Jade's Quest Greenland Crossing
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2017-05-10
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2017-05-10
May 18
#11: wet blizzard
Published at 22:17
Today was a study in tolerance, the day beginning with a thankless sun and drift snow licking at the tent.
Throughout the day the temperature rose and, like spring skiing in the mountains, the snow began balling on our skins, the synthetic fur on the underside of our skis that give glide forwards and grip backwards. It can build up many centimetres and no amount of clever kick striding can get rid of it all.
At lunch I pulled out a block of butter and 'waxed' the skins with it. The effect was immediate and Paul and Jade, who'd reverted to booting, were back on skis and the pace picked up again.
But the wind just wouldn't let up and we were soon engulfed in a wet blizzard that went from lashing slush to rain. The horizon was obliterated and at the end of the sixth hour I called an end to the show, knowing we'd need extra tent time to dry out our underclothes. Behind a makeshift wall of sleds we pitched the tents, secured them against the wind and crawled into our damp but glorious havens.
Everyone did brilliantly in the testing conditions but the forecast is for similar over the next couple of days. Ugh!
Eric
Pics of Paul and and morning camp, the last shaft of sunlight, Jade striding into the mire and our current camp
Throughout the day the temperature rose and, like spring skiing in the mountains, the snow began balling on our skins, the synthetic fur on the underside of our skis that give glide forwards and grip backwards. It can build up many centimetres and no amount of clever kick striding can get rid of it all.
At lunch I pulled out a block of butter and 'waxed' the skins with it. The effect was immediate and Paul and Jade, who'd reverted to booting, were back on skis and the pace picked up again.
But the wind just wouldn't let up and we were soon engulfed in a wet blizzard that went from lashing slush to rain. The horizon was obliterated and at the end of the sixth hour I called an end to the show, knowing we'd need extra tent time to dry out our underclothes. Behind a makeshift wall of sleds we pitched the tents, secured them against the wind and crawled into our damp but glorious havens.
Everyone did brilliantly in the testing conditions but the forecast is for similar over the next couple of days. Ugh!
Eric
Pics of Paul and and morning camp, the last shaft of sunlight, Jade striding into the mire and our current camp
- Name: Camp 10
- Elevation: 1952 m
- Latitude: 66° 39’ 39” North
- Longitude: 46° 51’ 5” West
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