Although not quite experienced, tourists are doing fine…
Published on 03.01.2012 - The South Pole Jubilee Expedition
The group of tourists (five people) guided by Christian Eide is going back to Hercules Inlet. Despite some head winds and sastrugis fields, they are making good progress and hope to be at Hercules Inlet on time.
When travelling in Antarctica, specially when long distances have to be done, one has always to make a lot of calculations. The days remaining related to the amount of food left, the distance remaining related to the deadline for the last plane flying out of Antarctica, the fuel left for cooking and boiling warter every day : in a nutshell, it's a permanent check up. One has to be permanently vigilant.
Even when tourists are on the ice, it's about the same.
On 2 January, Rory (the oldest of the group) has made the check-up already : they have 17 days left of food in their sleds and they still have to cover 878 kilometers. According to that situation they should swallow 51 kil each day. Not easy. But faisable especially if the good winds come and kite them down the Plateau.
But of course nothing is certain there. So Christian and his group have decided on 2 January, to start walking (or skiing) if the wind blows against the route. And not to stay in the tent and wait for the favorable winds like they did since they left the SP. Few kilometers more here and there can of course make the difference when the finishing line approaches.
