COMMERCIAL EXPEDITIONS OF ADVENTURE NETWORK INTERNATIONAL

Tour Operator ANI (Adventure Network International) - which for many years has been handling the logistical side for most of the professional Antarctic expeditions - now organises what are known as "commercial" expeditions every year. In general, these expeditions attempt the route between Hercules Inlet and the South Pole, which is a trek of approximately 900 km.

These adventures are called "commercial" expeditions for a variety of reasons: first of all, they are not organised by "adventure professionals", and second, the people involved have to go through a specialist TO such as ANI - and hence pay the TO - to be able to obtain the services required to be able to accomplish feats of this kind.

Unfortunately, these expeditions do not usually have their own website. This means that we are unable to monitor their progress in the same way as we would for the professionals. As a result, we suggest that our visitors take a look at the Adventure Network International website.

This southern summer 2002 - 2003, two purely commercial
expeditions are underway in the Antarctic.

1/ Ski South Pole: this involves 6 people (Guillermo Banales and Angel Navas, two Spaniards, Graham Stonehouse and Andrew Cooney, two Britons, and Devon McDiamid, assistant guide provided by ANI), under the leadership of Matty McNair, who is the wife of the well-known Canadian polar guide, Paul Landry. They are attempting the Hercules Inlet to the South Pole route. (no website known)

2/ Second group: this one is made up of 4 people: Andrew Gerber, a South African, Tom Avery and Patrick Woodhead (British) under the leadership of the renowned Canadian guide, Paul Landry. They are attempting the same route as the others: Hercules Inlet to the South Pole (no website known)

See the follow up