There are regions of the earth whose foreboding shores, strewn with the wreckage of those expeditions which have challenged its ice-infested waters, stand as an eternal warning against the timid of heart. One of these, surely, is the Arctic -- a land which, despite the vicissitudes of global warming, is still capable of freezing the unwary traveller. The other is the so-called "blogosphere" itself, where even angels, assuming that angels have internet access, might fear to tread, and where the only ethic seems to be that of the lawless frontier. Having sojourned in the former, I figured I might as well risk establishing an outpost in the latter.
This blog will be the site for occasional thoughts on a variety of Polar issues, current and historical. In particular, news and notes about the ongoing mystery of the lost Arctic expedition of Sir John Franklin, will be posted here for all interested parties. My earlier sites, such as my web pages on Franklin, and my knol on Arctic Exploration, will remain active, but new, and newsier items will be posted here. The Canadian Government's current search, under the direction of Parks Canada archaeologist Bob Grenier, will of course be of special interest, as will links to current news and reviews of books, articles, and documentaries related to Franklin, and 19th-century Arctic exploration in general. I hope it will come to be a site with many visitors and readers.
Russell Potter
