Børge Ousland

Wednesday morning: What a difference a day makes! Tuesday started slow with now wind. They started out skiing and hauling the sledges. Then it picked up and soon they changed from cross country skis to kiting gear and up went the kites. They did very well, and as the wind gradually picked up the kilometres were ticked off. Late in the day, they changes to ski-sails as the wins by now was very (very) good.

At 100,6km they called it a day! Suddenly they are into the 86° as they camped at S86,9103  W81,7443 at ‘only 2018 metres altitude. And the smiles were as wide as Antarctica. It had been a very big encounter with nature to sail over the waste ice dunes feeling they were flying. More wind is predicted for Wednesday. Lets cross our fingers.

Flying north - but not looking all that relaxing... to fight a sail for 100km is hard work.

Jacob and Rory resting and planning ahead

Monday morning: They did not start the new year with a bang. But, as a Public Holiday, it should maybe be respected?

The weather for the next 2 days look very much better, so we cross our fingers. Yesterday was big chapter in Polar-Kite-Learning. And they hope that they can carry the feeling of the last couple of days over to the days ahead. Then everything went very well, and it is this patience and consistency that they chase.

The day was used for repair and checks to avoid stops. They also found out that they have some 17 days left of food for the 878km. This should be doable, but the strategy is to start walling tomorrow if the wind is against then. A handful of days slow and easy walking will soon add up to kilometres in the bank. – The spirit is great, and they are very much intent on reaching their goal.

Saturday evening: It was a semi good day. They sailed some 37km before the wind died down. It was not easy as they are in the middle of the sastrugi fields with heavy waves. It took some time to master kites, wind and al the direction changes to avoid being launched on a big sastrugi. – Quite a few falls, but generally the spirit was very high and it became very enjoyable as the day went on. It was all very beautiful with the rolling landscape decorated by the sculptoresk sastrugi and they got lots of photos taken (though no one came our way).

The biggest laugh was on the part of Rory. Suddenly he shot forward and got great speed on his skis. The others gasped I awe – until they all cracked down laughing. His bag had loosened and all his stuff was spread over Antarctica! It took a bit of backtracking to collect it all.

It was New Year, and they celebrated that here: S 87.81000000  /  W 82.4540000  at  Alt 2471 m

Saturday morning: Our friends in ‘Team Earthworm’ are still heading north in highly irregular leaps and boundses. Some is due to the wind – or lack of it, other to the angle but also due to normal problems while kiting. The last three days have given them 0km, 58km and 28km…

The 58 day was good, though the wind was at a hard angle and they were pushed away from the 80° Longitude they plan on following. Yesterday was short as it dawns on them that this will be hard work and that kiting out in no free-ride. Lines break, bindings malfunction, kites collapse or collide, sledged turn over in the sastrugi and fingers and toes have to constantly ‘play the piano’ to generate heat.

Still, they edge north. The niggling problems are not enough to dampen the spirit (just testing patients) and it looks like they will pass the 88° Parallel just before the New Years Celebrations!

Back, closer to home, another fight is taking place. Ottar is in hospital in Paris. The wounds he got in the way to the South Pole took a turn for the worst while in Chile. As he hasted back home (and to a job that refused to wait) these big frostbite / wounds between his legs (a very vulnerable place for polar explorers) was infected. On the flight over the Atlantic the pain grew to new levels and on arrival at Charles de Gaulle Airport he was sent directly to the hospital. There he has been operated on and is still heavily. He hopes to be transferred to a hospital in Norway early net week. The French one is quite French – he is in bed and have no Euro. They do not take his credit card and there is no cash machine there. So he has no tv, no internet no nothing. Boring food and just a wall as entertainment. Not much Moulin Rouge there… but wishing he was out there with the others.

Wednesday: They are now less than 1000km from the edge of Antarctica. The last two days became an on / off marathon as they tried to utilise the wind. This gave another 88,3km North, but all in all they recon they sailed some 150km as they searched for good wind angles.

They had to admit that had they been more experienced, they would have gotten further. But all in all, a good start. Now it seems they will have another slow day with hardly no wind. This may mean a forced rest day.

Tuesday Morning: Good news last night. The wind came and in pure joy they sailed 25km in a few hours. Then the wind died and they fought lines, kites and frustration for another 6 km.

But! 31 km and the South pole station gone from the horizon is great. Now we hope the wind will stay with them for some days so that they can get past the 88° parallel where the plateau slopes down and wind is (supposed) to be better for sailing. It was a very happy bunch that says hello. They really got the taste of the thrill of dancing with the wind. As soon as the wind picks up they will be out of the sleeping bags and on their way!

