Tracking
the Journey
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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.
Uphill Again… (Day 48)
Day 48: S85° 41' 34.5", E159° 42' 56.88"
Duration: 9 Hr 15 Min
Daily distance: 20.1 Mi
Distance to go: 1202 Mi
Temperature: -26 °C
Wind chill: -39 °C
Altitude: 8428 Ft
Clearly when I said yesterday that the climbing was all behind us, I had no idea what I was talking about. I thought today would be flat(ish) but at times it felt like we were dragging our sleds through a deep-frozen version of the Yorkshire Dales. We've come up another 150 or so metres since this morning, but it feels like we've climbed a lot more and it's been another very long, very hard day, clipping into my ski bindings at 8am and skiing until I was swaying, weary in my tracks, finally unclipping them again at 8pm. It's been a cold headwind too, and I skied wearing my biggest mittens, full mask and goggles, with my face and beard becoming completely encrusted with ice as the day went on.
We wanted to cover 33km (20.5 miles) today and we've camped 600m short of that, but we're happy enough. Strangely, even though I still finished the day completely shattered, my spirit and morale were far more chipper today, and I spent much less time gazing into the abyss of self-pity, consoling myself with the fact that we can't keep going uphill like this forever.
We were sent several questions yesterday but it's nearly 10pm here so I only have time for a few quick answers now:
Q) Richard Pierce - "I raised my eyebrows slightly at your decision to leave behind your crevasse rescue gear - there will be crevasses on the plateau, too, wont there? Though Im sure you've thought this through more than I have in my freezing office back here in Blighty." None of the five teams in history that have passed this way (Shackleton, Scott, Swan, Worsley, Langridge) reported any crevasses at all on the plateau, and Dr. Charles Swithinbank gave us the impression we were unlikely to see any. If we do, they're likely to be ancient, massive and filled-in (like they were yesterday) so of practically no danger to us. Contrast that with the 110 miles or so of Beardmore, where we must have stepped over thousands of 'em. We deemed the risk from our last depot onwards to be negligible, and we still have gear (trace - the rope that connects us to our harnesses, three carabiners each, harnesses, etc.) that could be pressed into service in an emergency.
Q) Nicole Scott - "<3 that you quoted gangstarr you should stop and make some snow angels! Also with the constant cold weather how is the battery life on your Ultrabook holding up?" Ultrabook is doing amazingly - we warm it up in a sleeping bag for a few minutes but only charge the battery once a week and it's going strong. The keyboard has a few crumbs in it, which I may end up hoovering out if I get hungry enough.
Q) Nick Webb - "How many hours do you sleep a night? What time do you usually set off in the morning?" Not enough sleep at the moment! We seem to be averaging between six and seven hours. The alarm goes off at 6am, we normally leave the tent around 7.30 and are skiing by between 7.45 and 8. We're working on UTC, so the same time zone as the UK at the moment.
Q) Harlan - "When you descend the Beardmore Glacier, will the sleds go in front?" Good question! We've been thinking about this a lot, and have decided -on the blue ice descents at least- to put one sled inside the other (as they'll be pretty empty on our return) and to have one person at the front, and another clipped to the back, steering it as we go.
Comments
# CaninesCashews, December 12th 2013
Hi guys,
What a great ‘comeback’ after your doldrums yesterday.
Great mileage and I see its getting colder now so more face gear.
Interesting Q&A, I had been wondering about the light sleds on the blue ice - so that answers that!
Glad to hear you are a bit more chipper.
A joke (of sorts), Ellen DeGeneres said “My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty. She’s ninety-seven now, and we don’t know where the hell she is.”
Stay safe guys and keep knocking over those miles.
Gav
# James, December 12th 2013
Hi guys, you are going well. Very much enjoying following your progress.
Keep it up
# Ian Ransom, December 12th 2013
I have been following you since day 1 and have been inspired by your adventure. I did a ten mile walk recently to remind myself just what a tremendous feat you are undertaking. I live in Selborne, Hampshire close to the Oates family museum and will be revisiting it again this week. It really puts your undertaking into perspective when I looked back at the Pontin photographs and examine some of the artefacts from that earlier attempt. I would like to know how often the two of you find your mind turning to the early explorers, I can’t read one of your reports without having Scott constantly in mind. You both embody all that is good about the human sense of adventure.
# Rosie Vidovix Unsworth, December 12th 2013
Ben and Tarka, you are exceptional people… It is just wonderful to see you guys making history!
# Torsten Richter, December 12th 2013
Hi guys,
how many miles is it yet to the pole? Are their thoughts even when Scott and his brave men? I hope I can at some point make this trip, because exactly this trip I want to go too. I wish you good luck and strength for your journey.
# Rod , December 12th 2013
Ben,
You and your mate are blooming amazing.
We are all giving you a big cheer each and every day and will be sure to raise a glass of champagne to you and your continued efforts from Franschhoek on Christmas Day!
Rod
# Jerry, December 12th 2013
Amazing progress especially given the increasing challenges of terrain, cold, and exhaustion. How is the increasing altitude affecting you?
# Willie, December 12th 2013
There you go, it didn’t all go the way you wanted today, uphill (again), lower temperatures and a headwind, but a different perspective because your frame of mind was in a better place. Well done, 20 miles under the belt, hard won, but doesn’t it feel sweeter? Remember uphill with heavy sleds on the way out, downhill with light sleds on the way back. Hoofing, stay safe, stay strong, Willie
# Rosie Vidovix Unsworth, December 12th 2013
You must have passed the 1/3 mark by now. I’ll drink some champagne on your behalf tonight! Cheers…
# Kristoffer, December 12th 2013
Ben, I hate to break it to you, but Scott’s men did encounter crevasses as far south as beyond 86° S. Lashly fell into one (depth 50’, width 8’) on 25 December, 1911, while the team was approaching 85° 50’ S. So it appears Swithinbank is mistaken, and the possibility of running into crevasses remains.
# Jack, December 12th 2013
I thought you didn’t pay much attention to Apsley or other historic polar diaries, now you are quoting them.
# Kristoffer, December 13th 2013
You are mistaken Jack. I’ve said I treat Cherry-Garrard’s book and Scott’s diary with caution. I saw no reason to do so with this section of Scott’s diary.
# Bug, December 16th 2013
Kristoffer, why are you so non-stop contrary?
# Kristoffer, December 16th 2013
Because I’m not? Because I’ve been happy to answer schoolchildren’s questions?
# wonderwoman, December 12th 2013
My teenage sons, following your trip with me, asked: Why would anyone do anything like this? We had a very good conversation. Here are some of the reasons we could think of:
- If no-one ever tried to do the impossible things, the human race would be still living in caves
- Having it easy does not fulfill the meaning of being alive
- Going to the extreme makes you see so deep in to yourself, that you find all the essential questions of life merge: knowing yourself, knowing (human) nature, knowing God (or what ever you believe in) all become one
- If a trip like that is not worth making, then what is?
Million thanks to you guys, you are giving us all so much inspiration. We send you love from Finland and pray for you.
# Brendan Smith, December 12th 2013
Love following your progress (on the Blog, Facebook, and YouTube)! You gents are amazing, stay safe!