AS THE LEADER OF THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL UNSUPPORTED WALK TO THE NORTH POLE FROM CANADA, PLANNING AND SUPPORT WAS AS CRUCIAL TO BE AS WAS THE WALK ITSELF.  I LOCATED OUR TWO MAN BASE CAMP IN THE SOUTH CAMP INN FOR MANY REASONS.  THE INN GAVE ME PEACE OF MIND AND TOTAL BELIEF THAT THE BASE CAMP WITH THE SUPPORT OF SOUTH CAMP INN COULD LAUNCH A RESCUE IMMEDIATELY IF NEEDED TO.

PRIOR TO OUR INSERTION TO THE START POINT WE WERE LOOKED AFTER AND ACCOMMODATED AT AN EXTREMELY HIGH LEVEL FROM OZ AND HIS TEAM.  NOTHING WAS OF TOO MUCH TROUBLE AND THE INN AND ITS TEAM SUPPORTED AND HELPED US PREPARE FOR WHAT WAS TO BE A HISTORIC JOURNEY NORTH.  WITHOUT THIS HELP MY TASK OF LEADERSHIP WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE DIFFICULT.

THE SOUTH CAMP INN PROVIDED TEAM POLAR 2000 A FANTASTIC BASE TO LAUNCH OUR EXPEDITION AND ALSO A HIGH LEVEL OF CONTINUOUS SUPPORT ALONG OUR 3 MONTH JOURNEY.  AS A LEADER OF A TEAM I REGARD OZ AND HIS FAMILY AS PART OF OUR TEAM AND DEFINITELY  PART OF THE SUCCESS.  WE WERE GREETED AND TREATED AS PART OF THEIR FAMILY.  A WARM, SUPPORTIVE AND GREAT FRIENDLY PLACE TO STAY. 

THANK YOU OZ AND YOUR TEAM FOR ALL YOUR HELP, SUPPORT AND ADVICE.

ALAN CHAMBERS,  TEAM POLAR 2000 LEADER.