(16.11.2022) Union glacier - Day 0

 After so much packing and 5 days of delays down in Punta Arenas, the team finally arrived safely to Union Glacier.

All is good, we started 0715 chilean time from our hostel.
We have done coms check, made a plan for our resuplys on ice, have given ALE our route plan and we have talked to the Doctor for a kit check here in Union.
Tents are up, and we are prepping equipment as I Write.
All is good!
Cheers!
:-) Bengt

INSPIERING EXPLORERS UPDATE FROM CAMP 1

The Inspiring Explorers Expedition™ team have started their journey to the South Pole!

Laura, Mike, Marthe, Nigel and Bengt have taken the flight from Union Glacier Camp, and their last glimpse of civilisation for the next 40 or so days. The ALE flight dropped them to the Messner Start, which is named after Reinhold Messner and Arved Fuchs’ 1989 Antarctic crossing.

From here the team will face their greatest ever challenge as they take on one of the harshest environments on earth, testing themselves, their resilience, and their endurance to its limits.

The team have shared this message:

We landed on the Ronne Ice Shelf after a long flight over the Ellsworth Mountains to the edge of the Antarctic continent. We were feeling very isolated once the plane departed. So far, we have completed 7.3km in amazing weather (no wind and stunning visibility) – Mike.

Day 2

First full day in paradise! We are slowly getting in to a rythm, taking our time now at the start. The team spirit is good, as is the weather. A tad more wind today. Made a nice camp, and the Norwegians are now working hard at aclimatisingc the New Zealanders to the smell of cod. We are confident they’ll love it by the time we reach the pole.
- Marthe -

Day 3

Spirits are high with the team today! The sun’s shining, the snows firm and it really feels like we’re settling in. We did six legs today, these consist of 50 minutes skiing, 10 minutes break and repeat. A beautiful day like today with the sun circling the sky above was a perfect opportunity to learn to navigate using our shadows. Important skills when the landscape is so similar in every direction.

Laura

Day 4: Kia ora,

The team has set camp 4. 7 legs of 50 mins completing a total of 15,7 km. Starting to get into the groove. More wind (6m per second) making for cooler conditions. Currently the general weather has made for a gentle intro to Antarctica.

Md Nw

Day 5: Heaven and hell?

Messner route - heaven and hell? Today we got heaven but (in Antarctic meaurements) with the temperatures of hell. Nice and toasty with -23*C, sun, and no wind, we’ve encountered small heat issues instead of the expected cold ones. The team is loving live, cruising through sastrugi and sharing our best dry jokes.
- Marthe -

Day 6: Marthes Birthday!

Marthes birthday today. we were tested with cold start followed by light snow. The afternoon was nice until we encounter our first taste of wind. Camped after 16.4 km. Marthe surprised us with a cheesecake she had dragged all the way from punta arenas ! Legend!!!
- Nigel -

Day 7: Update from the ice and the office

One week on the ice and we have just passed into the 83rd degree South!
Walking along in our train is an isolated experience, for 50 minutes at a time, for 8 hours of the day you listen to the whistle of the wind, the repetitive scrape of your pulk and the sqeak of your poles propelling you forward. Sometimes we listen to music or audiobooks but often we lose ourselves in our thoughts and surroundings. It could be monotonous, but in every moment it’s incredible.

- Laura

As they are about to commence their 7th day on the ice we thought it right to sum up.

EARLY SEASON DELAY:

The delays they had in Punta Arenas is more the norm than the opposite. Our team wanted to have an early season start for many reasons: be alone with no other expeditions around, no pressure from running out of time in the short Antarctic ’summer’ season, and lea-way in case of Covid outbreaks.But a few extra days meant even better preparations, more adjustments, more eating and more time to gel as a team. We had a super, little family that boarded the plane in Punta.

SHOCK ON:

Coming from +20°C in Punta, they were welcomed by -29°C and a stiff breeze upon landing ar the Union Glacier ice runway. The shock must have been total and we can only try to imagine what went through their minds…Thus, they delayed the flight out to the drop-off point by a day to acclimatise and get on top of mastering the conditions. The cold is painful, but it is skills and understanding that helps conquer it. That, pluss the human body being fantastic in adapting.

DROP-OFF:

Then they boarded the small Twin Otter on skies and flew ca 420km to their starting point. That in itself is en eye-opener. You fly and fly, and as you leave the Union Glacier camp and the surrounding mountains behind, you see nothing but snow, snow and what looks like eternal stretch of polar plains. It really dawns on you what you are up against.It is with a huge mix of expectation, butterflies, anxiety and curiosity you suddenly land at the edge on the continent. Out on the Shelf (the permanent ice-mass surrounding the continent) you have to trust the GPS to be sure where you are. All is perfectly flat, white and pristine.When the plane takes off in brutal noice and snow they were engulfed in roaring silence. - Now it was only up to them.

