E16 14 59.8
We have experienced problems receiving Yolanda's dispatch - we will update as soon as possible.
Sunday, 31 January 2010
Day 7 - by Yolanda Nunez
N78 10 67.8
E16 14 59.8
We have experienced problems receiving Yolanda's dispatch - we will update as soon as possible.
E16 14 59.8
We have experienced problems receiving Yolanda's dispatch - we will update as soon as possible.
Saturday, 30 January 2010
Day 6 – Adventdalen Valley - by Marcus Liddiard
Today we escaped! We finally managed to leave the vicinity of Longyearbyne town and venture out into the wilderness, much to the relief of all the team.The dawn broke with slightly cloudy skies, but with no wind so we were able to safely break camp and head off. To make the process slightly easier we had arranged with our local “fixer” called John to transport the pulks as far as possible by road and then we skied to that same point to pick up the pulks and pitch camp. We are now camping at approximately 8km from Longyearbyne town and have not quite been able to escape civilisation as on the mountain ridge behind us there is a large coalmine and there are a few local cabins scattered around. The large coalmine looks a bit like a bond villain’s lair with a couple of large radio telescopes. Our journey here was made alongside the road which is not very inspiring but it was great to get some distance on skis under our belts and everyone seemed to cope very well (although it will be interesting to see how achy we are in the morning!) The plan is to progress up the Adventdalen Valley before heading up one of the valleys which join this one. However, this completely depends upon the weather.
The forecast tomorrow is for strong winds and snow which could stop us in our tracks. Hopefully it will be wrong and we will make some progress. It will be great to get to a place where we can see no artificial lights and are not interrupted by snowmobiles.
Friday, 29 January 2010
Day 5 - Longyear Glacier - by Lee Howell
A day of extremes in terms of temperature and weather conditions. A completely still, beautiful night, the full moon clearly visible in the dark blue sky. The only sound being the crunch of our feet on crispy snow and our breath entering the frosty air from our warm bodies. A few hours later we were in the middle of the wildest storm we could imagine. Tents buckled and bowed under the sheer force of the wind and shook until they seemed as though they could be shredded at any second. An experience of nature, beautiful but dangerous, how I love this place and the opportunity to experience the task upon us. From a practical perspective today was one of consolidation. The strong winds meant we could not risk damaging the tents by taking them down and moving on, so in typical polar exploration fashion we waited and waited for the wind to die down; no chance. It was only after we had made contingency plans for tomorrow that the winds began to fade away. Time for more cross-country skiing practice in the dark and preparing our camp routine for our third night out. It is incredible just how reassuring it is to see the cooking stoves splutter into life and provide the heat needed to boil water for rehydrating our meals and hot drinks, which has psychological as well as practical benefits. There is also a real sense of independence which comes from being self-sufficient. Everything we have and need is packed into our pulks and moved physically from place to place. We have yet to experience the isolation that comes with travelling long distances in single file but this will come, I’m sure. Our commitment to sponsors, friends and family spurs us on, along with our polar dreams and aspirations, which whilst are different for each of the team members we are as one in our desire to get as much from this training in order to prepare us for the challenge ahead.
Wednesday, 27 January 2010
Day 3 - by Dom Larose
Despite high winds, we headed out this morning for the first time with fully laden pulks. The high winds / low temperature combination meant some challenges in preventing frostbite on faces, and the first kilometre or so featured many headgear adjustments!
With significant food on board, the pulks were noticeably heavier too which meant skill was required on downhill and effort uphill. A group of 15 people is also hard to pace but Marcus did a sterling job! After a while we got better at moving at a constant pace to stay warm.
After 3½ hours we reached the far end of Longyearbyen, the wind was howling so we erected the emergency shelter and had a brew and some food. We lost a Thermorest to the wind – not something we want to repeat and was a good lesson learnt. Whilst taking a break, we decided to go back to town and see how the conditions changed.
Some of us took the opportunity of last minute purchases – gloves for some, camp seats for others, boot liners for me. We then hauled our pulks all the way back to the Hostel, at which point the wind died down somewhat. The majority decided to head to the glacier to make camp, so off we went.
And so FINALLY! We made camp, pitched tents, storm proofed the tents, melted snow and prepared food. Camp making is very lengthy and we are still learning to speed this up, but it all makes us appreciate the dehydrated food more and keeps us warm.
The mood in camp is good – relief, anticipation and excitement rolled into one, now that we have got going after so many false starts. It is now 23.30 local time and I am on bear watch in 3.5hrs time so will go to sleep now and look forward to another day of adventures unknown tomorrow.
With significant food on board, the pulks were noticeably heavier too which meant skill was required on downhill and effort uphill. A group of 15 people is also hard to pace but Marcus did a sterling job! After a while we got better at moving at a constant pace to stay warm.
After 3½ hours we reached the far end of Longyearbyen, the wind was howling so we erected the emergency shelter and had a brew and some food. We lost a Thermorest to the wind – not something we want to repeat and was a good lesson learnt. Whilst taking a break, we decided to go back to town and see how the conditions changed.Some of us took the opportunity of last minute purchases – gloves for some, camp seats for others, boot liners for me. We then hauled our pulks all the way back to the Hostel, at which point the wind died down somewhat. The majority decided to head to the glacier to make camp, so off we went.
And so FINALLY! We made camp, pitched tents, storm proofed the tents, melted snow and prepared food. Camp making is very lengthy and we are still learning to speed this up, but it all makes us appreciate the dehydrated food more and keeps us warm.
The mood in camp is good – relief, anticipation and excitement rolled into one, now that we have got going after so many false starts. It is now 23.30 local time and I am on bear watch in 3.5hrs time so will go to sleep now and look forward to another day of adventures unknown tomorrow.
Tuesday, 26 January 2010
Day 2 - Svalbard Guesthouse 102 – by Lou Cameron
N78° 12.069’
E015° 35.295
9am - Temperatures have dropped slightly to -2 degrees and there’s a good dusting of snow so we’re heading out which is a decision that has been welcomed by all. Due to high winds (41-50 knots/10m per second) the team vote was to head for a ski this morning and pitch camp later, hopefully in the snow! All feeling a bit sluggish with “bricks” in our stomachs after our first morning of monstrous rat pack porridge, but I’m sure these portions will be much appreciated when out on the ice in -30C burning thousands of calories. Jim says he burns up to 8.5k on expedition a day so our 3.5k daily expedition allowance may seem a lot now but it won’t then.
12.15pm - Just back from a great ski practising up and downhill techniques ( “the herringbone” and “the grind”). Temperatures dropped to -6 and later to -11C but with the wind force which literally blew us over at points and along at great speed at others, it’s -20 with windchill (which dropped to -32 later). We’re now tucking into much appreciated coffee and nosebags with our wet gear tucked on the radiators. What a treat to be able to dry kit out. Our learning this morning was that you might feel seriously hot when working hard and burning up quite a sweat in your jacket but exposed skin might be cold and numb without you realising – ie cheeks. We girls have nearly all returned with frozen wind-chapped cheekbones just below the eye! It’s easy to see how you could get frostbite at -40C without knowing it. A neck gaiter (“buff”) is a must in these conditions.
3pm - After a debrief we’ve decided to hold off setting up camp today due to ferociously high winds (force 6-9) for fear of shredding tents, as these are the tents we’ll be taking on expedition with us. There was general frustration at still not being able to get out but once we all ventured outside for an emergency bivvy team exercise we respected Howard’s and Jim’s decisions… Think it’s fair to say none of us would want to pitch a tent while it’s blowing such a hooley.
