Taking pictures and filming on the ice

January 25, 2008 in Pictures

Who is Who BELARE 2007-2008

This picture gallery is presenting you people participating in the BELARE 2007-2008 expedition. Some pictures and / or bios are still missing but will be added as soon as we get them.

Also known as the "Grand Mufti", he rallies the troops, and decides on when days of rest fall. For these are not weekly events, but tend to depend on when there is something else like the weather preventing work going ahead. Surprisingly few people complain about the long days and even longer weeks. Expedition leader, Alain Hubert has a soft spot for the Prinoth. He is often seen sneaking back to the site after dinner while others settle into coffee and a good gossip. On one occasion, being foolhardy enough to accompany him, I had the horrifying experience of finding myself balancing in this enormaous machine on the edge of a 45° slope while he prepared the terracing for the next day's work. Braced with one leg against the wind screen and the other against the roof, Alain laughing uproariously, we were caught on camera to the delight of all. There are those that report Alain doing a wheelie in the Prinoth, but I remain sceptical on that one.

© International Polar Foundation
Alain Dernivois, father of 3, was born and raised in Marche-en-Famenne, where he still lives part of the year running a roofing company. It was in paticular due to his experience of the application of the EPDM layers used in roofing that he came into the project as it was necessary to have more than one person to carry this out to seal the external shell of the station. As a fan of mountain sports he spends at least one month of every year at Chamonix, snowboarding, skiing and climbing. He finds that the camp atmosphere is marvellous, and that it is a great feeling to be part of such a group of people working so well together.

© International Polar Foundation
In charge of human resources at Axa, Alfons Severanckx - otherwize called Fonzy - is our dear and beloved "base camp manager" (first part of the Expidition). Of uncomparable patience, he manages the team with care and attention. It must also be added that he never misses an occasion to swallow down another chocolate dessert!

© International Polar Foundation
André Diez is an entrepreneur from the Belgian Ardenne. As a specialist in construction, he is in charge of the "garage" team in Utsteinen. Allergic to laziness, André has no time to loose. "Let's go, let's move it!". During his free time, he likes to immerse himself in nature.

© International Polar Foundation
Arnaud Loeffel is the Chief Engineer of the Prefalux team, managing coordination, planning and realisation of the station. A 32 year old bachelor, Arnaud is a serious and disciplined young man from Trier, on the German Luxemburg frontier. Closely involved in the Brussels pre-mounting of the station, his Antarctic job has been an enormous discovery for him: working under difficult climatic conditions,life in a group, and all. But nothing throws him off track. His organised and efficient approach extends to the tiniest details - even the plans of the station are plasticised to survive the conditions. His interests outside of work are karate and adventure travel.

© International Polar Foundation
Benjamin Luypaert is a cameraman from the Belgian French speaking television channel, RTBF, and this is his second expedition with the BELARE. Which may explain the blasé approach he has to it. Or maybe not. What can one say about Benjamin that he hasn't already said in the 90 odd pages of his blog? A youthful 35 year old, Benjamin is father of two, and devoted spouse. Anyone who would like to learn more about Benjamin may read his blog on the RTBF web site.

© International Polar Foundation
Ah Benoit Tyberghien. One of the only Belgian mountain guides who holds the UIAGM accreditation, Benoit is a very laid back individual who enjoys life and has the ability to step back and laugh at himself ... sometimes. Once on the construction site, he is as agile as a cat, scaling the scaffolding with ease, poised over stomache churning drops with the insouciance of a feline. In ordinary times, he has his own building business and so understands the nature of the project, and is an effective and efficient member of the team.

© International Polar Foundation
Bernard Polet, father of four, from Brussels is a specialist in everything to do with sanitary installations, but has come into his own here. The newly named Wizard of Utsteinen is able to fix anything with our other wizard Paul Herman. Bernard and Paul put up the remaining windmills, organised the concrete foundations and the managed the chockfast resin for the anchoring points. They put in place a novel method for ensuring that the resin set even at depths of 6m and temperatures of -20°C. Bernard is currently working on how to evacuate a few tonnes of rock from the base of the ridge using the few implements that we have at our disposal.

© International Polar Foundation
A carpenter for Cherbai, Craig Masson has English origins but a heart from Liège. Not only is he a hard worker, he is also quite imaginative. He is on the "garage" team and is involved in the big work as well as the finishing touches.

© International Polar Foundation
Daniel Mercier, The "French gazelle", as the team sometimes calls him, is a high mountain guide. Having learned crevasse rescuing techniques, ascended several mountain peaks, unloaded the Ivan Papanin... the Antarctic rhythm is highly paced for him. Constantly positive and in a good humor, Daniel doesn't get agravated unless you're really going for it!

