Formal Opening of the Station “North Pole-35”
The last stage in organization of a new Russian polar research station is coming up. This year all the works have been complicated by the abnormally warm weather caused by the cyclone in the northern parts of the Arctic Ocean.
According to Vladimir Filatov, the representative of MVK, at the moment the vessel Akademik Fedorov continues to drift with the ice-floe. At 2 p.m. they plan to de-berth the vessel of the ice-floe where the researchers have already put down and put off for Murmansk. The expedition’s debarkation and discharging is being done at emergency speeds because of the sleet and strong winds. Thus, the helicopter works from time to time when the weather is more or less ok.
Because of the bad weather conditions: squally wind and almost zero visibility the de-berthing of the Akademik Fedorov can be deferred to a later date. Moreover, there is a danger of the ice-floe cracking. In spite of that, at the moment almost the whole expedition team has put down and is settling. Thus, it is really hard to predict any further actions at the ice-floe because the abnormally warm weather can totally ruin it. In this case the team will be immediately evacuated.
But the brave researchers and the crew of the Akademik Fedorov are not afraid of the difficulties and the works on the organization of the station “North Pole-35” are going on. The MVK team which is now onboard the Akademik Fedorov has prepared a formal opening ceremony of the station. Vladimir Filatov and Yury Chubar have prepared a pennon of the three flags: Russian, Moscow and MVK. The pennon will be dropped into the water at 2,300 m deep (the thickness of the ice-floe) when the vessel de-berths.
*** MVK International Exhibition Company is the expedition’s information partner and it is keeping track of the organization of the drifting station “NP-35”.
The information was transmitted by Vladimir Filatov,
Technical Director of MVK International Exhibition Company
Research vessel Akademik Fedorov – The North Pole