After another night in paradise the daily routine started once again at 0700 with the first highly anticipated event of the day - namely what delights would be served up for breakfast.

Today, was a communal grunt as we all had the dreaded mushroom omlette...omlette by name only. After a truly sumptuous breakfast we once again gathered around to digest the latest ice report and weather forecast. As each day passes so we get ever closer to the critical phase of this campaign, so each and every forecast becomes increasingly important. To date we have been blessed by Mediterranean-esque weather, favourable winds and ice drifts that have been more the exception rather than the rule. Consequently we have made amazing time and plans are, if anything, ahead of schedule.

Although we've all been taught to take nothing for granted out here.
The weather report has confirmed we'll have good winds and weather for the next 48 hours..with a change on the way. The advice is to 'make hay' while we can by getting as far north as possible before the winds change. So, Jock confirmed we'd alter the original stop-over and simply plough on up the coast towards the appropriately named Hungry Bay - about 30 miles north. After this we'll rest up for the night before heading on in a big push whilst the weather allows. The change on its way will bring North/North Westerly winds's a perfect forecast in many ways as they should help clear the ice that will then be blocking any progress. The key for us will be to find an appropriate bolt hole to rest up whilst the clearing out takes place...ensuring we have both cover and protection.

So we took off from Sheils Peninsuila at about 0945 heading for Hungry Bay. Once again the Old Pulteney let her hair down, quickly racing away at an impressive 4 knots. Jock had also requested we visit Barrow Point to find the Cairn named in Sir John Barrow's name. So after approx 4 hours we anchored up and scaled the Point in search of the landmark. When we got to the top we were once again treated to a view which has to be seen to be believed - as there before us lay the Arctic North in all its glory and bathed in bright sunshine for as far as the eye could to see. Where last night's view from Sheil's cliff had been dramatic this was just awe inspiring. There in front of us lay two very different sides to the Arctic - on the one hand serenely calm turquoise waters and on the other some extremely menacing looking ice fields...something which we would shortly have to navigate our way through.

Once again it was a moment to capture and a moment to savour: so utterly beautiful is this scenery and landscape. After a brisk descent we then headed on towards our shelter for the night, namely Hungry Bay some 14 miles up the coast. Once again the sun was beating down and shirt sleeves and shorts were the order of the day...anyone not clearly pulling hard enough! The final leg was about as perfect as an ocean
row could be, with hardly a ripple in the sea and even the wind turbine was chilling out, so mesmerising were the surrounds. Add in to the mix some playful seals and sociable birds and you have yourself a picture perfect ocean rowing scene. As we approached the Bay we were met by what looked, from afar, like a wall of ice but after some careful weaving the OP made her way through unscathed with little more that a few bits of drift ice on the hull to show for her efforts. In keeping with everything up here the bergs are quite surreal in their beauty - we've already witnessed their power but behind the dominating exterior there lies a quite unbelievable beauty...and almost certainly one of nature's most fascinating features - with carvings that many an ice sculptor would be proud to call their own.

We made Hungry Bay in good time and, as seems to be the custom in these parts, there was a welcome party - this time two walruses, although their welcome was hardly the warm one we had become accustomed to...made up for the fact that we witnessed a very romantic kissing scene - either that or one of them was making a rather amorous attack on the other. We then beached the OP and once again headed for the shoreline to relax before having to go through the highly stressful routine of 'lucky dip' once again...suffice to say, in keeping with our hosts address, I will be going hungry tonight. All that apart another sensational day in the Arctic, with much laughter, merriment and of course work on the oars. And so the adventure goes on...

After an event free trip from the Uk the follow up party of Jock, Rob S, Will S, Justin H, Richard W (who we picked up in Ottawa) and myself finally joined up with the rest of the crew last night. For many of us this is our first trip to Resolute and without exception the reaction was simialr...one of slight confusion as to whether we had infact landed on Mars or potentially somewhere in E.Africa - regardless it wasn't the Arctic as I imagined it. The landscape is so unbelievably arrid, the climate so unnervingly mild and whilst we knew about the perpetual light, experiencing it first hand is just plain weird - being the nocturnal animal I love it, although thankfully there's nowhere to be led astary in Resolute, such is the remoteness and isolation from life. However it's sensational to be here, and great to be reuinted with the rest of the crew.

We had arrived to find Mark D, Dave, Tony and Mark B had made amazing progress with the iceboat and all the vital preps that need to be completed before we set off. So for us it was a case of adding man power to what was already a very well oiled machine. Jock held a team briefing to outline plans pre departure before we set off about our various tasks.