© International Polar Foundation
Didier Goetghebuer was Alain's first Polar expedition partner and has known him for over 30 years. They met as young men freshly out of University. Didier was destined to head off to India where he did development work with the organisation known as "Les Fréres des Hommes", while Alain yearned to return to the land and live simply as a farmer and a carpenter. Their first expeditions were in the North: Spitsberg, Baffin, Greenland, and finally the North Pole unsupported in 1994. This is his first sortie to the Antarctic and he is full of superlatives (although he does say he misses the colour of ... his children's eyes). The turning point came for Didier when he had to choose between his career and his Polar exploration. Alain asked him to join him for the famous journey across the Antarctic in 1997-98 and, Didier, an agronomist by training, chose to stay and become director of the consultancy that he runs which deals with Energy, Environment and Planning issues. Ten years along the road their paths have once again converged on a fabulous project, that of the Princess Elisabeth Station, where Didier's expertise in energy issues, and his long experience in polar travel have made him a fitting companion for the task at hand. Didier has been Chief Supremo of the Traverse team, and has brought them through on time to the very day marked in the planning: February 8th. A fateful date in many ways. The symbolism of the station has much impressed Didier, as has the quality of the station as a prototype of future constructions in Antarctica. Knowing him, garrulous and opinionated, he still has a thing or two to say.

© International Polar Foundation
Topographical officer, Dieter Callaert is either taking measurements up on the rocky ridge for the drilling work or collecting altitude data in particular points for the National Geographical Institute in Belgium. Always up to new experiences, he discovered mountaineering by wandering through Antarctica and some of its smaller peaks with the best company there is: two high mountain guides (Daniel and Alain) just for himself!

© International Polar Foundation
Emilie Hubert is a trainee teacher in her other life, but has come to Antarctica to make use of her experience in cooking for large groups of people, with Geoffroy Hanriot. Thanks to Emilie we have never had the same menu twice. The fame of the BELARE kitchen is beginning to spread around the Antarctic, and the DC3 pilots are always happy to come here for a chat and a meal. Her 5 o'clock hot chocolate has become the high point of the day on the site.

© International Polar Foundation
An engineer from Brussels, Etienne Pohl works for Smet and came to Utsteinen with his loyal invisible friend "Astuteness". Working day and night on calculations, Etienne is constantly trying to solve the problems encountered on the Utsteinen ridge.

© International Polar Foundation
Cameraman for the VRT, Francis Jans is an thoughtful team member. Always attentive to being present, he does a good job at translating the Utsteinen atmosphere with his camera: work on the construction site, the responsibilities, communication, daily laughs, essential mecanical work and exhilirating odors of the kitchen... Thanks to him, it is possible to smell the project through his lens!

© International Polar Foundation
François Laurent, ex Paracommando, (ex-colleague of René Wagemans), at 66 is probably amongst the oldest here, but never ceases to amaze with his energy and drive. He is everywhere it seems, and quietly and discreetly carries out whatever is required of him before you even realise it is done. He never complains, and never seems to flag. His face is burnt by the Antarctic sun and wind but he doesn't seem to care in the slightest. He passes his days outside of the Expedition between Louveigné in Belgium, and his house near the Gorges de Verdon in the South of France. A succession of coincidences has brought him to the Expedition, as on a trek he met one of the people from the first rotation, who spoke to him about joining. He sent in his CV and request to participate without really knowing whether he would be taken. Widely travelled, he is used to situations which are out of the ordinary. Interested in the functioning of groups, he has been persuaded by people around him to provide a group counselling, which he does on an ad hoc basis. About the Antarctic he says that his first impressions are too difficult to put into words. One of the passengers of the Ivan Papanin, his encounter proceeded gradually arriving by sea to Crown Bay. He says that the experience of such immensity, such uncompromising landscapes allied with such fragility are so contradictory that they defy efforts to define.

© International Polar Foundation
Frank Vercouillie, 44, with 27 years in the army, is Chief of the Vehicle Park and Prinoth Doctor. Veteran of BELARE 2006-2007, Frank has followed a training with the Prinoth suppliers in Lillehammer, Norway. Fluent in German (his wife is German), Frank is a good interface with our German colleagues, some of whom do not speak English or French. In fact, he helped me translate signs into 3 languages (French, Dutch and German) for all the different camp areas and regulations. Father of two teenage daughters, who he misses, he decided to take on a second Antarctic season, even though it meant missing Christmas and New Year's Eve at home. He is very curious to see how the Station will look when it is finished. He is amazed by the speed at which it has gone up, and is quite happy to be a part of the process. Frank is a very talented mechanic and gets very upset if he can't fix one of his charges, which is a rare event I must stress. With his long experience in looking after the military vehicle park, he was the ideal person for the job. On the BELARE 2006-2007 Frank and Philippe Van den Broek spent some time with the Swedish Antarctic Research Programme (SWEDARP) Expedition where he also learned to drive the Haglund, but he streses that the Prinoth has more power. The two of them also spent time at Troll station familiarising themselves with the Prinoth in the Antarctic.

