A tough start for Horst

Published on 28.11.2010 - One step at a time

Like all the other teams, the pair Hannah McKeand (the guide) / Willem ter Horst (her client) arrived at ALE's Union Glacier Camp on the 25th November. Horst had left home three weeks before.

And like all other teams going for the Hercules Inlet-SP trek, Horst and his female guide Hannah McKeand were dropped off on the icesheet on top of Hercules Inlet on Friday morning 26 November.

Despite the new ALE basecamp, polar travellers had to wait more than a week in Punta for the flight to Antarctica

But despite all the hard and serious training Horst did for months in preparation of his polar adventure, the dutchman's debut on the antarctican ice was quite difficult. From his diary : "Let's start with Hannah's quote of the day: 'If it was easy, everybody would do it.' Why can't I be everybody for a change? ... It was tough going. I guess I am not really used to this. The training I did in preparation got me so far, but skiing across these sastrugi I have some difficulty maintaining my balance. After the first two hours I was pretty tired and by the third stop Hannah offered to take a bit of weight from me. Very slowly I recovered a bit of strength, until miraculously half way through the fifth march I felt reborn. The euphoria only lasted for 25 minutes, but a great 25 minutes it was. I was able to double my pace and my balance problems were over. Regretfully afterwards it was back to the slow steps I had before. On the last march Hannah and I exchanged skis to see how that went. It went a little better, but once you are truly tired there is not much saving you. Having made camp and settled nicely in the tent I'm proud of my performance today. ..."