4 April 2016 Longyearbyen, Svalbard Elevation: 51m Latitude: 78°22’32″N Longitude: 15°62’67″E Weather: Sunny Temperature: -6°C Distance covered today: 0km Distance to North Pole: 1316km Ed is feeling: Ready I am as ready as I’ll ever be. The runway on the high Arctic sea ice at Camp Barneo is operational, the technical flights have been a success. It is as certain as certain can be in the polar regions that we will fly out tomorrow lunchtime/afternoon. Today has been another preparation and tweaking day, the pulk repacked, much better now. Took a trip on skidoos to an ice cave on Longyearbyen glacier to distract my mind for a few hours from the endless over thinking, repacking and nervous tension. Really looking forward to getting going, fingers crossed tomorrows daily update will be considerably closer to the Pole!

The Polar PA here – been drafted in to test posting. The Polar Explorer is eating burgers and raring to go. I think he and the team are really ready to go, so hopefully the ice runway has frozen again and they can get started tomorrow, Tuesday 5th.

3 April 2016 Longyearbyen, Svalbard Elevation: 51m Latitude: 78°22’32″N Longitude: 15°62’67″E Weather: Snowing Temperature: -4°C Distance covered today: 3km Distance to North Pole: 1316km Ed is feeling: Pensive I am pensive today, a lot of thinking going into organisation of the sled contents which is easy in a warehouse but makes me think how much more difficult it will be at -35C. A good day today as we all headed out on skis up Adventdalen with our full pulk sled loads (+60kg) and then pitched our tents and lit stoves etc. in a camp mock up. It is looking very likely that we will fly north on Tuesday am for the start of an incredible journey. The first successful test flight to Camp Barneo was today. Do you like my mustard jacket?

…..well cracking news actually. There are three cracks in the ice runway at Camp Barneo on the high Arctic sea ice.These are currently being fixed by the Russian operations team. Almost certainly this delays our transfer on to the ice by one day to Tuesday 5 April. More time to practice pitching camp and sled pulling and to gain more calories!

2 April 2016 Longyearbyen, Svalbard Elevation: 51m Latitude: 78°22’32″N Longitude: 15°62’67″E Weather: Snowing Temperature: -4°C Distance covered today: 0km Distance to North Pole: 1316km Ed is feeling: Excited The weather is very changeable today it’s warmer and snowing quite heavily so that mountain view from my hotel room window is now a white out. The picture shows the clothing that’s going to keep me warm and dry, a base layer, a fleece layer and an outer shell layer. We sorted all the food out today, boxes of dried meals, noodles, porridge, chocolate, nuts, cheese and butter. We each have our share to carry. The pulk sled I will be pulling is canoe like and has been on a successful expedition from Russia to the North Pole (good pedigree). More tomorrow….

Good day today walking around Longyearbyen. Tried on the Polar expedition clothing to check for fit, my top layer jacket is a fine mustard colour. Most of the gear is Red Fox made in Russia. Bought a few last minute things in town including a long spoon – my spork was way to short! More on that later…

1 April 2016 Longyearbyen, Svalbard Elevation: 51m Latitude: 78°22’32″N Longitude: 15°62’67″E Weather: Mostly sunny Temperature: -9°C Distance covered today: 0km Distance to North Pole: 1316km Ed is feeling: Dazed This is no April fool! Wow here I am in Svalbard with the picture showing the view from my room, home for the next few nights. Met loads of folk last night at the airport, guides (Eric and Audun) and fellow team members including James and Rob. On the agenda today a bit of ski training and kit sorting. Bye for now.

29 March 2016 Watford, Hertfordshire Elevation: 71m Latitude: 51°39’18″N Longitude: 0°23’44″W Weather: Mostly cloudy Temperature: 12°C Distance covered today: 0km Distance to North Pole: 4500km Ed is feeling: Nervous There is a possibility that we will see Polar bears in Svalbard but less likely when we are on the ice way up North. It would be brilliant to see one, and as a friend said ‘probably best viewed from afar’!

Essential items are being gathered together for the great Arctic pack. Including these Highland Park 18yo miniatures of malt whisky for the team to toast a successful conclusion to our expedition to the North Pole. On top of the world with the finest dram. I’m guessing that will be around 24 April 2016.