© International Polar Foundation
Within the "garage" team, Frederic Diez is the "philisopher-worker". He divides his work up between carpentry in the garage and drilling on the rock ridge, when the drilling team needs an extra hand (confronted with a tight timing). A passionate reader, he wolfs down novels during his free time.

© International Polar Foundation
Between cooking Chili Con Carne, lamb stew, steak and French fries, chocolate truffes and...managing the food supplies, Gaëlle Hubert takes an enormous amount of pleasure in feeding her starving men. Her only concern? That everyone feels at home, or "come chez soi", when they finish on the ridge, satisfied and motivated when they go back up. During her free time, she accompanies the rambling Antarctic team members.

© International Polar Foundation
Geoffroy Henriot, 33, is one of the Kitchen Gods. Dispensing largesse to 34 hungry construction workers (plus a few others equally hungry layabouts), Geoffroy bakes us our pain quotidien and, with Emilie, generally looks after our needs with care and ingenuity. We have not yet eaten the same menu twice. Geoffroy, born in Greenwich, London, to belgo-french parents, is a botanist by education. His love for music has, however, drawn him into the scene where he has been regularly catering concerts. He is not in the least phased by the surroundings, the limitations in ingredients, or the hungry hordes in Utsteinen. He is calm and efficient in the face of all, and more, much more than all that, you have to admire the aplomb with which he serves the carnivorous throng with mountains of grilled meats, being that he is (and Emilie too) vegetarian. For those of a less ravenous disposition, there are therefore alternatives.

© International Polar Foundation
Also known as Il Principe, due to his regal manner and masterful strategy in handling Arnaud and Marc D. Gerard Bianchi, a young 56, is chief of the building crew, responsible for mounting the structure of the station. Gerard is from Bourg sur Moselle, the Alsace region of France. Married with two grown up children and one grand-child, Gerard is a keen walker and skier. He is very impressed by the traverse team who drive almost without rest or refreshment for 40 hours at a stretch. He says that he was expecting Antarctica to be a difficult assignment, but the weather is a greater challenge than he expected. However, the living conditions are comfortable, and he is very pleased with the egalitarian way in which the camp is run. "We are all a team", he says, "here for the same purpose, and everyone is important and necessary to the task at hand." It is a moving experience to feel such solidarity of purpose from people from so many different backgrounds and life experiences. Gerard wants to build a boat when he retires. In wood of course.

© International Polar Foundation
Gregory Diez, a big guy with a big heart. A world class welder, he taught me how to solder. If you need a hopper for the cement, if you need a cage for filming from the crane, if you need anything that requires the shaping of raw steel, Greg is your man. The camp is an eloquent tribute to his talent. For the last couple of weeks he has been working with a very swollen wrist, and having been diagnosed as possibly broken, he is forced to take it easy, something he is not designed for. Consequently, he is a little down. Dr Jack has fashioned a plaster for him, which he has reinforced using chockfast.... old habits die hard.

© International Polar Foundation
Guido Deneef celebrated his 47th birthday here. With his big tiger-face slippers, and his blond curls and square open face he reminds one of a large kid. He is a happy enthusiastic person with a big warm personality. From Beerse, near Antwerp, Guido is the father of two grown up sons. He has spent almost 30 years in the army, joining the Corps of Engineers straight after school. He remained with them for 16 years, followed by 14 years with the School of Artillery. On the Expedition he is a machinery operator, which is to say, he manages the Fassi crane, and brings it to deliver an exemplary service, in difficult conditions. He is very happy to be in the Expedition, which he considers to be a once in a lifetime experience, and has been following the project for awhile on the internet. This is quite something coming from a soldier who has seen active service in Somalia and Kosovo. When asked what impressed him the most so far, he said that the operation on the rock, the drilling and quarrying into the tough granite left him in awe. Guido would like, if ever his work with the crane reaches an end, to be able to go on a traverse. At home, he sometimes drives a tourist bus long distances, as a kind of hobby, and this is probably a good qualification for the 40 hours of "road" the traverse drivers do here.

