Ski 24 km and rise 100 metres in altitude
Published on 08.12.2008 - Base to the South Pole
Strong headwinds and sastruggis have slowed down the progress of the ANI polar tourists. But despite that, they are still doing pretty well.
They now have 85 degrees south and the Thiel Mountains firmly in their sights, which will be their single re-supply rendezvous. It also marks the halfway point for the four members of the Base expedition and their young guide Sarah McNair-Landry as they continue on their way to the Pole.
In recent days they have been buffeted by headwinds that have blown non-stop. "The worst thing about the wind," writes Tom Davenport, "is that it pushes you in the wrong direction and literally pierces your skin. So much so that you have to keep checking your clothes and particularly your gloves and mittens. We don't normally talk about it much, but taking care of your clothes and checking everything is all right are two golden rules in any polar expedition. And not only do you have to make sure you don't get cold, you also have to watch getting too hot! 'Sweat and you die' is a well-worn refrain in these frozen parts. In fact nothing is more dangerous than sweating and stopping suddenly..."ÃÂ Davenport reckoned on 3rd December that he was negotiating sastruggis for the 36 000th time!
Fortunately the wind has dropped in recent days, which has boosted the troops' morale. They are now covering about 24 km a day.
