Day 59 Trek to the South Pole

A twin otter will be coming to pick me up in two hours time and will take me to Patriot Hills. I kited 200kms yesterday but am still 480kms away. Patriot Hills is closing up and I will be on the last flight out to Punta Arenas. The flight leaving Antarctica might even be this evening.

This will be my last breakfast in the tent. I feel a little sad it's over but extremely happy with my Antarctic experience.

It was tough hauling my heavy sled but this was a great personal challenge for me.

I enjoyed the South Pole expedition. I marvel each day at its beauty and mysteriousness. As an explorer, I continue to compare the North Pole with the South Pole. The North Pole was definitely more of a challenge due to the open water and polar bears, whereas the South Pole more enriched with wildlife and history with its many relics of the past explorers.

What struck me the most about the South Pole was the thickness of the ice. When we walk on the ice cap we are on 3 kilometers of ice. I understand more the effects of global warming and the consequences to the rest of the world if the Antarctic ice melts. We have an important duty to preserve the poles and I hope that by sharing these emotions with Clémence and Nicolas and the other YEP's, we can start to stress this point to the people who can make a difference – the younger generation!"

Best regards,

Mike