Dispatches Dec 1 2001 —> Nov 18 2001

Dispatches Dec 1 2001 —> Nov 18 2001

	Dec 1. Port to Antarctica
	Checked our feet in the morning for red spots and taped there, to avoid blisters. Fine day, average 15 kn/ 7 ms wind sky 7 octaves but clearing. Went past Nunataks the two peaks marking the entrance to lower Antarctica. Beyond these, King Bore the winter emperor reigns. Tough travel today, 8,5 km uphill. The 125kg/ 250lbs sleds are like fat anchors pitching us to the ice. But they are still 30 kg/60 lbs lighter then last year and the difference feels tremendous. The real pain is gone.

	Nov 30. Looking good
	Oh the beauty of experience. Made 7 km today in four hours, covering the distance of the first four days last year. Feels like we were here only yesterday. Most routine goes like clockwork and it helps that Antarctica welcomes us with awesome weather. 10C, no wind. Only drawback is that we were dropped a bit further than last year so we still work our way to the starting point of S80.00, mostly uphill. We time our routines for improvements: Setting camp 25 min, pitching tent 6 minutes. Tomorrow we will go five hours and thus work our way slowly up to the 8-9 target travel time. We must take it slow in order to minimize blisters and injuries.

	Nov 29. Promises kept
	Ten months ago, we were on this continent devastated to terminate our expedition after 62 days of hardships. So close, but so far away. That last night we wrote in our dispatch: Failure yes, but only temporary. We will return next year.A few hours later a mail came from our sponsor, Ericsson: And we'll be right there with you. Today we all kept our promise. We are at S79.55 W80.04. We left Punta midday in the Ilyushin and four hours later we switched to the DC3 for a short ride to the coast. There we waved good bye to Chris, Timo and Paul. And then we were alone again, with a thousand miles of ice.

	ExWeb update Nov 29, 2.50pm EST. The Eagle has landed
	or rather the Ilyushin safe and sound at 2.42pm EST. After about two hours of reloading into the smaller DC3 Tom & Tina flies to the edge of Antarctica. Then the adventure begins... More updates to follow

	ExWeb update Nov 29, 2.30pm EST. Almost there
	Just 15 minutes from landing at Patriot Hills. Cleared runway, good visibility and favorable winds 15knots gusting 22 should provide a safe landing. More updates to follow

	ExWeb update Nov 29, 11.00am EST. Take off
	The raging winds of Antarctica finally decided to take a rest day. At 10.40 EST the Ilyushin took off from Punta Arenas airport with destination Patriot Hills. The estimated flight time is 4h 20min. After landing Tom & Tina will jump straight into the waiting DC3 for another 15min of flying to the Expedition starting point at Hercules Inlet. More updates to follow

	Nov 28. Polar Tension and Climbers Tales
	We went to the airport again. All gear on, pack up, check out. Tension rising, butter and bacon out of the hotel fridge. Rachel read out weather reports from Patriot Hills. Wind is gone but clouds are back. We spent time with Constantin from Romania, a veteran Himalayan climber. We shared Everest stories and he told us about Chantal, Alison and Ginette, the fabled great alpinist women now all lost to the world, with whom all he had climbed. We looked in a book of poems written to Chantal after her death by her French boyfriend writer. Chantal climbed many major peaks, and tried to summit Everest eight times without oxygen. She named her expeditions after flowers and danced on tables after climbs. She was a strong climber but she is mostly missed for her joi-de-vivre. "You see", said Constantin "in all her drive and all her strength, she was just a normal woman".

	Nov 28. The Big Wait
	Had to return to the hotels last night after spending the entire day at the airport. The gusts at Antarctica were to close for a safe landing and finally we all had to call it a day. Today we had a lunch together at Kalifates, the base camp for the other South Pole expedition: Chris (Aus), Timo (Fin) and Paul (Can) their guide. We had carrot soup, a salad and other goodies before the monotonous diet of Antarctica sets in. We hang around in our expedition wear and practice patience. Everybody is really trying hard now to get us out to the ice. In an hour, we might be off to the airport for another wait. We need at least 4-5 minutes between gusts to land the bird. Keep fingers crossed.

	ExWeb update Nov 27, 14.30pm EST. Back on standby
	The expedition has just been sent back to the hotel from the airport. The wind is gusting at 33 knots from a sideway 80 degree angle. According to the pilot the wind cannot be more than 22 knots for the plane to be able to land. The waiting continues.

	ExWeb update Nov 27, 11.30pm EST. No news
	There are still high winds in Punta Arenas. The expedition has no choice but to keep on waiting.

	ExWeb update Nov 27, 7.30am EST. Waiting at the airport
	The expedition is at the airport waiting for the wind at Patriot Hills to come down. Once that happens the Ilyushin will get fueled and then - Take off. It's a nerve wrecking situation just sitting there and not being able to do anything. Next call is at 11.00 am EST. Keep your fingers crossed.

	Nov 26. Clearing skies
	Latest report says clearing skies and weakening winds. We are on standby the entire night.

