After three long hikes across 75km of bogs, hills and beaches, we spent our final night in the luxurious derelict confines of Isaachsen once again, the final stop of our expedition and from where we would be 'extracted' in the morning. The place is an ex American radar base set up as part of the DEW Line back in the late 1940’s and which shut down in the late 70’s. Given its remoteness the size of the place was staggering, as was the amount of discarded kit still on site – including ATV’s, Caterpillars and other toys (painful sightings given our need for one of these the past 3 days). Whilst it had been turned upside down over the years by other explorers/extreme looters the place was still very much alive with memories of the past.

With any luck this was to be our last night before extraction and once again we slept shoulder to shoulder in one of the old accommodation blocks, if only to keep warm as the temperature plummeted and the wind howled through the smashed windows and doorless doors - another wonderful (but hopefully final) bonding experience. Sleep was again minimal, not helped by Jock's impromptu early morning chorus which shook the building and woke all of us. However given sleeping conditions and a few unfortunate ‘moments’ (such as Dave waking to find himself wedged in under Mark D’s armpit) it was no bad thing that sleep was cut short – and besides today was extraction day.

With the snow falling and fog clinging to the hills there were final anxious moments that the Arctic may have one final trick up its sleeve but following a few words of gentle encouragement from Jock to the air charter company the twin otter touched down on Isaachsen's runway at 11.40am.

So after 33 days out in the wilderness it was finally time to say goodbye to the place we had called home."

It was time to say thankyou and close what had been another exciting chapter in this expedition – and with it you got a distinct feeling summer was closing and winter very much arriving. Richard (our Operations HQ guru) had travelled out with the plane and after a celebratory nip of Old Pulteney the engines started and we set off for Resolute. Having literally bounced up the hill to get to the plane there was a noticeable quiet amongst the crew during the flight, as our route retraced the steps we’d taken over the islands, ice blockades and open water. The landscape below had been our playground and tormentor for the past 32 days and it was weird to be leaving, especially leaving in a plane as opposed to arriving back in the boat. All things being well she will not be out here long

At 2.10pm we landed at Resolute to be greeted by Ozzie. It's amazing to be back but given the recent tragedy also very much tinged with sadness. A plane went down killing 12 two weeks ago which for a community this size must have had a devastating effect. For Jock especially he has developed many close friendships with this part of the world and Resolute in particular and we hope to be able to pay our respects at the memorial service on Friday.

So here we are back in the land of the living, although still very much in the Arctic. We all smell horrific, look like Neanderthals and despite eating well (by expedition standards) seem to have lost a good few pounds along the way. As per any expedition that first look in the mirror has been quite scary for one and all, which could explain Richard’s reluctance to engage in any man hugging back in Isaachsen – nothing a shower (maybe two in some cases) and a change of clothes won’t sort. Thankfully the annual ship delivering supplies to Resolute has just docked in the bay which means food should be plentiful, which is just as well because conversations have focused on little else these past few days. First up will be a cooked breakfast in the morning…and here’s preying it doesn’t involve omelet. Mmm fresh, hot ‘normal’ food…