DeepSea Under the Pole by Rolex

15 March-21 JUNE 2010 • www.deepseaunderthepolenews.com

What DeepSea Under the Pole by Rolex is a revolutionary pioneer expedition and an innovative human adventure that combines ski trekking and scuba diving in one of the toughest climates on the planet.

This crew of eight young passionate divers, adventurers and explorers - in celebration of a century of conquest of the North Pole – represent the first time man will cover such a long distance, over 800km, while also executing dives at remote sites that reveal the hidden side of the polar ice cap; something never before seen by humankind.

The DeepSea Under the Pole by Rolex expedition will collect archival audio, photography and video throughout the journey, with the ultimate goal of creating a 90-minute documentary and book on this icy underwater world, the diversity of its landscapes and the wealth of its ecosystems, from the North Pole all the way to Canada.

The focus of the expedition is to commemorate the hidden and difficult-to-access underside of the polar ice cap, a spectacular World Heritage Site that is now disappearing due to climate change. This vast upside-down universe is home to huge icy ceilings above and a seemingly invisible bottom below, rich with other mysteries. It is a universe of water and ice - a world of polar white, deep black, emerald green and clear turquoise.

Where The eight-member team will traverse over 800km of ice floating on the Arctic Ocean between the Geographical North Pole and Cape Columbia on Ellesmere Island, in the extreme north of Canada.

The name Arctic comes from the ancient Greek word “árktos” meaning “bear,” and that makes reference to the northern constellations of Ursa Major, Great Bear, and Ursa Minor, Little Bear.

The waters of the Arctic Ocean are almost permanently covered with shifting sea ice that has no landmass underneath. Three continents surround this polar ice cap.

Who The DeepSea Under the Pole by Rolex team consists of eight principal crewmembers. A ninth member will join for the second part of the mission, after following the first part remotely from Resolute Bay. The team members’ various experiences pool together to make a solid crew with all the necessary expertise to make such a project successful. While the average age of team members is 30-years old, most of the crew have worked with famous French explorer Jean-Louis Etienne on different expeditions.

Ghislain Bardout – Expedition leader, Diver, Underwater Cameraman Ghislain is a 30-year old professional diver and instructor; a mechanical engineer specialized in energy – who graduated from the “Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne” – and someone who has always been close to mountains and sea life. For two years he worked closely with French explorer Jean-Louis Etienne as a logistician and a technical operator for the project “Total Pole Airship”, an airship expedition above the Arctic Ocean from Svalbard to Alaska, across the North Pole and Canada.

In April 2007, Ghislain organised a diving mission in the North Pole with a submersible robot and six divers. He dived as a cameraman assistant to Didier Noirot and photographer Stéphane Compoint.

He is supervising DeepSea Under The Pole by Rolex and will be in charge of the submarine images.

Emmanuelle Périé – Diver Emmanuelle is a 31-year old skipper, professional diving and sailing instructor. She has been part of the team since the idea was born and since mid-2008 she has been working fulltime, helping organize the expedition along with Ghislain and other crewmembers. After graduating from the National Sailing School, Emmanuelle worked for five years in the Glénan islands, two of which she spent as caretaker of Penfret Island. In 2004-2005, she took part in the Clipperton expedition with Jean-Louis Etienne as co-manager of nautical activities. In 2006-2007, Emmanuelle sailed as first mate on the 75-foot polar sailing boat “Southern Star” in the north of Norway and Svalbard. Following that, Emmanuelle joined Jean-Louis Etienne’s team on the “Total Pole Airship” expedition. It was on this occasion, in spring 2008, that she went to the North Pole to test ice measurement equipment. Emmanuelle is also the “master” of Kayak, the explorer-Siberian Husky, who will be attached to her by leash and harness during the days of progression over the ice.

