ARCTIC OCEAN 2000
Rune Gjeldens and Torry Larsen

12 February -> 15 April | 16 April -> 12 May | 22 May -> 4 June

15 April

Interesting observations made by Torry Larsen today, this 60th day of the expedition, on the subject of the gradual transformation of the human body following all the constraints to which it has been subjected over a period of two months (experience of hypercalorifoc food, extreme physical expenditure, cold, wind, etc).
He said: "We are still putting in seven-hour days, and we can feel the tension of these last two months spent on skis on the ice. After our 7 hours of daily trekking, we are extremely tired. In other words, we look forward to our rest each day with considerable impatience, and, a sign of tiredness no doubt, the food seems to be getting better each day. It will be interesting to see what our bodies look like after a while. Because we are losing weight almost visibly, and have a good laugh counting our ribs one by one through our sleeping bags…"

5 April

Position of 05 April: 50th day, 389 miles covered.
Why not indulge in a little game of comparisons today? Which team is making better progress? The Frenchmen Arnaud Tortel and Rodolphe André ? Or the Norwegians Rune Gjeldnes and Torry Larsen?
Knowing that both teams are pursuing the same objective of a complete crossing of the Arctic Ocean, that they left from the same point, but that one (the Frenchmen) left Cape Arktikschewsky 11 days later than the other.
It is in any case possible to compare the distances covered by the two teams (only approximate for the Frenchmen who are more difficult to keep track of than the Norwegians in view of their less favourable financial circumstances - they don't give daily mileages, for example). We have taken the 50th day of progress as the point of reference.

APPROXIMATE COMPARISON OF THE POSITIONS & DISTANCES COVERED ON THE 50TH DAY OF PROGRESS BY THE TWO TEAMS THAT ARE ATTEMPTING A COMPLETE CROSSING OF THE ARCTIC OCEAN
THE NORWEGIANS, on 5 April	86°00'N / 81°43'E / 622 km, 389 miles
THE FRENCHMEN, on 16 April	87°23'N / 85°30'E / 700 km, 438 miles
It would therefore seem that the Frenchmen are making better progress than the Norwegians. But as they had left 11 days afterwards, Arnaud and Rodolphe are still several miles behind Rune and Torry; and they seem, little by little, to be catching them up… What a thriller!

Putting that to one side, the two men are experiencing a fair amount of suffering, especially Torry with his unremitting back-ache, despite the prodigious daily care administered by what Rune calls the Polar Ocean Massage Institute !
Yesterday, they nevertheless covered just under 11 miles in the perishing cold that obliged them to keep their fingers and toes moving all the time…

24 March

What a good lesson in modesty, simplicity, and above all honesty (which is pretty rare in the world of adventure pros) is taught every day by these two Norwegians who are wandering about on this polar ocean in horrible conditions.
Soon after our last report, there was considerable question of their fears inspired by the coming closure of the Iridium network, (by which they communicate every day with their HQ); but they analysed the situation with tranquillity and without the slightest animosity towards the people responsible for this possible discontinuance of activity. A remarkable display of sang froid.
And another thing: for several days, Torry has been suffering from unremitting backache (he doesn't know what it is) which is causing him considerable pain. But he never dramatises the matter and keeps a low profile, preferring to profit from this set-back by making a jibe or two on the radio !

HONESTY AND A SENSE OF HUMOUR What strikes me more and more in this expedition is the honesty shown by its protagonists. Each knows that in this world of polar adventure, one often keeps quiet about things, one hides what is thought to be inappropriate for media consumption, and one misrepresents the precise way in which things occur. Here, there is nothing like that. An example: on 13 March, they informed HQ that, thanks to the positive drift of the ice floe during the night, this was the second time that they had crossed a latitude without leaving their tent. There are other explorers, who, to make their feat more superhuman - and therefore worthy of media interest - would have not have talked about it. Another example: on 24 March, Rune and Torry came to blows over a stupid question of breakfast rations that Rune accused Torry of having forgotten to take from the sledge the previous evening, so someone had to leave the tent and confront the cold in order to go and get them. At one time, one of them even wanted to go and get the revolver… Fortunately, the quarrel came to a happy ending. How many explorers, always on the lookout for the best possible marketing image, would have concealed such a dispute? In short, these two lads are quite fascinating. Even more so because at every (or almost every) transmission there is a moment of humour. On 21 March, Rune recounted that at the end of the evening they had decided to play Strip Poker, but that they hadn't made their minds up as to whether the game would be inside or outside the tent…

During these last few days, the two men have been confronted with considerable wind and drift. But, on the 19th, they announced all the same that they were ahead of the envisaged schedule. A good omen.
On 24 March, the 38th day of their journey, they had achieved 274 miles. They were slowly getting nearer to the Geographic North Pole.

24 March

 A question that is often voiced on the subject of this type of polar expedition, requiring both physical strength and mental stamina, focuses on how these great adventure lovers are able to withstand things. In the report of 12 March, Rune and Torry gave us a rough sketch of an answer, in terms of maintaining morale, in any event. "Yesterday evening, we organised a little competition in the tent to see which of the two of us would manage to accomplish more gymnastic exercises in the sleeping bag", Rune explained at the time of his daily radio session with HQ. "Unfortunately for Torry, I won with 137 exercises. There was an epic end to the game when my companion desperately tried to do a complete 360° turn within the sleeping bag. No joy… We'll no doubt be getting back to that today…".
During these last few days, the two men have made much better progress: 15.3 miles on 08 March and 9.4 the following day. Two days later, they were climbing up a high ridge of ice from where the view was sumptuous: in celebration of this magic moment, they broke out into the Norwegian national anthem.

5 March

Having the taste for parties that is customary among people from northern countries Rune and Torry decided, on 03 April, to invite the other expeditions to a little banquet on the ice: the remainder of the Russian sausages, pasta, cheese and chocolate, with tea or coffee.
The same day, they realised that, as a result of the constant lurching of the sledges in the hummocks, one of the fuel canisters had got lost. It didn't matter: they had enough for the remainder of the journey.
An excellent surprise was awaiting the explorers in the early hours of 01 April: the drift of the ice had given them an advance, in the right direction, of more than 6 miles. They suddenly decided to award themselves a day's holiday.