It was a big day on so many accounts and we made huge strides in so many areas, but highlights were the launch of the iceboat in to the Arctic waters and the completion (and packing) of all food.

Mark D and Rob S took care of the launch and whilst she may have winced a little on first entry in to the icey waters she was soon in to her stride headed for her new resting place across the Bay. Aside from testing the trim the key issue on the agenda was the watermaker, which along with the food will provide a lifeline for the expedition. Thankully this, and all other testing carried out, went without a hitch.

Whilst the Old Pulteney was going for her maiden dip (head chef) Dave M had assembled a crack pot team of helpers to assist with the final preps of the food - his view being that the more people who mucked in the more people who could shoulder the blame if diets weren't to everyone's liking! Much of the arduous prep work had already been done by Dave and Richard W, so all that was left was the mundane job of sealing and double sealing the grub to avoid any chance of contamination - stomachs being the path to happiness and good team morale!

960 meals & 240 day bags later, and a total nearing 310kgs we had finished - much of which I wouldn't feed to my dog but needs must...and besides tastebuds will soon grow very fond of such simple 'delights'. Each crew member will be issued with x4 main meals per day, topped up with a 'day bag' to snack on. In total this should near approx 5,000 calories per day, and whilst it won't be up to Mr & Mrs D's cooking it should prevent these now rotund bodies from coming back too emaciated.
So with job well done the food was packed in to the iceboat and the crew sat down to sumptious feast prepared by Resolutes own Masterchefs, namely messrs Rich W and Justin H. A fine way to end a fine day...as we take another step towards the dream.

The advance party are now settled in at the South Camp Inn in Resolute, and the iceboat safely tucked away in a workshop where she'll stay whilst final preps are carried out - hopefully to be completed before myself, Jock and Rob get out there!

It would appear Tony's local experience has been invaluabe to Mark and Dave, and having spent 7+ winter seasons with Jock's trekking outfit he's well versed in the way of life out there - suffice to say he knows how to get things done without rubbing the locals up the wrong way!

The original money saving plan (inspired by Jock...obviously) was for the lads to bed down with the boat in the luxury surrounds of the garage but, thanks to Ozzie’s generosity and Tony’s bedside manner, they’ve managed to get a room in the hotel with web access AND a hot shower - relative luxury by all accounts, although I'm yet to hear just how many beds they've secured!

Since arriving they've been hard at work in the shed getting things ready for the expedition. Having removed all the gear Mark will then get to work on any necessary tweaks before sorting the stowage of all the gear - no small job given there'll be six of us living on what would ordinarily would probably be a 4 man vessel.

Whilst Mark's working his magic on installoing our drinks cabinet etc Dave has the unenviable task of organizing all the dehydrated food rations. Each crew member will have four dehydrated meals consisting of breakfast, a main meal, a dessert and some freeze dried fruit each day - over the 6 week period this will total apporx one thousand individual meals! It's hardly Delia type fare but give it 24 hrs in and it will taste just as good!

The weather out there has been 'odd' apparently, with early evidence of just how fickle the conditions can be. Having arrived in bright sunshine with temperatures as high as 18 degrees they woke up to fog and temperatures close to zero - an early test for the new Finsterre jackets, and one that I'm told they passed with flying colours! Most bizarrely the wind had increased and switched to the West and with it swept away the thousands of tons of ice that had accumulated in the bay - all within a matter of hours. Tis a strange thing the weather out here...

Next to arrive in Resolute (tonight) will be Mark B and Matt Barrett from the BBC who will get to work on setting up the cameras on the boat - joining Mark and Dave in the shed to feast on tinned stew, potatoes and carrots. Very similar to the BBC canteen I imagine...

News from the UK is that the final crew members and support team including Rob S, Will Stirling, Justin Holt, our master & leader, Jock, and myself leave tomorrow morning.

So the past few days have been typically hectic clearing the decks at work (thanks iMedia for being so accommodating!) and making sure everything's in place with sponsors and the UK support team (led by Rod). Aside from that there was the small matter of getting all the necessary kit a la 'Challenge Anneka'. Aside from having purchased a 'pink' silk liner for the sleeping bag all seems to be in order. Here's hoping the same can be said for the journey to Resolute...

So as we prepare to bid farwell to the UK all that remains to be said is THANKYOU to everyone who has helped us get this far - there are too many of you to mention individally but from sponsors, partners, support team, friends and families thank you all very much. Next stop, the Arctic.