5pm - Back inside, de-kitted and back to the meeting room for a talk and video session demonstration how and when to use the pen flares and Verry gun, and establishing camp rotas (bear watch, leader, navigator, diary writer). Staying in again tonight.
E015° 35.295
9am - Temperatures have dropped slightly to -2 degrees and there’s a good dusting of snow so we’re heading out which is a decision that has been welcomed by all. Due to high winds (41-50 knots/10m per second) the team vote was to head for a ski this morning and pitch camp later, hopefully in the snow! All feeling a bit sluggish with “bricks” in our stomachs after our first morning of monstrous rat pack porridge, but I’m sure these portions will be much appreciated when out on the ice in -30C burning thousands of calories. Jim says he burns up to 8.5k on expedition a day so our 3.5k daily expedition allowance may seem a lot now but it won’t then.
12.15pm - Just back from a great ski practising up and downhill techniques ( “the herringbone” and “the grind”). Temperatures dropped to -6 and later to -11C but with the wind force which literally blew us over at points and along at great speed at others, it’s -20 with windchill (which dropped to -32 later). We’re now tucking into much appreciated coffee and nosebags with our wet gear tucked on the radiators. What a treat to be able to dry kit out. Our learning this morning was that you might feel seriously hot when working hard and burning up quite a sweat in your jacket but exposed skin might be cold and numb without you realising – ie cheeks. We girls have nearly all returned with frozen wind-chapped cheekbones just below the eye! It’s easy to see how you could get frostbite at -40C without knowing it. A neck gaiter (“buff”) is a must in these conditions.3pm - After a debrief we’ve decided to hold off setting up camp today due to ferociously high winds (force 6-9) for fear of shredding tents, as these are the tents we’ll be taking on expedition with us. There was general frustration at still not being able to get out but once we all ventured outside for an emergency bivvy team exercise we respected Howard’s and Jim’s decisions… Think it’s fair to say none of us would want to pitch a tent while it’s blowing such a hooley.
5pm - Back inside, de-kitted and back to the meeting room for a talk and video session demonstration how and when to use the pen flares and Verry gun, and establishing camp rotas (bear watch, leader, navigator, diary writer). Staying in again tonight.
Monday, 25 January 2010
Day 1 – by Ian Belcher
Hi All,
Daily dispatches from the expedition will now be posted by members of the team. These will be replicated on this blog in stead of Ali's personal blogs. So please stay tuned to hear more about the expedition as we follow their progress.
25 January 2010 – Day 1 – Ian Belcher
N78° 12.069'
E015° 35.295'
Here we are in Svalbard on day one of our training expedition. We have spent the last two weeks learning all of the skills required to survive in Arctic conditions and are thoroughly prepared to give it a go for real (under supervision of course!). Unfortunately the weather has been pretty poor today (Too warm at +2 degrees C and heavy rain) so we have not ventured out. The mood of the team is mixed, on the one hand we understand that the weather cannot be helped and it would be foolish to venture out in these conditions (limited or no training benefit and the potential of ruining some very expensive equipment) but on the other hand we are all very eager to use the skills we have learnt and prepare ourselves for the immense challenge we have ahead of us. The weather is set to improve tomorrow so we are optimistic that we can get the skis out and commence the journey through the Advendalen valley to the coast. Tonight we will eat our dehydrated meals in the guest house, which is not the way it is meant to be but such is life in the world of expeditions!
Daily dispatches from the expedition will now be posted by members of the team. These will be replicated on this blog in stead of Ali's personal blogs. So please stay tuned to hear more about the expedition as we follow their progress.
25 January 2010 – Day 1 – Ian Belcher
N78° 12.069'
E015° 35.295'
Here we are in Svalbard on day one of our training expedition. We have spent the last two weeks learning all of the skills required to survive in Arctic conditions and are thoroughly prepared to give it a go for real (under supervision of course!). Unfortunately the weather has been pretty poor today (Too warm at +2 degrees C and heavy rain) so we have not ventured out. The mood of the team is mixed, on the one hand we understand that the weather cannot be helped and it would be foolish to venture out in these conditions (limited or no training benefit and the potential of ruining some very expensive equipment) but on the other hand we are all very eager to use the skills we have learnt and prepare ourselves for the immense challenge we have ahead of us. The weather is set to improve tomorrow so we are optimistic that we can get the skis out and commence the journey through the Advendalen valley to the coast. Tonight we will eat our dehydrated meals in the guest house, which is not the way it is meant to be but such is life in the world of expeditions!
Sunday, 24 January 2010
Day 12 of training - final day before training expedition
So today is the last day of training before we set off tomorrow on our training expedition. First of all this morning we went out on our ski's (without pulks) to get some much needed practise in!
It was acually really good fun doing cross country skiing but for those of us who are used to downhill it takes a bit of getting used to. We are all pretty good on the flat, but any kind of slope (bearing in mind you will usually have a pulk behind you) is pretty tricky to deal with.
As we were practising skiing it was also the most light we've seen. This period of light happens at the middle of the day and lasts at the moment for about 40 minutes. This essentially is the only light we get but it's increasing each day and it illuminates our surroundings and makes up realise what we are really surrounded by!
See the photos below which are the same mountain taken at midday and an hour or so later... it's nuts!
After our skiing extravaganza we went and bought our food for our nose bags.....normally the concept of £150 of chocolate, nuts and sweets would be appealing but looking at what we will live off for the next 2 weeks is actually a bit depressing!My nose bag is dried cured meat, dried fish, cheese cubes, chocolate (lots), nuts, dried fruit (apricots, papaya, banana chips) and liquorice. I only hope in my absence Charlie has learnt to cook as i'm going to be craving fresh meals when i get home!
Also this afternoon some of the team have been to the range to practise using the bear flares and the berry pistol and Ian has been using the rifle to get some practise in before we go out into polar bear territory.
See below for a clip of Emma using the berry pistol which we will use to shoot a flare to scare the bear off to a suitably safe distance...
Tonight we are going to plan our expedition route through the valleys of Adventdalen, and Sassendalen and to plan how long it should take us to travel. Considering we are travelling with fully laden pulks (approx 75kg) and through some tough terrain i don't imagine our pace will be fast but on expedition we would look to travel at least 10 miles a day for the 30 days we are on ice so we will try during this training expedition to reach distances as close to this as we are able.
So this is my last blog to you all until i return in 2 weeks time. Whilst we are out on expedition we will have a chance to write a team daily dispatch about our progress and how we are doing as a team which will be sent via satellite phone. This will hopefully appear here each day so you can still follow my adventure but if for any reason this doesn't work please check the ice warrior website for further news.
Thank you to everyone for all your support and for following my adventure it's great to know you are all joining me from home! I miss you all heaps and can't wait to see you all but am enjoying this step of my arctic journey. I know the next 2 weeks will be tough and cold but am also sure it will be a wonderful and unforgettable experience.
See you in a couple of weeks.!
Big hugs to you all..
Mum, Dad, Bev, Andy, Ali, Adi, Gemma, Jonsey, Jen, Porter, Mike, Corinne, Nick, Amy, Sara P, Sara H, Cocky, Charlie - girl, and of course Charlie. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
It was acually really good fun doing cross country skiing but for those of us who are used to downhill it takes a bit of getting used to. We are all pretty good on the flat, but any kind of slope (bearing in mind you will usually have a pulk behind you) is pretty tricky to deal with.
As we were practising skiing it was also the most light we've seen. This period of light happens at the middle of the day and lasts at the moment for about 40 minutes. This essentially is the only light we get but it's increasing each day and it illuminates our surroundings and makes up realise what we are really surrounded by!
See the photos below which are the same mountain taken at midday and an hour or so later... it's nuts!
