The Catlin Arctic Survey Team are on their way home

After 73 days, 17 hours, 23 minutes and 15 seconds on the ice, the team were successfully picked up from the ice at 1800 BST yesterday.

Pen Hadow, Martin Hartley and Ann Daniels embarked on their scientific survey to measure the state of the ice in late February, in the Arctic winter, in order to capture direct physical surface readings that is of particular interest to scientists researching what is happening to the floating sea ice.

The three are now in Resolute, catching up on their first proper night’s rest for more than two months. In a webcast shortly before the twin otter plane arrived to collect them, Expedition Leader Pen Hadow revealed that initial Survey results show the average ice thickness in the region to be 1.774m. The data collected will now be delivered to scientists to interpret.

The top priority for the three explorers was ‘a good scrub’ according to Hadow, who admitted the three have the appearance (and smell!) of cavemen.

Cavewoman Daniels added that she had been dreaming of sleeping in a proper bed with clean sheets.

A further Webcast is planned for when the three wake up from their well earned rest. (Resolute is 6 hours behind BST).