Cas and Jonesy : at the SP but still 1.100 km to go for the way back
Published on 31.12.2011 - Cas & Jonesy : Crossing the Ice
31 December at 7am (NZ time) at the SP but it's only their half way mark
© AFP
Aussies Justin Jones and James Castrission have arrived at the SP this morning after a 62 days trek. Now they still have to go back to Union Glacier but have only 28 days to cover the same distance...
Of course it's a first great victory for the two Aussies. After 62 days (or 61 days if we take the GMT time) trekking and kiting against worst conditions (blizzard after blizzard) and after having been obliged to ration their food, the pair made it unsupported to the Southg Pole. They estimated they have lost each 7kg since the start of the expedition.
Considering the rest of the trip, James Castrission said to Belinda Cranston, from the Sydney Morning Herald, who had interviewed the duo early this morning : "We're low on food, we're low on fuel, our bodies are definitely hurting. But there isn't anywhere in the world I'd prefer to be right now. We're stoked."
Now the pair has to cover almost a marathon each day to be in time at the Union Glacier ALE base camp on 28 January. This is the date of the last flight out of the 6th Continent with destination Punta Arenas. Being low on food, fuel and all the rest, that will certainly not be an easy task...