After our skiing extravaganza we went and bought our food for our nose bags.....normally the concept of £150 of chocolate, nuts and sweets would be appealing but looking at what we will live off for the next 2 weeks is actually a bit depressing!My nose bag is dried cured meat, dried fish, cheese cubes, chocolate (lots), nuts, dried fruit (apricots, papaya, banana chips) and liquorice. I only hope in my absence Charlie has learnt to cook as i'm going to be craving fresh meals when i get home!
Also this afternoon some of the team have been to the range to practise using the bear flares and the berry pistol and Ian has been using the rifle to get some practise in before we go out into polar bear territory.
See below for a clip of Emma using the berry pistol which we will use to shoot a flare to scare the bear off to a suitably safe distance...
Tonight we are going to plan our expedition route through the valleys of Adventdalen, and Sassendalen and to plan how long it should take us to travel. Considering we are travelling with fully laden pulks (approx 75kg) and through some tough terrain i don't imagine our pace will be fast but on expedition we would look to travel at least 10 miles a day for the 30 days we are on ice so we will try during this training expedition to reach distances as close to this as we are able.
So this is my last blog to you all until i return in 2 weeks time. Whilst we are out on expedition we will have a chance to write a team daily dispatch about our progress and how we are doing as a team which will be sent via satellite phone. This will hopefully appear here each day so you can still follow my adventure but if for any reason this doesn't work please check the ice warrior website for further news.
Thank you to everyone for all your support and for following my adventure it's great to know you are all joining me from home! I miss you all heaps and can't wait to see you all but am enjoying this step of my arctic journey. I know the next 2 weeks will be tough and cold but am also sure it will be a wonderful and unforgettable experience.
See you in a couple of weeks.!
Big hugs to you all..
Mum, Dad, Bev, Andy, Ali, Adi, Gemma, Jonsey, Jen, Porter, Mike, Corinne, Nick, Amy, Sara P, Sara H, Cocky, Charlie - girl, and of course Charlie. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Day 11 of training
This morning we went through how to set up your sleeping bag vapour barrier liner and bivi bag as this is crucially important if you have any chance of staying warm at night! It's actually really hard work and by the time you've wriggled in and made sure all your electrical equipment is in with you (so it doesn't freeze) and tightened the collars arond your neck and the toggles you feel not only exhausted but incredibly claustrophobic - only your eyes aren't visible as everything else has to be covered up to avoid frostbite whilst you sleep. I never realised that going to bed would be such a mission!
We then got told who we are to be sharing a tent with on our training expedition and i have been paired with Dom so we both then made sure that between us in our pulks we had a tent, ice axe, shovel, stove and pan and we are also in charge of keeping the satellite phone batteries warm so these need to be in our pockets next to our bodies at all times.
Once we'd packed the pulks up with team kit we then headed out for a photo shoot! There is a journalist here from Sweden who is covering our training and wanted to get some good photos of us all as a team before we set off tomorrow so we went and had a photo session. I'm trying to get hold of copies of the pictures so will post them here if i am successful later......
We then got given out our food for the next 13 days - rehydrated breakfast and dinner packs...see below! (our food weighs lot and i'm already concerned how heavy the pulk is going to be to pull!)
Packing your gear for the pulk takes a lot of planning and thinking - i now have a "spares and repairs bag" a "down clothing" bag a "medical" bag (Thanks Julie) and a "camp bag". This camp bag contains my sleeping bags, head torch, food for one night and one morning, my eating utensils and mug(thank you cocky, steve, ben and dylan) and my camp booties (thanks charlie girl!).
After the kit was all packed up we went through a practise route planning excercise using maps and gps. We havent yet had our training expedition route confirmed yet but will no doubt go through that tomorrow.
Am starting to feel very excited but also quite scared. It's one thing to train in all these individual tasks but to now put them all together in the middle of the arctic is quiet a daunting concept. In some ways i can't wait to just get out there on our training expedition and do what we've been thinking of doing for so long but on the other hand i am scared of how physically exhausting this will be. The same things that i love about being here are also the things that worry me. I love the feeling of being in the middle of nature and surrounded by such incredible scenery in a part of the world very few get to see but then this remoteness and the sheer scale of what we are doing and where we are can occasionally lead to doubt and worry instead of excitement. My overall emotion right now though is definately a sense of excitemnet and a spirit of adventure x
p.s(Don't worry mum and dad i'm very safe - honest!!)
We then got told who we are to be sharing a tent with on our training expedition and i have been paired with Dom so we both then made sure that between us in our pulks we had a tent, ice axe, shovel, stove and pan and we are also in charge of keeping the satellite phone batteries warm so these need to be in our pockets next to our bodies at all times.
Once we'd packed the pulks up with team kit we then headed out for a photo shoot! There is a journalist here from Sweden who is covering our training and wanted to get some good photos of us all as a team before we set off tomorrow so we went and had a photo session. I'm trying to get hold of copies of the pictures so will post them here if i am successful later......
We then got given out our food for the next 13 days - rehydrated breakfast and dinner packs...see below! (our food weighs lot and i'm already concerned how heavy the pulk is going to be to pull!)
Packing your gear for the pulk takes a lot of planning and thinking - i now have a "spares and repairs bag" a "down clothing" bag a "medical" bag (Thanks Julie) and a "camp bag". This camp bag contains my sleeping bags, head torch, food for one night and one morning, my eating utensils and mug(thank you cocky, steve, ben and dylan) and my camp booties (thanks charlie girl!).After the kit was all packed up we went through a practise route planning excercise using maps and gps. We havent yet had our training expedition route confirmed yet but will no doubt go through that tomorrow.
Am starting to feel very excited but also quite scared. It's one thing to train in all these individual tasks but to now put them all together in the middle of the arctic is quiet a daunting concept. In some ways i can't wait to just get out there on our training expedition and do what we've been thinking of doing for so long but on the other hand i am scared of how physically exhausting this will be. The same things that i love about being here are also the things that worry me. I love the feeling of being in the middle of nature and surrounded by such incredible scenery in a part of the world very few get to see but then this remoteness and the sheer scale of what we are doing and where we are can occasionally lead to doubt and worry instead of excitement. My overall emotion right now though is definately a sense of excitemnet and a spirit of adventure x
p.s(Don't worry mum and dad i'm very safe - honest!!)
Friday, 22 January 2010
Day 10 of training
Slightly different day today but exciting in a very dfferent way. Finally after 2 weeks of cancelled flights and airport closures our ski's made it here so we spent the day drilling holes for our bindings and attaching them to our skis. See below for the team sweatshop!
We also took a full kit inventory so that we all know exactly what kit we will all have out on the ice next week. Anything incomplete or damaged was repaired and any misisng kit such as guy ropes or snow pegs was bought............ we also bought enough fuel for the training expedition and started to consider what we would like in our nose bags!
We did intend this evening to have another lecture about the science we could contribute to whilst on the ice but at 5pm we were invited by a man who is one of the most eminent retired scientists in the area to visit him at his house to discuss his experiences in the arctic, antarctic and himalyas regarding climate change (he's a meteorologist) and we have spent a wonderful evening listening to a very interesting man who has spent years exploring the places we will soon get to experience first hand.
We also took a full kit inventory so that we all know exactly what kit we will all have out on the ice next week. Anything incomplete or damaged was repaired and any misisng kit such as guy ropes or snow pegs was bought............ we also bought enough fuel for the training expedition and started to consider what we would like in our nose bags!