© International Polar Foundation
Hans Jurgen Clemens, 44, is from Newel near Trier. Married, he has two sons of 14 and 12. He is a keen walker, and cyclist. He prepared himself for the Antarctic by reading the Geo magazine, and he eagerly volunteered for the mission. He also visited the site of the IPF and watched the films of the 2006-07 Expedition. Gregarious and talkative, he was an unmissable part of the Brussels chantier. Jurgen, it emerges, has just undergone the first air flight in his life - and it took him to Antarctica.....Lufthansa, Ilyushin and Basler DC3. Quite a baptême de l'air. His good humour keeps the group buoyed up even on difficult days.

© International Polar Foundation
"Illir-tikou-baby" is a carpenter for Cherbai, a carpentry and cabinet work company based in the Belgian Ardenne, which was founded by Alain Hubert about twenty years ago. Of Albanian descent, he has already waved the flag in Antarctica! An untiring worker who can pretty much work on anything, he forms with Craig a nice working pair on the construction site ... and, at the dinner table, a nice entertaining pair.

© International Polar Foundation
Jacques Richon, also known as "BELARE Jack" to avoid confusion with well known TV personality "Outback Jack" (no relation) is the Head surgeon at the Swiss Hospital at Utsteinen, Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica. Jack has a cultivated insouciance coming frpm many years treating horrendous injuries up in the Alps. These are not of the kind that generally occur at après-ski time when skiers tend to get rowdy and take to wrapping their ski sticks aroud each others heads, but the really nasty kind which require a strong mental constitution and stronger stomach. (Frostbite induced gangrene is not a pretty picture). With Swiss meticulosity, Jacques has ringed himself with expert advice from a network of colleagues from different specialities, who are a mere satphone call away. Everything has been planned in advance, but we are just hoping that he has a restful stay in Antarctica. And he can fly a helicopter. That's what I call a Renaissance Man for the 21st Century.

© International Polar Foundation
Shy quiet Jean-Marc Rinie is a bit of a solitary bird. You can see him taking lone walks up to the deserted construction site for time out from the gay revellry of the rest of the crew. But he is well adapted to life in such a group having served for the French Navy, "La royale" for 18 years. A carpenter by trade, Jean-Marc, 48, comes from Thionville near Metz. Father of a delightful sixteen year old, you can see he misses his little girl, but he says that the Antarctic has been an "apothéose", an experience of a lifetime that he would never have missed. Despite his experience in exotic locations such as the Kerguelen Islands, or Noumea in New Caledonia, where he spent three years, this has been the best experience. He says that when he told his family and friends that he was going to Antarctica, nobody believed him.

© International Polar Foundation
Member of the Parachute Regiment Unit 3PARA, Jesko Kaczynski is at 36 an NCO, with already 20 years of active service behind him. Somehow it was not surprising that, coming from an Army family,he would also choose the military as a career, although initially, he never imagined it would be 20 years. But his talents as a technicien have led him to be selected for Officer training. (Note he built his first electrical appliance at the age of six). Born and brought up in a garrison town in Germany, Jesko returned to Belgium at the age of 17, and now lives (in an 18th Century farmhouse which he is renovating), in Laagdal, between Tessenderlo and Geel. In this bucolic surroundings, with spring cherry blossoms and chickens, which he shares with his family, he also finds the time to restore old cars (like the 1965 Lancia which he is currently working on). Member of the Traverse Driving Team (TDT), Jesko has already taken part in 7 traverses, and despite the long hours and the repetitiveness of the task, he feels that his reasons for coming to Antarctica, namely to break with routine, and for the adventure, are still valid. He says that you need a lot of mental and physical strength to be able to complete a traverse, and to remain focussed for forty hours at a stretch in difficult terrain. Tough and individualistic, Jesko's active service in Somalia and Kossvo have prepared him to stay cool in the face of difficult situations, and having been born in a town where it snowed every year he has been skiing since the age of six, and is perfectly equipped to deal with the climatic and other conditions.