Alban Michon – Diver Alban is a 32-year old professional diving instructor, specialised in cave dives, and manager of the Under Ice Scuba Diving School of Tignes in the Alps. Alban successfully developed his school in Tignes, making it one of the first under-ice scuba diving schools in Europe that teaches the activity to divers and explorers in preparation for expeditions involving sea ice. In springtime, when Tignes’ lake ice has melted, he teaches underwater cave diving in the centre of France. During the expedition he will be in charge of the maintenance of the diving equipment.

Samuel Audrain – Diver Samuel is 30-years old, is a professional diving and sailing instructor and a marine mechanic. Samuel worked for four years in the Glénan Island nautical club after graduating from the National Sailing School. In 2004-2005, he joined Jean-Louis Etienne’s team on Clipperton’s expedition as co-manager of nautical activities. Between 2006 and 2008, he sailed on the polar ship “Tara” off South Georgia and then spent eight months on sea ice in the Arctic. In April 2007 he was part of Jean-Louis Etienne’s team, which dived at the North Pole. On the DeepSea Under The Pole by Rolex expedition, Samuel will be in charge of the mechanical maintenance of generators & compressors.

Benoit Poyelle – Diver, Photographer Benoit is 31-years old and works as a technician in oceanographic engineering, having graduated from INTECHMER (Institut National des Sciences et Techniques de la Mer). He is also a diving instructor, a professional diver and a passionate photographer. The sea fascinates Benoit; he started his career by spending 18 months in the Kerguelen Islands (part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands) managing a programme about biological scuba diving. Upon his return, he ran a diving centre in Corsica. Benoit has also worked in France and abroad as an expert in navigation, instrumentation, map-making and hydrography. During his many missions, Benoit took pictures of both the marine and submarine environments in varied conditions. During the DeepSea Under The Pole by Rolex expedition, photography will be his responsibility.

Clément Infante – Pharmacist, Surface Cameraman Clément is 24-years old and has been practicing alpinism and climbing since childhood. Studying pharmacy in Grenoble, he is also a fireman and is preparing for his Mountain Guide Certificate.

Clément climbs year-round and is also passionate about surfing and body boarding. He has practiced body boarding in competition for nine years and has skied in French championships for four years.

Clément is the youngest member of the team, however he is also the best athlete. His knowledge about alpinism and his physical endurance are essential for the divers. He will also be responsible for video filming on the surface.

Vincent Berthet – Surface Cameraman Vincent is 27-years old, and after spending five years with teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18 onboard a sailing boat teaching them to sail, film and make their own adventure documentaries, he returned to France to study at an audio-visual school for three years. These experiences with the sea and audiovisual shooting were responsible for Vincent joining Olivier Pitras onboard “Southern Star” during his expedition around North America. After eight months, Vincent assumed the role of sole cameraman onboard and filmed numerous interviews during the expedition. This passion and versatility allowed him to join DeepSea Under the Pole by Rolex as a surface cameraman for producer Thierry Robert.

Pascal Rey – Emergency Nurse Pascal is 35-years old and works as an emergency nurse. After spending a few years working as a fireman and lifeguard in Paris, Pascal became a nurse at SMUR (Service Mobile d’Urgence et de Réanimation) in 2006. Pascal has an outdoor profile – he is an apnoea diver and practises mountain sports like paralpinism, parapenting, skiing, climbing, canoeing and base-jumping. He is the oldest member of the team and is in top physical shape like Clément. He will be in charge of pushing the team towards the coast in difficult times and is in charge of medical needs.

Kayak Kayak is a Siberian Husky, born on 8 February 2009 as Amarok (“wolf spirit” in the Inuit language) Ermak Kayak in Quimper, France. Kayak will be the only quadruped joining the expedition. He is still very young but is strong willed after months of training and getting used to his equipment for pulling sleds. During the expedition his role will be to provide company and to warn the team about approaching polar bears.