We did intend this evening to have another lecture about the science we could contribute to whilst on the ice but at 5pm we were invited by a man who is one of the most eminent retired scientists in the area to visit him at his house to discuss his experiences in the arctic, antarctic and himalyas regarding climate change (he's a meteorologist) and we have spent a wonderful evening listening to a very interesting man who has spent years exploring the places we will soon get to experience first hand.
Thursday, 21 January 2010
Day 9 of training
Great day again today. We got packed up and went out each with our own pulks and in teams of 3. I was grouped up with Lou and Dom as they will most likely be on my leg out on the ice so it’s good to work together.
We walked in our single lines up through the valley where we’d been the last few days and this time made a more permanent camp. Essentially we set up the way we will on expedition with the main large tent in the middle and 2 of the small tents each side of the large one and all the tents properly secured with ice screws which are bored into the ice. This allows us to have a larger group tent which we can all fit in (although it’s quite cosy!!) and some 2 man tents for sleeping as out here we are such a big group. It’s not clear yet which tents we will be taking on expedition so it’s good that we are learning to use the different ones so that we should be comfortable with them all by the time we set off. We also got 4 of the stoves going straight away to get some snow melting for drinks and had someone on polar bear watch!
Whilst melting snow it was very apparent to us that it’s much lighter today than it has been for the last 10 days I’ve attached a picture below and you can see the light from longyearbyen in the distance but you can get an idea of the scenery and mountains.
The other thin that astounds me here is the snowflakes – every single one looks perfect like you imagine a snowflake to look. I tried to take a picture of them on my glove (bit tricky as they keep blowing away) but if you look about 2-3 cm above the date stamp on this picture and left a bit you will see what i mean – they almost look artificial they are so perfect – will try and get a better picture over the next few days as i learn to use my camera!
We had some lunch and then had a group chat in the big tent about some general camp basics and tent etiquette!. At night we will get in our tents and get the stoves going inside and will bring inside our camp bag which will contain only the items we need over night. This way there is no need to leave the tent again. Our sleeping bags etc will be covered with the ground sheet at the side of the tent until it’s time for bed because as you breathe and the stove boils water the vapour will freeze to the roof of the tent and will then fall as snow inside the tent so you need to keep your kit dry as long as possible so we will be sat on the snow.
When we sleep we will sleep in a vapour barrier liner which prevents the heat from your body forming condensation and this condensation entering your down sleeping bag and forming ice crystals which will then compromise its thermal properties. You then sleep in your down sleeping bag and put that inside a bivi bag to prevent the external water etc from the roof of the tent and the floor entering your sleeping bag. Using this 3 bag system gives you the best chance of staying warm although it is a bit of an art to learn how to sleep without moving apparently! You also need to pull the drawstring completely over your head and face to avoid getting frostbite on your face during the night.
We also had a discussion about practicalities and hygiene, as simple tasks like going to the toilet are not easy! It’s important not to bare any skin unnecessarily so devices such as She-Wee’s for girls which allow us to go to the toilet like men are used! We also discussed other issues regarding waste which i’m not going to go into in this blog but if anyone really is curious perhaps that’s a conversation over a large drink when i’m back home in the warm!
Finally this evening we’ve had a presentation about sea ice and the science we can really get into whilst out on expedition and the value this data will have for understanding the effects of climate change and how it will be used.
We walked in our single lines up through the valley where we’d been the last few days and this time made a more permanent camp. Essentially we set up the way we will on expedition with the main large tent in the middle and 2 of the small tents each side of the large one and all the tents properly secured with ice screws which are bored into the ice. This allows us to have a larger group tent which we can all fit in (although it’s quite cosy!!) and some 2 man tents for sleeping as out here we are such a big group. It’s not clear yet which tents we will be taking on expedition so it’s good that we are learning to use the different ones so that we should be comfortable with them all by the time we set off. We also got 4 of the stoves going straight away to get some snow melting for drinks and had someone on polar bear watch!
Whilst melting snow it was very apparent to us that it’s much lighter today than it has been for the last 10 days I’ve attached a picture below and you can see the light from longyearbyen in the distance but you can get an idea of the scenery and mountains.
The other thin that astounds me here is the snowflakes – every single one looks perfect like you imagine a snowflake to look. I tried to take a picture of them on my glove (bit tricky as they keep blowing away) but if you look about 2-3 cm above the date stamp on this picture and left a bit you will see what i mean – they almost look artificial they are so perfect – will try and get a better picture over the next few days as i learn to use my camera!
We had some lunch and then had a group chat in the big tent about some general camp basics and tent etiquette!. At night we will get in our tents and get the stoves going inside and will bring inside our camp bag which will contain only the items we need over night. This way there is no need to leave the tent again. Our sleeping bags etc will be covered with the ground sheet at the side of the tent until it’s time for bed because as you breathe and the stove boils water the vapour will freeze to the roof of the tent and will then fall as snow inside the tent so you need to keep your kit dry as long as possible so we will be sat on the snow.When we sleep we will sleep in a vapour barrier liner which prevents the heat from your body forming condensation and this condensation entering your down sleeping bag and forming ice crystals which will then compromise its thermal properties. You then sleep in your down sleeping bag and put that inside a bivi bag to prevent the external water etc from the roof of the tent and the floor entering your sleeping bag. Using this 3 bag system gives you the best chance of staying warm although it is a bit of an art to learn how to sleep without moving apparently! You also need to pull the drawstring completely over your head and face to avoid getting frostbite on your face during the night.
We also had a discussion about practicalities and hygiene, as simple tasks like going to the toilet are not easy! It’s important not to bare any skin unnecessarily so devices such as She-Wee’s for girls which allow us to go to the toilet like men are used! We also discussed other issues regarding waste which i’m not going to go into in this blog but if anyone really is curious perhaps that’s a conversation over a large drink when i’m back home in the warm!
Finally this evening we’ve had a presentation about sea ice and the science we can really get into whilst out on expedition and the value this data will have for understanding the effects of climate change and how it will be used.
Day 8 of training
Woke up this morning to the most incredible blizzard! Really gusting wind and buckets and buckets of snow!
We spent the morning talking through snow types and avalanche type risks as after seeing the 4 yesterday in such close proximity there is concerns with all the fresh snow that avalanches will be very prevalent whilst training for the next few days and it’s important we understand the basic dynamics of the snow we are walking on. Essentially we have a layer of thick compressed snow with a layer of ice on top and then a foot of fresh powder snow so this slab layer could just shear off and slide and as our training here is in valleys between mountains it is obviously something we are aware of. After our avalanche chat we had a brief medical talk form Mary (team medic) regarding frostbite and frost nip and how to recognise the signs. The basic take home points from this are that if your fingers are cold and hurting but you can still feel them you don’t need to worry but the pain is an indication that you should consider getting them warm!! To some extent you will have painful fingers each day depending on what you are doing as there is a huge difference between walking or moving and standing still even for a minute. However, if after your fingers go cold you lose feeling and they start to look waxy or solid then this is the start of frostbite and it is imperative a shelter is set up and the hands are warmed up.
We then went out with our pulks and just walked out and up the valley to set up the tents and to try and start the stoves in the wind. It is much harder when conditions are so windy as every part of the tent has to be attached to the pulks with karabiners to ensure it doesn’t blow away and even lifting the tent into position takes at least twice as many people to ensure it goes up safely without risk of breaking poles.
The temperatures today are noticeably colder (-25C) as the wind chill really does have an impact. Today is the first day i have had my face completely covered whilst walking into the wind as it really did bite. I also now fully appreciate the impact that fur makes on your hood. It makes a microclimate around your face and really protects your face from the wind. It’s also a matter of seconds before your hands get cold so doing anything takes a long time as you have to keep your big mitts on and fiddling with tent poles, pegs and clips is really tricky.
