Dispatch #13 - New Route via Reedy Glacier to South Pole

New Route via Reedy Glacier to South Pole

Dispatches

Dec 14

#13:
day of rest

Published at 07:08

It's a scenario we hadn't envisioned at the outset, to have a rest day after less than a week of travel. But Rob's damaged foot needed recovery time, evidenced by his hobbling yesterday afternoon before camping. Another day of that and we could chance a seriously debilitating injury. Besides the wind was horrendous all night and until this evening. Now we hear not much more than a zephyr on the tent which bodes well for tomorrow.

Our campsite was forced upon us yesterday and we had to make the best of a bad spot, a single tent-sized patch of flat snow set on bare glacial ice. With only three ice screws I needed to make holes with one screw for each guy rope and set pegs within them, a laborious task in the crazy wind. With no snow for protective walls, we relied implicitly on the strength of our Hilleberg tent. A couple of lone sastrugi provided us a water supply.

So today we charged our devices with our solar panels, read, listened, emailed, ate, prepared our headwear for plateau travel and generally lazed around like fat spiders. And Keith found and repaired a final leak in his mattress. Happy boy.

Tomorrow we hope to pass the foot of the Kansas Glacier, of interest to some reading this blog.

Eric

Pics of Rob and his trendy eyeshades and the view south from our tent.

Name: Camp 7
Elevation: 907 m
Latitude: 85° 36’ 2” South
Longitude: 134° 22’ 39” West

Rob and his trendy eyeshades.

The view south from our tent.

Comments

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2016-12-14 14:50:05 Barney says: Best of luck team. The ClimateForce team is watching your journey closely. Hope Rob's foot heals quickly. Enjoy the rest and the mighty katabatibc winds which are no doubt pummeling your tent. Keep safe-
2016-12-14 10:34:41 Ben says: Thanks for the updates Eric. Always a high point of my day reading the latest developments. Keep well and safe, and enjoy the openness and the challenges. If you were into homeopathy (which I know you are not) I'd recommend arnica for Rob's foot!