© International Polar Foundation
Student of Architecture at St. Luc in Brussels, Joffrey Birti was bitten by the bug some years ago, when the he first heard of the project to build the first zero emissions research station in Antarctica. He insists that it was in 2004, when he was a mere 21 years old. A television programme set him off on the track, and he spent six fruitless months trying to find a way of being accepted onto the project if only to observe. Finally, he had his breakthrough and has been assiduously been present whenever he could at the meetings with architects and other counsellors and experts, brimming with quiet enthusiasm. He is so committed and enthusuatic that he has even taken a year off from his studies to be able to join the Expedition. He arrived on the Ivan Papanin and has been at Utsteinen since the 20th of December. It would be no exaggeration to say that Joffrey is universally popular with his colleagues, who continually tease him about his youth and seeming fragility. With his long blonde hair (usually caked with rock dust), his young animal grace, his candour and innocence, Joffrey has very rapidly made a place for himself at Utsteinen, and longs to be allowed to overwinter despite the fact that the station will only be finished next season. Frequently to be found hanging out with Bernard and Paul, he managed to distinguish himself in the arduous exercises of rock excavation, and raising the wind turbines. Currently, he is helping out on the station, and puts up with a lot of good natured teasing from Gérard. Almost always cheerful and helpful, he is living proof that the younger generation is not going to the dogs. He says that life in this camp is great, a paradise. What attracts him is that it is completely outside any monetary system of value. This is micro-society in which everyone has a role, everyone has a value, and where there is no elitism, and all work together towards a common goal. There are no possessions, no stress, no problems to which there are no solutions. Outside of the Expedition he says that he likes to fix things, like old cars, and to dream. He dreams of many things such as living in Antarctica, or building extraordinary things in difficult places.

© International Polar Foundation
This is Jos Van Hemelrijck' second expedition with the BELARE. From the Flemish language television station, VRT Canvas, Jos has frequently covered topical isues for the programme "Overleven" or Survival. In the Antarctic, Jos is in hie element. He came out on the ship the Ivan Papanin with the third large group. He is often to be found on the site covering the work in progress.

© International Polar Foundation
Julien Lecomte drives the Komatsu digger when he is not working in the camp metal work atelier building useful objects with Greg. A little eccentric, a little shy but very talented, the camp is full of little artistic touches contributed by Julien.

© International Polar Foundation
Thirty-three year old Jurgen Van Obberghem has already spent 12 years in the army. With the 29 Battalion (Logistics), 230 Company (Materials) in Grobendonck, Heerenthals near Antwerp. Trained in electro-mechanics, Jurgen is in fact an all rounder able to deal with most eventualities. In addition to helping Frank with the vehicle maintenance, he also does the round of the camp and construction site twice a day to make sure that everything is in working order, and that the generators and water melters have fuel. His first and most striking impression of the Antarctic on landing at the coast was the silence. A silence so intense that you can almost hear it. This, he says is something you will never experience in Belgium. He says on occasion he has heard the traverses coming in from 5 hours away. He finds that life in the camp is pretty exhausting as the working days are very long. He misses the people who are close to him, but feels this is a unique opportunity. A keen pianist (Mozart, Strauss & Haydn being amongst his favorites), and an accomplished cook, he delights in doing things for others. His main occupation outside of work is helping his family and friends. Before he left on Expedition he was pitching in to help his sister to renovate her house. He is also member of a group of veteran scouts called Vosog Mechelen with whom he has many different activities, including singing Masses and Requiems.

© International Polar Foundation
Karl Klink is head of the carpentry workshop at Prefalux, and when he was approached to go to the Antarctic, he jumped at the chance. Although, discrete and humorous Karl could never be accused of doing anything so extravagantly extrovert as jumping at anything. 41, married, with two young children, Karl lives on the German Luxemburg border in a tiny little town called Malberg-Weich, which proudly boasts 400 inhabitants who all know him very well. Antarctica was for him the last continent, because, it was probably the last place on Earth that he would ever be able to go to, and so he didn't want to lose this opportunity. Karl also plays football for a local team.

© International Polar Foundation
One of our Army mecanics. With Kristof Soete, Utsteinen is provided yet another Mac Guyver. Always ready for action and repairs, whether it implies the Prinoth truck or your eyeglass frame. His secret? A good rump steak and ... "Dessert 58" chocolate, his biggest polar love story!

© International Polar Foundation
A Nepalese sherpa of the Tamang ethnic grouping, Manram has consented to come to the Antarctic for 4 and a half months with Alain. He is everywhere at once, digging snow blocks for the kitchen and bathroom, working on the site, he is infatigable. Manram has accompanied Alain on many himalayan mountaineering expeditions and knows how to keep a base camp turning. Much of our comfort derives from his ceaseless activity.

© International Polar Foundation
Marc Debandt, 43, is a Mining Engineer by profession, but has a long and varied career working on engineering projects for the construction giant Besix all over the Middle East and Europe. When the opening came up for the coordinator of site works for the project, his boss immediately said ""I know who you need"". And now we know why. Super-organised, meticulous and conscientious, Marc is always on site ready to give one hundred and ten percent. Good person to have on your side. He has a Faux Fierce way of being which to the unitiated can be a little bit intimidating, but anyone who knows him knows he has a heart of gold. And he's also very tenacious - having hurt his ankle quite badly early on during his time at Utsteinen, he never let it slow him down. In fact it speeded him up as a skidoo was requisitioned solely for his use to get to the site and back.

