Adventuers row to the North Pole

In a feat that has never before been achieved, Scots adventurer, Jock Wishart, and his six-strong team have rowed to the recognised (1996) position of the Magnetic North Pole. Every step of this ground-breaking ‘Old Pulteney Row to the Pole’ expedition has been tracked by Yellowbrick, the world’s largest truly-global tracking provider.

The four-week-long voyage required the team to navigate the perilous ice-strewn waters of a 450 mile stretch from their start point in Resolute Bay, Canada, to the finish point at 78°35.7N 104°11.9W in Deer Bay off Ellef Ringnes Island. For the support team operating from the base camp in Resolute Bay, being able to monitor The Old Pulteney’s progress every step of the way was a huge advantage in terms of safety and logistics management. When, in one instance, the team was unable to make a scheduled communications call, Yellowbrick worked with the support team to immediately increase the frequency of transmissions so the team’s position could be more closely tracked.

As Yellowbrick tracking devices work by using the Iridium satellite network to transmit their precise GPS fix, the product offers truly global coverage from any location in the world -- even at the Poles! Yellowbrick is one of the only totally self-sufficient tracking devices with the ability to do this. Yellowbrick’s rugged, waterproof construction means it is perfectly able to withstand environmental extremes, as Jock and his team were able to prove on this world-first Arctic rowing expedition.

Transmissions from the Yellowbrick tracking device carried onboard The Old Pulteney were received within seconds by Yellowbrick HQ and automatically updated on the online web viewer. With transmissions occurring as frequently as every 15 minutes, support team and supporters of the challenge alike were able to watch Jock and his team row ever closer to their goal.  

Speaking shortly after completing the voyage, Jock described the Yellowbrick tracker as "one our most useful items of equipment". He went on to say: "We have journeyed into one of the most extreme and remote locations imaginable, and for our support team to be able to see exactly where we were at any one time offered a huge reassurance for all involved. The Yellowbrick tracking device was crucial, both as a safety tool and as a way of enhancing our website for the thousands of supporters following our voyage."

Further information regarding Yellowbrick can be found at www.yellowbrick-tracking.com