After a grueling 73 days on the frozen Arctic Ocean, the Catlin Arctic Survey Team of Pen Hadow, Ann Daniels and Martin Hartley are on their way home.

After a weekend in Ottawa, the three explorers will catch a flight to London Heathrow, arriving early on Monday morning.  

The scientific expedition – in which the team measured the thickness of the floating sea ice to help scientists studying the impacts of global warming in the region - ended slightly ahead of schedule to ensure a safe pick up. 

Expedition leader Pen Hadow has revealed that initial survey results show the average ice thickness in the region to be 1.744m.  The data collected will now be delivered to scientists for analysis.

Top priority for the three explorers was ‘a good scrub’, according to Hadow, who admitted he and his colleagues had ‘begun to look and smell like cavemen!’  Cavewoman Ann Daniels told the webcast how much she was looking forward to sleeping in a proper bed with clean sheets; a wish that has now been fulfilled.