© International Polar Foundation
39 year old Marc Verboven, from Wuustwezel near Brasschat, is one of the Army team. He has been 22 years in the army, always with the Battalion of Engineers. On the Expedition he is responsible for operating the Potain Igo crane (which is the tall slender one with the 26m boom). He has quite a lot of experience with cranes having taught operators of cranes, bulldozers and compressors, in the army engineering school. He also has some experience in moving cranes around, having participated in the Petrovic Express, where the army sent down a heavy (50 tonne) crane to Kosovo overland, (using at times small mountain roads), in order to provide the machinery and operational infrastructure for re-building the country. Nowadays, he has a quieter life working mainly on keeping the army's vehicle testing track in good order. Of coming to Antarctica, he says that he decided to apply at the very last minute. Being single and unattached he has the luxury of being able to take on-the-spot decisions. He arrived in camp on Christmas day, after driving through a storm and white out, from the coast, where the Ivan Papanin had deposited their group after the unloading operations. And when he arrived in Antarctica it was immediately ""Wow!"". Words failed him. It was beyond description. Marc has certain particularities which he would like mentioned, namely his fine curved Hussar's mustache, which is very much in character with his job as a volunteer fire-fighter. This fabulous specimen has been making its apparition from the time he was 16, shortly before he joined the Army. Marc is also a diligent writer and keeps a daily journal. We hope to have him in "guest appearance" someday. He is also keen on rock climbing and often heads to Marche or some such spot for a bit of relaxing rope work, on a quiet weekend.

© International Polar Foundation
Belgian living in Cape Town, Michel De Wouters is a producer. When he is not shooting a film with Sharon Stone, he is managing the BELARE movie productions. From Cape Town, he also manages the logistical aspect of the project, the transit of workers departing for Utsteinen and the shipment of sought-after culinary products in Antarctica.

© International Polar Foundation
Nils Giering at 28 is the baby of the "buttercups" (Prefalux team: called that way because of their yellow helmets and green jackets). A locksmith by training, he is the master of metal on the building. From Eisenach near the German Luxemburg border, young Nils likes to travel, preferably by motorbike and recently went biking to Sardinia. Good tempered and smiling through every trial, Nils joins the others in finding this an extraordinary experience. In addition, he finds that the home comforts are well catered for, an important consideration.

© International Polar Foundation
Norbert Tittelbach, from Trier is a bit of a giant, but quiet and sensitive I am told. His imposing size is never really apparent as he seems to have the capacity of dissolving into his background. Norbert, married, three children, is an expert in proofing (weather proofing)and will really come into his own when the station is nearing completion. At the moment he is taking it a little easier, as he pulled a muscle in his back.

© International Polar Foundation
Petty Officer from the Air Force at Beauvchain, Olivier Grasselli has taken part in 8 out of the 11 traverses, and has just returned from another mission tot rescue Prinoth 1. He is an electronic and mechanical engineer, and has spent 20 years in the army. He comes from Liège, is married and father to 3 young children. He was selected for the BELARE 2007-08, after having tried for the 2006 Expedition. He says that he has dreamt of participating in the Expedition since the first time he heard about it. The adventure aspect of it appeals strongly to him, and he has found it easy to adapt, despite the gruelling schedule of the Driving Team. He finds the fact that everyone counts on him to fix problems with the vehicles very good for his self-esteem - it makes him feel good to be needed. Apart from missing his family, he is very much in his element here. A bit discreet, a bit reserved, he nevertheless admits to being quite amusing when he is with his friends. His other interest outside of work and outside of the Expedition is gliding. A glider pilot for 8 years, he is currently taking an exam to become a trainer.

© International Polar Foundation
From Uccle, Paul Herman has a long experience in heating systems but has numerous other qualities. Baptised "Merlin", he has been the partner in ops with Bernard. They can often be seen confabulating in their threadbare expedition gear, working out how to recycle material from one use to another. The best people to be marooned with on a desert island. Recently, they installed a new bathroom and medical dispensary for the Base Camp.

© International Polar Foundation
Philippe Sohet, 59, was born in Liège, Belgium, and is married to Lillian who is from Holland. Father of Basil and Arnaud, two echte Canadians, Philippe is Professor of Communications at the University of Quebec at Montreal. On sabbatical for one year, he was very eager to join the expedition as he has been following Alain's exploits for many years and has collaborated with him on numerous books. He is also a keen handyman working on his cabin in the Canadian wilds, and a talented writer. During the Expedition he has provided invaluable assistance to the hangar team when he wasn't on the traverses, of which he did about eight. He will be responsible for sending the web updates from Utsteinen for the remainder of the Expedition, so you will have the opportunity to see how he lives this experience.

