Gee, let’s not talk to the other people who think maybe, just maybe, this was a bad idea gone even badder? I had to laugh when I saw this on their Facebook page. It reminds me of the days of denial put forth bv that other collection of clowns arctic explorers that were caught out faking biotelemetry readings.
Uh oh, Brits only now. Everybody else is to be excluded. I think that soon, comments to team members on their website and Facebook page might become unmanageable. Obviously, they don’t realize they are on the world wide web.
For those of you just joining us, recall that “Row to the Pole” is in name only, they aren’t actually going to reach the magnetic north pole of today, nor the geographic north pole. And, at the rate they are going, they likely won’t make the magnetic pole of 1996 either.
But hey, it’s a publicity stunt to promote this Scotch Whisky few have heard of, so don’t expect too much.
By the way, has anyone noticed that not once has the team posted any updates on the “the science” they are supposed to be doing on this stunt trip?
The whole thing is sheer poetry.
Row, row, row, your boat, fake it to the pole
Merrily merrilly merrily merrily, ice is but a dream
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I saw a video on this a few days ago and these people were about to be trapped between some shifting ice. Do you know what they did? They powered up the outboard motor and drove out thorough an opening in the floes.
Are they really “rowing” or are they using the outboard motor to get around?
Its their support boat
This folly reminds me of Michael Palin’s “Ripping Yarns” series from the late 70’s; specifically the episode entitled “Across the Andes by Frog.”
“I think that soon, comments to team members on their website and Facebook page might become unmanageable”
How very snotty and immature.
AleaJactaEst says:
August 12, 2011 at 7:20 pm
Possibly? Here’s what they have to say about that:
http://www.rowtothepole.com/the-science/
I’m not sure, but while the deaf & blind fellow is possibly unaware of it, he’s also not on their little jaunt.
Glenn says:
August 13, 2011 at 12:4
Sundance
I suggest you look up “puffin”.
***********************************
More likely Guillemots.
Agreed Guillemots.
Flightlessness a problem for birds given the nature of predation on the Arctic North; foxes, bears etc.
Antarctica devoid of land based predators, hence penguins in the South.
Good old evolution does it again.
Does anyone know how those of us on this side of the pond get ourselves some Old Pulteney? Can’t seem to find it anywhere.
Being a loser myself, I thought it only appropriate that I support an exercise in futility.
Heide de Klein, are you stashing some, somewhere?
RGH says:
August 13, 2011 at 5:29 pm
“Flightlessness a problem for birds given the nature of predation on the Arctic North; foxes, bears etc.
Antarctica devoid of land based predators, hence penguins in the South.
Good old evolution does it again.”
More like bad logic does it again. Most penguin species do not inhabit Antarctica and have a variety of land based predators to contend with, let alone birds and ocean animals, which also do inhabit Antarctica.
There was no reason to interject evolution into the subject of bird identification, more bad reasoning.
Well, there *is* a suspicious looking object on their “rowboat”, if you can call it that, looking like the top of an outboard motor. But an outboard won’t help them anymore than an oar on the ice.
David, UK says: “freezing his knackers off”
Bill S. says: “Now I am wondering what a knacker is …”
Ian H says: “A knacker is someone who dismantles dead animals …”
Blimey, Bill. No-one’s got the cajones to tell you! Tsk, tsk. (That’s a clue BTW.)
Lads & Lasses,
Yer nar drinking a true Scottish drink lest it’s drambuie neat !
Green Sand:
“……The hoards of the Krauts are now needed to bail out the rest of Europe.”
——————————————————————————————————
“Quite right! They are needed to bail out the rest of Europe, but could you please explain why they are doing so? Since the demise of the GDR, Germany has not been noted for embarking on futile exercises.”
