MOST people choose sunshine and sand for a trip, but Jericho resident Robert Pettersen is going where no-one has ever been: the Pole of Inaccessibility.

Otherwise known as the Arctic Pole, it is at the very centre of the Arctic Ocean and has never been visited by humans before.

Mr Pettersen, 27, signed up to the Ice Warrior challenge to help a group of explorers and scientists collect data on melting ice caps.

He said: “The Pole of Inaccessibility remains the last truly significant place yet to be reached by mankind.

“No-one’s been to where we’re going, that’s very exciting.”

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The February 2015 trip will collect data about how the sea ice breaks up for the NASA-funded National Snow and Ice Data Centre.

Mr Pettersen said: “I wanted something a bit more exciting than working in a cafe. I want to really push myself, to be part of it and doing it.

“It is a fantastic opportunity to really push myself, to contribute to global climate change science.

“This will mark the reality of climate change and make the whole expedition worthwhile and purposeful.

“What effect global warming is having will be something that we can actually see up there.”

Although he has no previous training, Mr Pettersen and the team will be skiing across the frozen Arctic Ocean for up to 16 hours a day on the gruelling trip.

It will be a feat of determination and endurance, and Mr Pettersen is spending hours every week in the gym to prepare himself.

He said: “In January we’re also going to an island in Norway to practice on the ice.

“There’s going to be a lot of skiing and also canoeing through waters that have melted. It’s going to really push us.”

Each role in the camp – from cooking high-protein meals to ensuring tents are safely secured – will be a crucial part of day-to-day survival.

He said: “There are a number of roles that we will try to rotate among the team, things like looking after the camp, being in charge of medicines, fixing things and navigation.

“I’m hoping to do as much of it as possible.”

As an organisation, Ice Warrior aims to give everyday people the experience of polar exploration as well as hiring professionals.

Led by explorer Jim McNeill – who has already completed several trips to the Arctic through Ice Warrior – Mr Pettersen will be part of a team of six.

They will travel 200 miles in 20 days, skiing between 10 and 16 hours a day.

The trip costs £56,000 per person, which covers training and equipment, and participants are expected to get local businesses to sponsor them in exchange for advertising.

Mr McNeill said “I’m delighted to have Robert in the expedition team and look forward to training him in every aspect.

“It will make Robert a competent polar traveller.”

There is still space for 10 more people on the trip.

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