Stagnant
Date = 30/12/2017
Day 40 (Expedition) Day 46 (Antarctica)
Location = No man’s land
Coordinates – S86 51.931’, W93 19.887’
Altitude = 2249m
Temperature = -24C
Wind speed / direction = 3-8 knot E, White out
Windchill = – 25C
Distance travelled = 0km
Distance remaining = 848km
Starting to get a bit bored here still tent bound in miserable conditions. Forecast for tomorrow has slipped a bit giving us the fear that we could get marooned out here in no man’s land.
Our 120+kg loads and the 15+cm of soft snow mean we really need SE wind at least 10 knots to hold our heading out of here for 127km further. If we get pushed down wind we will end up in crevassed terrain and even more unfavourable wind streams.
We also need to be able to see at least 1km. ideally some sun.
After the next 127km we join the classic South Pole – Hercules Inlet route and make a 40 degree turn north, which means we will be able to harness weaker winds from much more Easterly directions. So sooner or later we need a good session or two to kill these 127 kilometres and then we should start to make more consistent progress. Hopefully the S winds will return eventually!
We are still a week ahead of schedule but we have only covered 220km in 8 days which is half our estimation.
It’s really been all or nothing so far for phase 4. We still have 22 days of supplies so no major stress. Just be nice to have another couple of big sessions to remind us why we came and that we are going to get home eventually!
Please keep your comments coming in, great to know people are reading this stuff. Feeling a little uninspired so throw us any questions?
[Leo]
[Spectre Admin] I’ve reminding the team of the unanswered questions from the previous comments on the blog – hopefully that will keep them occupied for a bit – but please add some more.
Sorry it’s going slow at the moment, it won’t stay like this things always change. Leo wants to know if you have any Lego in your tent for the down times? And if not maybe pack some next time. Certainly has saved our xmas holiday down times.
Pretty sure that’s not the sort of question you meant! But when you’re 5???
This whole journey and story has inspired and excited me since I first heard about it at SUPFest! It now reminds me of a classic military epic where you warriors have already achieved amazing things, put your bodies on the line day after day and still battle on. Even when you rest due to being tent bound you end up in a battle of the mind.
Fortunately you all clearly have the spirit of warriors and the support of each other out there, as well as your friends, family and fans back in the real world to drive you on.
An epic mission for an epic bunch of blokes! 😉
Godspeed and fingers crossed for favourable winds asap lads!
Your news everyday has become very important to us as we read it to John who is still very ill after his head injury. He becomes much more alert and raised his eyebrows in relief when you began to head for home. So you are doing fantastic things that you don’t even know about. Thanks and like us, stay positive,
Sorry to read about the lack of progress chaps. It must be very frustrating, but the S wind will return….. hopefully sooner than later.
While you’re tent bound perhaps you can start preparing your talks for the lecture tour we’re all waiting for!
Dare I ask what epic schemes you have in mind to follow up this one? I know you want to get home, but you’ll have something in mind I’m sure!
Glad you’re all OK and bearing up.
Oh and Happy New year.
hello boys
je deviens addicte de votre blog quotidien, c’est mon petit bonheur du jour, merci
j’espère que ce soir vous allez vous concocterun bon repas de fête, vous le méritez
et que lesdieux et les vents vous soient favorables pour les jours à venir
big hugs jy
indeed it must be frustrating knowing your current lack of progress is something you cant do anything about. At least you seem to all be ok and well fed! When the sun comes out and the wind improves you will make the most of it no doubt.
I love reading your blogs everyday and will really miss them when eventually you reach the Union Glacier Camp. Your descriptions are so vivid and detailed that I don’t have any questions at the moment just a big “thank you” for sharing your adventures .
Happy New Year
Sue
puisque le bon vent n est pas encore la il vous reste à enterrer l’année avec tout ce que vous ne voulez plus est-ce qu’un feu sur la neige s’est possible ?
pas faire fondre le pôle !
en tout cas cadre unique pour faire des voeux
mes voeux c’est que le vent se lève et vous ramène en pleine forme je vais souffler pour l’activer et puisqu’on ne peut te serrer dans nos bras Jean un petit poème à ton intention :
“j’entends un rire, il luit comme l’eau d’un torrent
un coeur bat au dedans qui nie l’ombre et la mort,
j’entends des mots d’amour changer le cours du temps”
de tout coeur avec vous macaule
Yeah Happy New Year, enjoy your amazing peaceful surroundings then rush home to the bustle and busyness that is home xx
Just to lower the tone for a while! My question is, what’s the etiquette for ‘relieving ‘ yourself in that situation and those temperatures?
