ARKTOS EXPEDITION / MIKE HORN
Here are the press communiqués published
last spring (2002) when Mike Horn with frozen fingers
had to give up on Arctic ice-pack
After his abandon on Arctic Icepack last spring (2002) South-African adventurer Mike Horn (based in Switzerland) goes on with his longterm adventure around Arctic Polar Circle
Communiqué 10th January / Communiqué 26th November /
Communiqué 11th November / Communiqué 5 November /
Communiqué 13th September / Communiqué 18th August /
Press communiqué 10th January 2003 
Tent and belongings up in smoke !!
At 00.15hrs GMT Mike’s tent catches fire and everything inside the tent goes up in smoke. Only ashes remain at Mike’s campsite, position N69°48’830” W086°02’611”
“I wasn't able to do a thing. I was changing the fuel bottle on my stove and on opening the screw top, the fuel sprayed out under high pressure all over the tent. The tiny flame still remaining on the stove was enough to set the whole tent alight in a flash. It ravished everything inside the tent within seconds. It was so quick the only reaction I had was to save myself! My sledge and its contents are all that I have at present. My sleeping bag went up in smoke, my down jacket, maps, argos, everything that was in my tent! Luckily, my telephone and GPS were safe so I was able to ring my friend in Arctic Bay who has arranged for help to be sent from Igloolik.
“I have built an shelter in amongst the pack ice for the evening. It will be a long wait with only a windstopper and a few candles to keep me warm.”
“Once back in Igloolik, I will be able to establish the damage and will need to replace everything that I have lost. My logistics team will bring me new equipment next week and I will get moving again as soon as possible.”
Twelve hours later, Mike’s help team finally arrives and he is now heading back to Igloolik to assess the damage to his equipment. For further information about Mike and the ARKTOS expedition please look at the Website: www.mikehorn.com or contact ;:Cathy Horn / Tel: ++41 (0) 79 289 8129 / Fax: ++41 (0) 26 924 7618
E mail : mike.horn@bluewin.ch
Press communiqué 26th Novembre 2002
Mike Horn leaves Arctic Bay - Stage 4 begins!
At midday today (1800hrs GMT), Mike left Arctic Bay – starting his trek across the Northwest Territories of Canada and beginning stage 4 of the Arktos Expedition.
For almost two months, Mike has been blocked in Arctic Bay due to the unusually warm temperatures for this period. Finally, the temperatures over the last two weeks have dropped to a constant -30°C and the ice is slowly thickening.
After speaking with the local Inuit hunters, Mike has decided to head directly south, on land, to the Fury and Hecla Strait. He will regain light hours whilst heading south, allowing him to walk for longer periods during the day before he sets camp in the evening. When he arrives at Fury and Hecla Strait, about one month later, he should be able to traverse safely and arrive on the mainland of Canada. Once on the mainland he will continue westwards, passing Pelly Bay and through to Cambridge Bay.
There was panic in Arctic Bay yesterday as a polar bear and her cubs walked through the village ransacking rubbish bins and huts in the search food - just one of the many that are in the area and heading in the same direction as Mike. He must remain very attentative and all times and follow the advice of the local people. 
"It's sad to leave in Arctic Bay. I have met some wonderful people who have taught me many things about the wildlife and environment. Even so, it's time for me to get going. I'm more ready than ever to continue on my way!!"
It is possible to speak with Mike Horn via telephone satellite. If interested, please contact Cathy Horn +41 79 289 2819.
Photos available through 'Keystone' / Tel: +41 (1) 466 99 66
Web: http://www.keystone.ch
For further information about Mike and the ARKTOS expedition please look at the Website: www.mikehorn.com or contact Cathy Horn / Tel: ++41 (0) 79 289 8129 / Fax: ++41 (0) 26 924 7618
E mail: mike.horn@bluewin.ch
Press communiqué 11th November 2002
Mike Horn returns to Arctic Bay !
It’s rather frustrating to have to retrace your footsteps, but given the conditions of the ice Mike had no choice! Mike left Arctic Bay after a huge storm had hit. The sirens in the village had been set off to alert the villagers to stay inside. If they ventured further than their doorstep there was a high chance of being hit by flying debris! 
Knowing that the conditions were perfect a few days earlier, Mike was eager to set off. As soon as the wind had calmed, he left. “The strong winds had created pressure ridges on the ice. Some of these broke into huge leads, while in other parts, layers were pushed onto other layers and had become very unstable.”
“There I was with 300 meters of open water in front of me!”
So Mike finds himself back in Arctic Bay. A friend, named Claude, has taken him out around the nearby coastline in search of seals and polar bears. Mike says he has learnt many invaluable things about the nature and environment. “I believe everything happens for a reason so I will wait calmly for the conditions to improve and will try and learn as much as I possibly can in the meantime. Temperatures are once again back up to -15°C (what the locals call a late summer!)
“We just need a few days of really cold weather and no winds and I’ll be able to leave again.”
It is possible to speak with Mike Horn via telephone satellite. If interested, please contact Cathy Horn +41 79 289 2819.
Photos available through 'Keystone' / Tel: +41 (1) 466 99 66
Web: http://www.keystone.ch
For further information about Mike and the ARKTOS expedition please look at the Website: www.mikehorn.com or contact :
Cathy Horn / Tel: ++41 (0) 79 289 8129 / Fax: ++41 (0) 26 924 7618
E mail: mike.horn@bluewin.ch
Press communiqué 5th November 2002
Mike Horn leaves on foot tomorrow
On the 30th of September, Mike moored his boat at Nanisivik, a small mining village off the northern coast of Baffin Island. He had reached the point of no return - behind him the ice was closing up. From Nanisivik, he could now head off on foot, while the boat, ARKTOS, would remain there for the winter. With 5’000 kms of the 20’000 behind him, Mike is now ready for stage 4 of the ARKTOS expedition. This involves the traverse on foot and ski of the North-Western Territories of Canada, heading westwards towards the Bering Strait in Alaska. 