This evening we have had a big chat about the state of the sea ice. We now have our last 3 team members with us one of whom is a specialist in sea ice mechanics. There is an element of concern at present that the state of the sea ice is not ideal for our trip and we are monitoring the satellite images of the arctic ocean daily to keep abreast of how the sea ice is forming and in particular keeping an eye on a few big open leads of water which we hope will close up over the next few weeks. If there is ever an indication of climate change (the focus of our expedition) the current state of the sea ice so far into winter is a true reflection of damage we are doing to our planet.
We spent the morning talking through snow types and avalanche type risks as after seeing the 4 yesterday in such close proximity there is concerns with all the fresh snow that avalanches will be very prevalent whilst training for the next few days and it’s important we understand the basic dynamics of the snow we are walking on. Essentially we have a layer of thick compressed snow with a layer of ice on top and then a foot of fresh powder snow so this slab layer could just shear off and slide and as our training here is in valleys between mountains it is obviously something we are aware of. After our avalanche chat we had a brief medical talk form Mary (team medic) regarding frostbite and frost nip and how to recognise the signs. The basic take home points from this are that if your fingers are cold and hurting but you can still feel them you don’t need to worry but the pain is an indication that you should consider getting them warm!! To some extent you will have painful fingers each day depending on what you are doing as there is a huge difference between walking or moving and standing still even for a minute. However, if after your fingers go cold you lose feeling and they start to look waxy or solid then this is the start of frostbite and it is imperative a shelter is set up and the hands are warmed up.
We then went out with our pulks and just walked out and up the valley to set up the tents and to try and start the stoves in the wind. It is much harder when conditions are so windy as every part of the tent has to be attached to the pulks with karabiners to ensure it doesn’t blow away and even lifting the tent into position takes at least twice as many people to ensure it goes up safely without risk of breaking poles.
The temperatures today are noticeably colder (-25C) as the wind chill really does have an impact. Today is the first day i have had my face completely covered whilst walking into the wind as it really did bite. I also now fully appreciate the impact that fur makes on your hood. It makes a microclimate around your face and really protects your face from the wind. It’s also a matter of seconds before your hands get cold so doing anything takes a long time as you have to keep your big mitts on and fiddling with tent poles, pegs and clips is really tricky.
This evening we have had a big chat about the state of the sea ice. We now have our last 3 team members with us one of whom is a specialist in sea ice mechanics. There is an element of concern at present that the state of the sea ice is not ideal for our trip and we are monitoring the satellite images of the arctic ocean daily to keep abreast of how the sea ice is forming and in particular keeping an eye on a few big open leads of water which we hope will close up over the next few weeks. If there is ever an indication of climate change (the focus of our expedition) the current state of the sea ice so far into winter is a true reflection of damage we are doing to our planet.
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
Day 7 of training
Today has been the most enjoyable day so far. We spent the morning going through some basic rope-work which we have done before just to be sure we understand when to use certain knots in different situations such as for tightening guy ropes on tents, attaching pulks and ice axes for keeping tents held down in the winds and knots for crevasse rescue kits and pulling people out of water or for roping up when on thin ice. After that we had a refresher session on how to use the stoves and how to take them apart and repair them and clean them. It’s very apparent out here that your stove is one of your most critical pieces of equipment as without this you simply can’t survive. The water you need to consume each day has to be melted and you have no food without water as your food is all sachets which need to be rehydrated so it’s therefore vital that you not only look after your stove properly but that you fully understand every little part and how it works in case you need to repair it if something goes wrong. I really enjoyed taking the stoves apart and fixing them which is probably because i already appreciate that when you’re cold tired and hungry how much that stove will become your friend! In addition to your food and drink it also provides a much appreciated level of warmth inside your tent at the end of the day and first thing in the morning.
After going through these things we paired up so that we had a tent and stove between two and got ready to go out with our pulks. I paired up with mini (Claire) which was great as she is on the same leg of the expedition as me (leg 2) and it’s nice to work together as not only is she great fun but it feels like we are achieving more by practising as we will be doing the same routines in less than 2 months time on real expedition.
We pulled the pulks up through a valley with mountains on each side of us and the scenery was spectacular – it’s such a shame it’s too dark to show you quite how incredible it is but now that our eye’s have adjusted to the dark it’s amazing how much you can see but the camera doesn’t do it justice.
This photo is the closest thing i can find to mountain scenes and light in the sky!....
We walked past three recent avalanches which have happened in the last few days with the bad weather and then stopped in a basin to set up camp.
See avalanche...
We all worked in our pairs and first of all got the stoves going with a big pan on to melt snow. The stove got going with no problems using our flints to light them and we had been taught that instead of just snow you have to add a small amount of your water that you’ve saved from the day before in order to melt the snow without burning the pan (strange to think frozen water can burn?!?)
We then got the tent up and storm proofed before enjoying a nice hot cup of hot chocolate – although it’s probably a good time to point out that at the temperatures here it takes nearly an hour to melt enough water for a good drink each and on average each night we will be melting snow for 4 hours each night just to get enough water for dinner and to fill flasks.
Some photos of today...
It was a really enjoyable day with beautiful fluffy snow-flakes and no wind so despite being colder than the last few days it felt so much more warm and comfortable.
Monday, 18 January 2010
Day 6 of training
Very short blog for you today as we have had a day off training and a day of admin and logistics. Essentially it's been a day of sewing - the amount of kit modification is incredible. Whether it's adding pull cords to zips to make it easier when wearing mittens or covering all metal in duck tape to prevent it freezing against your skin it seems everyone at some point is sewing! also a day of additional sponsorship leads to follow and ensuring we are fulfilling our obligations to sponsors with respect to radio interviews etc.
We also unfortunately still have 3 team mates missing as the airport has been closed all day so no-one can get here.
One snippet of information that we did find out today is that at the end of january there is a big party here to celebrate the "return of the sun" - unfortunately it's not quite what we thought!! - it'll still be dark all day but we may be lucky enough to see a faint glow on the horizon for 20 minutes at midday!
Have also just heard that the local people of Longyearbyen have been reading my blog (in addition to other team members) as they have a link to expedition blog wesbites that mention Svalbard so hello to them all from me!
Anyway will write more tomorrow when we have more news to report.....keep your messages and comments coming in as it's lovely to receive messages from you all.
p.s Cocky we will be plotting our expedition route in the next few days so details will soon follow! x
We also unfortunately still have 3 team mates missing as the airport has been closed all day so no-one can get here.
One snippet of information that we did find out today is that at the end of january there is a big party here to celebrate the "return of the sun" - unfortunately it's not quite what we thought!! - it'll still be dark all day but we may be lucky enough to see a faint glow on the horizon for 20 minutes at midday!
Have also just heard that the local people of Longyearbyen have been reading my blog (in addition to other team members) as they have a link to expedition blog wesbites that mention Svalbard so hello to them all from me!
Anyway will write more tomorrow when we have more news to report.....keep your messages and comments coming in as it's lovely to receive messages from you all.
p.s Cocky we will be plotting our expedition route in the next few days so details will soon follow! x
Day 5 training
Finally after having been stuck in Tromso due to cancelled flights 2 more members of our team made it out to Longyearbyen. It's nice to have them here and we only have 3 more people now to get here before we are a complete team. Must be diificult feeling you are missing out but i guess weather is one thing we have to expect causing a change to plans!
