As we unclipped our harnesses from our tired shoulders this afternoon we could see the Pensacola Mountains far in the distance. Etched subtly into the horizon the peaks heralded our first view of the landmass of the Antarctic continent. A huge moment for us and a real boost to our confidence. They are still over 140kms away and will take another week to reach them. Our route will take us through the Dufek Massif and up the Wujek Ridge, a steep icy ascent and our gateway to the Antarctic plateau.
23 hard won kilometres today as we cross the Ronne-Filchner Ice Shelf. Soft, warm snow and sastrugi as far as the eye can see hamper our progress and make us work for every metre.
Suunto Stats
Skiing Time 8h 50min
Distance 23.3kms
Gareth
Average HR 105
Max HR 152
Calories burned 6371
Richard
Average HR 110
Max HR 154
Calories burned 6652
We have experienced much warmer weather than we expected. Only -8 degrees Celsius today. We have been skiing in our Arc’teryx KYANITE LT HOODY which has been altered by expedition seamstress (Gareth’s amazing mum) Heather, with bright orange neoprene pockets to hold all our essential items communication devices close to our body whilst we are skiing, to avoid freezing. Most importantly this is where we have our chocolate bars and Roam Energy nut butters so they are accessible at snack stops.