Keep smiling guys!Jean, Each of us has a part of him/her with you today (Malo gave his thin arm, Ulysse his foot, remember how apetizing it is!, and I give you my neck…) Don’t eat it please and bring it back at time! kiss X 3000
Did you manage to catch the new Year arrival on photo or were you in a white out and unable to????? Hard to believe that you saw the New Year in first down there. Its 10.30pm still here and you are in to 2018 what a year it will be for you all sharing your stories with people from all walks of life and countries, your journey is spreading like wild fire amongst my family and friends we wait for your email to pop up each night to see how you are and what has happened. Very hard to believe you are doing all this in freezing conditions while we are roasting in the 30’s and 40’s down under. Have any of you started a log for a book or mentally started writing one? After seeing those photos of the eye the other night theres a fiction story in the making of your trip too!!!!!! Your trip is far far more interesting than when they travelled to the moon. So keep your chins up we are all Cheering you on.. Cheers Glenda Down Under.
Here’s an old favourite (!) question for Leo. It might while away some time writing the snsweranswer.. What yer done on grit youth?
Happy days.
Whoops sorry about typing – snsweranswer!
Happy New Year Leo and Team! It looks like a lot of hard work.
Happy New Year!!
Acknowledge to yourselves that you continue to be a source of great inspiration.. The outpouring of support and encouragement through peoples blogs are a testament.. You have achieved magnificent goals in your lives and you are still alive to experience the richness of life unlike so many fellow adventure warriors as of late..
So quit your whining and slow that mind..
And on a more serious note, how do you deal with all your fecal matter???
Have a Winderful New Year!!!!!!!!
Hi guys, un peu de lecture, ça occupera Jean 5 minutes pour le lire et 1 heure pour le traduire 😉
Patience, il n’y a rien d’autres à faire…
“Mister Wind est de retour ! Mais pas vraiment dans le bon sens. Progresser dans la direction opposé
du vent n’est ni une absurdité, ni une sinécure. Nous y avons d’ailleurs été contraints au tout début de
cette expédition, alors que nous étions plus lourdement chargés et qu’il nous fallait en outre gagner de
l’altitude. Le contexte était, il est vrai, bien différent : nous savions que nous rencontrerions des vents
contraires lors de cette première phase de la circumnavigation. Mais entre une progression poussive
sous voiles, exigeant toute notre énergie pour un gain incertain, et le job de forçat qu’aurait été une
remontée de ces pentes à peaux de phoque, le choix avait toujours été évident. Gagner de l’altitude et
patiemment grignoter du terrain étaient alors nos seules préoccupations. Le faire sous voiles faisait
partie du challenge. Fusse-t-il pour cela y abandonner une partie de nos forces.
Mais aujourd’hui, la donne est différente. Itinéraire et sens de rotation ont été choisi pour bénéficier de
vents très majoritairement portants. Qu’en ces jours, ces derniers ne le soient pas est une anomalie du
système, une bizarrerie aérologique. Qui ne durera point. Il suffirait donc d’un peu de patience et de
résignation pour que ce contretemps fasse naturellement sa place aux marges de notre épopée.
Mais non ! Contrariés, nous le sommes déjà depuis quarante-huit heures. Et nous n’y tenons plus. Alors
on plie le camp et on tente notre chance ! Nous voilà donc partis pour tirer quelques bords. Autrement
dit, notre progression se fait en de larges zigzags. Nous passons des heures à travailler le lien qui unit
la traction à la glisse, dosant savamment kite-loops, lof, prise de carres et abattée, tout en scrutant les
variations d’angles qui s’affichent en temps réel sur les cadrans de nos GPS.
Nous avons beau mettre tout notre cœur à l’ouvrage, le rapport n’est pas bon, le vent trop timoré
pourque l’on puisse s’appuyer dessus avec efficacité. L’angle de remontée dépasse à peine les quinze
degrés, chaque virement de bord est un combat pour ne pas perdre le terrain durement gagné sur le
bord précédent – dans le jargon, nous appellons ça des “bords carrés”.
Le temps passe. Mais pas les kilomètres. L’implacable réalité des choses finit par engloutir nos
chimériques espérances. On fait des pauses, on se toise, on se jauge l’un l’autre. Qui de nous deux
annoncera – enfin – le dénouement de cette partie ridicule ?
Peu importe le chemin emprunté dans ces circonstances, le seul juge est la distance dite « à
l’objectif », celle couverte entre le point de départ et celui fixé. Après cinq heures de progression, le
verdict tombe lamentablement : quinze bornes ! C’en est trop pour nos esprits shootés aux milliers de
kilomètres. Autant pisser dans un violon ! “
Probably a daft comment, but could you not walk and man haul the 127kms? I know you prefer to kite but at least you’d be moving. Or is it the visibility that poses a problem?
Happy New Year to you all! Like everyone else we can’t wait until our evening blog comes in. We are feeling all your emotions and frustrations with the weather, but also the wonderful excitement of a successful day kiting.
Hoping for an imminent return of a favourable wind.
Wishing all of you good S winds and a happy and healthy 2018 with loads of climbing fun
I had assumed that waste (including human waste) would be carried back to base in some sort of container on the pulk.
Sue
Has Mark developed an unholy relationship with his pee bottle yet?