The Barneo ice base is an unusual town, built anew each year on a drifting ice floe. From its establishment in the early 2000s, Barneo has served as a base for tourist groups traveling to the North Pole.
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© Photo : Polus Arctic and Antarctic Expedition Center
The Barneo ice base is an unusual town, built anew each year on a drifting ice floe. From its establishment in the early 2000s, Barneo has served as a base for tourist groups traveling to the North Pole.
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© Photo : Polus Arctic and Antarctic Expedition Center
The base is generally built in April and functions for four to six weeks as an Arctic research and tourist center. Preparations for construction begin with a fuel delivery to Sredny Island, allowing helicopters to refuel.
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© Photo : Polus Arctic and Antarctic Expedition Center
In late March, helicopters fly to the North, where a temporary base is built. Meanwhile, an AN-12 cargo plane carrying fuel departs from Moscow to make its delivery to the temporary base.
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© Photo : Polus Arctic and Antarctic Expedition Center
Experts choose an appropriate ice floe for the base. It must have several sites suitable for a runway and camp in the event an emergency requires that they be relocated.
Photo: Landing on the frozen runway.
Photo: Landing on the frozen runway.
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© Photo : Polus Arctic and Antarctic Expedition Center
Once a suitable location for the base is found, an IL-76 cargo plane carrying fuel and equipment for the ice base takes off from Murmansk.
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© Photo : Polus Arctic and Antarctic Expedition Center
The construction of Barneo begins with the construction of the runway right on the ice floe.
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© Photo : Polus Arctic and Antarctic Expedition Center
Since a permanent camp is not possible on drifting ice, everything has to be delivered and rebuilt each year.
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© Photo : Polus Arctic and Antarctic Expedition Center
Barneo Base, a unique town on ice, is built here during the brief Arctic spring.
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© Photo : Polus Arctic and Antarctic Expedition Center
Barneo does not stand still; it travels wherever the wind carries the ice floe, moving alternately closer to and farther from the North Pole.
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© Photo : Polus Arctic and Antarctic Expedition Center
The town has all the essentials: tents, a bath, a field kitchen. The tents have double-thick floors and covers, a small antechamber and a washstand. There is also a doctor and first-aid station at the camp.
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© Photo : Polus Arctic and Antarctic Expedition Center
Barneo’s power needs are met by two diesel generators working in turns and a backup gasoline generator.
Photo: An IL-76 dropping cargo for the ice camp.
Photo: An IL-76 dropping cargo for the ice camp.
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© Photo : Polus Arctic and Antarctic Expedition Center
Tourists from all over the world want to visit the unique ice base. The revenue from tourism finances the research conducted at the base.
Photo: Cross procession at Barneo ice base.
Photo: Cross procession at Barneo ice base.
