The North Pole is defined as the point in the Northen Hemisphere where the Earth’s axis of rotation meets its surface. The North Pole is the northernmost point on the Earth, lying diametrically opposite the South Pole. At the North Pole all directions point south; all lines of longitude converge there, so its longitude can be defined as any degree value. While the South Pole lies on a continental land mass, the North Pole is located in the middle of the Arctic Ocean and is covered with constantly shifting sea ice. Recent studies have predicted that the North Pole may become seasonally ice-free due to Arctic ice shrinkage, with timescales varying from next year to fifty years or more.

For almost 20 years Johan Ernst has had a dream to stand on the North Pole, but during the last five years the dream turned into a plan. The was to start from the North Pole and then travel across the globe to the South Pole. The North Pole is a hostile place and he decided to cross the ice with Norwegian explorer Harald with whom he spend almost 60 days together with in the Arctic.
The 47 day long crossing had a lot to offer in terms of variation in ice conditions, climate change and difficulties. They aimed for Greenland but ended up in Canada due to lack of ice. To be able to travel from North Pole to Canada the two explorers used 110 kilo sleds, snow sails and skis. During the adventure they saw polar bear tracks, fell through the ice and got frostbites. No polar crossing is ever easy but this year the ice conditions were extremely complicated.
Polar legend Doug Stoup (North Pole 13 times) remember 2011 as one of his worst years ever;

“The Arctic Ocean has been an early warning sign for Climate Change the last several decades. Spring 2011 was an alarming year as I have been working on the Arctic Ocean in April for over a decade and my observations were very little multi-year ice (8-14 years old)  The multi-year ice has been pushed down to the Baffin Straits near Canada. My fellow adventurer Johan Ernst Nilson experienced miles of disturbed ice that made route finding almost impossible and impassible. It is a miracle that Johan was able to get to Canada”

 

North Pole Film Mix

Swimming the North Pole