May 2013

Bridging Crevasses in the Dark Watch this video by Ian Prickett to get more of an idea of the working day for the Ice Team right now. It is near permanent darkness and the temperature has dropped as low as -50C with howling winds. Thankfully the winds have eased the last two days allowing Ian to get out with his camera and showing us what the team is up to. Thank you Ian.

The wind dropped to a very gentle breeze yesterday making life much easier for the Ice Team as they continued their progress over the crevasse fields towards the six remaining fuel scoots. The team shifted camp 500m in four loads, but despite all the careful reconnaissance and GPR surveying they still opened two crevasses which had to be repaired before crossing. Today the team will continue wit…

The sun set on the Ice Team some weeks ago by as you can see hear they still benefit from the most beautiful twilights which lighten the skies for an hour or so each day now. This picture was taken by Brian Newham four days ago when the wind dropped. As he put it, it was “quite pleasant in the garden” that day!

The team have spent the last two days using the GPR to survey the start of the 5km route back to the other six fuel scoots, which they need to reach in order to get the full Ice Train back together as a complete unit. This works by using one Cat to house the GPR unit and with two people working on foot with the antenna (see picture). Progress has been slow, with the team only surveying 500m.

This photograph peering down the mouth of a crevasse was taken by Ian Prickett very, very carefully.

The Cat tent was packed away yesterday following which both vehicles were warmed and started. The two scoots that had been left 150m away have now been brought to camp and the local snow drifts have been groomed to allow extraction and movement of the camp. The plan for today is to start GPR work on the route back out of this area. There is likely to be route preparation work before the team ar…

This photo taken by Brian Newham this morning is of a “nacreous cloud” which graced the team this morning. Repairs to the GPR and Cat appear to have been successful and the vehicle tent is now packed away. The Cats have been warmed and are about to be started so that the team can start to move some scoots around locally and think about winching in the final two scoots 150m away.

Here is a video shot by Ian showing the tent going up around one of the Cats for repairs and a peep inside too. There’s also a random image of a crevasse for some reason – but I guess the are popping up everywhere!

It was -50C this morning and with winds at around 30 knots, the wind chill factor had it feeling more like -70C. That’s the coldest it has been so far and is pretty difficult for us back home to imagine! At the time of the last reading at 1800 (GMT+2) the temperature had crept up to a comparatively balmy -42C. If Spencer and Richmond had hoped for a lie in the comfort of their bunks this…

Don’t forget that hundreds of expedition photographs can be viewed on Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/thecoldestjourney/ including the latest pictures from t…