EXPLORERS IN CLIMATE CHANGE TESTS
A GROUP of explorers recently returned to Cape Town after they travelled to the most remote part of Antarctica in a wind sled to collect ice samples, which scientists will use in their research about climate change.
The four men, who are from Spain, started their polar exploration journey to the Antarctic in December. They travelled to Dome Fuji, which is the coldest area on the planet. They also took samples which will determine if there are micro-organisms there.
They travelled on a wind sled, powered by the wind. The sled they designed is based on the traditional sled pulled by sled dogs.
The exploration team spent 52 days in the Antarctic.
The designer of the wind sled, Ramón Larramendi, said they used a wind sled as they wanted the exploration to be eco-friendly. During the exploration they covered 2 538km on the Antarctic ice with zero emissions and without polluting the environment.
“The wind sled has endured much while suffering little damage, and has shown that round polar trips, solely driven by clean aeolian energy, are possible,” said Larramendi.
Hilo Moreno, a polar guide, explained they chose Dome Fuji because it was the most undisturbed area and good to get samples for scientific research.
“Polar regions are also good indicators of the heat of the Earth. The great thing was that we didn’t take any water with us. It has the best water in the entire world and contains no minerals. The water is very pure.”
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