© International Polar Foundation
Philippe Herman has been following the BELARE story for several years now and, last season, was head of the military team on the Ivan Papanin, a role he executed again this season. In addition, he has been closely involved in the planning phase for BELARE 2007-2008 which began last March at the end of the last Expedition. Who better for the job? Philippe, who will be a young 42 on the 3rd of May, is a Naval Commander, or "Capitaine de Corvette", for the Belgian Navy. After having spent many years torn between the sea and his "delicious wife" (his description) and young daughters, he has taken on the job of Cabinet attaché at the Ministry of Defence. Luckily for us, Philippe can still join us in Antarctica when the need arises. After having left the Ivan Papanin at Crown Bay in December when the unloading was done, Philippe joined the traverse back to Utsteinen, where he became in charge, until the beginning of January, of the army contingent who had come in onboard the ship. "Antarctica is an ongoing story for me but the souvenirs of this fantastic expedition remain. It was a great human adventure and I would of course be proud to participate in the next expedition..." says Philippe. For the last few weeks he has been following the work done at Utsteinen for the building of the station. He says he was amazed to see how quickly the structure went up, and he imagines that everyone, including Alain, was surprised by the job achieved in this short time frame. He adds "To be honest, I was a little bit jealous to be here instead of helping there. But there is a time to come and a time to go." When Philippe is not in Antarctica or on Military business, he is a keen motorbike enthusiast and his tall frame cuts quite a dashing figure in his biking leathers. He also likes trekking and, of course, also being able to enjoy his family.

© International Polar Foundation
As an Army mecanic, Philippe Van Den Broeck has lots of work to deal with, considering the numerous engine failures which have been reported. An untiring joker, when he is not busy repairing or on a Prinoth ride, you will find him either on the construction site or...lying in the sun in his bathing suit.

© International Polar Foundation
Pierre Van Hoye's daily occupation is to teach night classes in Belgium. He is another one of the team's workaholics who is always ready to work some more. Between the wooden boards, the tools and the 4 pm hot chocolate, he enjoys building the garages. During his relaxing moments, he likes to take walks and to discover the white continent by foot.

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René Robert from Chamonix, is a very well known snow sports photographer. He has collaborated on numerous of Alain's expeditions and has covered the Arctic Arc Expedition, the Dronning Maud land Expedition to climb the Holtanna, and the Ultimate Arctic Expedition. When René is not behind his signature Leica, he is busy on the construction site working alongside the Prefalux team. A multifunctional individual like so many others here.

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René Wagemans is from the Belgian Army, Humanitarian Crisis Response Unit attached to the Planning Division of the Assistant Chief of Staff (ACOS - Ops & Training). He has a wide experience in the field, as head of the B-FAST ((Belgian First Aid and Support Team) and the United Nations Disaster Assistance Coordination (UNDAC) team which responds to humanitarian emergenciesz. So he has been to Bam after the major earthquake of 2003, to Utapao in Thailand after the tsunami of 2005, and to Pakistan after the floods ealier this year. His expertise in putting together complex operations has come in very useful for the BELARE since 2005,when first got involved with the planning. In BELARE 2007-08 he has been closely involved with the preparations and the training of the Military Contingent of which he is the head during the 2008 phase of operations. He is assitant head and active member of the Traverse Driving Teams. Rene has been drawn to the Antarctic for a long time and has read widely around the history of Belgium in the Antarctic. He is keen to also leave his mark on history by participating in this expedition in whatever way he can. Married, father of two young daughters, René's heavy workload leave little time for anything else, but he still finds the time to take his children to their sports matches and other activities. On arriving in Antarctica he says he was blinded by the light, not only physically but also on a deeper level. The vast spaces leave one feeling humbled and very aware that our survival in such an environment depends heavily on our preparation and technical infrastructure. Of the 40 hours contiuous driving on a traverse he has this to say: "It is not as monotonous as one would expect. The landscape always has a new aspect, a change in light, a change in mood. It's very hard."

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Roy Weckx works for Smet and is the team's junior member. Some worker he is! Always on the job, he takes care of the drilling from A to Z, untiringly. When he has a chance to, he never missses a stroll around in the surrounding rocky mountains.

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Stephan Dubois is an entrepreneur from Rochefort, his difficult mission is to make the formwork in which the ciment will be poured. These supports are fitted in the rock to help support the base of the station. Even though he was comfortable in his work, he had to leave Antarctica sooner than forseen due to health problems. He continues to work passionately for the project from Belgium.

