Tracking
the Journey

  • Distance to go: 0 Mi
    Distance

    Ben and Tarka will cover 1800 miles starting from Scott's Terra Nova Hut at the edge of Antarctica to the South Pole and back to the coast again. That's equivalent to 69 back-to-back marathons hauling up to 200kg each (the weight of roughly two adult men) of kit and supplies necessary to survive.

    Distances here are shown in statute miles.

Day 65

Posted December 28th 2013,
by Ben Saunders

Category: Expedition, The Return Journey

Day 65: S89° 17' 22.68", E156° 06' 2.52"

Duration: 9 Hr

Daily distance: 19.8 Mi

Distance to go: 849.4 Mi

Temperature: -14 °C

Wind chill: -22 °C

Altitude: 9721 Ft

Another day on the white treadmill, and not an awful lot to report, other than that the weather was good to us today, and we're both feeling extraordinarily tired, but still giving our all.

There's been a lot of fresh snow recently and the surface is proving our biggest headache at the moment; you can see the deep furrows we've ploughed up to this evening's camp site. When we take our skis off in the evening and walk around in the deep powder to pitch our tent, we've marvelled several times at how on earth Birdie Bowers -an apparently indefatigable member of Scott's team who abhorred skis and chose to walk instead- managed on this type of stuff.

Speaking of marvelling, now Tarka and I are both feeling as knackered as we've ever felt, we reckon we're finally getting some sort of glimpse of what day-to-day life out here must have been like for Scott's party (and indeed for Shackleton on his Nimrod expedition). It's still an awfully long way back to the coast, which was the only way home a century ago, and like them, we're now threading a path through our lifeline of tiny depots, dotted along nearly 900 miles of nothingness.

Apologies if my post about the Pole sounded a bit negative (particularly to the US National Science Foundation personnel who live and work there!) but it was a long, tough day and I think the tiredness and lack of calories had put me in a bit of a grump. The blue skies today have cheered me up immensely, and I wish I had the words to explain my excitement about now being on the journey back to Ross Island. I'm still pinching myself at times that we've come as far as we have. Thanks for following, and I hope my updates will be back to normal once I've caught up on a bit of sleep...

Comments

# Richard H, December 29th 2013

Hi Ben and Tarka

Well done, you are a shining example of what can be achieved with a clear vision and determination. Your posts are eagerly awaited and I’ll be looking out for the pair of you until you arrive back at McMurdo.

There was a thankfully brief discussion about you “moaning” yesterday.

Well, having just dragged my overfed middle aged body round a bit of MTB single track in the Lakes this morning, having covered precisely 10.6 miles, climbing 1,686 feet and burning 723 calories (equivalent to about half a piece of christmas pudding with rum butter), I feel qualified to add to the debate.  I ‘m pleased to say that my technical equipment was adequate, but my ten minutes of preparation and training was woefully not so. I can report however that I have had one bath and a shower in the last 24 hours, and that we have a centrally heated loo which flushes - in fact a choice of three. My wife cooks regular meals excellently, and I help out from time to time.

In spite of all of this, I found today that my internal conversation whilst cycling was about never doing it again, the intense pain and lassitude that I felt and constantly thought about getting back for a bacon sarnie and a big mug of fresh coffee.

In the light of my personal experiences today,I therefore conclude that after a thousand miles, and doing what you are doing, and in the way that you are doing it, you are entitled to say whatever you like in your blog ;-)

Keep it up guys, you are inspiring an awful lot of people out there.

# Richard Pierce, December 29th 2013

Nice one, Mr H. :-) R

# Nick Webb, December 29th 2013

......writing a blog on an almost daily basis - that’s an added bonus for us and effort in itself.  I look forward to seeing your lecture on this journey and do hope you get some media coverage on your return so as to inspire people to go for it - everyone needs to hear the story of the longest unsupported polar journey in history.  The Jonathan Ross Show perhaps?  Thanks as always for your honest and timely posts, they are a pleasure to follow.

Just one question - is there any one thing you wish you had bought on the journey that you do not have?

