2010 – Antarctica NCAOR

Starting Date: Nov 13, 2010

The first expedition of the 2010-11 season was for the Indian National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR).

The plan was to leave the Indian Antarctica station, Matri on the 12th November but was delayed by a day when the AT team was called in to assist the rescuing a person that had fallen into a crevasse nearby. Using the crane system on the vehicles this system and the AT team contributed greatly to save the life of this person.

On the 13th of November, a team of 4 vehicles left the Matri station, 3 of the first AT44 Hilux’s from the 2008 season and one new AT44 Hilux which the Indian station had purchased from Arctic Trucks. The goal was to drive to the South Pole and visit their colleagues at the South Pole station whilst conducting some research on the way,  a 5000 km return expedition. The expedition safely followed the route through the mountains and arrived at the high plateau by the 16th of Nov. This early in the season it is really cold and the expedition suffered 3 days of temperature below -50C°, the Indian scientists measured -56C° at one point.

Next stop the South Pole; the expedition left one vehicle with a crew from ALCI that had been flown in to prepare for another fuel drop 20km away from the South Pole.

The expedition received a warm welcome from the team at the South Pole and the expedition team enjoyed the comfort the station offers.

The fuel drop team and vehicle rejoined the expedition on the way back and the return journey was faster, easier with a good trail established and warmer as they were now a bit later in the season.

Arctic Trucks team consisted of highly experienced drivers/mechanics Freyr Jonsson and Eyjolfur Teitsson. The third person, Gísli Karel Elísson, joined them at the fuel drop and continued from there. One person from the ALCI airbase took part, and 8 people from the Indian scientific station MATRI.

Time: November 13th – December 5th 2010

Route: Novo – South Pole – Novo – 4600 km back and forth

Participants: Freyr Jónsson, Eyjólfur Teitsson and Gísli Karel Elísson from Arctic Trucks. Andrey Myller and Andrey Krojen? from ALCI airbase. Rasik Ravindra, Ajay Dhar, M. Javed Beg, Thamban Meloth, Pradip Malhotra, Ashit Swain, Krishnamoorty, Surat Singh from the Indian scientific station MATRI.

Cars: 4 AT44 Hilux AT44

Combined driving distance 20.000km

ARCTIC TRUCKS ON INSTAGRAM