Featured Assignment

North Pole jump 27th April '99
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I have just flown back from Murmansk today. I think I'm one the first home as some are staying on to do the excursion program. i.e. Mig jet flying and parabolic flights.

After a long and frustrating delay waiting around in Murmansk for over a week we were really beginning to bitch and moan about being stuck in a destination which has nothing else to offer except cheap beer and hookers.
Some were content with this but most of us were yearning to head Northwards and stand on top of the world instead of being stuck in miserable basic accommodation - and this we were told was relative luxury compared to previous expeditions who had to wait-out the weather in squalor. We on the other hand had hot water and food which, as far as I'm aware, didn't kill anyone.

We boarded the IL-76 jet on Fri. 24th at around 11pm.
It's an awesome aircraft with large drooping wings which look ready to snap off at any moment. Most people slept for the 4 hour flight whilst others made last minute adjustments to their arctic jump-suits and camera gear. We made a couple of fuel drops and went in for a 500ft pass where those who wanted to could calibrate their Cyrpres. Far from being an expert on altitudes and baromic pressures, I was not convinced about the reliability of this method and did not want to risk a high-opening at freezing temperatures and decided to leave my Cyrpres switched off. As it happens no one had any problems.

Before we knew it we were back up to 12,000 ft and making the last minute adjustments to goggles and straps. I along with nearly everyone else were caught off-guard when the horn sounded and green light went on. No sooner had I done my straps up and fitted my goggles I was being frantically urged to start charging towards the tailgate and before I had time to think about what lay ahead of me I had exited and turned 180° straight away to shoot the jumpers behind me.
Unfortunately, the delay between me and Karen Christ (Bob's new wife) must have been more than a second or two because she and the following jumpers were specs on the horizon by the time I pushed the shutter, which just goes to show the speed of the exit!

I braced my self in a small arch and waited to be violently tossed around by the 200+ knot jet stream, but surprisingly I managed to stay stable and on heading the entire time. The cold never really hit me and the single pair of Ski gloves with no hand warmers inside were more than adequate during the free fall.

I dumped out with everyone else at the pre-agreed 4,000 ft then struggled to get my gloves into the steering toggles to turn into wind and head towards the DZ which we had overshot.
I'm hoping that the guy who dumped below me will come out in the photos I took of him as it was an amazing sight to see.

I was pumped with adrenalin and wanted the canopy ride to last longer but the PISA Hornet 150 I was jumping was quickly taking me groundwards. Maybe in hindsight I should have jumped a larger canopy like the Bockman brothers (Sons of the Paragear owner) who opted for Parafoils. The DZ was a clear patch about a mile in diameter and totally flat. Beyond that, the lunar landscape was littered with pressure ridges which were up to 15ft tall in some places.
I swooped about 10 ft. short of the flat ice and hopped with one foot off the top of a small pressure ridge and landed rather unceremoniously in a bundle on my back in a large mound of soft snow!

Still pumped, I threw off my helmet and goggles and climbed up another mound to see If I could spot any other jumpers. Only Karen was within sight and I could hear her long before I saw her she was obviously as blown away by the experience as I was.

The Northern Outfitters suits kept me toasty warm as I made the -30° 5 minute walk to the flags where the media and ground crew were waiting to welcome us. By the time I reached them my eye lids had frozen together and the sweat I had worked up on my forehead had frozen my hair to my head.

All jumpers landed without incident but one 58 year old French jumper who was looking forward to shooting some more of his 3d free-fall images struggled to even read his Altimeter because his goggles iced up and subsequently failed to frame up and make good shots.

We spent a short 2 hours at the pole whilst we drank and toasted the Pole took the 'I was there' pictures and savoured the experience of being part of just 4000 or so people who had had the privilege of ever setting foot on top of the world. It was mind blowing to think that every direction you turned was South and that the 2 meter layer of ice was the only thing between your feet and the seabed which is 4 kilometres beneath.

Was it worth the $6000 asking price for the trip and all the discomforts we endured along the way?? I can say 100 %, hand on heart, that yes , it was! It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience which I will savour forever more. I would recommend it to anyone one and everyone. I made great friends with the multi-national expedition and hope to stay in touch with you all. Thanks to everyone who made it possible including Paraworld. Natalie Chudiak, Bob Christ, and PISA for my new Hornet canopy which is fantastic.