Santa recommends you visit the North Pole with our Last Degree Expeditions soon!

Sunday: Thanks for dropping by last night. Really appreciated that, and the kids loved it. Great too that you took time off to have a drink and a chat, – even though it meant I could not get the South Pole blog written. But those guys are still in the same place, so not much to report.

It was interesting to hear how inspired you were from following our blog. And you are right, their trip with the Ross Barrier, the Axel Heiberg Glacier and the relentless Plateau is incredible. I can see your point that it may be a good idea to move the Santa Home & Workshop from the North Pole to the South. We have also bee worried for quite some time about the decrease in ice up there. Out Last Degree trips there is popular, ‘cause we do not know how long our unique setup may work if the ice continues to melt at this rate.

For you it must be even more worrying. I hope we were able to give to some sound advice and facts. Our knowledge is at the highest level, and as you pointed out, no one else have contemplated staging and ‘Open Expedition’ along this very tough route (I know you called it guided, but that is not how we handle these kind of trips). We have helped lots and lots of expeditions over the years, and would be happy to support you in a visit down there. To have a look first, even though the Big Centennial Celebrations is over, Antarctica’s enormity, uniqueness and beauty will always stay with the very few that is allowed to go.

And the guys? On the positive side: They got a White Christmas! On a (slight) downside was another day of headwind. That meant staying put and more training with kites. They feel now very much ready to go. But, in the evening, they all got together in a one tent and celebrated together. Christmas Dinner was – eh – like all the others. But the dessert was 1 kg of sweets!

Christian, Silje, Jacob, Gørild, Teo and Rory

Thursday morning / South Pole (still): Our folks find them selves in unknown territory. Not geographically, but weather-wise. They need and want wind! That is not what Polar explorers normally do. But right now they want the wind to blow as it always do at the Pole, catabatically towards the coast.

Helas, – both visibility, wind and wind directions have ben wild the last couple of days. This is too bad, so they wait it out. (Ref Rory by his kite…). They could have walked off, as they will walk a lot on the way back. Thing is, the first part out of the Pole area is flat and nice and perfect for getting up to speed and get the hang of expedition kiting as a team. So they wait.

Right now Saturday seems like the best option.

In the meantime, the enjoy life at the Pole and write postcards. Gørild is leading with over 100! Will be interesting to see how many arrives home after having been dealt with by the  South American Postal services…

Rory meditating, trying to force the wind to return!

Wednesday / South Pole: It was absolutely fantastic to arrive at the South Pole. The whole team bubbled over with joy and proudness. And, to be fair, it was a stunning trip. It was one of the fastest ever trips from the coast to the South Pole. They did one of the big historic routs, they did a rout that is harder, higher and colder than all other routs in use. And they did it in style: No problems, no wounds, no breaking of equipment, no mistakes. They did ii unsupported and unassisted. – What more can be asked? That they also walked like clockwork in very taxing and harsh conditions says a lot of the determination and preparation that has gone into this trip.

The Days at the Pole has been bliss. The Jubilee Camp was still up and they have been able to sit on chairs! Being served food! Drinking coffee and chatting leisurely. And even had the od glass of red vine!!!

It has been a well deserved day and a great way to let the victory sink in.

But now it is all hand on deck. They are looking ahead as the group will be split up here.

Trond and Linn-Elise will head home. Trond’s plan was always to head home after the Pole. Linn have to because of the very late start. She is running out of time. They will be accompanied by Ottar. Both he and Jacob got severe frostbites on their own trip to the Pole. Ottar’s is not healing as fast as hoped, and that, together with the fact that he will loose his job if he returns late, he has no other option but to go home. But all had the South Pole as their very Goal, and with that accomplished whey will return happy!

Jacob will return to Union Glacier and rest there for some time as he lets his wounds heal before he hope to climb Mt Vinson.

THE REST: Silje, Teo, Rory, Gørild and Christian will sett out on their mission to cross Antarctica. They will use a combination of skiing and kiting and hope to do it in around 3 weeks. They have prepared hard and should be ready to leave some time today.

So stay tuned, This is not over at all!

Monday morning / Day 20: Just received a quick call. The whole team has arrived at the Geographical South Pole. The were very proud and very Happy. Right now Ronny (the Norwegian Extreme Expedition Kiter and super Chef) served them a huge bowl of fish soup and like was great. – We will learn more later in the day! Well done.