This morning we had a long briefing about polar bears and safety. We watched some footage of polar bear incidents - both a mixture of curious and aggressive so we can understand how best to react when we have an encounter (note the "when" not "if"!!). Most encounters are at close quarters and usually at night when the bear comes up to the tent and is inquisitive. The basic drill is to ensure everyone is awake and to make quiet conversation as this will not only prevent the bear from becoming startled and more aggressive but also if the bear has come across humans previously the sound of voices may make it back off. The most important thing is to try and get out of the tent as early as possible and to group together as you have a better assessment of the situation and the bear will be more cautious around a larger group. The next stage is to fire bear crackers into the air and pen flares to try and get it to back off. If it is still less than 10 meters away we should throw a glove or item of clothing for it to investigate whilst we back off. Ideally you want to ensure that the bear has a clear path to get downwind of you as he will be trying to smell the air and it's important not to make him feel trapped in any way.
If the bear is pacing back and forwards or up on its hindlegs he is merely curious and this is not a sign of aggression however, if he starts to move closer we then start to make more noise and to bang ski poles or pans together to try and intimidate him.
If the bear lies down flat in front of us with front paws out he is preparing to charge. At this point if the bear then moves we will have no option but to shoot - which is why Ian will be at the front of our group with the high velocity rifle. During our expediton we will have 2 people on bear watch all night doing 2 hour shifts.
(The bears we encounter will all be male as the females are now denning to have their young and will not come out until march/april. The male bears come inland to look for food so at this point they may be quite hungry!)
After our briefing we went out of Longyearbyen towards Nybyen and up into the valley towards the glacier and spent some time practising putting up the tents and ensuring they are fully storm proof. This essentially means that as soon as you take any part of the tent out to put up you must attach it to a pulk using a karabiner to ensure it doesn't fly away and once the tent is up the pulks act as additional mooring popints for guy ropes. We also use 10 inch ice screws and snow pegs and use the shovels to heap snow onto the snow valences all of which help the tent deal with the stong winds. It des however, mean that by the time you've finished your tent looks like a spiders web so you have to be really careful getting in and out.
After getting the tents up and having a hot drink we learnt how to safely use ice axes not only as hammers, and to break up ice but also as a means of anchorage if necessary either to pull someone out of water with a belay system or to secure them on ice. As a result we practised our knot tying again and most of us had remembered a lot more than we thought we had from the training in Dartmoor - there's definately a lot to be said for repetition learning.
Right am off to work out how to add my video clips so i can show you some more silliness! xx
This morning we had a long briefing about polar bears and safety. We watched some footage of polar bear incidents - both a mixture of curious and aggressive so we can understand how best to react when we have an encounter (note the "when" not "if"!!). Most encounters are at close quarters and usually at night when the bear comes up to the tent and is inquisitive. The basic drill is to ensure everyone is awake and to make quiet conversation as this will not only prevent the bear from becoming startled and more aggressive but also if the bear has come across humans previously the sound of voices may make it back off. The most important thing is to try and get out of the tent as early as possible and to group together as you have a better assessment of the situation and the bear will be more cautious around a larger group. The next stage is to fire bear crackers into the air and pen flares to try and get it to back off. If it is still less than 10 meters away we should throw a glove or item of clothing for it to investigate whilst we back off. Ideally you want to ensure that the bear has a clear path to get downwind of you as he will be trying to smell the air and it's important not to make him feel trapped in any way.
If the bear is pacing back and forwards or up on its hindlegs he is merely curious and this is not a sign of aggression however, if he starts to move closer we then start to make more noise and to bang ski poles or pans together to try and intimidate him.
If the bear lies down flat in front of us with front paws out he is preparing to charge. At this point if the bear then moves we will have no option but to shoot - which is why Ian will be at the front of our group with the high velocity rifle. During our expediton we will have 2 people on bear watch all night doing 2 hour shifts.
(The bears we encounter will all be male as the females are now denning to have their young and will not come out until march/april. The male bears come inland to look for food so at this point they may be quite hungry!)
After our briefing we went out of Longyearbyen towards Nybyen and up into the valley towards the glacier and spent some time practising putting up the tents and ensuring they are fully storm proof. This essentially means that as soon as you take any part of the tent out to put up you must attach it to a pulk using a karabiner to ensure it doesn't fly away and once the tent is up the pulks act as additional mooring popints for guy ropes. We also use 10 inch ice screws and snow pegs and use the shovels to heap snow onto the snow valences all of which help the tent deal with the stong winds. It des however, mean that by the time you've finished your tent looks like a spiders web so you have to be really careful getting in and out.
After getting the tents up and having a hot drink we learnt how to safely use ice axes not only as hammers, and to break up ice but also as a means of anchorage if necessary either to pull someone out of water with a belay system or to secure them on ice. As a result we practised our knot tying again and most of us had remembered a lot more than we thought we had from the training in Dartmoor - there's definately a lot to be said for repetition learning.Right am off to work out how to add my video clips so i can show you some more silliness! xx
Saturday, 16 January 2010
Day 4 of training
Well quite frankly the weather is horrendous!!!!! hail driving horizontally and gusting winds - delightful! We went out for our usual hike again straight after breakfast with rucksacks etc as general fitness then when we got back we loaded up our training pulks with our kit inside them and went off for our first effort at pulk pulling. Admittedly we are pulling them over easier terrain and they probably only weighed 40kg (as opposed to the 75-80kg we will be pulling on expedition) but i was pleasantly surprised at how much nicer it is pulling a pulk with a proper harness than pulling tyres round surrey with a rucksack - although i am sure i will regret saying that in 3 weeks time when i never want to see my pulk again!
It has to be said that we were a bit of a rabble for the first couple of hours but by the end we resembled something slightly more like an expedition in a single file line with radio communication front and back. As you can see here just walking around on the ice makes getting around entertaining and i already look like bambi on ice so am concerned what i'll be like on ski's... (video clip to follow when i've worked out technical issues!)
We walked out onto the ice and after another couple of miles we stopped and put up the tent as practise. We're definately improving and things are more efficient but still a long way to go yet! Think it took us 20 minutes to put it up which i didn't think was bad given the dark and wind and in bulky mittens but apparently we should aim for the tent being up in 7 minutes when we are are finished training.
After trekking back with the pulks we yet again put up the tent and again didn't improve our time but at least we are consistent!!!
Another interesting thing today was that we also picked up the rifle as we were going out into the surrounding area and everyone by law must carry a loaded gun due to the number of polar bears here. Ian is our gun toting man for the next couple of weeks as he's got firearm training through the military. (Have made a mental note to sleep next to him in the tent at night in case of curious polar bears.....
It has to be said that we were a bit of a rabble for the first couple of hours but by the end we resembled something slightly more like an expedition in a single file line with radio communication front and back. As you can see here just walking around on the ice makes getting around entertaining and i already look like bambi on ice so am concerned what i'll be like on ski's... (video clip to follow when i've worked out technical issues!)We walked out onto the ice and after another couple of miles we stopped and put up the tent as practise. We're definately improving and things are more efficient but still a long way to go yet! Think it took us 20 minutes to put it up which i didn't think was bad given the dark and wind and in bulky mittens but apparently we should aim for the tent being up in 7 minutes when we are are finished training.
After trekking back with the pulks we yet again put up the tent and again didn't improve our time but at least we are consistent!!!
Another interesting thing today was that we also picked up the rifle as we were going out into the surrounding area and everyone by law must carry a loaded gun due to the number of polar bears here. Ian is our gun toting man for the next couple of weeks as he's got firearm training through the military. (Have made a mental note to sleep next to him in the tent at night in case of curious polar bears.....
