Sir Ranulph Fiennes plans to cross Antarctica by foot...during winter

I just read that Sir Ranulph Fiennes is planning to break another record.

BBC article

The article mentions he will have the backup of two bulldozers pulling fuel and sleeping quarters while him and his skiing parter go out in front. It also mentions that he is 68 years old already.

I really admire this man especially seeing that I have experienced the Antarctic winter.

Is impossibility something we conjure up in our minds....? 

Whiteout

The wind is still having a blast.   Currently blowing rather mildly, in Antarctic terms, at 46 knots.  With the driven snow, however, we have visibility of maybe 10 meters.

I am still not 100% sure why it is called a Whiteout...

Winds of change

The weather has changed this past few weeks and the wind has blown nearly non-stop.  I think we probably only had 2 or 3 nice days (i.e. wind below 15 knots).  

What also changed was our (or maybe just my) perspective that this year will be long.  

Previously, some attitudes had the underlying concern whether we will cope with this year, with all the interpersonal differences, all the darkness, all the challenges this harsh continent will offer.

Now the preparations for the next handover need to start and suddenly this year feels too short.  Suddenly we have deadlines again, schedules, new plans and personnel for the next handover.  

Questions that now pop into my head include:
Are we ready to go home yet?  Have we had enough fun?  Have we experienced enough?  Have we grown (other than in waist size)?  Could we have done better?  What is next?  Have we been good and faithful servants?

Fortunately there is still some time left, so the questions answered in the negative can still be addressed.  

This picture was taken the day our team was left on the ice.  

Antarctica through a professional photographer's lens

At the German Antarctic base, Neumayer, there is (by the look of it) a professional photographer over wintering.  Some of his photographs are truly amazing, it is definitely worth checking out.

To Stefan Christmann Photography's Facebook profile 

Antarctic film festival 2012

It seems the site that hosted the Antarctic Film Festival 48 hour movies has stopped doing so.  We are in the process of uploading a few onto YouTube so that the ones that haven't seen these works of art can still do so.  (It will take some time but enjoy what is loaded so long.)

In the 48  hour section some of the favorites where the following:
SANAELand - Our very own (Not really a favorite outside of SANAE)
The Soup Soap - by Neumayer (the German base)
Season of Change - By the Aussies
Dumont D'Urville - The Polar Hangover - By another French base

The winner in the 48 hour category was:
Super Mario in Kergueland - by the French

There also was an open section where the Antarctic bases had more freedom and time to produce their films here are some of the best ones:
One Small Step - by Neumayer (the German base)
The Departure - By Crozet Station - Also French I think
Spinning Round and Round - By the Americans

Aurora

Another weekend is concluded with aurora.  Not the best we have seen but judging by the rate at which daylight increases each day, soon our chance to enjoy this wonder will be over.  

Newsletter 6 Published

Follow my pages to the latest Newsletter.  Enjoy.