Start Again - 2012 Expedition

Will be heading back to the high arctic first week of July from Minocqua, Wisconsin.  This expedition will be focused mainly on locating one of the two missing Franklin ships; Erebus or Terror.  In addition to searching a certain 35 miles of ocean beach for clues that may have washed up over the years (fragments of masts, other boat parts and/or copper or metal sheets or pieces), I plan on doing intensive low water over flights just off shore in this area.  I have specific indications that there is a chance one or both of the ships are in this location.  And this fits with my theory outlined in my post from the earlier site, see HERE.

The main challenge for the ground searching will be finding places to land.  And then second, harder - how to secure the airplane without sustaining critical damage with constant the strong winds, coupled with avoiding boulders under and all around the floats.

For over water visual searching, the key will be catching things when the pack ice is not all melted.  The water must be "glassy" in order to see to depths exceeding 10 feet.  The winds are always ripping, so without ice floes stabilizing things, the waves will make it impossible to see anything below the surface.  Timing is everything.  I may have only a week, maybe two, for conditions to be right.

Anticipating that there will be some great opportunities to capture some interesting videos.  Now installed on the Beaver is an interior HD cockpit camera and also an outer camera, from the rear elevator stab.  Below is a simulcast pair of videos just taken Father’s Day weekend in Minocqua Wisconsin.

Here is a simulcast video - one taken from inside the cockpit, and at the same time - outside outboard on the left side of the elevator stab.  You can watch them at the same time - start the left side video first and wait exactly 60 seconds, then start up the action from inside the cockpit (right side video).  Then you are synchronized.