	Nov 25. Wanted: A Horizon
	It's now 35 days since we arrived here, 25 days since we were scheduled to stand on the ice. Why? You ask. Well, part of the explanation is that the DC3 was way too late out of Canada. Now instead, we battle weather. No horizon, low clouds. We'll fly out all together eventually, skiers and climbers. For us, the danger lies in a shrinking deadline for the North. Today we met a team of Polar researchers and discussed the Amanda telescope. Then we chatted with Bernard and Natalie, here for Mt Vinson, checked out Sjurs new prototype polar boots and met with Doug, just returning from the North Face expedition to South Georgia. Adventure, business and science meet at the glass-veranda of Nouriega as it always has. In a hundred years, not much has changed at Lands End.

	Nov 24. To the Pole?
	Still here. Too much wind at PH. 3 hours standby. Watching TV and the phone. All personal gear is packed, so we eat out in our expedition clothing. We'll be ready in 10 minutes when the magic call comes in. Tomorrow Doug is back from South Georgia (check his updates at the news). We all meet now, old and new friends, most around for Mt Vinson. (BTW, thank's friends for the messages on the board. Means a lot). We watch CNN. Wonder if they'll get Bin Laden before or after we get to the ice. As New Yorkers, we carry an American flag found on a Manhattan street on Sept 11 by Jose. The dust still on it, the edges torn, but now on it's way to the poles of the earth.

	Nov 23. To the Pole!
	We are now on 6 hours standby. We loaded the sleds in a rush and anxiety rises. The last shopping for butter and bacon, the final details. Earlier today we celebrated Antarctic history in a luncheon at Noriega hotel (Shackletons place) with Sjur, a Norwegian polar veteran. Amundsen would have been proud of these men, carrying his torch so well. Sjur is not only very skilled; he is also tremendously helpful. Not out of ego or profit, but sheer compassion. Well, it's our last day in a bed for some time. We also just had a very large last meal. 6 months from now, if all goes accordingly to plans, we'll be battered, weak and broken down worse than ever before in our lives. And perhaps, just perhaps granted a great goal. Our chances are slight, but the hope is there and that's all we need right now. Let the adventure begin.

	Nov 22. Fly Away Big Silver Bird
	The sky is eight octaves (100 percent cloud), coming in from east, visibility 2 kilometers. Jako, the weatherman has introduced a new language in our lives. In plain words, the Ilyushin cant see the landing strip at Patriot Hills and so we wait. And wait. 40 hours standby.

	Nov 21. A Kiss for Safe Return
	"There is a statue of Magellan sitting at the towns square", said Damien. "One is supposed to kiss the Indians foot to be sure to return to Punta Arenas." We looked at him bewildered: "We don't want to return. We want to make it to the Pole this time." Damien smiled at us: "Well, maybe you do. Think about it." We thought about it. Then we kissed the Indian. The statue is a reminder of the human history of this place. Exploration, strive, courage. Today, we face other quests. Technology for one. Will the bluetooth network work on Antarctica? Will the PDA take the cold? The mobile in the pic is our Ericsson world mobile phone, with a Bluetooth built in. Behind is a Bluetooth card for our computer. Yes, our tasks sure differ from the old guys. But the building stones of the human nature remains the same. Now as ever our greatest challenge.

	Nov 20. Ice Fever
	At last, the DC3 has touched down on Antarctica, we are around 48 hours away and boy do we have ice-fever! The full expedition gear list is up, check it out here. Out of the 240-kg/500 lbs, food & fuel are 170 kg/350 lbs. The rest are the tech, tent, skis, clothing, medical, hygiene, navigation and stuff. It sure shows the essentials. An unsupported (no food & fuel drops) expedition is a very interesting task, in that it requires the similar math needed for a space journey. Too much weight and you'll lose speed, too little and you lose travel time. The space folks thus work with lightweight materials, tech and energy cuts and/or improvements just as we must. As ice and cold are near, we use some time to enjoy the nature to the fullest. We take joyrides to the countryside and prepare for our quest.

	Nov 19. The Adventure Relay
	We have checked in at hotel Jose Nogueria, for some last indulgence in civilization before the ice. CNN, a hot bath, some good food. But that's not the only reason. These last days before Antarctica, we are sleeping at the very same place as Shackleton did. This is where he stayed, after he had sailed here from Antarctica in one of the life rafts, in horrible conditions. Here, he pledged to the rich and influentials, for means to build a new boat and save his men, still on the ice. At night, we listen to the toll of the church bell, probably the same he heard when thinking of how to put his case forward to the bourgeoisie of this city. He got the money and went back for his men. Soon, we'll go the same way. The DC3 has left Punta Arenas. And that too just in the final hour. The arrival of cruise ships announces that summer is here.

	Nov 18. Pups' and nightly transmissions in the Land of Fire
	Looking for seals and penguins along the deserted beaches of Tierra del Fuego, we spotted something totally unexpected. In the grass, three puppies. No more than 6-8 weeks, they cuddled tight in protection from the strong Magellan winds. We got ham and milk. A red plastic box found at the beach made a perfect dog house, a fleece vest a warm blanket. The puppies stopped crying and fell sound a sleep in their new shelter. Late that night, we transmitted the dispatch from our car, using wearables and sat phone. This area is so remote, that transmitting by satellite is the only choice. The next day, we brought the pups to the closest fisherman's hut, where a nice girl promised to keep an eye on them.