# AlisonP, December 29th 2013

You two are amazing, in so many ways.  I cannot begin to fathom what it is like to pull a sled with hundreds of pounds for hundreds of miles, hours and hours every day.  Oh, and in the coldest place on earth.  I could completely understand your comments about the pole; it must have been a bit of a rude shock compared to two months with only the stark snowy landscape around you.  I was amazed that you did so many miles with so little rest just after reaching the pole.  I worry a little about you guys not getting enough rest, and hope that you can take a day off or at least a slower day before the descent of the Beardmore, so you are in tip top shape as you work your way carefully there.  Mother Nature continues to bless you with mostly good weather for your journey.  Thanks as always for taking the time and energy to write to your loyal and enthusiastic readers.  Rest up, lads, and stay safe.

# Bill Hucks, December 29th 2013

Your remarkable progress has been the result of constant effort and drive.  It is possible a rest day may provide your bodies a chance to recharge and further improve your progress.  The symptom of constant fatigue should be recognized and treated.  Time for a rest day, gentlemen.

# George Chapman, December 29th 2013

Looks like to me from looking at Google Earth these guys have only got in 5 miles today as of 12-29-13 13:30 EST. So either we are having update problems or they have taken a rest for today. Normally by this time of day they would be 3/4 the way through their days mileage. Wishing them well. Hope it’s not weather problems.

# dj, December 29th 2013

George… remember, they said that they dropped their Pilot to save weight and are on their phones.  That didn’t seem to effect anything on the rest of their way there, but perhaps might be making some battery recharge issues.  Their track did the same thing yesterday - dropped several hours then all of a sudden jumped 11 miles (coincidentally after you wrote your comment yesterday); and the same thing coming back from the pole.  It’s now 12:30 PM (MST) and they’ve still only gone 5 miles according to their tracker plot.

# Kristoffer, December 29th 2013

The strange thing is, these suddenly irregular position updates only began once they were at the pole.

# George Chapman, December 29th 2013

#dj
You may be right about power shortages. We will see at the end of the day. I would think if I was running low on power I would stop writing the blogs to save power. I’m assuming a ping would take very little power verses the power it takes to write a blog. It’s just interesting I’m not trying to second guess anyone. They may need to take a rest but I would not think they would take down the tent and then move for five miles and decide to stop for the day unless they had weather problems. We will hear about it in their next blog I’m sure.
Keep going guys, your doing great.

# Scott Expedition Team, December 29th 2013

Hi. Ben and Tarka are having a few technical difficulties with the automated tracker which is causing the intermittent transmissions. We’re working on fixing it but daily positions will be reported automatically in the meantime.

# dj, December 29th 2013

“Automated tracker?” That isn’t with their pilot that they dropped off (back somewhere?).  Or do you guys also have a satellite tracker following their phones - which they said they would be “updating” on?

# George Chapman, December 29th 2013

They dropped off the Pilot on day 57.

# dj, December 29th 2013

Thanks Andy…  your now saying that they “have it” within this context, gives us a bit of insight of how you are actually using it and what means - above merely stating “we’ve got it in the tech bag” like we all read back in the link you provided.

For those who don’t know (I’ve just looked it up on the web) the NAL Shout Nano seems similar to one of those “spot” devices some people have let us follow their Everest climbs on.  It’s a self contained, battery powered unit with a built in GPS device designed to “be asleep” at very low power then “wake up” at pre-programmed intervals, measure its location, check for “messages” from “headquarters” and send a condensed location plus optional outbound message back to headquarters via satellite connection.  It also can do a “manual wakeup” to send a GPS coordinate if desired (or in an emergency). Which could, but not necessarily,  explain why the day at the pole the pointer stood idle for awhile then made a quick ping directly over the pole quickly followed by a normal ping out in the snow (at the ceremonial pole(?)). [If it was me, I too would want to make darned sure the track included an exact coordinate of 90 degrees south, directly on the pole, even if I had to stand there and ping it many times - or go back and manually add it later].

It doesn’t say how long the batteries are expected to last but it is charged via a standard USB connector - one can assume it could piggy-back on another device, even little solar cells - if they weren’t left back with the pilot. If they were, it would explain why the devices batteries might be becoming intermittent.

