After a challenging day of heavy wind, we’ve reached N84?00’17”, E103?57’. All day we’ve had a 10 metre per hour wind at our back and have walked almost blindly. It’s exhausting, because the whole time you’re trying to distinguish features in the ice, trying desperately to discern the terrain. The ice has been very changeable and suddenly you’re right on top of something. We must have crossed ten or fifteen open leads today – fortunately finding a way across or around them all, not having to swim once. But they are rather spooky, as they fill up with snow. If you’re not paying attention, they can appear perfectly fine – before you suddenly step through snow floating on deep water.
Mike and I have been very careful and have managed well. Most of the day has been on young ice, a metre or so thick, which is very prone to movement. A number of times we’ve met fresh pack ice. But now we’re once again on older ice, and here in our campsite it’s far safer.
Since this morning, we have walked more than 20 km, but thanks to the northerly drift today and last night, we can chalk up a total of 27 km. It feels great to finally be making that kind of progress!
We are very tired after walking almost blindly for 9.5 hours. Now we’re looking forward to a good night’s sleep. Just finished our dinner.
Hey! You guys be quiet up there! Nice suits.