April 6, Grand Marais
While April Fools passed with little high jinx, the newest member of the One World Team arrived in Grand Marais without his bags and little fanfare. John Hoelscher, Lonnie's Greenland Expedition partner and current OWE field logistics manager, has brought his south-of-the-equator Australian drawl and extensive experience to help with the final expedition preparations.
John's knowledge is critical during this final month. First on his list is to modify all electronic gear and make sure that it can withstand the rigors of a three and a half month Arctic Ocean crossing. He will also be testing and modifying the solar panel so equipment can charge inside the tent with the panel outside in the sun.
John's lighthearted demeanor and easygoing attitude are a great boost to office life. John will travel with us to the start in Siberia where he will stay on for a few weeks to coordinate any further logistics if needed. Then, he's back to Grand Marais for a month before boarding the Arctic Sunrise, our Canadian side logistics ship.
With four of us now (Lonnie, Eric, Ann and John) in one workspace, it can be a bit crowded at times. But hey, it's still more spacious than the tent we'll be sleeping in.
April 1, San Francisco, CA
A few days and a modest 100 degree temperature change later, we are now in sunny San Fransisco. After an unventful train ride back to Winnipeg and then home to Grand Marais, we had about 36 hours to unpack, check e-mails and pack again. Our time in Churchill, it seems, now was way too short.
It was strange to be back in Minnesota with the snowdrifts much smaller than when we had left. We had only been gone for two weeks, but already spring is arriving in northern Minnesota. It even rained on Wednesday when we drove to Duluth to catch our flight west. We maximized expedition business as well with a stop at Granite Gear to talk 'spray skirt' for the slacs. No rest for the weary.
Next up, a short flight to sunny San Fransisco where we have been hitting the media with appearances on all the major networks, some radio and even Mother Jones magazine. We also received a tour of the Moscone Center in downtown that has nearly one-third of its power generated by photovoltaic cells. It was amazing to see such a dramatic display of renewable energy use.
What's next, you ask? More Minnesota time. We swear!
March 29, Button Bay
It's hard to imagine our time in Churchill has nearly come to an end. There have been so many special things about our small adventure.
First, the snow and ice conditions have been incredible. We found long stretches of smooth wind-scraped pans as well as pressured ice that tested the limits of our endurance and patience. Weather conditions proved more severe than we'll find on the actual expedition, but we were still able to accurately gauge our future clothing needs.
The Arctic is a magical place where both space and time seem to merge. The air is clean and clear and many days we struggled for hours on end trying to close in on a distant berg that initially had seemed so close. One day was much like the next: we woke up, skied, ate lunch, skied some more, then dinner and sleep - yet each day was also incredibly distinct. There was the day when Lonnie fell in, the day we laughed so hard at apparently nothing, the day when we skied freezing into the bone-chilling wind for four hours and so on for seven different days.
How could we not love this place? Well, it is the Arctic winter and we spent seven days to help prepare us for the journey of a lifetime. We will need all the magic we can muster in the weeks ahead.
March 28, Button Bay
It's spring now, but you would never guess it. The temperatures seem to have been steadily dropping here on Hudson Bay. Two days ago we traveled nearly 12 miles in sunny skies. Today, the weather is decidedly different.
Each morning seems to be an exercise in willpower. Lonnie, especially, gets extra kudos for lighting the stove - easily the worst task of the day. Getting out of the tent and packing up is not much fun either. However, once moving, we tend to warm up quickly. Of course, the trick then is to avoid sweating. To remedy this we were sometimes even skiing in just our long underwear.
Today, we had to contend with cold temperatures (around 0 F) and steady winds from the northwest. Of course, this was also the direction in which we were traveling. The problems compounded quickly. First, we need to wear enough clothes to protect us from the wind and keep warm. Then, we have to keep our faces covered to avoid frostbite, which in turn, makes it difficult to see and consequently navigate. At any rest break, we immediately have to put our warm coats on. Our bodies cool quickly and we can only stop for a few minutes before we're freezing. Spring has not quite arrived in Hudson Bay.
Then there are polar bears. Earlier in the week, Lonnie and I had a bit of a laugh. Nearly asleep, we heard a slac move outside. Then, quiet - then another noise. I yelled out and ripped the zipper open to get at the shotgun. Lonnie grabbed the flare gun.
In the end, it was just the wind. The same wind that has been making our mornings cold, our faces tighten and life generally difficult.
March 21, 58 51.62N 094 21.52W
At 2:30 today we ran into a large section of severely pressured ice. Looking for a route through, we climbed on top of huge ice slabs folded on end. For as far as we could see, there was pressure. It would be impossible to get our slacs through that mess.
While glassing the distant ridges, we spotted a small, dark, cigar-shaped form =96 a seal. Our plan now was to ditch the canoes and get a closer look. Progress was smooth at first. We managed to find a path that angled toward the seal and what looked like an open lead. Without our slacs in tow we glided effortlessly on the fresh snow.
A slushy section caught our attention as newly formed ice and we moved even more cautiously. We were now within 100 yards of the seal. A few loud yells and the seal still lay unusually still. We mapped out a quick route through some consolidated pack in hopes of getting a closer view. We were now skiing in single file with Lonnie in the lead.
Suddenly, he was sinking. First up to his shins, then knees. As he leaned forward to grab for safetly, the ice kept breaking and sucking him down. He managed to reach behind with a ski pole and I was able to lean, grab, and give a good pull. We almost lost a ski, a pole, and never found out if the seal moved.
March 20, Button Bay
Once the film crew left, we took our first break to eat lunch. The slacs had arrived just that morning and we were able to take full advantage of them as arctic chairs.
A short ski later, we were on sea ice in front of for Prince of Wales. Built in the 1700's, it is still equipped with over 20 canons.
Travel from here involved stumbling our way over mile after mile of endless white. Weather conditions created a complete whiteout and it was impossible to distinguish any relief in the snow. One moment we were skiing on flat ice, the next found us plowing into a waste high snow drift and soon after stepping into space as we misjudged the width of the apex. For a while, the conditions were so bad that snow seemed to curve beneath our skis and over our heads. But we are camping out on the sea ice which is truly incredible.
Our new slacs have performed perfectly. They twist and turn well in the difficult pack ice yet still track nicely in the smooth snow. Lonnie's cooking has been tasty as ever and each new dinner is our favorite.
March 18, Churchill, Manitoba
"Did you feel that?" It was 4:30 am and we riding on a Via Ria train toward Churchill, Manitoba for two weeks of training and testing gear. A sharp jolt followed by a series of loud bumps made us understandably nervous.
The electrical fire, we would learn later, was simply a can of Pam falling on the grill in the kitchen car and exploding. The cause of the bump and jolt was the train derailing. When the smoke cleared, we learned that the last three cars of the train had slipped off the track. Luckily, we were able to unhook from those cars and continue on to the next town. It was the beginning of an adventure the found us in buses, small towns, restaurants and finally another train in Thompson.
After 48 hours in transit from Grand Marais, we arrived in Chuchill only four hours behind schedule. We were experiencing high adventure before even setting foot on the sea ice of Hudson Bay. Of course, we are now faced with the small dilemma of not having our boats - which didn't fit on the bus. (Although, the 120 pounds of sandbags that Eric brought along arrived unscathed.) Time now for Plan B.
Lonnie and Eric plan to ski out on sea ice and set up camp. The boats are scheduled to arrive on the train tomorrow morning. The boats will be relayed out to the pack ice where they will begin training in earnest. How will the slacs perform? Which boots will fit the best? How is Lonnie's cooking? You'll have to wait for the next update.