The web site talks about a “subscription” so we could guess that a “data-point” is initially sent back to the Shout Nano headquarters then either pushed to the expedition servers and database or had an API that could be queried by the expedition servers on an automatic basis (lets hope someone isn’t sitting there manually entering in a coordinate every hour or so.) We haven’t been told how often the Nano is set to “wake up” or if/how often Ben has sent a manual ping; but, they advertise their Google Earth waypoint “updates hourly.” If this stream of data is what is being used to build the track we see on Google Earth, then that also would explain why its track points aren’t automatically used as the location for the daily blog post and can be “misplaced” like they have been on occasion.

Lets hope that the “few technical difficulties” you mention is really only that the batteries are running low.

# Intrepid, December 29th 2013

Guys,

How you have the umpf for getting up, getting out, making tracks, moving forward, heading back… is so immensely incredible. Deep bows to your strength, stamina, endurance, perseverance, fortitude, humor, and keeping everyone in the loop.

Godspeed.

PS. Tarka, you and your family are a stitch. Good of you all to keep things balanced for the grump types!

# dj, December 29th 2013

You are correct, it IS “an awfully long way back to the coast” BUT it’s just few miles to where you left the Pilot, and it’s just over two weeks to the Beardmore!  [Perhaps even under two weeks if you would take a scheduled rest break. Thousands-of-years of human history and 25’s-of-years of scientific productivity studies aren’t specially dispensated because Ben and Tarka are on the Antarctic continent you know!

It doesn’t seem to me that letting us see a “snow angel” or two along the way would destroy your mission or even its mood. How about it?  A blog or two on the way back of what you did for some R & R (rest and RECOVERY)? [Yes, even considering your ‘tight’ constraints and timeline.]

# CaninesCashews, December 29th 2013

Hi guys,
To be honest my view is you are the guys on the ground, it is your blog and you can say what you like, if thoses were your feelings at the time (and after) it wouldn’t be appropriate to say anything different. Writing in the moment is sometimes the best writing.
Wasn’t it Hemingway who wrote about living life before you can write about it. You are the guys living it - so what you write about is up to you.
Keep cracking out those miles.
Stay safe,
Gav

# offroading home, December 29th 2013

Now at the end of the days travel the team has updated a final jump along the track of over 16 miles, making this another, probably hard won, 21 mile plus day of slogging!

# Intrepid, December 30th 2013

I’m not sure what day I tuned into your blog, or how your expedition came to my attention. Sure, I’ve had thoughts, but now I find my day full of thinking about the incredible journey you two are on, wondering how you are, hoping all goes well, that you get home safely.  I imagine you are having this effect on many people. No complaints at all ... simply fascinated! This past year was the first time I followed a TV series (actually, via computer). It’s the closest experience I’ve had being entrenched in the affairs of people I don’t know (though I admit I did go hang out where a bunch of writers from the 20s gathered as though 70 years later I’d be able to hear their spunk or be in the aura of their great writing). There’s a slight awkwardness to be remotely participating in such a historic event as your expedition, yet, it’s heartwarming to consider that bloggers may inspire you as much as you inspire us.

Hoping the kinks in your technical gear get straightened out, and that it hasn’t caused you any actual trouble on the ground. Also hoping you’ve gotten some good sleep.

In awe of your ongoing pursuit…

Cheers.

# torsten richter, December 30th 2013

Hello Kristoffer!

Thanks for your answer. The book of Sienicki I do not know yet. Had but I know the woman Salomon records of Doctor Simpson taken consult and since that came out in 1912 and 1992 or 92 2 winters are knocked out and about 6-12 degrees colder temperatures prevailed. And only on Scotts route and Amundsen did not have to contend with average temperatures around 40 degrees. We now know much but you have to see the performance of the men with a time of time and thus Fiennes was right, who also has the necessary experience and he has the vision of an expedition leader, he was there and not as Huntford only in a warm room. And he lied in many things or many things could only speculate and not prove. Hunt Ford hated and loved Scott Amundsen. I have the greatest Respect ahead of Scott and his men and see their journey, as the largest ever conducted in Antarctica.

# Kristoffer, December 30th 2013

I hope you do not mind if I send you an email continuing our conversation, as otherwise we could be going off topic here.

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