 ft away from one person (even when nature calls).”

6 July: “Good day as we summit. Can’t wait to see the coastal mountains on the horizon.”

8 July: “Recovered our depot in low visibility and snow. Icecap starts to drop towards coast. Sun has set 1st time since April.”

Statistics 8 July 2008
Temperature: -10°C
Wind speed: 14 mph (22.5 km/h; 12.165 knots)
Miles covered today: 17 miles (31.5 km)
Total miles covered: 1245 miles (2307 km)

Alex and George started their expedition on 26 March, pulling 180 kg sleds. Their aim is to traverse Greenland and return, unsupported, unsupplied via a new route from the Nagtivit glacier on the East coast to Baffin Bay on the West coast and back (1400 miles / 2250 km).

Alex Hibbert grew up in Hampshire, was educated in Dorset and read Biology at the University of Oxford. 2007 - Elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, the home of British exploration - Greenland climbing and manhauling expedition - Selected for the 2008 Royal Marines Young Officer Batch after first passing selection at 16 years old.

George is on a year out between high school and university. Having returned from South Georgia and the Falklands with BSES, he was been bitten by the ‘exploration bug’. This expedition is an ideal opportunity to further develop his polar experience after leaving Eton College where he gained A-Levels in Biology Chemistry and Russian and an AS in Maths. He has been sailing down in the South Atlantic and exploring one of the most pristine environments on planet Earth, South Georgia.

Biographies courtesy of tisogreenland.com

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