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Mark Roberts and Shaune Adderley with their crew at the North Pole (Face Book image)
bahamians-at-north-pole
Mark Roberts and Shaune Adderley at the North Pole (Face Book image)

News Americas, NASSAU, Bahamas, Tues. April 21, 2015: Two Bahamians have made the history by becoming the first Bahamians to ever journey to the North Pole. Now they are trying to get home.

Last week, Mark Roberts and Shaune Adderley made the journey to the North Pole. Now they’re battling blizzard conditions and are praying for a safe return.

“Today we are in blizzard conditions no planes can get us from Barneo. It is looking grim. The Russian base is friendly and we have barrack style tents but still no showers,” the crew wrote on their Facebook page yesterday. “We really need the prayers and positive vibes of our nation to send us a clear bit of weather so we can return home safely. We have accomplished an unbelievable challenge and took the flag to the top of the world. We are desperate to get home and are half dead from the Herculean effort to attain the goal. It was scary as I have ever been scared and so thankful we have made it this far.”

Roberts says he was “invited by a friend who has lived in The Bahamas for a number of years and he with a group of New Zealanders were going to the North Pole.”

“They had been to the South Pole and he called me up and asked me if I would be interested in going because two of the seats that he had filled were vacated,” Roberts added. “For two months I said ‘no it’s probably not a good idea’ and then he said ‘I feel bad for inviting you because I knew a Bahamian would not be able to cut the mustard.’ And that started the ball rolling in that direction that we were going to go and take on the challenge and have some fun with it.”

The average temperature on the North Pole is a blistering -20 F on a warm day to -80 F with wind chills. The duo first flew to London to begin their journey. Then it was off to Ausland, Norway and then to Russia.

They arrived at North Pole on Friday morning and will be there for seven days.

Follow their adventure at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bahamas-North-Pole-Explorers/1585039308386803