Expedition Overview
This once-in-a-lifetime expedition will not be content with merely reaching the surface ice at 90° North. DOE proposes to descend to the real North Pole, a dark and mysterious place never before visited by humans.

Our voyage begins in Murmansk, Russia. Our chartered ship is a nuclear-powered icebreaker. One of five sister ships, she has the power to negotiate the most challenging ice of the Arctic Ocean.

Accompanying us will be a ice-strengthened Russian submersible mother ship. She is carrying the two Mir submersibles, their support equipment and operating personnel, a combined load that is too large for the ice breaker.

From Murmansk we will head north through dense, multi-year pack ice to the North Pole. Navigating the ice pack at speeds up to 12 knots, we soon enter an ever-changing panorama of wind-polished ice, narrow channels of dark green water and aquamarine pools. And we are tempted by the possibility of sighting polar bears close aboard.

Upon reaching the North Pole there will be a brief arrival celebration. Meanwhile, on board the mother ship the submersible team prepares to start diving operations. Deployment and recovery of the MIRs is a spectacle in itself, and has never before been attempted before in a polar environment. Divers and non-divers alike will have a unique photo opportunity as the submersibles are launched and recovered.

Our focus here is to make history as we tackle logistic challenges and dive our manned MIR submersibles to the ocean floor - approximately 14,500 feet (4,400 meters) below the surface. If we are successful, a new chapter will be added to the long history of human polar endeavors - the final attainment of the 'real' North Pole.

If all goes to plan our dive operations should be completed after about five days at the North Pole. From there, we head south to Murmansk. Our historic expedition has ended, hopefully with great success.

As we return to our homes and 'normal life', we will recall those previous attempts and successes to conquer the Pole. They involved much more physical hardship and determination we endured on our expedition. What we have done in no way detracts from their splendid accomplishments but we also know that our achievement was unique and beyond the wildest imagination of earlier generations of polar explorers. It was a thrilling adventure, never attempted before, and one made possible through using the most modern technology.

A more detailed itinerary for The Real North Pole Expedition is currently under preparation.

If you would like to join this expedition please contact: info@deepoceanexpeditions.com

Northpole.pdf (436Kb)
Gakkel_Ridge.pdf(780Kb)