May 27
We've had some pretty scary experiences with polar bears- three different encounters in the first week. Once we actually had a bear sneaking up on us while we were setting up camp, that next morning a bear came into actual camp while we were in the tent and pounced on our tent while we were in it, and then a few days later we had a very aggressive polar bear coming into camp and threatening us before we were able to scare it away. Here's a shot of our ski next to a bear track.
So it was pretty touch and go there for a while with those bear encounters; however, as scary as it was, it was still very amazing to be able to see these incredible and majestic animals. They're so well adapted to this environment, to be able to survive in this brutally pressured ice and open ocean, and it's a place where we've been struggling just to move forward. These polar bears are living and thriving, actually, and it's unfortunate that global warming is affecting their habitat so much.
It's possible that if warming continues at its current rate that the Arctic could be ice-free by 2050 in the summertime, and what that means for the polar bear isn't too good, because that means the polar bear will most likely become extinct because they live on the sea ice and hunt from the sea ice, and no sea ice, no polar bear. So again, while we are nervous about being in their home we are also very honored to be here, and hope they're able to continue to live and survive because they are a symbol of the Arctic and the true north.
For something completely different, listen to today's audio update for a briefing on our daily routine.
May 26, 81 48.07'N:96 59.92'E
The first thing we noticed today when getting out of the tent was the obvious change in snow consistency. It was wet and packable, which means warmer temperatures, and we were definitely surprised to find a 36 degree reading on our electronic Brunton weather station. Here's a pic of us cooking in the tent.
The other thing we noticed about today was that we are still drifting southwest. We are losing mileage while we sleep. So, in an effort to reach good ice where we can actually make progress, we headed off to the ENE - where good ice may be located.
Unfortunately, that is the exact opposite direction that the ice is pushing us. We made fairly good progress for a while, but still only managed almost 2 miles. Our progress is disheartening at best.
On a positive note, we took some time in the early evening before our meal of rice pilaf to examine our personal hygene (or lack thereof). Here's what transpired:
Lonnie: I decided I needed a shower and a hair wash, and since we've been saving on fuel lately, I melted some snow to rinse off with. The chilly part of the whole ordeal was the prerinse I gave myself with several fistfuls of snow. Invigorating to say the least.
Eric: Amazingly enough, I feel really clean. The dirtiest thing in the Arctic is us. So, instead of a snow bath, I brushed my teeth. I did, however, decide to make one radical clean up and change my underwear, which felt good, since I've been wearing the same pair since I left Grand Marais on May 2.
Listen to today's audio update for more.
May 25, 81 47.49'N:97 09.14E
OK, so today wasn't really a vacation day, but it's as close as it gets for us here on this jumbled mess of pressured ice we call the Arctic Ocean. Our schedule allowed us four hours of rest which we desperately needed. That meant we only traveled four hours today. With our drift now pushing us south and west that means we made two miles. Of course, we'll probably lose that gain by morning, but for now it's a small victory. Here's a shot of Lonnie scouting ice.
We thought we'd share some terminology we've been using during our day. We usually don't talk much except during our three short 5-minute breaks during the day and when we come to leads or pressure ridges. During such an event one of us might suggest one of the following:
Catamaran - Use two skis to tie the boats together and paddle across an open/semi-open lead. Lately, we've had to use our paddles to smash a path for the boats.
Boat bridge - We jam one or two boats into a lead and crawl across or, if we're wearing skis, walk sideways on the boat.
Long line - Somehow one person has made it across a lead, but now the ice is unsafe for another boat so we attach our two ropes together and the person on the 'north' side of the lead pulls the boat and person across.
Snacky - One of our few food breaks during the day
Take a peek - Means the front person will go ahead to scout a safe route across a lead or scramble up some pressured ice to chart the route ahead.
May 24, 81 47.50'N:97 33.80E
It's not much, but it's home. It's also not very spacious. But weighing in at only 3.5 pounds, and with a set up time of under a minute, even in the worst of conditions, it is one of the best tents we have ever used. Our Hilleberg tent is a welcome sight after a day of hard struggle. Today we traveled about 2 miles. This is a shot of us in the tent from our training trip on Hudson Bay last year. Photo courtesy Rolex Awards/Mark Latzel.
Inside, it is warm and comforting. It's roomy enough to stretch out and relax while eating or writing in our journals. If it's not foggy, the tent holds in heat nicely and we are able to dry clothes quickly. Each night our tent keeps us safe. Morning time in our tent is a bit different. It seems crowded and cold. After eating breakfast, the space seems smaller and smaller. Packing sleeping bags is a chore done hastily, in an extreme effort to be out and moving. Still, it is home and that, as they say, is where the heart is.at least for now.
May 23, 81 47.37'N:97 49.25E
The day started brutally slow and grueling as we negotiated through a jumbled mess of pressured ice and leads. We seemed to move east and west as much as north. Then it was onto some of the largest pans we've been on so far - almost two hours of travel without crossing a lead. It was truly amazing. Here's a shot taken this winter of what our dry suits look like.
After a quick lunch of two Clif Bars (eaten while sitting shivering on the canoes), we encountered two huge leads. These had some really thin ice on them and we changed into our Kokatat drysuits to cross. We could see the ice bending beneath our skis and the tips of our poles poke through into the sea.
We had one of our favorite dinners tonight - egg noodles with peas, dried caribou and bell peppers. Yummy. A special 'hi' goes out to all our friends at Greenpeace... we hear people are really taking action to help stop global warming.
Get the full report in today's audio update.
May 22, 81 40.85'N:98 34.45E
We are trudging across a literal and figurative sea of ice. This white expanse seems to go on forever. To us, it is infinite. The only thing over each horizon is more snow and more ice. This photo is our Brunton Solar Roll recharging the batteries for our electronics.
Today we seem to be making our way across larger, older ice pans. We definitely noticed a change in the quality of leads as well. We crossed over some of the largest leads so far. These are newer breaks, however, and have far less brash ice to negotiate through. We also ended up skiing across some pretty thin ice at times, all the while holding our breath and thinking about helium. We spent a good part of the day weaving east and west to find safe passage.
And of course it's snowing and blowing again which makes navigation a bit difficult. The conditions have forced us to take a minimum of three five-minute breaks during an 8-hour day. The tent is always a welcome home at the end of the day.
We've been getting extra inspiration from our skis, which is really helpful. Sarah and Kelly added some nice pictures and words to our skis that make great conversation pieces. On the down side, we tried to play the license plate game (spell words from letters on license plates) but didn't have much luck.
May 21, 81 31.20'N:99 12.76'E
Our sunglasses are working great, even more so now with the 1/16" of frozen sleet that accumulated on our lenses. Just when we thought it couldn't get worse, it did. Our word to describe our surroundings today: bleak. However, we managed to cover a little over 6 miles nonetheless.
It was difficult at best to see today and the sleet we ran into this afternoon was bad. It was another backbreaking day on the Arctic Ocean. For us now, forward is the only way home.
Listen to today's audio update for the rest of the story.
