There is nothing about this place that wants us here. Another day on the Arctic Ocean and another day at odds with ice, cold and snow. The snow conditions were a bit more favorable today, but a biting wind kept us focused on two tasks: moving north and staying warm.

Our short rest breaks have been hell (apologies) - if you can describe something so cold as that. We stand or crouch trying to find whatever warmth in our Sierra Designs parkas and Terramar base layers. Clif bars, bacon, butter and chocolate are all eaten with minimum chews. Pulling our face masks down to put in food releases heat. After 10 minutes, we start snowshoeing and may not be warm again for another 30 minutes. It is only in the tent that we get warmth from other than our own bodies. Our little MSR stoves are lifesavers.

In describing today, Darcy summarized all our thoughts by stating, 'I'm just happy to be here no matter what the conditions.' He continued, 'and we had our best mileage to date - over eight miles.'

We are seeing the sun more and more which has definitely warmed our spirits The rich yellow light transforms the ice as it highlights here and cast shadows there. Even the smallest of flakes seem to project a larger presence... our own shadows stretched half way to the pole.

The Center for Biological Diversity and Turtle Island Restoration Network (TIRN) today sued the Obama administration for illegally delaying protection of penguins under the Endangered Species Act. Learn more at http://bit.ly/99r58c

The Save the Poles expedition is sponsored by Bing with major support from the University of Plymouth, Terramar, Seventh Generation, Goal0, Atlas, Sierra Designs and Optic Nerve.

Remember, it's cool to be cold. Save the Poles. Save the planet.

For more information, please visit www.ericlarsenexplore.com

For information about guided Antarctic expeditions, please visit http://www.antarctic-logistics.com/

For media inquiries, please contact lora@screamagency.com

For technical inquires, please contact webexpeditions.net

The drifts of last night continued through most of the day. We seemed mired in a continued random assortment of ice and snow. Still we managed to string together ennough passable pans to make progress north.

It was slow going for most of the day until the ice transformed into 1-2' thick slabs and eventually a flat lead. It was a welcome relief after several hours of very hard work. The stroke of luck was not lost on us. We appreciate small successes more aand more.

The sunsets have been incredible. The sun is so low on the horizon that we can see the sun's final crimson sliver for nearly 15 minutes. After that, sunset lingers so long that we are hesitant to look away for fear of missing some bit of amazingness. Red fades into orange, yelloww then blue.

The Save the Poles expedition is sponsored by Bing with major support from the University of Plymouth, Terramar, Seventh Generation, Goal0, Atlas, Sierra Designs and Optic Nerve.

Remember, it's cool to be cold. Save the Poles. Save the planet.

For more information, please visit www.ericlarsenexplore.com

For information about guided Antarctic expeditions, please visit http://www.antarctic-logistics.com/

For media inquiries, please contact lora@screamagency.com

For technical inquires, please contact webexpeditions.net

A new remote audio post has been added to the blog...

A new remote audio post has been added to the blog...

Scrambling up a 15-foot tall block of ice changes my perspective just enough to help with navigation. Yesterday AJ described the ice as a puzzle, but looking at the wide panorama below, I think maze.

For as far as I can see there are large 20-30 foot ice blocks scattered sporadically. In between, snow drifts roll, taper, begin and end with equal randomness. Some are rock hard. Others are soft. Massive winding jumbles of ice slabs diagnol forming the only recognizeable pattern. Somewhere in all that a few flat pans exist even though I can't seem them right now. I wish there were more. A couple of frozen flat lead means the difference between two hours struggle versus 30 minutes of leisurely travel.

We've had to remind ourselves several times that we are choosing to be here

We lost only 350 feet due to southward drift last night. After the usual freezing wake up and frost management chores, we were off - darcy's feet being unbearbly cold for only an hour. We spent much of the day meandering (if you can call back-breaking work that) back and forth, up and over drifts and ridges. Despite coming face to face with numerous ridges, we always seem to find some way through.

We spent most of the day deep in our own thoughts. Breaks are few and short as our margin of safety is unnervingly thin.

'When we first started, it was 90% survival and 10% travel,' commented Darcy. We are slowly pushing the odds in our favor.'

Because of our desire to stay warm, we lengthed our travel shift to two hours. Nearing the last few minutes, we were dangerously cold and tired. Luckily, it was our 'soup' break complete with three pieces of bacon. We all benefited from the additional energy. Our best mileage to date and bacon saved our bacon.

The Save the Poles expedition is sponsored by Bing with major support from the University of Plymouth, Terramar, Seventh Generation, Goal0, Atlas, Sierra Designs and Optic Nerve.

Remember, it's cool to be cold. Save the Poles. Save the planet.

For more information, please visit www.ericlarsenexplore.com

For information about guided Antarctic expeditions, please visit http://www.antarctic-logistics.com/

For media inquiries, please contact lora@screamagency.com

For technical inquires, please contact webexpeditions.net