Friday, 15 January 2010
Day 3 of training
Well i'm surviving!. We went for our usual morning hike with rucksacks poles etc to improve fitness and efficiency using kit and then we had a session on how to pack a pulk. Essentially the key points were to ensure the weight is at the back such as your cookers, fuel etc and then pack lighter kit at the top. We also have a universal system for coloured dry bags within the pulk such as red bag holds your, medical kit and personal items whilst yellow bag is your spare emergency kit. The benefit of this if someone falls through the ice etc and needs their spare dry clothing that it's obvious which bag their kit is in etc.
We also discussed fuel - we will carry for the expedition 1/2 a litre of fuel per person per day which is slightly more than we will need to use but will allow for any storms etc where we are stuck for more days than planned.
We then went through the "nose bags" we will have on expedition. Essentially all food whilst we are away will only require heating water so no cooking takes place as it's too difficult to clean the pans. Breakfast is rehydrated porridge, dinner is rehydrated food but lunch is essentially snacking all day on high energy foods such as chorizo, cheese, nuts, chocolate etc. We therefore have to decide what we will be having in our "nose bags" that we want to eat for the duration of the expedition. Although the idea of chocolate for lunch every day would be most women's idea of heaven ....i must admit the idea of no fresh fruit, vegetables or bread etc for so long is quite depressing!
Our expedition ski's were due to arrive today but all flights to Svalbard have been cancelled due to the weather so they are currently in Tromso so i think tomorrow we may practise pulling pulks with out the complication of ski's - probably not a bad idea given we're all struggling to stay on our feet anyway!!
Great news today is that Mars have agreed to donate to the expediton team 2160 Mars bars, 2160 Snickers bars, 2160 bags of M&M's and 540 bags of polar chews - apparently this equates to 12 choccie bars per person per day on expedition........i truly hope we will be burning 8000 calories a day or i'm going to be huge!
Big hugs to Mum, Dad, Charlie, Corinne, Gemma, Jen, Monkey etc etc xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
We also discussed fuel - we will carry for the expedition 1/2 a litre of fuel per person per day which is slightly more than we will need to use but will allow for any storms etc where we are stuck for more days than planned.
We then went through the "nose bags" we will have on expedition. Essentially all food whilst we are away will only require heating water so no cooking takes place as it's too difficult to clean the pans. Breakfast is rehydrated porridge, dinner is rehydrated food but lunch is essentially snacking all day on high energy foods such as chorizo, cheese, nuts, chocolate etc. We therefore have to decide what we will be having in our "nose bags" that we want to eat for the duration of the expedition. Although the idea of chocolate for lunch every day would be most women's idea of heaven ....i must admit the idea of no fresh fruit, vegetables or bread etc for so long is quite depressing!
Our expedition ski's were due to arrive today but all flights to Svalbard have been cancelled due to the weather so they are currently in Tromso so i think tomorrow we may practise pulling pulks with out the complication of ski's - probably not a bad idea given we're all struggling to stay on our feet anyway!!
Great news today is that Mars have agreed to donate to the expediton team 2160 Mars bars, 2160 Snickers bars, 2160 bags of M&M's and 540 bags of polar chews - apparently this equates to 12 choccie bars per person per day on expedition........i truly hope we will be burning 8000 calories a day or i'm going to be huge!
Big hugs to Mum, Dad, Charlie, Corinne, Gemma, Jen, Monkey etc etc xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thursday, 14 January 2010
Day 2 of training
Today's focus was navigation and understanding how our GPS works and how and when we will use it in different ways on the ice. We went for a 7 mile walk in small groups (Claire, Yolanda and I were together) and plotted various routes and positions then used waypoints and bearings to traceback our steps etc. It was a great excercise not only in navigation and understanding how your equipment works but also in understanding how it is affected by the cold. Battery life out here is about a third (at best) of how long it would last at home and you also have to consider the inherent danger of changing batteries as you cant touch metal with your bare hands so it's important to recondition yourself to make simple tasks more difficult by leaving your mitts on!
After our navigation we again spent some time putting up a team tent - this is something we will continue to do daily so we have it perfected for when we go on training expedition in 10 days time.
The toughest part of today was this evening when after dinner we were informed that we were to remove all our clothes except for a thermal base layer and to sit outside - no socks, hats, gloves etc. The intention was to induce mild hypothermia so we recognise how our bodies start to react when cold and which parts of our bodies suffer most from the cold. ....personally i have to be honest i was a bit skeptical that this was a good idea but now that i am warm again and have clothes back on i can honestly say that i think it's an excellent excercise. It's also important to know how long it takes to warm up.
In order to cool us down quickly we had to put our arms in the air to maximise heat loss and after a certain amount of time were made to lie in the snow. I have to admit when Mary (team medic) told me i was done and to go inside i was very pleased as my feet really hurt from the cold although surprisingly the rest of me seemed to cope quite well.
After our navigation we again spent some time putting up a team tent - this is something we will continue to do daily so we have it perfected for when we go on training expedition in 10 days time.
The toughest part of today was this evening when after dinner we were informed that we were to remove all our clothes except for a thermal base layer and to sit outside - no socks, hats, gloves etc. The intention was to induce mild hypothermia so we recognise how our bodies start to react when cold and which parts of our bodies suffer most from the cold. ....personally i have to be honest i was a bit skeptical that this was a good idea but now that i am warm again and have clothes back on i can honestly say that i think it's an excellent excercise. It's also important to know how long it takes to warm up.In order to cool us down quickly we had to put our arms in the air to maximise heat loss and after a certain amount of time were made to lie in the snow. I have to admit when Mary (team medic) told me i was done and to go inside i was very pleased as my feet really hurt from the cold although surprisingly the rest of me seemed to cope quite well.
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
Day 1 of training
So today we had a briefing about kit and how important it is to understand your clothing system and how to use it effectively. Lee, Phil and I were asked to plot a route for the team and we went out on a 9 mile walk in full kit including boots, rucksacks walking poles (no ski's just yet) to practise with different clothing systems. I can honestly say that most of today whilst walking I was perefctly warm however, within a minute to two minutes of stopping moving it's incredible how cold it gets. Even taking an outer glove off for a few seconds starts to hurt and you can understand how easy it is to get frostbite if you are not fanatical about your kit. The route we took was circular so although we used our GPS to keep track of time, distance etc it was less of a navigation excercise (more of that tomorrow) and more about understanding the environment we are in however, as I promised Cocky, Ben and Dylan to keep them informed of my exact location I can tell you that I am currently located at a longitude/latitude of:
N 78 degrees 12' 04.0"
E 15 degrees 35' 35' 19.1"
We also practised this evening putting up one of the expedition tents and we will be doing this often this week to ensure we have it perfectly practised that we can do it in silence in case of a storm. We are also not allowed to use head torches as once you resort to artificial light your eyes find it so much harder to accustom to the darkness and it's important to be aware of your surroundings. Whilst putting up the tent we saw our first Aurora a beautiful swirling moving green cloud in the sky. Not bright enough to photograph unfortunately but apparently there are few solar flares at present so Northern lights are not being seen. Will keep my fingers crossed we get more as it's an incredible natural phenomenon.
Some photos of today... (apologies for the lack of daylight and views but this is as light as it gets!)
N 78 degrees 12' 04.0"
E 15 degrees 35' 35' 19.1"
We also practised this evening putting up one of the expedition tents and we will be doing this often this week to ensure we have it perfectly practised that we can do it in silence in case of a storm. We are also not allowed to use head torches as once you resort to artificial light your eyes find it so much harder to accustom to the darkness and it's important to be aware of your surroundings. Whilst putting up the tent we saw our first Aurora a beautiful swirling moving green cloud in the sky. Not bright enough to photograph unfortunately but apparently there are few solar flares at present so Northern lights are not being seen. Will keep my fingers crossed we get more as it's an incredible natural phenomenon.
