Spencer Smirl’s Thought of the Day

I am still loving it down here, especially now that our progress counts towards completion. The days are short enough now that we end up driving in the dark some of the time, which is a whole new element. I always like operating in the dark; all the different lights and colours. It seems like the world closes in around you, shrinks even. It makes the environment seem less intimidating I…

The Ice Team is at the same position as yesterday having been unable to take advantage of excellent travelling conditions. The team recently found some issues with the fuel scoot runners so took the opportunity to rectify these whilst conditions were favourable. All seven scoots that the team have with them are now fixed, but it took the whole day to complete. They will have to do similar…

With the nights drawing in quickly now, we won’t be getting many more evenings like. Best to enjoy it while we can. It’s stunning here in Antarctica tonight. A Cat, a mountain, the moon and a caboose (in case you had not spotted them) – by Brian Newham Collecting snow for the melt tank – by Brian Newham The aluminium Zarges boxes hold the food and, when empty, the rubbish – by Brian Newham by…

by Brian…

As of 0600 GMT today the Ice Team was still at their overnight position. It’s only -10C outside but the wind is still gusting up around 40knots. Thankfully the visibility has much improved and they’re hoping to dig out today and make progress over the tricky section of blue ice three kilometres away. Once they have crossed the blue ice they will depot the Belgian Lehmann sledge plus all t…

Richmond and Mary make pancakes for the team After a second day snowed in about 3km from the blue ice and with the weather not greatly improving, Mary Mouse and l decided to make the most of our “snow day” by watching a few movies, including Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Young Frankenstein and The Italian Job. Now I know what you are all thinking, Richmond is such a big child; but they wer…

Stuck at their overnight camp for the second night in a row thanks to whiteout condition, Ian Prickett has been putting his time to good use. In this video he kills two birds with one stone by a) taking out the rubbish, and b) videoing himself carrying out said task so that we are able to get an inside view of what it means to carry our domestic duties in the midst of an Antarctic winter.

The Ice Team is stuck in the middle of a blizzard at S71 22′ 22.4″,  E023 36′ 27.8″ with near-zero visibility and gusts over 50 knots. In conditions like these it is impractical and too dangerous to carry on and so the team have to make do huddled up in the living caboose together. The conditions also hamper communications, but we will provide more updates as soon as we have news from t…