After an intense preparation and coordination, everyone was eager to embark on this monumental part of the journey: the Antarctic stage. The atmosphere was filled with a mix of excitement and focus as we geared up for what lay ahead.
However, we encountered some difficulties. On the first night, our fuel-filled sledges were buried under snow when the weather worsened, forcing us to spend an hour digging them out. As we embarked on our first full day of travel, conditions deteriorated significantly, leaving us to navigate almost blindly. The wind reached 8 on the Beaufort scale, just shy of a storm. Consequently, our travel speed dropped drastically, necessitating frequent stops. To manage these challenging conditions, we began rotating drivers regularly. Despite the difficulties, we covered 145 km over the day.
The following day, we faced a new obstacle: a sledge broke down. While transferring fuel, deliberating our options, and conducting repairs, we lost a significant amount of time. Additionally, two tires were damaged in the first 700 km. The expedition’s success relies on effective triage, diagnosis, and repair.Our three-week voyage aboard the ship has come to an end. We feel both incredibly excited and deeply grateful for this phase of the Expedition. During the journey, the team gained a wealth of new, useful, and fascinating knowledge while also getting acquainted with the operations and work onboard an icebreaker.
The process of preparing and unloading vehicles onto the ice turned out to be more challenging than we had anticipated. Adjustments had to be made, forcing us to stay on the ship longer than planned. However, everything was eventually resolved, and the team has finally begun its journey across the ice, heading towards the shores of Antarctica.
However, we encountered some difficulties. On the first night, our fuel-filled sledges were buried under snow when the weather worsened, forcing us to spend an hour digging them out. As we embarked on our first full day of travel, conditions deteriorated significantly, leaving us to navigate almost blindly. The wind reached 8 on the Beaufort scale, just shy of a storm. Consequently, our travel speed dropped drastically, necessitating frequent stops. To manage these challenging conditions, we began rotating drivers regularly. Despite the difficulties, we covered 145 km over the day.
The following day, we faced a new obstacle: a sledge broke down. While transferring fuel, deliberating our options, and conducting repairs, we lost a significant amount of time. Additionally, two tires were damaged in the first 700 km. The expedition’s success relies on effective triage, diagnosis, and repair.Our three-week voyage aboard the ship has come to an end. We feel both incredibly excited and deeply grateful for this phase of the Expedition. During the journey, the team gained a wealth of new, useful, and fascinating knowledge while also getting acquainted with the operations and work onboard an icebreaker.
The process of preparing and unloading vehicles onto the ice turned out to be more challenging than we had anticipated. Adjustments had to be made, forcing us to stay on the ship longer than planned. However, everything was eventually resolved, and the team has finally begun its journey across the ice, heading towards the shores of Antarctica.
