We’re off! (with video)

We set off at midnight tonight. The weather is on our side and we’re making good progress. The scenery is breathtaking.

We’re now rowing north along the inner route between Spitsbergen and the uninhabited island of Prinz-Karl-Vorland, and will make a final, brief stopover in Ny-Ålesund, the northernmost settlement on Earth. The aim is to begin Phase 2 as soon as possible. This will take us to the edge of the ice at 81° North. A good weather window, ensuring we have forward momentum and safety, is essential for the start of Phase 2.

We want to row closer to the ice than anyone has ever done before using only muscle power. Just how close we get will be decided by nature, as within around 50 miles of the ice edge, the wind is the main factor determining our route. If it is too strong, there is a risk that the rowing boat, which currently weighs around 1.5 tonnes, will be carried too close to the ice and we will no longer be able to push against it using our own muscle power.

Once the northernmost point has been reached, Phase 3 begins. This will take us out of the Arctic Ocean. Finally comes Phase 4, past the volcanic island of Jan Mayen, Iceland and the Faroe Islands, with Thurso in the north of Scotland as our destination – after around 3 million strokes.