What's Involved
Polar exploration is not your average athletic pursuit and it throws up some interesting factoids.
- Solo expeditions at this level of difficulty and risk require huge levels of psychological strength and confidence and a comprehensive training program is developed months in advance targeting both physical and psychological fitness.
- Uni of WA - a range of scientific research skills were used in the preparation of a comprehensive 'arctic readiness' program, designed to minimise the risks of the expedition, and to optimise Tom's physiological and psychological preparation.
- Because the consequences of proving unequal to the task are often fatal, appropriate training and preparation are critical. Experts with a vast amount of knowledge across all areas assisted Tom in his preparation, many volunteering their time and expertise to enhance the expedition's chances of success.
- Standing 6'7", weighing 110kg and built like the proverbial, Tom had to put on an additional 20 kilos of insulation in order for the body to perform effectively in this punishing environment. During his preparation he was consuming up to 6,000 calories per day washed down with a glass of olive oil!
- In late January Tom travelled to the tip of the world to Iqaluit in Canada's high arctic for a month of pre-training and acclimatisation. He stayed with legendary polar veteran Matty McNair who, in spite of all her accomplishments, is most famous for driving a dogsled with Richard Hammond as part of the Top Gear Polar Special!
- Man-hauling all his supplies on a sledge totalling 160kg, Tom will travel a gruelling 800km across broken ice in the midst of some spectacular Arctic phenomena - the midnight sun, compression ridges, open water channels between perpetually moving ice floes, with the air temperature fluctuating between -20 degrees celcius and -50 degrees celcuis.
- Perhaps best described as a gigantic slurpee, surviving on the Arctic ice is like playing Russian roulette on a moving merry-go-round. The drift-ice churns against the land in a maelstrom of ice-floes and open-water leads. Tom will wear a specially designed dry-suit for swimming across the innumerable amount of leads he is expecting to cross.
- Interaction with hungry polar bears is expected to be a sometimes daily occurrence and a high powered revolver will be worn at all times, plus a flare gun which will be used as the first line of defence. A thin line attached to a trip-flare employed around the tent during sleep acts as an early warning system against polar bears.
- A small two-man tent will be Tom's home for nearly 3 months and his only contact with the outside world will be by satellite phone to a Perth based Polar HQ who will communicate with Tom on a daily basis. Managing the website, media, marketing and logistics they will play a vital role in the expedition.