Thursday night June 30th, we had been making remarkable progress through the pack ice, at times reaching speeds of up to 14 knots (17 miles/hour). Announcements were made keeping us posted on our progress to the North Pole. Shortly after midnight all passengers were assembled outside on the bow deck to mark the arrival of the pole with a champagne toast and drink. Many arrived bearing the flags of their country of origin. Likewise all the country fags of those represented by the passenger list were flown, strung across the bridge down to the front of the bow deck. In all 20 roughly flags flew including the USA, China, Great Britain, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, etc.

Being an Italian American, I took the opportunity to play aloud the Italian national anthem to pay homage to Umberto Nobile. Nobile was an Italian aeronautical engineer and arctic explorer. He along with Ronald Amundson the famed Norwegian explorer, and Lincoln Ellswort an American millionaire-adventurer, were the first to indisputably see the North Pole by means of flying over it in an airship designed and piloted by Nobile.

This occurred May 12, 1926. Given the doubt today that Robert Peary, Franklin Cook, or Richard Byrd ever actually reached the North Pole, this leaves it to Nobiles and his airship named the Norge to have been the first to the North Pole.

The bow deck became Time Square for our celebration as the ships horn, shortly after midnight, announced the moment when we reached 90 degrees north. With a loud repeated blast of the ships horn, we joined an exclusive fraternity of people who have made it to the North Pole.

Speaking with Bob, the ships historian, we have brought the count of people at the North Pole to 22,630. Laurie our expedition leader used the moment to make a toast. He drew our attention to the fact that the nations represented on deck have not always seen eye to eye and at times have been at war. This was a glorious day in that we were able to accomplish together in peace and fellowship a feat which is rare and not easily done. We had endured together along the way helicopter mishaps and ship repairs. Through this expedition we have bridged friendships in perusing a common goal of getting to the pole. By way of our trip, let us hope we can continue to further work together to accomplish good for ourselves and our planet.

The gang way was dropped. A post bearing the markings of the North Pole was inserted in the ice indicating the pole location. The first order of business upon stepping down was to gather all the passengers in a circle around the North Pole. Thereafter, the 128 passengers celebrated and marked the occasion with 128 different experiences.

Virtually all took photos of themselves at the North Pole post. Some drew attention to various special and personnel causes, ranging from support for gay rights and acceptance to a call for world peace. Many took a polar plunge, jumping into a open patch of the frigid waters of the Arctic Ocean. The Russian crew provided safety in the form of a harness to pull one back on to the safety of the ice and as well provided comfort with a shot of vodka upon completion of the plunge!

I took a photo of myself holding a photograph of my family back home.

It was my way of taking my mom, brother, sisters, and all my nephews and nieces with me. Though they weren’t physically with me, they no doubt were in my heart of emotions. Speaking of heart, I have extensive heart disease including having a cardiac defibrillator in my chest. I had intended to do the polar plunge but after viewing my three year old son Jovi in that family photograph I held, opted not to take the plunge.

Like the polar bear mother with her cub that we had seen days ago, my purpose in life now is to nurture and impart skills to my son which will help him to thrive in our world.

Standing atop of the world was a life defining moment. I realized I was ever so happy to be defined in my life now as a father and a husband. Having met my wife Kerrie in Antarctica, I turned to her to say I’d follow her to the ends of the world. In ways I’ve already done that.

Our relationship has spanned great distances on this earth and we are both looking forward to an equal measure of time together. Thus it was “no” to the unnecessary risk of the polar plunge for me. Still, that didn’t stop me from enjoying the vodka and cheering on those taking the icy bath.

In the middle of that vast ice field on the arctic ocean, I found what often is obscured and at times lost in the ever constant hustle and bustle of our daily lives. Being in such a remote isolated place with no distractions helped me to see that which the fox in the book The Little Prince spoke about when he said “what is essential is invisible to the eye”.

My experience was surreal with the full day light in the early morning hours. I paced in a circle around the North Pole post. By my walk, I managed to cross all of the earth’s 24 hour time zones. For a moment, I was sharing the same time as those of my family and friends in America, Italy, England, and Australia.

We were summoned to return to the ship with the ships horn ablast. I dared not miss the boat as unlike the frequent commuter trains in Chicago, I don’t think the next boat would have been coming any time soon. Thus I returned to the ship rewarded in with memories of a life time.

Aboard ship we started off in the only direction available to us…South!

Now making our way down to Franz Joesph Land.

Cheers,

Giovanni Savaglio

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