From time to time, the men on board took turns in the various functions, compatibly with their respective skills. Since these were not perfectly replaceable, Nobile could only grant short shifts of rest and sleep. A popular place to sleep was the tiny toilet. When someone did not sleep in it, it could also be used for his institutional purposes; except that in other cases the journalist Ramm would sit down intent on writing his reportages.
There were no timetables to eat and drink something; the men had organized themselves with many thermos and various provisions. Mostly these were typical foods of the polar diet, very caloric and fatty such as pemmican.
When the NORGE had passed the latitude of 84 ° N, as had been observed in previous expeditions, no trace of the presence of terrestrial animals was seen. There was no trace of unknown arctic lands. In his role as an explorer, Roald Amundsen could observe from a chair reserved for him, in front of the cabin window, to detect any indication of the possible presence of earth. The expedition’s financier, Lincoln Ellsworth, assisted in tracking navigation and other duties requiring his help from other crew members.
