Very successful going for the last two days. Penguin Alpha have heaved and hauled their sleds ten nautical miles over the last two days, putting their position as 83deg25'N and 74deg14minW, ahead of two of the other expeditions. Excellent progress, all of us here in Resolute are very proud of them.

We had excellent radio comms with the team last night (Tuesday), made all the more exciting by the fact that Team Bravo stepped straight off the Canadian Airlines flight and into the Rookery to hear the radio link in. Much excitement at both ends of the air waves.The advice from Alpha to Bravo was train as hard as you can on your leg and back muscles.

All this good news was tempered by the feedback from the Dutch Expedition - "Northpole 1997" who, four miles directly ahead of Penguin Alpha, had come across an enormous lead (open stretch of water). This will have been caused by the stresses and strains within the sea ice caused by a combination of wind, ocean currents and tidal rise and fall. The latter is exagerated at this time of year by the spring equinox, when the plane of the orbit of the moon around the earth most closely matches that of the earth around the sun. At Penguin Alpha's current rate of progress they will reach the lead tomorrow afternoon. Unless they were listening on the radio this evening, which they should not in the normal course of events be doing (to conserve battery), they will not know of the existence of the lead. It is obviously frustrating for us here in Resolute to know of the obstacle and not be able to communicate with Alpha.

Here in Resolute, the base teams have been scanning satellite imagery to see if we can usefully advise our respective teams when they do radio in whether it is best to head East or West around the lead. The temperature on the ice with Penguin Alpha tonight was -26C according to their latest satellite transmission. Surprising it may seem but this relatively high temperatures is part of the problem for Alpha. Another ten degrees lower, which is more normal for this time of year and the lead would more quickly freeze over.

Penguin Bravo began their training today by going through the kit and went out onto the sea ice for the first time this afternoon. The relay nature of the MPPR means that we have a continuing presence in the small community of Resolute. Other expeditions come and go in a matter of a couple of weeks. The fact that our relayers are women is another unique feature. Consequently, Resolute is taking a strong interest in the British women who are ever present in their smart red sponsor badged Vander suits. Even the school is plotting the MPPR's progress.