Børge Ousland

Our folks and some staff are leaving Antarctica as the season is coming to a close. Here is Marc heading for the plane...

Wednesday: Christian called in earlier and reported that the flight was scheduled to land at Union Glacier around 19:00. That meant they could be back in Punta some time after midnight (our time)!

If the flight goes as hoped, with not interference from some bad weather that is closing in at the area, this marks the end of some fantastic months. We will update you from Punta, but ate immensely proud of having staged what is the most advanced open expedition ever. The whole team have both surprised and delighted us and their results speaks for them selves. For you following this, start bombing them with sms massaged so that their mobile phones will go red hot upon getting back online!

Jocob and Gøril on the plane back to Union Glacier after an Antarctic Crossing very well done!

Sunday: To their surprise, the Twin Otter came to pick them up. The weather did not look like easing until Monday, but suddenly the plane circled above! The weather was deteriorating and it was some anxious minutes before the pilot bravely put it down on their homemade, uphill airstrip with a horizon far fro straight. He was not impressed. But outs friends cheered wildly and it became a scrambled to take the camp down and get on board. A bit later they arrived back at Union Glacier – and the full circle was a reality.  50 days after leaving Union they were back. 1750km, across the Antarctic continent. In two days they will mark the 100 years date for Scott’s arrival at the South Pole…

But back at Union, a TABLE with chairs and lots of food and Champagne awaited them! Later on they were offered a shower and they relaxed by the fireplace in the mess-tent late in to the evening. Their smiles so wide it probably hurt. – In a few days they hope to fly pack to Punta Arenas.

Thursday morning / Hercules Inlet 08:55: Woaaaaw! They did it. This morning they reached the Hercules Inlet and with that their goal through these last 46 days and more than 1750km. It has been a fantastic effort and a crossing of Antarctica they can be very proud of.

They stared out yesterday 260km from Hercules, just before midnight they called in and had 100km left. The wind had been varying and difficult, but they had managed to balance out sail sizes and loads. Last night, they had a short rest before pushing on. Weather forecasts predicted the wind would die down later on Friday, so off they went.

Now they are very happy. They have pitched the tents and at 10:00 Chilean time they will know if ALE can come and get them. The weather right now is windy with partly poor visibility / white-out, but they were optimistic they would get the weather window the pilots needed. – Stay tuned. More to come!

Wednesday morning: another mix-day. In whit-out and variable low viability, they started out walking but were able to use the ski sails later on. After a short day and 40,3km they opted to call it a day. In camp it looked like the sun was beginning to break through, and that was first sign that the predicted wind for the following day may be right.

So, they rest and gather strength for what will hopefully be a long day tomorrow, Wednesday. If they are to reach their hoped for target of reaching Hercules inlet on Friday, they need wind. This means this is very much a home stretch. 260km left. They camped at S 82.3086  w 79.5887

Sunday evening: The wind came last night. It increased steadily through the day and just before midnight now, they had logged 158km. The had just camped to eat and rest for some hours before continuing. The wind was now 12-13m/s gusting at 15m/s. More will follow as soon as we hear from them again.

This is what they all a stare at. If this rises above the ground it means 5m/s and time for the kites.

Sunday morning. The last 2 days have been absolutely Antarctic stunners. Not so cold, cloudless and windless. Perfect for skiing. Not perfect for sailing. Or, nor chance of sailing. So the walked, and it looks like the same tomorrow.

Yesterday Jacob and Teo was a bit over enthusiastic and tried the big kite. It looked promising so the others left. But after a while the gave up and had to walk, pulling  extra weight the others had left them. The others made camp, and planned to go back and meet them, but think the guys came into camp before that – luckily with their usual smiles intact.

Again on Saturday it was walking that counted. They do about 32-33km a day. Like clockwork. The distance is good, but comes without pushing. They are now in the situation that they have some 10 days of food and 575km left. The walking will not get them there in time, but progress is essential. So they walk 30+km, that comes fairly easy and do not take any strength or smiles out of them. This way they stay strong and happy and have big reserves ready for the day the wind arrives. – But it is getting interesting. Rations are down to a minimum and if they get stuck at Hercules they may be ready for  an eating extravaganza…

jacob seing Thiel Mountains on the horizon. The first sign of there end...

Friday morning. Yesterday was another absolutely wonderful day – sight. The wind was next to nothing and they could not get the kites up into the wind. But, for some reason the big kite of which they have just one, carries and gave very good lift. Rory and Teo used that to good effect, and with lots of heavy sledges in tow they managed to sail off in to the distance!

The others followed suit and with little weight did 33km fairly effortless. And in camp they were greeted buy tents already up and all bags in place. Big luxury. The 2 sailors had arrived at the planned position 3 hours earlier and had gone straight to work. This is teamwork. Spirit is high, but the wind seems to stay away for the coming days.

Thursday morning: Yesterday was a beautiful day in Antarctica. Too beautiful, actually. With no wind they harnessed up and did some kilometres classic sledge pulling. It was no problem, even though the sledges are not light due to doubling up on equipment. They went long enough to sneak over another parallel and into the 85°. Tomorrow they plan on doing some 25-30km if the wind stays away.

They camped at S85.9482  W81.5840 at an altitude of 1540 metres.

Wednesday morning: Yesterday was another good day. They did another 82km before the wind died so they were happy again. The last days rolling landscape have taken them off the Polar Plateau as they have descended to about 1700 metres. That is more that 1100 metres down from the Pole and this makes the living much better. The temperature is up 10°C, the snow is better, the down west is off – it feels like summer!

Now they hope the wind that in the norm in this area will stay with them. The more the better. In strong wind they use the ski-sail, in less wind the kites. In very little wind they use 55 metre lines to get it high enough to catch the wind in the layer above. Not very easy, but once it is up there it is great.