The Trio Is Preparing for the Final Assault
Published on 23.12.2009 - General Info
Eric Larsen is talking about their scant room for manoeuvre, which leaves very little room, under such living conditions, for amateurism.
Day after day, week after week, the blogs of Eric Larsen and his two clients are always so interesting. This time, on 19 December to be precise, Eric spoke to us about the scant room for manoeuvre that exists when they are in a situation of progressing towards the South Pole and then the sastrugi fields, the highest altitudes and the real polar cold arrive.
Here are some of his notes: "Most of the time, we travel within a minimal margin of heat and safety. If we wear too few layers of clothing and then the wind gets up, the body temperature can quickly fall and, in just a few minutes, we can get hypothermia. With frostbite hard on its heels. On the other hand, if we wear too many layers of clothing, we then run the risk of being too hot and of perspiring, which is the worst possible thing that can happen in the Polar Regions. If we stop when we are perspiring, it can become very dangerous. ...Our most constant concern therefore is to keep an endless eye on the snow, the temperature, the wind, the state of our body, our equipment, etc. When something occurs or something changes, we have to adapt to the new conditions without delay. That is how we can serenely approach the Pole ..."
On 20 December, Larsen and his two clients took a half day's rest, which was not part of the plan. Quite simply to gather their strength in preparation for the days ahead, which, in view of the fact that they are approaching the Pole and the polar plateau, are going to be extremely difficult.