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In his other incarnation Thierry Ronvaux directs companies active in the insurance sector and lives in Namur. He has undertaken several mountain climbing expeditions with Alain, and is very motivated in his role of Prinoth driver. Thierry has acclimatised well to the conditions and was spotted on Sunday at -10°C sporting a pair of shorts and a checked short sleeve shirt.

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Vaska Van Beneden, or "Vas", is the medical temple guardian. This is the tent you go to should have a sore from the construction site or just the desire to sit down for a while. When he is not taking care of the wounded (which, luckily, is not a full-time job), our nurse from Bruges - normally he serves as an officer in the Marines - lends a hand to whomever needs it: always present!

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If one were to describe Vincent Gilliard in one word it would probably be impossible to do. Talkative, self deprecatory, funny, intelligent, enthusiastic, a little poetic, he makes you smile even before he says anything. From Wepion (of strawberry fame), Vincent, 42, is father of 3. Trained as a jurist and a notaire he now works in insurance with Thierry Ronvaux in Namur where they run a very busy operation specialising in some niche areas. Vincent heard about the expedition from Alain with whom he and Thierry go climbing every year, and having a Truck driver's licence, he immediately offered to come as a traverse driver. Since then it is all history. He has been on 9 traverses, has experienced every change of mood that the region between Crown Bay and the Sor Rondane Mountains can offer, and has marvelled at the immensity of it all. He feels that everyone should do at least one traverse because without that they do not get the real feel of the continent. All the traverses are etched into his memory as unique. He particulalry enjoyed the traverse where he saw the sun rise and set within two hours. He also remembers wistfully the time he saw a sea-elephant at Crown Bay. The only living creature spotted outside of a couple of passing petrels and a skulking skua. The last traverse touched him the most, becuase as we approached Utsteinen, the sky to the south was lit by a marvellous display of light, while behind us the wind wiped out all traces of our passage - a symbolic moment for him. In between the driving, he has been working on the hangars, and is often to be found looking stunned in the mess tent after a particulalry hard day. The station grew from traverse to traverse, he says, but they were often only requisitioned on their off days if there was shortage of manpower. Now it is more regular. He says that he is amazed by the comfort, having expected a much harder experience, and is impressed and a little moved by the sense of motivation of the team, by their creative force, and by the enthusiasm and the willingness of everyone to help each other to finish whatever task is at hand. When he gets home he resolves to finish the swimming pool he started three years ago, digging by hand. This will be the Year of the Pool.

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Generally sober, usually serious, Yvan Feraux is the youngest of the group. But with his quiet confidence and can-do attitude you would never imagine that he was only 22 going on 23. Yvan has played an important role in the Expedition helping with the logistics from the time packing up the station began in Brussels and Peutie after the Brussels inauguration at Tour & Taxis. He participated in listing containers and their contents before they went aboard the ship, taking part in logistics meetings with shippers and transporters. Yvan has not taken the usual route. After school, lacking definite ideas on which direction he wished his life to take, he decided to take a break from studying, and look instead at Life, learn a little of the World he was entering as a young adult. So he went to Holland for six months on an exchange, six months to Durban in South Africa, and travelled and generally took the time to reflect and grow up. Already interested in alternative nergies, he worked for quite a while with a start-up company manufacturing solar panels where he learnt about the project of the Station. He then returned to Holland and undertook a traineeship in several different building techniques, such as plumbing and electricity. He can solder, and has also worked as a black-smith. On the Expedition he has been almost continually busy with the logistics of the operation. He arrived in the Antarctic with the Ivan Papanin and has been following closely the movement of all the containers ever since. When they arrive in Utsteinen, it is Yvan's job to unload their contents (which sometimes involves his climbing into the back of them through very narrow gaps to relase the straps) and to deliver the precious station building blocks to the construction site. His quiet competence never ceases to impress. Of his experiences on coming to Antarctica, Yvan says that he particularly enjoyed the trip through 5° East where he saw Adelie and Emperor penguins. He says that they have no fear of people and would come to look at him when he came off the ship to film, chattering comically amongst themselves, probably making rude remarks about him. Of the Expedition, Yvan is one of those who enjoys the quiet time that the traverse affords. It gives hime time to just think. A trait which gives a man gravitas, it must be said. The Expedition has also helped him to decide what he will do next and he has decided to return to University and study electromechanics. After the expedition he is heading to Colorado, and he intends to work for a couple of months to raise some extra funds for his studies.

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Yves Vandekatsey is the Army's cameraman. As a former paracommando, he is afraid of nothing and doesn't miss an opportunity to try out new experiences as he ventures off with his camera. At the campsite, his favorite activity involved building an igloo with Craig and Illir: good work!

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Who is Who BELARE 2007-2008

Press Officer