Weatherwise, today was the best day of the Expedition thus far. The sun shone all night long, and continued shining throughout the day, in cloudless skies. Already during the first leg of the day, we shed our outer ski suits and put them on the sledges. For the remainder of the day we skied in lighter clothing, also made by Sasta.

Our luck soon changed though. We hit another open lead. Nothing for it but swimming: one man swam across with the `ferry-rope´. Then, for the umpteenth time, the ferry service shuttled back and forth until all men and gear were over, safe and dry.

There were more leads to cross later on but, fortunately, they could be crossed on skis. Otherwise, the day's skiing was on `easy ground´. As a result, we crossed the 87th parallel, and traveled a distance equaling our previous daily record for the trip. As an added bonus we got a good face tan.

Questions frequently asked by our readers are: `Why is our pick-up deadline at the Pole so fixed?´ `Why are we in such a hurry?´ `Why did we make such a tight schedule?´

The answer is twofold: Spring and supplies:

1. The Canadian airline Kenn Borek, operating out of Resolute Bay, has guaranteed our evacuation airlift, but the contracted guarantee expires at the end of April. Furthermore, the Russian-operated airstrip at the Pole, serving Research Station Barneo, closes down for the summer on April 29th. So our deadline is `written in stone´: the last scheduled flight out departs for Spitzbergen on 4/29/2006.
2. In full knowledge of the above, we have with us only enough food and stove fuel to last until April 29th. Daily rations were calculated precisely before our departure, in order to minimize sledge weight.

For the above reasons, at least according to the information available to us at present, our pick-up date at the Geographic North Pole is fixed as April 29th.

So by that deadline, this Bunch of Finnish Nomads will get itself, and all its gear, to the Pole! Understood?

All with our Expedition is very well.