Advanced Tracking x Arctic Mission
Following his many expeditions, Loury Lag is embarking on a new adventure: Arctic Mission. This 3500 km solo kite-ski crossing of the Northwest from the West is a real challenge.
This expedition of up to 120 days, in temperatures down to -70°, is a new challenge for Loury Lag, and one in which Advanced Tracking is proud to be involved.
In order to ensure Loury Lag's communication and safety, Advanced Tracking provides him with the right tools and communication time.
He will be equipped with an Iridium Go and an Iridium 9555 satellite phone, compatible with the extreme conditions in which Loury will be operating.
The compact, rugged Iridium GO will enable him to communicate via the Iridium satellite network to send and receive e-mails, send SMS, obtain weather files and his GPS position, and activate emergency services.
As smartphones are not designed for such conditions, Loury will also be equipped with the rugged and compact Iridium 9555 satellite phone, giving access to all the functions of a conventional phone via the satellite network.
With these 2 pieces of equipment, he can be sure of being able to communicate whatever happens, knowing that the autonomy of these devices is 16h on standby and 7h in communication for the Iridium GO, and 30h on standby and 4h in conversation for the phone. Communications will therefore be limited, but possible whenever he needs them. Loury can count on the support of Advanced Tracking and Iridium products for satellite communications with his teams, and on our new emergency service. Focus Point in case of emergency!
We wish him the best of luck in beating this double world record in ski-kiting, and look forward to discovering the images and accounts of his expedition to the North Pole.
SITUATION AT MARCH 30
Loury is still having great difficulty making headway. 100 km after his last refuelling stop in Tuktoyaktuk, his 12m2 sail, which enables him to make headway in light winds, tore in a pack field. Loury had 2 sails when he left, but the 4m2 only allows him to make headway in strong winds. We can't send him a new sail for at least 10 days. Obviously, he can't wait that long on the pack ice, as he doesn't have enough food. So he has to progress by ski touring to reach the next supply point. Unable to stay on the course we'd set ourselves, Loury had to cut across the land. So he had to pull his pulka, weighing over 100 kilos, through 40cm of fresh snow. According to him, this is "clearly the most physically demanding moment since the start of the expedition".
His average speed is very slow, sometimes 1km/h. To do 15km in a day, he has to put in 15 hours of effort. He has to ration his food to make sure he has enough to eat until the next village, which he should reach tomorrow if he doesn't stop to sleep for a few hours tonight.
