Anvers Island Expedition 2003 -- On February 2, 2003, Douglas Stoup and Andrew McLean flew by small plane to King George Island, off the northwest coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. There, they boarded the "Pelagic," a 16m yacht, navigated by Skip Novak. -- They sailed to Anvers Island, landing at Borgen Bay, which opens onto the Neumayer Channel. The team made their way ashore in an inflatable craft. -- They had planned to haul their supplies and equipment across the rock and ice to set up a base camp at Bull Ridge (at the base of Mt. Francais), but were unable to find a suitable route from their location on the island to attempt an ascent on Mt Francais. -- As is often the case with Antarctic expeditions, the conditions of the ice, as well as the weather, can cause delays and cancellations of the best made plans. But despite the setbacks, the team was still able to explore, climb and ski on one of the most beautiful places on earth. (click on thumbnail to enlarge; close window to return)