We off Again January 4th

We're on our way to the POLE

Got to the dining tent this morning and we were told to get ready, we were flying out to the last degree in two hours time. “No test run with the skis and sleds?” Guess not!

A nervous energy set in as we scurried around collecting equipment and sleds to the aircraft. The food, fuel, tents etc were all evenly split amongst each sled. Working with thick gloves and clothing is at times cumbersome and frustrating but there is no other way of coping with the cold. If we take our layers of gloves off almost instantly the cold starts hurting and within minutes the pain becomes unbearable.

On one occasion after dropping my camera, I very cleverly tried to lick the ice off the lens cover and landed up with the camera momentarily stuck to my tongue.

We got the sleds loaded into the Twin Otter aircraft. Lei somehow did not appear until it was almost all done. It was great to be out and doing something.

Packing the plane with our sleds and equipment

When we left Patriot hills there were still several groups awaiting to fly to Mount Vinson, a few scientists going to do experiments out on the ice.

The landscape below us as we flew towards the Pole was as beautiful as it was surreal. The mountains behind the Patriot hills camp was the only feature in the endless flat white expanse. Literally a white desert.
It was clear how the Antarctica can be described as another planet.

Occassionally mountains rise through the ice glacier which covers the Antartica.

Two hours later we landed at Thiels, a fuel depot out on the ice.
Three men were coincidently there in a large snow mobile. They had driven for 4 days from Patriot Hills to deliver 200 litre barrels of aircraft fuel to this refuelling spot. Makes one appreciate the massive and difficult logistics of operating on the ice.

Landing was nerve wracking because high clouds had moved over the area turning it into a single tone whiteness. Basically a whiteout. The ground was clearly visible but impossible to visually tell what height it was. Fortunately the pilots are experienced in these conditions and the whole area is basically a huge flat plain where the plane can land wherever it touches down.

Thiels, a refueling depot enroute to the South Pole

After refuelling it was another hour and a half flight to the last degree, S 89. degrees
The pilots circled around and landed on the smoothest looking area.
The planes are fitted with ski’s and they can land virtually anywhere that looks reasonably smooth.
Watching the plane take off did leave us feeling a bit anxious. Alone on the side of the tracks where the plane had landed. We were the only feature that stood out above the ice for a far as the eye could see. Like tiny insects on a vast plane of white nothingness.
The weather was awesome. Not a breath of wind and absolute silence, like an early morning in the Saharha Desert but white and a lot colder.

Anxious moment as the plane takes off leaving us on the ice

We set up the tents and packed in for the “Night”.
Tomorrow we start moving towards the pole.

The GPS shows 108km to go

Ciao
Ricky