Day 6 of the Expedition, and their luck is holding
Published on 06.03.2007 - The Arctic Arc
Alain Hubert & Dixie Dansercoer
© International Polar Foundation
Despite having to cross a few rather impressive leads (50-100m) they are having a good time, and averaging about 20 km a day. The ice is pretty thin (30cm average) but also flat, allowing them to progress quite rapidly. The bad weather cyclonic activity, forecasted by the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute in St Petersburg, which was meant to take a hold on the area during the afternoon of the 2nd of March just touched them with the tail end on the 4th and 5th.
Michel de Wouters and René Robert, who filmed the departure and who are now with Victor Boyarsky in Golomiyanny (Cape Arktichewski) were not so lucky. They have been trapped there for the last three days by a raging storm that has prevented their MI8 helicopter from flying. With a little luck they will be back in Brussels on Wednesday night with the first photos and film we are all eagerly anticipating.
Alain's stomache problems of the first few days are beginning to clear up as his body becomes accustomed to the high fat content of their food. A few frostbitten fingers also meant less efficiency with the GPS - it is difficult to jab the right button when your fingers are swollen. A good dose of aspirin has sorted out the problem and moral is still high.
The joys of new technology and miniaturisation have also meant that Dixie was able to add a small sound system to their limited cargo, leaving the pair as happy as sandboys to have Mozart, or even Neil Young, wafting across the ice floes as they enjoy their evening meal. The good moments of life consist of such simple pleasures.
Visibility is close to zero, but the drift is still carrying them in the right direction, even when they sleep. This contributes to keeping the spirits high in the camp. Dixie said he had a good feeling about this one, praying for the favorable conditions to hold.
Latest news
- Position on the 6th of March: 83°04'55"N / 98°58'17"E (they covered 12km in 6.5 hours).
- Temperature: -37°C.
- Terrain: bad ice, flat but thin.
- Wind: 45 km/h.
