Ten days to get into their stride
Published on 07.04.2010 - Under the Pole.com
Ghislain Bardout's team is gradually getting used to the cold, wind and jumbled, chaotic sea-ice that takes on a different appearance every day -oh, and the drift!
Since our last update, Bardout and his people have not done any more diving. They'd rather get their day-to-day routine well established and wait for the first drop of fresh supplies (due in just under ten days' time) so that they can spend two or three full days diving beneath the ice.
Example: for the first few days, all eight expedition members were travelling together in a group, with each one waiting for the other where necessary. But that was slowing down their progress towards Canada too much. So Ghislain and his companions decided that they had to split up into two groups, with the faster and the not-so-fast travellers (based on who has more, or less, to carry) which enables whichever party arrives at camp first to pitch the tents and so save a huge amount of time.
That said, the men are busy marvelling at the range and diversity of different landscapes that they encounter each day. We'll analyse some of these observations in a forthcoming report, wherever they are on the pack-ice and regardless of their destination. Because this year there are some striking and unusual similarities between what the various teams are experiencing out on the ice. The fact that the landscape around them is changing constantly is a good example and one that provides us with some valuable information.
Their position on 6th April (day 12): 88° 38' 25" N / 84° 29' 11" W.