Valentine Ribadeau Dumas – Logistics Valentine is based in Quebec, is 29-years old and works as the team’s Logistics Manager. After graduating with a Masters Degree in International Affairs and working two years as an auditor for a major financial company, Valentine chose instead to follow her passion. She worked as a crewmember on “Fleur de Lampaul” for the Nicolas Hulot Foundation and as an experienced observer for cetacean study missions in partnership with the WWF. After this, she moved to Quebec to continue her work in the Mingan Island Archipelago where she trained annual recruits and worked as a research captain, logistics manager and observer for five years. Valentine spent the summer of 2009 working as a co-first-mate in Svalbard, on the 75-foot polar sailing boat “Southern Star,” before joining the DeepSea Under the Pole by Rolex expedition team in December. During the expedition she will be based in Resolute Bay, where she will be in charge of logistics and will act as the primary contact with the group on the ice to after join them on Ellesmere Island.

Why The answer to this question is simple: researching and archiving the nature under and above the polar ice cap is one of planet Earth’s most urgent needs. The polar ice field is one of the last virgin areas of our planet and its underwater life is largely unknown. Humans have always struggled to reveal this unexplored world. With the accelerated pace of melt and risk of complete disappearance in summer months within a decade, this is one of the last opportunities to archive this under-ice world for future generations.

During its expedition, the DeepSea Under the Pole by Rolex team will support and promote scientific studies attempting to stop the polar ice cap from disappearing, by taking measurements of the snow and ice thickness.

The expedition team also views this mission as a way to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the conquest of the North Pole. They will be realizing an audiovisual testimony on the underwater side of polar ice caps in order to divulge this hidden world and record its memory before it disappears as a victim of global warming. The team anticipates bringing over 20,000 images and 40 hours of video back from the expedition.

How The expedition will alternate ski progression and diving from drop off at the Geographical North Pole on March 20, until their anticipated arrival in Cape Columbia on May 22. The expedition on the sea ice will last approximately 65 days. This allows for 45 days of progression – 18km per day with an average drift – of the polar ice cap from the coast – equal to zero – and 15 days of diving.

The team must constantly move towards the coast to stay on schedule. Each member will pull 120kg to 140kg of supplies on sledges purposely manufactured for pole expeditions, called pulkas. Three days of ski progression have been assigned for every day dedicated to diving to ensure the schedule is met.

Organizing dives under the ice when the surface temperature is -40°C is a long and tedious process. Dive sites will be selected according to various criteria, including impulse, and natural breaks in the polar ice cap will be exploited where possible, along with bad weather, which is not conducive to ski progression.

Depending on fatigue and negative drift, the days dedicated to diving may have to be revaluated. The team will receive one food and fuel supply drop by air during the first part of the expedition and a second when it reaches Ellesmere Island.

When 15 March – 21 June 2010 1st part of the expedition – polar ice cap, 60 days with a five-day safety margin • 45 days of ski progression (18km per day, with an average drift equal to zero) • 15 days of diving (45 dives in total)

2nd part of the expedition – Ellesmere Island, 30 days • The team will be joined by a ninth member and will set up multiple base camps to better dedicate their energy to diving and documenting submarine life.

• The expedition will end on 21 June 2010 when the team returns to Resolute Bay by plane.

Specific dates and route landmarks • 19 February – 8 March 2009: Training on the Baltic’s ice cap, Finland • 15 March 2010: Team arrives in Resolute Bay • 20 March 2010: Twin Otter plane drops team at Geographical North Pole (90°N 0°W) • 20 April 2010: First supply drop from Twin Otter at 86° N • 22 May 2010: Arrival in Cape Columbia, Ellesmere Island, Canada (80°10’N 79°05’W) and second supply drop from Twin Otter

Scientific Studies The expedition will carry out two scientific studies’ programmes. One is related to the melting of sea ice by measuring ice and snow thickness during the expedition. The second concerns human physiology under extreme conditions, particularly in relation to diver’s adaptation to decompression.

