TWO South Oxfordshire men have played major roles in a £3 million scientific survey in the Arctic.
Chris “Chip” Cuncliffe, 33, from West Street, Henley, and Rod Macrae, 50, from Cuxham, helped ensure the success of a gruelling 74-day expedition that started in February across the floating sea ice of the Arctic Ocean.
Mr Cuncliffe was head of operations and was responsible for coordinating the project. He had to ensure the team had essential survival kit and science and communications equipment. Previously he had acquired a range of skills on various expeditions which he adapted for this project.
He accompanied the team on the first seven-hour flight to the Arctic to check and re-check everything was working and returned again to re-supply the team with food and new equipment.
Mr Cuncliffe had constant contact with the three explorers, Ann Daniels, 45, Martin Hartley, 41, and Pen Hadow, 47, the first person to trek solo, without outside assistance, from Canada to the North Geographic Pole.
Even though he wasn’t with them during the trip, his guidance and advice were crucial throughout the expedition.
Mr Cuncliffe, who is due to marry in September, said: “I was speaking to them every day, making sure they had enough food and helping them plan their route by passing on information we had from satellite images of the icescape ahead of them.
“There were some fairly tense moments to deal with, including a very dramatic incident when the ice around their camp broke up rapidly, forcing them to evacuate.”
The experiment received a lot of media attention and Mr Macrae, of PR company MMC, headed the Catlin Arctic survey communications team, telling the story of the expedition to audiences worldwide.
He said: “The fact that three people were prepared to endure such harsh conditions to find out more about the ice really captured the imaginations of journalists.”
The intention of the survey was to collect data about the thickness of the sea ice and overlaying snow to get a better idea of the changes in the fragile environment around the North Pole.”
The mission was brought to a successful end on May 13 but the data is still being analysed.
Mr Macrae added: “The mission wasn’t just about the experiments, we also wanted to show the public the severity of the situation.
“Though we faced some difficulties with equipment failing due to the freezing temperatures, the mission was a complete success. We collected a lot of data as well as gaining an astounding amount of media coverage.”
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Published on 03 August 2009
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