Photographer back on solid ground after months on thin ice

Date published: 18/05/2009

A photographer from Rochdale is back on home soil after spending 73 days exploring the Arctic.

Martin Hartley, 41, joined Pen Hadow and Ann Daniels on the Catlin Arctic Survey, photographing his two companions while they measured the thickness of sea ice near the North Pole to help scientists learn about why it is melting so quickly.

The expedition surveyed 434 kilometres across the surface of the frozen arctic ocean – something only experienced polar explorers could achieve.

In the early weeks of the expedition temperatures hovered around -46 degrees Celsius with a wind chill factor on occasions down to minus 70 degrees Celsius.

Despite suffering frostbite to his big right toe, Hartley has said that he would not hesitate to go back to the ice.