“When I arrived in Nanisivik with my boat, there was too much ice to use the kayak, but yet, it was not solid enough to start off on foot, so I had no choice but to wait for a few weeks. This is nature and I must go with it, not against it.”
Mike spent this time preparing for his departure on the ice. ARKTOS has been hauled out of the water and winterised, ready to endure the harsh Northern winter. It will be sailed back to Europe by the logistics team in the spring of 2003, as soon the ice melts and the way is clear. The water in Admiralty Inlet is now frozen and is thick enough to bear Mike’s weight, and the weight of his sledge, heavily laden with equipment and supplies.
The locals have warned him about the polar bears, which use the firmer ice for their southward migration in search of food. They too, are heading for the Prince Regent Inlet, so Mike must remain permanently on the alert. ”Dealing with polar bears will be a bit like dodging ice bergs and growlers. The bears move along the fringes of the land, taking their food from the water. I’ll have to stay clear of these areas as much as I can. I’ll camp on higher ground, away from the water at night. I’ll also have to set up my ‘bear watch’ system and must be extra careful with storing my food, and when cooking.” Mike often feels a deep sense of privilege to be doing what he does for a living – “I have nothing, but what I have experienced, nobody can take away from me.” He feels gratitude to those who have helped him, in big ways and small, to live his dream. It is possible to speak with Mike Horn via telephone satellite. If interested, please contact Cathy Horn +41 79 289 2819.
Photos available through 'Keystone'
Tel: +41 (1) 466 99 66
Web: http://www.keystone.ch
For further information about Mike and the ARKTOS expedition please look at the Website: www.mikehorn.com or contact;
Cathy Horn / Tel: ++41 (0) 79 289 8129 / Fax: ++41 (0) 26 924 7618
E mail: mike.horn@bluewin.ch
Press communiqué 13th September 2002
Mike Mike Horn completes the traverse of Greenland – 2nd stage completed.
A great day today as Mike completes the traverse of Greenland on skis. He arrived at his boat at Disko Bay, on the West coast, at 2130hrs GMT - only 17 days after his departure from the East coast.
He reports, “It was tough going at the beginning. I was lucky to find a route to take me up the 3000m of altitude onto the ice cap. My sledge was laden with about 100kgs of equipment including minimal rations of food. Bad weather moved in just as I arrived on the ice cap and the strong winds, thick snow and bitter cold temperatures made my progression extremely difficult. All the odds seemed to be continuously against me and I was forced to seek refuge for two days in the tent because of the whiteout conditions.”
After this bad start conditions slowly started to improve. “The winds turned and I was able to use the kite to pull me on my skis. What a pleasure to get speed at long last! With the kite I could easily cover 60kms in a day. My record day was 143 kms. The more ground I covered in the day, the more food I could eat as well, so that was a great bonus.”
Once reaching the coast Mike was greeted by the boat and crew members. Jean-Philippe Patthey, Pierre-Yves Martin, Angelo Guarino and Dominique Billieux sailed the boat around the southern tip of Greenland and up the west coast to await the arrival of Mike.
After a few days of rest Mike will say goodbye to his crew - stage 3 will commence - sailing westwards - destination Canada.
Cathy Horn / Tel: ++41 (0) 79 289 8129 / Fax: ++41 (0) 26 924 7618 /
E mail: mike.horn@bluewin.ch
Press communiqué 18th august 2002
Mike Mike arrives at Greenland - Stage 1 completed
At 1600hrs on the 17th of August Mike arrived at the port of Angmagssalik on the eastern coast of Greenland. Angmagssalik, a small Inuit village of 1200 inhabitants is equiped with airport and port and is where logistics crew were able to meet him. 
A few days ago Mike noticed water leaking into the hull of the boat."Not a major problem but inconvenient because it means I will need to work a few days on the boat before I can head off again. It could get worse so it must be fixed."
"The last few days were stressful. Huge icebergs started appearing and then the fog came in. I couldn't see 5 meters in front of me. I didn't sleep for 4 days - it would have been too risky. The icebergs are massive. I've never seen anything like it before. It's amazing to see!"
The traverse of the Greenland Sea from the North Cape until the east coast of Greenland took 13 days with northwesterly winds and an average speed of 6-9 knots. At the beginning Mike had to stop and change the position of the compass. The automatic pilot was not functioning correctly and Mike eventually realised it was a magnetic field around the compass which was causing the automatic pilot to veer to the left. Luckily the problem was quickly resolved and he was able to continue on his way.
Mike will be leaving again in a few days. Angmagssalik is situated at the mouth of a large fjord. Mike will ascend this fjord and find a place where he will be able to get onto the icecap. He will need to ascend the glacial walls which fall into the ocean. "They are a face of sheer ice so it may take a while to find a good passage."
Once on the ice cap Mike hopes the traverse will be relatively smooth. Due to cold temperatures the ice conditions are apparently good and if weather permits he will be able to use a kite to help pull him along. Logistics crew will sail the boat to the west coast where they will meet up with Mike once again after his traverse of Greenland.
Copyright : Cathy Horn / For more information please contact Cathy Horn : 0041 (079) 2898129
SOURCE : Mike Horn's site
