UPDATE: BBC (and now the Independent) commit the same FAIL. See below.
More “Row to the Pole” nonsense writ large:
Ummmm…no, Mr. Hough, the Telegraph’s headline and story are simply wrong. You are a victim of spin and/or a failed geography lesson.
First congratulations, to the RttP team for reaching their destination, which is not a pole of any kind, much less the actual “North Pole”. I didn’t think they would make it.
As I explained before the trip even started, there’s no “pole” achievement here, not even close. They are 738 KM short of the actual magnetic pole. The 1996 magnetic pole doesn’t exist there anymore and thus can’t be a pole of any kind.
The Telegraph article says:
The successful trip to the Pole, described as the “greatest ocean rows of all time”, was only possible because of more seasonal ice-melt in the Arctic that has opened the waters up.
No mention of the fact that they aren’t even close. The actual North pole is 790 miles away:
The FAIL is strong with this one. h/t to reader “Angry Exile”
And the BBC is in on the act of shoddy journalism too:
Kitefreak says:
BBC reporting that the Pultney rowing expedition has reached “the north pole”. Reported on Radio Scotland at 8am (main news bulletin) and on the news website http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-14665937
Absolutely no mention on the radio or the website that it’s the magnetic north pole from ’96, no, they just say the folks have rowed TO THE NORTH POLE.
Pure propaganda.
UPDATE: The BBC commits the same FAIL here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9573000/9573302.stm
What a bunch of liars.
UPDATE2: The load of porkies continues…now the Independent repeats the lie.
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David Corcoran says:
August 27, 2011 at 1:12 pm
(Did anybody feel the planet shift?)
(Did anyone feel the earth move?)
This does surprise me that they claim to have rowed to the North Pole, only a year or so ago the TOP GEAR presenters drove to the North Pole in Toyota Hi-Lux’s, yet again more climate change lies and deception by the liberal agenda media.
@ur momisugly J Garratt
Top Gear and liberal agenda in the same sentence. My brain just shortcircuitejgoris 64g.% r
The wortothepole website states where they were heading. As far as I can see they are adventurers who’ve reached where they said they’d go – so why blame them for how other people describe it? Chill out guys. You might blow a fuse!
wow, I didn’t realise being intelligent (as you lot clearly are…) makes you so miserable, cynical etc. A bunch of people did something that was a bit different and you lot act like they’d just committed some massive crime. A group of people went on adventure and used getting to the pole to get some publicity. What a terrible thing. I read about it and went on their website and it seems that they have raised quite a bit for charity, got paid nothing and despite all your wishes, not got lost, eaten etc. You all must be gutted. Still you can always leave some more bitchy comments while doing, well so it seems actually nothing yourselves. No worries though just sit on the sidelines making catty commnets, that what a good plan
REPLY: Well, unlike you, I have the courage to put my name to my criticisms, and the critcism is valid. They didn’t row to ANY pole, mganetic or geographic, yet the media said they did, which is a blatant lie, so your criticism is not only cowardly, but fatally flawed – Anthony Watts
come on Anthony lets have a big hug and a little drink of whisky together. You know you love me really. And being cowardly is not such a bad thing. You don’t get beaten up, everyone likes you and you get to play the lion of wizard of oz. I know we are poles aparts at the moments, but these poles change all the time. One minute you’re at a pole then you’re not. Anthony, i hope you have a lovely day filled with flowers and nice things. As my old gran used to say “muck in not mucking about”. I do believe this is the start of a beautiful relationship.
Breaking news correction: Team now reports that they actually rowed to the SOUTH Pole.
Freaking leftist liars stop at nothing
FWIW, they left via an abandoned military base.
http://www.rowtothepole.com/latest-news/ says in part:
After three long hikes across 75km of bogs, hills and beaches, we spent our final night in the luxurious derelict confines of Isaachsen once again, the final stop of our expedition and from where we would be ‘extracted’ in the morning. The place is an ex American radar base set up as part of the DEW Line back in the late 1940’s and which shut down in the late 70’s. Given its remoteness the size of the place was staggering, as was the amount of discarded kit still on site – including ATV’s, Caterpillars and other toys (painful sightings given our need for one of these the past 3 days). Whilst it had been turned upside down over the years by other explorers/extreme looters the place was still very much alive with memories of the past.
With any luck this was to be our last night before extraction and once again we slept shoulder to shoulder in one of the old accommodation blocks, if only to keep warm as the temperature plummeted and the wind howled through the smashed windows and doorless doors – another wonderful (but hopefully final) bonding experience. Sleep was again minimal, not helped by Jock’s impromptu early morning chorus which shook the building and woke all of us. However given sleeping conditions and a few unfortunate ‘moments’ (such as Dave waking to find himself wedged in under Mark D’s armpit) it was no bad thing that sleep was cut short – and besides today was extraction day.
With the snow falling and fog clinging to the hills there were final anxious moments that the Arctic may have one final trick up its sleeve but following a few words of gentle encouragement from Jock to the air charter company the twin otter touched down on Isaachsen’s runway at 11.40am.
So after 33 days out in the wilderness it was finally time to say goodbye to the place we had called home.”
It was time to say thankyou and close what had been another exciting chapter in this expedition – and with it you got a distinct feeling summer was closing and winter very much arriving. Richard (our Operations HQ guru) had travelled out with the plane and after a celebratory nip of Old Pulteney the engines started and we set off for Resolute. Having literally bounced up the hill to get to the plane there was a noticeable quiet amongst the crew during the flight, as our route retraced the steps we’d taken over the islands, ice blockades and open water. The landscape below had been our playground and tormentor for the past 32 days and it was weird to be leaving, especially leaving in a plane as opposed to arriving back in the boat. All things being well she will not be out here long
At 2.10pm we landed at Resolute to be greeted by Ozzie. It’s amazing to be back but given the recent tragedy also very much tinged with sadness. A plane went down killing 12 two weeks ago which for a community this size must have had a devastating effect. For Jock especially he has developed many close friendships with this part of the world and Resolute in particular and we hope to be able to pay our respects at the memorial service on Friday.
So here we are back in the land of the living, although still very much in the Arctic. We all smell horrific, look like Neanderthals and despite eating well (by expedition standards) seem to have lost a good few pounds along the way. As per any expedition that first look in the mirror has been quite scary for one and all, which could explain Richard’s reluctance to engage in any man hugging back in Isaachsen – nothing a shower (maybe two in some cases) and a change of clothes won’t sort. Thankfully the annual ship delivering supplies to Resolute has just docked in the bay which means food should be plentiful, which is just as well because conversations have focused on little else these past few days. First up will be a cooked breakfast in the morning…and here’s preying it doesn’t involve omelet. Mmm fresh, hot ‘normal’ food…