Nearly Halfway

The team spent their biggest skiing day yet adjusting goggles and face layers, because today was also their coldest trail day yet, -30 C with a bit of wind. Just like yesterday the team skied for 7 hours and took three breaks. Unlike yesterday they covered 8.5 nautical miles in that time.

Heather, don't you recognize her?

Goggle management is an ongoing challenge on Antarctica  It's very easy to accidentally fog your lenses, and, once you do, it's very difficult to defog them. They may be a pain at times, but goggles are absolutely essential for exposure and UV protection.

PolarExplorers loves to answer questions from blog followers. If you're wondering about anything expedition related, now's the time to ask, because you'll get a firsthand answer from a team that's in the field.

Today's question has to do with skiing skills. Specifically, do team members ever fall over? Our answer: hardly ever. The main challenge of expedition skiing is endurance, not skill. The skis are wide, the sled acts as a counterweight and the poles make it even easier to balance.

However, if it's windy and overcast, things get a little trickier. A cloudy sky will occlude the horizon, making it very easy for skiers to lose their equilibrium. Windy conditions force skiers to tighten up their facial layering system, which can restrict their field of vision. These combined factors can result in skiers taking a few tumbles, but the cause is always environmental, not from the physical challenge of skiing.

Thanks for following. Check back tomorrow for more notes from the field.