Futile exercises: more like “since 1945”, Eastern Germany operated at gunpoint from Comrade Big Brother and got a taste of the price for disobedience in 1953. After 1945, every sensible politician in the West said “never again” (and, more importantly: world wars are no sensible economic option; trade is) and lobbied for the common market. Unfortunately, they also sold the “common political destiny”, a.k.a. “Unified Europe” as the only alternative to totalitarian barbarity (despite ample evidence to the contrary from, say, Norway or Switzerland). Until now, despite occasional grumbles about Germany being the “paymaster of Europe”, they constantly profited from the arrangement. It dawns on them (some of them) just now that with the brash expansion of the Eurozone and the looming legislation of the ESM, the European Stability Mechanism to “rescue” the common currency, they have painted themselves into a corner by subscribing to the Greatest Legal Pyramid Scheme Ever.
“Lets make this an ever so British forum, lets be polite.”
The Britain of my Father’s time was polite, looking at Britain today I’m afraid it is even as polite as America which is saying something.
Gareth Phillips says:
Guillemots I reckon. To big for little Auks….
——————————
After comparing pictures of Little Auks
http://images.adventure-life.com/2007/04/25/lg/1153846049stnroz.jpg
and Guillemots
http://www.wanderingalbatross.org/images/northwardbound/guillemots_cliff_lrg.jpg
I stand corrected.
These guys have about ten days to make their target. the weather will close hard and fast afterwards and storms can last for weeks.
LOL! Been looking for some humour. Post on their website – I assume from a fervent AGWer – “hope the ice clears”. The irony is completely lost on them.
I’ll say it again:
Billy Liar says:
June 16, 2011 at 6:25 am
AndyW says:
June 15, 2011 at 10:37 pm
AndyW is right, it’s highly unlikely they’ll get anywhere near the old N Magnetic pole. Take at look at the ice charts for August and September last year:
http://ice-glaces.ec.gc.ca/app/WsvPageDsp.cfm?Lang=eng&lnid=3&ScndLvl=no&ID=11715
Waaay toooo much 8, 9 and 10/10ths ice for them to row through. It’ll take forever (even if their boat doesn’t get crushed).
I would row for rum.
Ian H says:
August 12, 2011 at 10:23 pm
Now I am wondering what a knacker is and just where I can buy some Scotch that makes you want to row to the North Pole.
A knacker is someone who dismantles dead animals (now you know). As for the Scotch, quantity is probably more important than quality when it comes to persuading people to do this kind of thing.
——————–
ah but the colloquial freezing of knackers has nothing to do with animals…
but a lot to do with blokes Dangly bits:-)
and thats the way it was meant.
just a version of Brass monkey weather:-)
as in freeze the balls off of a “brass Monkey”
which was ( in fact) a stand that held ironshot for cannons.
an aussie beer brand had some good brass monkey adverts, ages ago.
A comment said that JRJ Webster was //developing his knowledge of a new ecosystem within the support crew”//
Does that mean he’s checking them for endo-parasites?
It looks like ‘Message the Crew’ on the Row to the Pole site has been closed.
Sorry, still working!
Be fair!
Three points …
This is probably a “grand expedition” in the British Tradition: Shackleton, Scott, etc. Not to forget dear Vivian Fuchs who a frustrated Ed Hillary beat to the South Pole driving Fergusson tractors! I do hope that the boat these people will be using can be pulled by dogs when the open water runs out.
Scotch has ever been present: read Shackleton and Worsley on the victualing for their expeditions, and recall that some very old Scotch was recently discovered in Scott’s hut near Scott Base.
The Free Dictionary on line describes “sceptic” as an archaic form and (in parenthesis) “US: skeptic”. I’m happy to be archaic in my usage!
OK, from what I understand polar bears are sneaky, and their prey is wary.
This stunt, introduces an alien presence into the arctic environment.
The polar bear fears no other carnivore, and has an (apparent) curiosity for submarines.
Not sure what this expedition is trying to accomplish, but if a polar bear is encountered, I’ll bet on the polar bear unless an experienced (dangerous game) hunter is on board.
I am very concerned that if the winds kick up like they have in previous years and pile/compress the ice, we might just get below the 2007 ice area record low. The ice does not appear as concentrated as it did last year.
We need to be ready for an “I told you so” from the pro-AGW group.