Today it is warm and raining, as a result you won’t be surprised to know that we are having something of a rest day. In fact we are expecting some wind to pass through and hoping that normal service will be resumed tomorrow afternoon. The weather is usually very stable as the area is generally in high pressure.

 

There was an excursion to the lake and some moderate salmon fishing ( three, I let the fourth go as he/she was small ). As the temperature has increased the bergs in the fjord have been dropping bits off and while we were having a good time ashore in the rain, Tim and Olly were fighting off bergy bits. This can be tricky when you are anchored and requires the use of the infamous bamboo poles and the bow thruster. Eventually we moved to the other side of the fjord. I expect they will follow us.

 

Yesterday was good. Olly and I set off to climb the peak directly opposite. After a scramble up to the glacier we climbed what was like a Scottish grade 1 gully for 300m and then scree and boulders before a fine ridge to the summit at 1100m. We were surprised that there was no cairn on the summit given that the other peaks in the area had them. Maybe a first ascent. We then descended another ridge back to the glacier, making the prize of a traverse. Meanwhile Tim and Gringo set off skiing and skinned the glacier below us and then we met them as they ascended our descent.  final descents for both of us were down the glacier, us crampons and Tim and Gringo skiing.  Not quite though as much to Tim’s surprise, Gringo announced he had only skied for four days previously.  Their tracks had a contrasting style.

 

Next we are hoping to go into the arm of this fjord or even a bit further North.