Ushuaia, Argentina
February 9, 2004

Reflecting on his first attempt to the South Pole, Gus said the scenery at the peninsula of Antarctica was fantastic, unlike anything he has ever seen. When the weather cleared Saturday evening Gus departed the British research facility at Rothera and crossed the dangerous Drake Passage in the dark with assistance from his handheld GPS. He said it was a terrifying and turbulent flight in total darkness. It was a great relief when he landed in Ushuaia later that evening where he was warmly greeted by the support team. Gus' first assault on the South Pole, while unsuccessful, provided valuable information and lessons. A non-stop flight around the Pole and back to Ushuaia seems impossible because of the three vastly different weather systems to be navigated through. Favorable weather simultaneously in all three areas is highly unlikely. The ideal scenario for a second attempt would require two stops on the continent. Gus would fly from Ushuaia to the Argentinean research station at Marambio, then to McMurdo Station, a U.S. facility close to New Zealand. From there, he could fly on to New Zealand. However, lacking permission to land at McMurdo, Gus believes it will be impossible to complete this historic adventure. While the Argentinean government has been very cooperative in allowing Gus to land at Marambio, getting permission from the U.S. to land at McMurdo is extremely difficult. Today Gus is trying to contact administrators at McMurdo. Meanwhile, 3 Roads Communications is contacting members of Congress for assistance before the weather once again turns for the worse over Antarctica.

For further information about Gus' trip and for audio/visual materials, please visit http://www.gusmcleod.com. For more detailed audio transmissions, please contact Josh Brooks or Karl Stoll at 3 Roads Communications.

Contact:

Josh Brooks
(301) 662-4121, ext. 111
jbrooks@3roads.com

Karl Stoll
(571) 217-2122
karl_stoll59@hotmail.com