the route
On January 1, 2004 a team of four Israelis and four Palestinians set sail on board of a small sailing vessel from Puerto Williams, Chile, heading towards Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America. There, they anchored in a protected bay while awaiting favorable weather for crossing the Southern Ocean to Antarctica.
The seas surrounding Antarctica are the only ones on earth uninterrupted by any land mass and are subject to frequent, severe storms. The narrowest and roughest section of all is the 1,000-kilometer wide Drake Passage, named after 16th century British mariner Sir Francis Drake, separating Antarctica from South America.
During this challenging voyage, all expedition members had to work as a team, according to a strict round-the-clock schedule – three-hour shifts on deck, wearing storm suits and tied to the yacht, followed by six hours below deck.
The plan was to first reach Deception Island, one of Antarctica’s two active volcanoes, located about 45 km from the mainland in a region called Graham Land. Only the upper reaches of the volcano breech the surface of the water, and only by sailing through a small break in its rim is it possible to find shelter from the open sea.
At Deception Island, the boats were rigged for the voyage along the Antarctic shore. This 500 kilometer journey carried the team through a labyrinth of islands, steep fiords, patches of frozen sea and numerous icebergs – an area rich in wildlife this time of year, with huge colonies of penguins, packs of seals, herds of whales and thousands of bird species.
Upon reaching Crystal Sound (66 degrees south) the team anchored between two small islands and prepared to embark. Rubber dinghies carried them ashore, along with supplies and equipment for one week. Reserve supplies for one additional week was buried near the shoreline.
After a brief rest, they began the trek across the ice toward the chosen mountain, located some 20 kilometers inland. Walking for three days, the team members were roped together for safety, dragging their heavy equipment on their backs and on snow sledges.
Arriving at the foot of the mountain, the team established a base camp and waited for favorable weather conditions to begin their climb to the summit. Because the mountain’s exact height was not known, the difficulty and duration of the ascent could not be accurately predicted. While the mountains in this region are not exceptionally high, their complete isolation, icy surroundings and severe weather can create various kinds of hazards and obstacles.
Nevertheless, the team successfully reached the summit, held a ceremony where they named the mountain in the name of Israeli and Palestinian friendship and celebrated the success of their mission. Afterwards, they set off again on the long journey home. 6nbsp; A remote mountain on a distant continent,
This is the dream we carry with us.
At its peak we will raise our voices, making a joyful noise.
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