Some photos of today... (apologies for the lack of daylight and views but this is as light as it gets!)
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
Ali's in the Arctic!!!!
Wow i'm here.....!
We flew yesterday to Oslo then this morning flew from Oslo to Tromso in the north of Norway and then connected again to Longyearbyen in Svalbard. Click here to see where I am.
The first things to hit me are:
Firstly how dark it is here. We landed in the middle of the day and it feels like the middle of the night. We are in polar winter so the sun never rises and the idea of spending the next month in the dark is kind of eerie! It's also very disorientating as in the dark and the snow distances dont appear the way they should (everything is further away than it looks).
See below for a picture of
me arriving off the airoplane at lunchtime.
The second thing to notice is the cold! - to all those of you who were interestd to know if it feels colder at minus 26C than at minus 5 C the answer is YES! The temperature today is actually considered to be quite warm by the locals so i'm glad we've had a nice day to arrive!
We've spent the afternoon modifying kit and sewing on sponsosrship patches to kit as well as being given a chat about the itinerary we will follow for the next couple of days. Tomorrow we are going out to practise with layering and clothing systems to understand how we should dress both when skiing and pulling the sledge where it's important to avoid sweating(bizarre to think you can get hot here!) and also to know what to wear to keep warm when stationary during a break or putting up tents etc.
Now that i'm here i'm very excited. I am obviously going to miss Charlie and all my friends at home tonnes but am super greatful for all the amazing messages of support before i flew out and am sorry i didn't get a chance to contact you all before i left.
You'll all be pleased to know I have also been heeding local advice as there are apparently 3000 polar bears in and around this island with approx. 12 dens per square km!! although we carry a rifle we obviously dont intend to have to use it.
Finally to all those of you who are desperate to see a video of the cold water immersion training we have been informed that will not happen till next week!
Love and polar kisses
Arctic Ali !
We flew yesterday to Oslo then this morning flew from Oslo to Tromso in the north of Norway and then connected again to Longyearbyen in Svalbard. Click here to see where I am.
The first things to hit me are:
Firstly how dark it is here. We landed in the middle of the day and it feels like the middle of the night. We are in polar winter so the sun never rises and the idea of spending the next month in the dark is kind of eerie! It's also very disorientating as in the dark and the snow distances dont appear the way they should (everything is further away than it looks).
See below for a picture of
me arriving off the airoplane at lunchtime.
The second thing to notice is the cold! - to all those of you who were interestd to know if it feels colder at minus 26C than at minus 5 C the answer is YES! The temperature today is actually considered to be quite warm by the locals so i'm glad we've had a nice day to arrive!
We've spent the afternoon modifying kit and sewing on sponsosrship patches to kit as well as being given a chat about the itinerary we will follow for the next couple of days. Tomorrow we are going out to practise with layering and clothing systems to understand how we should dress both when skiing and pulling the sledge where it's important to avoid sweating(bizarre to think you can get hot here!) and also to know what to wear to keep warm when stationary during a break or putting up tents etc.
Now that i'm here i'm very excited. I am obviously going to miss Charlie and all my friends at home tonnes but am super greatful for all the amazing messages of support before i flew out and am sorry i didn't get a chance to contact you all before i left.
You'll all be pleased to know I have also been heeding local advice as there are apparently 3000 polar bears in and around this island with approx. 12 dens per square km!! although we carry a rifle we obviously dont intend to have to use it.
Finally to all those of you who are desperate to see a video of the cold water immersion training we have been informed that will not happen till next week!
Love and polar kisses
Arctic Ali !
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
Polar bear training in Reigate, Surrey
Well yet again england has surprised us with the weather...snow, snow and more snow. With a non -exaggerated 9 inches outside my front door i cant help but want to go out and train but am also aware that a twisted ankle at thsis stage in proceedings is not advisable so am keeping training to walking and not running and have so far avoided the temptation to sledge down the hill with everyone else! I did however, take the following photo to try and get me in the mood...
The great news is that the cold weather gives me hope that the sea ice will be nicely frozen which means less chance of going for an unplanned dip. We will of course next week have to go through cold water immersion (something that i'm not particularly looking forwards to) where we have to deliberately ski into a frozen lake and control the panic and panting reflex before coherently telliing a joke and then getting out and rolling in the snow to freeze off the water and then getting warm again. - remind me again why i'm doing this?????
The next few days are going to be really busy and i'd be lying if i said i wasn't a little stressed. I still have £5000 to find for the expedition and am starting to worry about things as mondays departure date gets ever closer.
I am however, trying to stay focussed and positive and am enjoying the irony of perhaps not managing to catch my flight to the arctic due to to much snow in the UK.....................
The great news is that the cold weather gives me hope that the sea ice will be nicely frozen which means less chance of going for an unplanned dip. We will of course next week have to go through cold water immersion (something that i'm not particularly looking forwards to) where we have to deliberately ski into a frozen lake and control the panic and panting reflex before coherently telliing a joke and then getting out and rolling in the snow to freeze off the water and then getting warm again. - remind me again why i'm doing this?????The next few days are going to be really busy and i'd be lying if i said i wasn't a little stressed. I still have £5000 to find for the expedition and am starting to worry about things as mondays departure date gets ever closer.
I am however, trying to stay focussed and positive and am enjoying the irony of perhaps not managing to catch my flight to the arctic due to to much snow in the UK.....................
Friday, 1 January 2010
New year and new kit!
Happy new year everyone.
Finally 2010 is here and it's the year of the expedition.
Yesterday i drove to collect my kit and it is feeling very very exciting! Only 10 days till we fly out to Svalbard for training which means 10 days to see friends, finish work, sort the house out, pack, unpack and repack to be sure i have everyything, meet with sponsors etc etc etc. Spent this afternoon sewing on sponsorship patches and modifying my kit with things like easy pull zip cords etc as everything becomes trickier with big mittens on! Also had to wrap my thermos flasks in insulating foam and duck tape as this assists in insulation but primarily to prevent them getting damaged and effecting their thermal properties so have also had a trip to homebase!
Charlie took one look at my boots and asked if i was planning on going to the moon! - they do look absolutely enormous but i was very pleased to see that they have about half an inch of thick insulating material inside them! see below!
My sleeping bag is massive so i'm hoping thats' also a sign of lots of warm insulating down to keep me toasty at night as that's the time i'm most concerned about the cold.
If i have time i want to write the name of each person who bought me an item of my kit so that i'm nicely reminded of all my wonderful friends and family whilst i'm out there.....so much to do so little time.!
Finally 2010 is here and it's the year of the expedition.
Yesterday i drove to collect my kit and it is feeling very very exciting! Only 10 days till we fly out to Svalbard for training which means 10 days to see friends, finish work, sort the house out, pack, unpack and repack to be sure i have everyything, meet with sponsors etc etc etc. Spent this afternoon sewing on sponsorship patches and modifying my kit with things like easy pull zip cords etc as everything becomes trickier with big mittens on! Also had to wrap my thermos flasks in insulating foam and duck tape as this assists in insulation but primarily to prevent them getting damaged and effecting their thermal properties so have also had a trip to homebase!
Charlie took one look at my boots and asked if i was planning on going to the moon! - they do look absolutely enormous but i was very pleased to see that they have about half an inch of thick insulating material inside them! see below!
My sleeping bag is massive so i'm hoping thats' also a sign of lots of warm insulating down to keep me toasty at night as that's the time i'm most concerned about the cold.
If i have time i want to write the name of each person who bought me an item of my kit so that i'm nicely reminded of all my wonderful friends and family whilst i'm out there.....so much to do so little time.!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)