Yemelya-4 vehicles in Kara Sea, Arctic Ocean after night blizzard, MLAE-2011, Russian Arctic Expedition



Yemelya-4 vehicles in the Arctic after Blizzard. Russian Arctic Expedition MLAE-2011 driving from Russia to Canada over the North Pole. Arctic research and development Canada. Russia.



April 8 2011

Apr 8

I’ll keep it short today due to tiredness. The ice floe itself has drifter off, leaving us on the shore ice belt by 0430 hours on Sivash. A large bearded seal watched us as if wondering: “what are they doing wondering around here?” And we would be happy to leave ourselves, yet the Kara Sea has got a hold of us and does not let go. While our avant-garde went to off to check the ice situation around, we did a complete inventory of everything: ropes, diesel, manhood and humor. From the looks of it we are still doing alright.

Vasily Elagin. 

Translated from Russian by Ilya Kovalev 

Hummocking in the Arctic near Dickson. MLAE-2011 Diaries. Russian Arctic Expedition

MARCH 16^th MLAE-2011

We were maintaining heading 0° to Dickson and had 50 km left to go. Our “train” was driven by Vladimir Obihod. As we were crossing Cape Mys Efremov, a stretch of large hummocks and ridges crossed our path. Looking through his binoculars, Obihod saw a large and even field within about one kilometer from the shore and decided to drive on it. To the right he noticed an expanding crack in the ice. He came outside the vehicle and with the sticks of his ice pick checked its thickness. The ice was 25 centimeters thick and wet, but held the vehicle weight well. The crew was asleep. Vladimir woke everyone up and at the same time the crack began rapidly expanding  and new cracks began to appear to in front and to the rear of us. It was the result of ocean tide. We attempted to move West – away from the shoreline we needed to eventually reach. Than we found the narrowest place (45m) to cross back to the east side. We inflated the boat, and got out the Kevlar rope. Sergey Isaev and Vladimir Yanochkin crossed over to the other side in the boat, tightened the rope and set up the crossing. In the mean time our mechanics inspected seal gaskets on the driveshafts. One of the had to be replaced, and while we worked on that, the ice floes came together allowing us to cross over driving. Temperature is at -30°C, it is nice and sunny. By 21:00 hours we reached Dickson arrived in Dickson to the warm welcome of the border guardsmen and old friends – Vladimir Demchuk, Valeriy Savin, Vladimir Krylov.

Coordinates on 21:00 MSK: N73° 30.438', E080° 31.131'.
Vasily Elagin

Translated from Russian by Ilya Kovalev

Russian Atomic Icebreaker Taimyr in The Arctic Ocean MLAE-2011 Arctic Expedition

March 14^th

The expedition proceeds along on the ice of Yenisei River. We bought 70 kilos of Sig fish in Karaul village. Karaul – ancient village founded in 1616 as a guard post. A winter hideout for travelers and traders at first, it later becomes home to settlers.  Prominent Arctic explorer – F. Nansen describes Karaul of early 19^th century, in his “Into the country of Future” : “This is an important fish trade hub of the Yenisey River and belongs to a rich merchant from the city of Krasnoyarsk. There is fairly large and substantially build house in it and overall it is a large modern village.” 
Translated from Russian by Ilya Kovalev 

The Crew 2011

VASILY ELAGIN

The organizer and expedition leader of the MLAE-2008, MLAE-2009 and MLAE-2011 expeditions. He is also the engineer, designer and builder of the “Emelya” amphibious vehicles. Geologist, race driver and a participant of Paris-Dakar rally he is a Decorated Master of Sport of the USSR, bears the title of the International Class Master of Sport in alpine climbing, achieved the title of “Snow Leopard”

Traversed Kangchenjunga, ascended Mount Everest, Cho Oyu, Aconcagua, Mount Vinson and has been decorated with the Medal of The Red Labor Flag.

