Tomorrow!

When the team encountered clear skies they could actually see their ultimate goal (well, the research station immediately adjacent to the Pole) while they skied. They put in another solid seven hours and now stand at 89 degrees, 52.1 minutes south, just under eight nautical miles from the bottom of the globe. 

The team worked very well together. As Nick mentions in his audio update, everyone is looking out for one another, and every kind gesture or bit of teamwork carries immense weight. Whether it's a simple matter of sharing chocolate bars or carrying extra weight when a teammate is feeling less than 100% or just making sure to be ready to ski when it's time to ski, each bit of positive energy helps create a safe, successful and unforgettable expedition--memories to be proud of and cherish.

The team pitched the big group shelter tonight so that they could treat themselves to another specialty meal. Tonight's menu: steak, sauteed vegetables and mashed potatoes. Keith and Taylor didn't mention what was on the drink menu, but you can bet that everyone's having fun in the "green room".

Thanks for following, and check back tomorrow for notes from the South Pole!

South Pole on Sunday?

After today's 8.6 nautical mile push ("Can we go 9?" asked one of the go-getters), the team is just two solid ski days from the Pole! They sleep tonight at 89 degrees, 43.8 minutes south. If tomorrow brings clear skies, they may even be able to see the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station by midday.

Contrast between land sky gets fuzzy even when it's only partly cloudy.

Today they encountered warmer temperatures, variable 5-7 kt winds and fast moving weather systems. The skies would change from overcast to clear and back to overcast during just one of their hour and a half pushes.

Aside from some lingering cold symptoms that many folks seem to be passing around, everyone is feeling strong and well rested. Keith concluded the dispatch by saying it was time for him to get horizontal for the next 12 hours.

Dale and Heather

No one specifically asked this question, but many people wonder about coming down with a cold while on expedition. It's not uncommon for folks to bring multi-vitamins, vitamin C tablets or vitamin packed drink mixes, but these are usually intended to boost antioxidant stores and keep the body in good general working order after long, hard miles in the harness.

The cook in his kitchen. You can just make out the teapot lid above the knee.

The Arctic and Antarctic aren't what you would call germ laden. If you pick up a cold while on expedition, you almost certainly contracted it from a team member rather than the environment, and that seems to be the case with our team.

As always, thanks for following and check back tomorrow for more notes from the field.

Over Halfway Home

Remember yesterday's description of challenging conditions: flat light, windy, cold? That's what the team had today. Michel, who joined PolarExplorers on the Test Your Limits 2010 North Pole Expedition, said that it was the coldest ski day he's ever experienced. The mercury read about -30-35, and the wind was blowing a constant 10 kt all day. Chilly!

Fleeting blue skies turned overcast quickly

And overcast, flat light conditions can really make it hard to see. The horizon disappears, and the whole environment takes on the same fuzzy grey appearance--so much so that it becomes really difficult to see  the tracks from the skier right in front of you!

Growing out the ice beard

In spite of those conditions, the team covered about 8.4 nautical miles in seven hours, which puts them at 89 degrees, 35 minutes south, over halfway to the Pole! From this position they can maintain their current pace and reach the Pole in three days.

Woo-hoo! Halfway!

We posed another blog follower question to the team today: "Does the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station measure temperature in Celsius or Fahrenheit?" Everyone except Keith, Brien, Taylor and John responded, "You Americans (or Yanks) are the only ones that use Fahrenheit. Every other place uses Celsius."

So there you have it. Thanks again for following, and check back tomorrow for more notes from the field.

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.


 

Beating AMS

The team sleeps tonight at 89 degrees 18.3 minutes south latitude after skiing roughly 8.1 nautical miles in 7 hours. They covered that distance by pushing forward for 90 minutes at a time, taking a short break and then repeating.

Keith and Dale skiing strong

The team's increased endurance shows that they have acclimatized to the altitude. While acclimatizing it's important to eat well, stay hydrated and avoid overexertion because your body is already working overtime to produce more red blood cells. 

The warm weather spell continued today. The temperature dipped back to -25 Celsius, and we've heard reports that the Amundsen - Scott Station at the South Pole has yet to record a temperature colder than -25 C since the season opened.

Dale and Diego

Ian, John and Taylor

The team enjoyed high visibility, contrast and low winds throughout the day. Many team members have stripped down to a single light baselayer beneath their wind anoraks--and even that was a little too hot for some of them. 

As always, thanks for following and check back tomorrow for more notes from the field.

Back to Freeze Dry

That's right, after finishing off their second full day on the trail the team fueled up for day three with the lightweight, trusty (if not extremely tasty) expedition standard: freeze dry dinners. We shouldn't complain. These days the freeze dry fair is actually quite palatable, but you sure do look forward to "freshies" after a week of freeze dry!

The team put in 6.5 miles over the course of six hours, and sleep tonight at 89 degrees, 10 minutes south latitude. They only took three breaks throughout those six hours. Yesterday they took three breaks over four hours, so it seems they are acclimatizing and getting their legs underneath them.

The cook tent

They had another easy weather day too, no wind and only -4 Fahrenheit / -20 Celsius...downright balmy! Captain Keith says he's never had a warmer day on Antarctica. The warm temps and six hours of skiing made some team members so drowsy that they were already asleep while others were calling in the dispatch.

Nick and Simon

The team is starting to hit their pace. You can expect that their mileage will increase as they continue to acclimatize and gel as a unit. Thanks for following, and check back tomorrow for more notes from the field.


 

First Full Day Out

After an 8 AM wake up call, the team broke camp at 11, skied for four hours and covered just under five miles during that time. They settled into a rhythm of skiing for just over an hour, taking a five to ten minute rest and then repeating. As Michel mentions in the audio update, the team reached 89 degrees, 3.883 minutes south. Just over 56 nautical miles separates them from the Pole.

A few team members dealt with minor headaches and nausea last night and throughout today. These symptoms will diminish as the team acclimatizes to Antarctic Plateau's 10,000 ft elevation. 

The team reports that the wind picked up around 2 AM this morning, and blew a sustained 10 kt out of the northeast (hitting them on the backside of their left shoulders) throughout the day. It's also a few degrees colder today. 

After the first full day of skiing, the team enjoyed a special dinner of hamburgers and french fries! That sure beats the standard freeze dried fare. Eating so luxuriously every night would hugely increase each team member's sled weight, but it's such a comfort to have a "home cooked" meal on expedition. Captain Keith says he has one more special meal planned for the expedition.

Today is Diego's 11th wedding anniversary. Happy anniversary to you and your wonderful wife, Diego!

Also, Sasha and Alexey will be celebrating Russian Orthodox Christmas tomorrow by putting in a good six miles or more on the trail. Merry Christmas, fellas!

That's it for today. Thanks for following, and check back tomorrow for more notes from the field.