There Goes the Sun

Posted by Hugh Bowring in From the Ice on May 9, 2013

This picture by Ian shows the sun as it crept above the horizon for a couple of minutes today. That’s the last the team will be seeing of the sun for the next three months or more.

There are 17 comments

Posted by Gloworm on May 10, 2013 @ 10:33 am

Now you have lost the sunlight, how will you know where the crevasses are in the dark? Good Luck and God Speed you are inspiring us all.

Posted by Rosie on May 10, 2013 @ 6:13 pm

Hello Gloworm,

Thank you for your question and kind message. Firstly, one or more of the Ice-Team set out as an advance party on foot – prodding the ground with a long wooden ‘Crevasse detector” with a sort of heavy duty chisel at the far end (This ‘big stick’ lived in the HQ Office for weeks before the ship set sail, now six months ago!). The crevasses are then marked, the route flagged (bamboos and red triangular flags) and the CATS have good strong headlights. Interestingly, the IceTeam have said that the terrain is easier to navigate in the dark – the lights casting useful shadows. Best wishes, Rosie – Operations HQ

Posted by May on May 10, 2013 @ 12:30 pm

Unable to make sense of satellite info! Furthest south appears to have been achieved on Wednesday. No advance yesterday or today. Eager for update. Is it weather related? Equipment? Terrain? Satellite info faulty? Only 200 miles covered in 50 days. Can that be right? Keen followers anxious for intelligence.

Posted by Rosie on May 10, 2013 @ 6:13 pm

Hello May,

Thank you for asking! In Brian Newham’s Updates, he explains the reasons for all the Team’s activities. You’ll find them here on the website:
https://www.thecoldestjourney.org/blog/
The temperatures will be dropping now that there’s no sun to warm the air. There are many crevasses in big fields where the team are needing to find a way on foot flagging a safe route, before the CATS can progress slowly as they first make tracks before ferrying several loads forward, approximately 5km, at a time. The ferrying needs considerable care. The drivers are about to start working round the clock in shifts to make up time. The Live map shows previous ferry tracks, back and forth – and yes, the mileage has been slower than we’d hoped – although this is a First Winter crossing, we are keeping open-minds, with our expectations realistic and of course, Ice-Team safety is our top priority. Hope this helps!
Best wishes, Rosie – Operations HQ

Posted by May on May 10, 2013 @ 8:28 pm

Thanks Rosie. That was a couple of days ago and I’d kind of expected some advance, or explanation why none today. But I’m probably being too eager. Good of you to take the trouble to reply. Appreciated. May

Posted by Annac on May 10, 2013 @ 2:01 pm

As we go forward into a late spring here in Britian we will think of you all journeying through the dark. That is such a poignant photo. How much we depend on the sun! Lots of luck and good weather.

Posted by Flossie Reed on May 10, 2013 @ 7:53 pm

Still looks quite bright look out for complete darkness!!!:)

Posted by olivia on May 11, 2013 @ 12:09 pm

how come no updates?

Posted by Sally gibson otterton school. on May 11, 2013 @ 3:58 pm

Wow that is an amasing photo of the sun and that it is amasing to think that this is th last bit of sun that you will see for the next comming months. In this photo it gust looks lick ice ice evryeywhere. good luck. 🙂

Posted by Flossie Reed on May 11, 2013 @ 7:50 pm

I agree Sally:)

Posted by May on May 11, 2013 @ 5:05 pm

One comfort is that the sun will remain close to the horizon, even if below it. I think they’ll find there will be twilight, not total dark, for some time yet. Again no movement recorded by satellite.

Posted by Darryn on May 11, 2013 @ 8:27 pm

If Wigan Athletic can win the FA Cup over Manchester City, you guys can certainly conquer the last great polar challenge and cross
the Antarctic continent in winter. Believe! You CAN do it!

Posted by Alun on May 12, 2013 @ 10:02 am

Good to hear/read that you are all on the move, with plenty of “Hot Cups of Chuncky Bar Chocolate all round chaps!” I hope. Stunning images, makes me wish that I was there too! We feel a chill in the air here in the Cape, but the sun is warm & the wind is virtually nil for today, anyway, it’s “Mothers Day” in SA & International Nurses Day everywhere else? Best test wishes to you all,
Alun in CTN

Posted by Ella Durham Otterton school on May 14, 2013 @ 9:29 am

This is such a beautiful picture, I can’t believe this is the last you will be seeing of the sun. Is that the caterpillar truck?
GOOD LUCK!

Posted by Erin Blackmore on May 14, 2013 @ 1:30 pm

I can’t believe it is getting dark already! Watch out for complete darkness. You take such lovely photos. Has anything frozen yet? I wish I was there! Our school ( ]Otterton) are pen-pals with Newton Ayliff. Have you heard of them? Best wishes !!! 🙂 !

Posted by Viki McClellan on May 14, 2013 @ 1:49 pm

Wow that is a very beautiful picture of the sun I cant believe this photo is the last part of the sun setting you see for a couple of months . I hope that the journey goes really well like it’s now

Good luck 🙂 !!!!

Posted by ELLIE AT OTTERTON SCHOOL on May 17, 2013 @ 8:26 am

That is such a lovely picture
GOOD LUCK GUYS

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There Goes the Sun

There Goes the Sun

There are 17 comments

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