VLADIMIR OBIHOD

Driver-engineer, ice reconnaissance specialist. Holds the title of the International class master of Sport in alpine climbing, has been awarded the title of the “Snow Leopard”, twice. Completed complex vertical wall ascends on Khan Tengri, ascended The Peak of Communism, Annapurna, Lhotse and the Mount Everest. Participated in the MLAE-2008 expedition.

AFANASIY MAKOVNEV

Second in command of the MLAE-2009 and MLAE-2008 expeditions. Photographer and videographer. Mountaineer, speleologist, alpine skier, polar traveler, yachtsman, sea hunter, organizer of ethnographic discovery and adventure journeys in dog sleds and leather built canoes through Chukotka, Kamchatka and Alaska.

ANDREI VAN'KOV

Driver- mechanic. DOB: June 17 1979

ALEKSEY ZAYTCEV

Driver-mechanic. DOB: Nov 10 1983

VLADIMIR YANOCHKINDOB: Oct 30 1951. Alpine Climbing International Level Master of Sport

SERGEY ISAEV

DOB: Apr 03 1957. Alpine Climbing International Level Master of Sport.

The achievement of this expedition has been granted the status of official Russian record and entered as such in the “Russian Book of Records” on October 26^th 2009.

Marine Live Ice Automobile Expedition MLAE-2009 has successfully traversed over 2000 kilometers of frozen Arctic Ocean starting at Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago and after 38 days and nights reaching The North Pole.

VASILY ELAGIN

The organizer and expedition leader of the MLAE-2008 and Mlae-2009 expeditions. He is also the engineer, designer and builder of the “Yemelya” amphibious vehicles. Geologist, race driver and a participant of Paris-Dakar rally he is a Decorated Master of Sport of the USSR, bears the title of the International Class Master of Sport in alpine climbing, achieved the title of “Snow Leopard”

Traversed Kangchenjunga, ascended Mount Everest, Cho Oyu, Aconcagua, Mount Vinson and has been decorated with the Medal of The Red Labor Flag.

VLADIMIR OBIHOD

Driver-engineer, ice reconnaissance specialist. Holds the title of the International class master of Sport in alpine climbing, has been awarded the title of the “Snow Leopard”, twice. Completed complex vertical wall ascends on Khan Tengri, ascended The Peak of Communism, Annapurna, Lhotse and the Mount Everest. Participated in the MLAE-2008 expedition.

SERGEY LARIN

Doctor, supply and inventory manager, cook. Mountaineer, mountain guide, parachutist, yachtsman, surfer, alpine skier, participated in “Seven Peaks” program ascending the highest peaks on all continents.

LISKA (FOXY THE BOARDER GUARD)

Our guard dog, who viciously chased away polar bears. Year and a half ago had been born on the Sredniy Island frontier outpost in a pack of semi-wild dogs.

AFANASIY MAKOVNEV

Second in command of the MLAE-2009 and MLAE-2008 expeditions. Photographer and videographer. Mountaineer, speleologist, alpine skier, polar traveler, yachtsman, sea hunter, organizer of ethnographic discovery and adventure journeys in dog sleds and leather built canoes through Chukotka, Kamchatka and Alaska.

ALEKSEY SHKRABIN

Technical and machine maintenance engineer. Sport car racer, diver, alpine skier, alpine sports instructor, participated in Mount Elbrus and Shkhara ascends. Organizer of ascends of Upper Svaneti and Kirgiz Ata mountains.

ALEKSEY USHAKOV

Photographer, ice reconnaissance specialist, geologist. Conducted research in: Crimea, Karelia, Transbaikal Region, East Yakutia, Kola Peninsula, Dickson Island, Taymyr and Chukotka.

        NIKOLAY NIKULSHIN

Mechanical maintenance engineer. Has taken part in geological research expedition in Chukotka. Traveled solo from Chukotka to Moscow in a UAZ-469. Has been an expeditionary driver in “To the top of Elbrus in Land Rover” adventure expedition.