1. Ice & Snow Study The scientific program coordinated by Dr. Christian Haas will include the collection of snow and ice thickness measurements between the North Pole and Ellesmere Island that are of significance to the state of the melting polar ice cap. The results will be compared to past measurements and also to current aerial and satellite data. By improving databases with fieldwork measurements, the expedition will help keep watch over the melting rate of sea ice in the Arctic.

The surface of the ice has been precisely monitored by satellite since 1979. The determination of its volume is more problematic and involves measuring the thickness by: electromagnetic means (EM-Bird) from a helicopter, laser (LIDAR) from a plane with ground measurements taken using electromagnetism (EM-31), manual coring and surveys, along with measurements taken from drifting buoys. Field measurements such as those to be carried out during the DeepSea Under The Pole by Rolex are particularly important because they are the only ones that can quantify the volume of snow covering the ice since airborne and satellite measurements cannot differentiate snow from ice.

This sea ice monitoring programme is part of a wider program of observation, understanding, quantifying and modelling of the Arctic climate: the European Programme DAMOCLES (Developing Arctic Modelling and Observing Capabilities for Long-term Environmental Studies), which includes 45 laboratories, ten European countries plus the United States and Russia.

During the expedition, the group will measure the thickness of the snow layer along the track with a graduated rod. The measuring of the thickness of sea ice will be made during each dive using a depthmeasurer attached to the lower surface of the ice. By compiling measurements of snow thickness, density and buoyancy, the thickness of the ice shelf can be concluded.

Dr. Christian Haas will process the measurements, work on data analysis and will be responsible for the dissemination of the results to involved working groups.

Dr. Christian Haas Born in Germany, Dr. Christian Haas is 42-years old and is a sea ice specialist working at Canada’s Alberta University, where he gives courses and runs a research laboratory dedicated to polar environments and climates. He is a geophysicist and has been working as a researcher for many years at the German Alfred Wegener Institut of Polar Studies.

His work in the Arctic, contributes to European scientific programmes, like DAMOCLES, devoted to climate studies in the Arctic.

2. Physiological study Programme One very interesting aspect of the expedition will be the assessment of oxygen emersion techniques that enable the treatment of decompression sickness when a decompression chamber is missing. All recorded data will serve to improve the knowledge and technical application in a fairly unknown field of “extreme” physiology. This work will be undertaken in collaboration with specialized diving doctors from the Géo Scaph Association. This team of hyperbaric doctors will provide training and medical assistance to the crew throughout the expedition.

Divers will swallow “wi-fi” pills before entering the water, allowing for their organism’s reactions to be tracked during the dives. Team members will also wear bracelets that will track body reactions during sleep.

The Géo Scaph Association: Founded by doctors Jean-Eric Blatteau and Jean-Michel Pontier, this association aims to encourage progress in scientific studies concerning hyperbaric medicine, submarine exploration and medical support for expeditions.

Interesting facts – North Pole The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth’s axis of rotation meets the Earth’s surface. It should not be confused with the Magnetic North Pole.

The North Pole is the northernmost point on Earth, lying diametrically opposite the South Pole. It defines geodetic latitude 90° North, as well as the direction of True North. At the North Pole all directions point south; all lines of longitude converge there, so its longitude can be defined as any degree value.

While the South Pole lies on a continental landmass, the North Pole is located in the middle of the Arctic Ocean amidst waters that are almost permanently covered with constantly shifting sea ice.

This makes it impractical to construct a permanent station at the North Pole (unlike the South Pole).

However, the Soviet Union and later Russia have constructed a number of manned drifting stations, some of which have passed over or very close to the Pole. In recent years, a number of studies have predicted that the North Pole may become seasonally ice-free due to Arctic shrinkage, with timescales varying from a few years to fifty years or more.

The sea depth at the North Pole has been measured at 4,261 metres (13,980 ft). The nearest land is usually said to be Kaffeklubben Island, off the northern coast of Greenland about 700 km (440 miles) away, though some perhaps nonpermanent gravel banks lie slightly further north.

