Is the ice more beautiful because, for us here, it is dangerous and potentially deadly? Or is it beautiful because so few people have seen this place? Perhaps, its the fact that we are looking at something that may be gone in the future. Or does beauty lie just by existing?

We continue to be astounded by the forms and variety of ice here. Each day has seen a slight change in conditions. Today, we were pleased to find harder patches of snow as well as fewer pressure ridges; however, we are presently camped among some of the biggest pressure we've seen yet.

One surprise was finding a nearly kilometer wide lead in the early afternoon. While we regularly encounter leads, this was the first that was relatively new. Stepping gingerly, we watched as the ice bowed underneath our Atlas snowshoes and sent ripples forward. We decided to skirt the thinest sections.

This is a good example of our of our biggest dilemmas: Go North or not. The shortest distance between here and the North Pole is a straight line (obviously). But it isn't always the direct path that is the quickest. There are so many obstacles - big and small - that we are constantly balancing effort, efficiency, distance, and most importantly, safety.

We extended one of our rest breaks so AJ could collect his first algae sample for the University of Plymouth. The algae has a unique chemical signature which scientists can use to 'ground truth' present day patterns - ice coverage and climate - with fossil records. (Check out AJ's web site for more information.)

'It felt weird standing on a thin piece of ice staring at the black abyss of the Arctic Ocean,' commented AJ. 'It was surprisingly difficult to manage the procedure at 40 below.'

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 Save the Poles expedition is sponsored by bing and Terramar with major support from Goal0, MSR, Scream Agency, Sierra Designs, Stanley, Optic Nerve and Clif Bar.

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

For more information, please visit www.ericlarsenexplore.com. For media inquiries, please contact lora@screamagency.com. For technical inquires, please contact webexpeditions.net. For lecture inquires, please contact smakmaria@yahoo.com.

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

The Save the Poles expedition is sponsored by bing and Terramar with major support from Goal0, MSR, Scream Agency, Sierra Designs, Stanley, Optic Nerve and Clif Bar.

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

For more information, please visit www.ericlarsenexplore.com. For media inquiries, please contact lora@screamagency.com. For technical inquires, please contact webexpeditions.net. For lecture inquires, please contact smakmaria@yahoo.com.

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 Save the Poles expedition is sponsored by bing and Terramar with major support from Goal0, MSR, Scream Agency, Sierra Designs, Stanley, Optic Nerve and Clif Bar.

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

For more information, please visit www.ericlarsenexplore.com. For media inquiries, please contact lora@screamagency.com. For technical inquires, please contact webexpeditions.net. For lecture inquires, please contact smakmaria@yahoo.com.

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

The Save the Poles expedition is sponsored by bing and Terramar with major support from Goal0, MSR, Scream Agency, Sierra Designs, Stanley, Optic Nerve and Clif Bar.

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

For more information, please visit www.ericlarsenexplore.com. For media inquiries, please contact lora@screamagency.com. For technical inquires, please contact webexpeditions.net. For lecture inquires, please contact smakmaria@yahoo.com.

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

The Save the Poles expedition is sponsored by bing and Terramar with major support from Goal0, MSR, Scream Agency, Sierra Designs, Stanley, Optic Nerve and Clif Bar.

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

For more information, please visit www.ericlarsenexplore.com. For media inquiries, please contact lora@screamagency.com. For technical inquires, please contact webexpeditions.net. For lecture inquires, please contact smakmaria@yahoo.com.