A few days back I posted that the 2008 Antarctic season was officially underway with the arrival of Armin Wirth and Dieter Staudinger at Novo Base. (They're joined by Lars Bastian who is filming their journey. Why does the cameraman always get forgotten?) The explorers intend to set out from Neumayer Station and ski some 3400km to Patriot Hills, via the South Pole. At the time that I posted, bad weather had them trapped at Novo, but they have now moved on to Neumayer, where they will soon get their journey underway.
Meanwhile, ExWeb is reporting that the Shackleton Centenary Expedition has reached Punta Arenas, Chile and is expecting to be dropped in Patriot Hills as early as today. I've mentioned this team before, as they strive to repeat, and finish, Shackleton's famous Nimrod expedition, which took place one hundred years ago this year. The team consists of six members, some joining at different stages, including Patrick Bergel, the great-grandson of Shackleton himself.
If the Centenary Team is on it's way to Patriot Hills, that means that others will be following very soon. ALE (Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions) handles most of the flights to the region, and they are generally quite efficient in their use of their planes. Expect regular drops over the next few weeks as more explorers and climbers make their way to the frozen continent. There should be plenty to report on soon.
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