Source: www.wikipedia.com

Facts & Features • 1 ocean at -1.8°C (average shower temperature is 30°C) • 2 scientific programmes • 3 sets of diving equipment • 5m maximum thickness of the ice (the Great Wall of China is 5m wide at its top) • 8 team-members • 10m the maximum height of pressure ridges above the water (equal to the height of the Olympic acrobatic diving platform) • 18km per day of progression (a distance equal to approximately two laps around the periphery of Central Park) • 30m the maximum depth of pressure ridges below the waterline (a 138ft cargo ship has a draft of 8.5m – distance between the waterline of the loaded boat and the end of its keel) • 30 days exploring the northern coast of Ellesmere Island • 45 days skiing on sea ice • 100th anniversary of the North Pole conquest • 200km between each supply drop-off (almost same distance between London and Bristol) • 700kg of food • 800kg of equipment (equal to the weight of two average male Polar Bears combined) • 800km on skis at temperatures between -15 and -50°C (the Santiago de Compostela trail along the Spanish coast is 790 km at 10–20°C in the spring) • 5,500 calories person/day (an average male consumes 2,500 calories/day) • 20,000 pictures and 40 hours of video to be collected

Daily lifE Ski progression day programme The team has approximately 10 hours to walk 18km, starting with the wake-up call at 6h00, aiming to set-up camp by 19h00 and to be in bed by 22h00. The team will have two hot meals per day (breakfast and dinner) and a selection of energy foods and hot drinks during the day.

Diving day programme On diving days there will be no concern about setting up so the first dive of the day will take place in the morning. After a hot meal, two more dives will take place in the afternoon at a different site. At the end of each diving day the material will be packed in order to be ready for the following day.

Diet – menu person/day Morning – cereal with powdered milk During the day – one cereal bar, 100g of chocolate, 250g of dry fruit Evening – one lyophilized (freeze-dried) menu

Extreme equipment list Diving • Each diver will have on three layers of clothing: the first is made of warm underwear (top and bottom), the second is a one-piece fleece and the third is a compressed neoprene 4mm thick dry suit, with attached hood and back zip, while hands will be protected by sub fleece gloves and waterproof gloves. All divers will wear a Rolex DEEPSEA watch over the last layer.

• Each diving equipment set consists of two cylinders that contain 10 litres of compressed air each. The tanks are positioned under the arms so that the diver may access the independent valves while diving.

• Harness with 8 kg of ballast, knife, mask, fins with straps, a rugged laptop, underwater photo and video cameras. A compass is useless because of the location’s proximity to the magnetic North Pole.

For safety during the dives & onshore • One polypropylene rope 100m long and 10mm in diameter, to be used as the team’s “safety line” (also known as “Ariadne’s thread,” derived from Greek mythology: Ariadne gave a ball of yarn to Theseus so that he could backtrack his way out of the labyrinth after killing the Minotaur) • Two extra ropes that act as safety lines to attach the divers to “Ariadne’s thread” • Two ropes 12m long and 4mm in diameter designed with a flashlight attached to the end • One bottle of emergency oxygen • Iridium phone, first aid kit, Argos beacon, rifle cartridges

Questions & Answers How do the divers get in the water?

In order to reach the ocean, one must either dig a hole through the ice or take advantage of natural crevasses in the polar ice cap. Since it can take over 20 hours and a good deal of energy to dig holes in ice that is at least 1.4m thick, DeepSea Under The Pole by Rolex will not dig holes but will instead take advantage of breaks that exist in the polar ice cap. This will save a considerable amount of time and energy, not to mention the extra weight of equipment required to cut through the ice. Crevasses and waterways can be found throughout the polar ice cap, thus access to the ocean is guaranteed wherever the explorers may be along the way.

How do the divers avoid getting lost while diving?

Attaching the divers to an “Ariadne’s thread” ensures they are always connected with the surface with an easy means of retracing their path to the entry point. It allows a rudimentary form of communication with the surface through simple signals like pulling the rope.

