Last week, we reported they had covered 800km in some of the harshest conditions on the planet. Weather permitting, this weekend should see Mission Spiritus Antarctica’s awesome Alan Chambers and Dave Thomas (pictured below) reach the impressive 1,000km point in their gruelling attempt to ski unsupported to the South Pole, leaving them ‘only’ 130 km left to go!
Listen below to Alan and Dave’s latest radio interview (courtesy of BFBS radio):
This milestone will be an incredible achievement in its own right. The two former Royal Marines, with a combined age of a just under century and a quarter, will have already been on the ice for 50 days, dragging their sleds with all their food, fuel and stores behind them.
They are now on the polar plateau with the steepest section of the whole journey behind them. However, heroically battling daily fatigue and extraordinarily challenging polar terrain, they continue to encounter extreme weather conditions and are now at the mercy of the full-on Antarctic summer at -24 degrees yesterday with wind chill of -34.
When reaching their ultimate destination somewhere around 18th January (as always, weather permitting), Dave – at the age of just over 68 years – will become the oldest person to reach the geographic S Pole unaided, by an impressive four years!
Whilst primarily a multi-faceted polar scientific expedition undertaking research into the global impact of nano plastics on behalf of Columbia University Lamont and the effects sensory deprivation has on the body in prolonged remote climates in conjunction with Manchester Met University, we could not be more grateful that they are also generously raising funds for RMA – The Royal Marines Charity.
Please consider supporting this magnificent duo via their JustGiving page here.
