74 Degrees North

arctic-mummy
Sat 2 Apr 2011 03:39
N74.41.690 W94.46.007

After lunch, Polar Slugs spent some time doing tasks for the actual race,
which starts next Tues. Sorting out food for each of the legs, toilet roll,
clean pants (LOL), treats etc.

We then packed up our pulks ready for another night out, further away from
base camp. Jock issued us with our phones and contact details for our
nightly call. before we could make tracks for our new base, we had to take
down our tent from base camp, by South Camp Inn. This takes at least an
hour, cleaning out all the ice, from both layers, clearing the snow from the
valences, taking down and rolling up the two sections, with semi broken
poles. Two pulks have the tent section on top, and mine has the gun, and the
two spades.

The weather deteriorated quite quickly this afternoon, and by the time we
were skiing to our new base, it was a semi white out and much colder. Our
goggles steamed up quite quickly, so we removed them, and as you can from
this picture of Rob we were soon covered in icicles. My eyes looked like
Katie Waisels from one of her X-Factor performances!

We successfully put up our tents (this took another hour!) dug our poo hole,
with snow wedges, and escaped to the warmth of the tent, where Chef Rob had
got the stoves going, made us all hot drinks, and started making the
supper.It took us a while to get set up inside, but we are getting much more
organised!

Supper for me tonight was chicken and rice which was quite yummy, followed
by rice pudding. Yum.

I have bought the rugged laptop and iridium phone out for this trip, kindly
provided by Pure Technology, to check that I can get it all working!

We are now 3 degrees further North than Gavin Henson, when they completed
the final of 71 Degress North!

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