What if the ice closes while someone is diving?

The polar ice cap never reacts suddenly in this way. The explorers will have various forecast updates during each day and extreme or sudden movement of the polar ice cap will only happen in bad weather conditions or storms. The group will be able to forecast these before beginning each dive.

How will they keep the equipment from freezing?

The main equipment concerned is the pressure-reducing valves (part of the system regulating and converting the flow of compressed air that the divers breathe underwater) and the air compressors (which are necessary to fill the cylinders). First, in order to prepare for diving any ice coat covering the pressure-reducers must be melted. The taps then need to be dried in order to prevent the pressurereducer from being obstructed by ice during connection or to keep a hole from being filled with ice.

To reduce the risk of frost under water, the diving equipment must be heated before each dive, then protected as long as possible from snow and water before immersion.

How will the team move across the ice?

The team will principally use skis to progress over the ice but as the surface is not always solid the team will have to use their supply pulkas, which also float and work as kayaks, to cross waterways and small rivers that may be found along the way.

Why are they going during spring?

The expedition will start on 20 March 2010, the beginning of spring. The end of winter is the best period of the year to explore the polar ice cap as the sunlight is permanent, the ice is strong and thick and the ocean water is crystal clear, making for unparalleled photographic opportunities. In addition, particularly during the second part of the expedition on Ellesmere Island, spring brings an explosion of submarine life along the coast enhanced by the island’s frozen fjords. The expedition will encounter marine mammals, narwhals, belugas, seals and polar bears.

How will the team access Ellesmere Island?

The expectation is to reach the continent using skis and kayaks, but if there is insufficient ice to cross over to Ellesmere Island when the team gets there a Twin Otter plane will fly the crew to the other side.

Studies suggest that this scenario is unlikely.

What are Kayak’s (the dog) functions?

Besides his official role of warning the team about approaching polar bears, Kayak will have a very important social/psychological function among the group during the expedition. When one lives intensely in the presence of others for a long time, tolerance, forbearance and patience are key to happy co-existence. Kayak, who is always happy and does not complain about anything, will bring good balance to the expedition’s overall ambiance.

Rolex DEEPSEA Waterproof to an extreme depth of 3,900 metres (12,800 feet), this new-generation diver’s watch confirms the supremacy of Rolex in the mastery of waterproofness and demonstrates an ever-present pursuit of excellence.

Entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex, the Sea-Dweller DEEPSEA is a totally new watch that benefits from important technical innovations. It is equipped with a RINGLOCK SYSTEM, a new case architecture patented by Rolex, which allows the watch to resist the colossal pressure exerted by water at great depths. It is the first watch to feature a bracelet with a double extension system making it easily adaptable for greater comfort in wear over a diving suit.

The Sea-Dweller DEEPSEA responds to the most exacting demands of professional divers in terms of robustness, precision and reliability.

Rolex and Exploration Since 1933 and along the following decades Rolex has been equipping explorers to successful expeditions with its Oyster watches.

From the deepest seas, to the poles and other extreme environments, nature became a natural testing laboratory for those watches.

Rolex has continually encouraged the world’s foremost scientists in their explorations, enjoying long relationships with some of the best-known ocean pioneers in the world.

The quest for perfection has been the driving force at the heart of every technological advance made by Rolex for more than a hundred years. In the preceding century, it became clear that this knowledge and determination could also be put towards actions that would make the planet a better place for future generations. As such Rolex has a long history of supporting endeavours to maintain the delicate equilibrium that exists between man and animal, and to preserving the Earth’s natural resources.

Please visit the Rolex Sea-Dweller DEEPSEA and its environment at www.rolex.com.

Press Contacts Key Partners Marketing Services (KPMS) Marina Kienitz +41 (0) 32 724 2829 (office) +41 (0) 79 321 4492 (mobile) E-mail: marina@kpms.com www.deepseaunderthepolenews.com