DREAM START:

In glorious polar whether they walked just a handfull of kilometres the first day. The Shelf is almost at sea level, and the drop in altitude from Union Glacier in the Ellsworth Mountains, knocked off 10°C. On top of that, the area has a different weather patters and greeted them with fantastic days, no clouds, firm snow and hardly any wind.You can’t even dream of better conditions to settle in, fine-tune routines and fall deeply in love with Antarctica.They have slowly settled in. Increasing the distance and hours skiing gradually. Today, at day 7, they may get close to 20km pr day. They are now well onto the continent. They are slowly getting higher. As the terrains rises the wind picks up. The catabatic system (wind following the terrain from the highest point towards the sea) kicks in and the trip gets gradually more serious.

As they round up the first week, they will be tested with increasing wind over the next days. When the pass day 10, the ‘honeymoon’ period will be over and they will know that lays ahead.

Day 8: Update

Finally we have encounted the infamous wind Antarctica is known for. We left camp 7 to a buiding Southerly that grew during the day. With higher winds on the horizon it was a friendly reminder of how inhospitable this place can be. After 6 legs (12,4km) we called it a day to set camp and shelter especially with the forcast rising winds. All in good spirits and having a great time.
- Mike -

Day 9: Rest day

Weather this morning was same as yesterday and the forcast sad it would be worce during the day.
This made an easy call for doing this to our first rest day.
We had a lazy morning and a lazy day. Reading books, watching movies and telling storries from earlyer trips. As always we had a good history lection about Antarctica from Nigel - today an extended verson about Shakeltons Ross sea party.
:-) Bengt

Day 10:

great to set off on the skis after a rest day. Feeling refreshed, we were met with fine weather and a gentle breeze. Our minds wandered in the morning as we got back in the rhythm. In the afternoon we encountered larger strastugi which made for more challenging skiing. The endless horizon beckoned us on. We made camp and enjoyed life in our tent. 19 km today. All safe and well.
- Nige -

Day 11: Sastrugi

Sastrugi - a russian word for waves of ice carved by the extreme winds ripping across the continent. A daily constant for us, since the beginning they’ve gradually got bigger and bigger. Today started with a grind, low light and the team teetering blindly across the ridges and troughs of the sastrugi. Our old friend the sun came out in the afternoon revealing a panoramic vista of dramatic sastrugi feilds with plunging gaps varying from 15cm to a metre high. The grind is real, but the views are worth it. One tired but happy team.
- Laura -

Day 12: Another crazy day on the ice

Strong SE wind picked up during the day, still good times. Pretty exhausting battle with Sastrugi formations for the last couple of days has drained some energy. Plenty of high fives and good vibes, and managed to capture this shot of the team as the light cleared at the end of day.
- Mike -

Day 13&14:

Team has had two big days. On day 13 we had a late start due to heavy winds, but managed to out in eight good legs in with whiteout, snowfall, and variyng temperatures. Experiencing a snowfall in antarctica is something elese - the flakes are delicate and has intricate details.

As the forecast predicted increasingly strong winds on day 14, the team decided to have an early start. The snow cascades in high speed over the sastrugi, and the wind leaves little room for mistakes. Everything left unsecured will fly away, and the windchill is a risk to exposed skin.

We are also happy to report that the kiwis have started to embrace the smell of norwegian fish - some has even taken the step and enjoyed the freezedried delicasies.
- Marthe -

Day 15: Audio blog

Day 16: A perfect day in paradise

The weather cleared and we banked another 18+kms in great snow conditions. Fresh snow in the gaps amongst the stragsis. Our sleds are getting lighter, but still battling some tough terrain. All in all life on the ice is good and we’re South Bound!
- Mike -

day 18: Exciting day, update from the team, and the office

The last two days have flown by. Yesterday we covered 21km and another 21km today. Tracking well towards Thiels Corner and our resupply point. Tomorrow we will beginning turning directly South after safely passing a crevasse field 6 km to our East, and can point directly at Thiels, with the ambition of arriving in 4 days.

- Mike -

Our team has now been more than 2 weeks on their way towards the South Pole. Since the plane left, they have seen nothing that could remind them that there are other humans on the Globe. It has been snow, sky, wind and themselves.

All that changed yesterday

In their plan is 2 depots. This to emulate Amundsen and his logistics for his trip. But due to unusual weather, there has been no chance to put the depots in place. And as the day-rations they carry was getting low, Bengt decided that he wanted some extra food not to run into trouble if the weather turned on them again.

Yesterday was a perfect weather window both at Union Glacier and out in the sector they are skiing. A lot of communication took place to organize an airdrop. To see and find anyone on the rugged, huge plains is next to impossible. So, they left the tracker on and stopped to give the pilots the best chance to spot them.

And in glorious whether the first sign of humans materialized as a spec on the horizon. Soon after the plane circled and then dropped a bag of food. Then it disappeared.

It was very successful And very cool. The whole team was bubbling with excitement and adrenaline from this ‘out of space’ visit.

But it was also a reminder of the seriousness of being out there. Look at today’s photo and we can all understand that landing a Twin Otter with skis in that terrain is near on impossible.

It is this knowledge that makes is so important to be well prepared, to not get too tired, to keep on the right side of all judgments and not make mistakes. 

To get an injury / needing to be evacuated is both very difficult and very risky in may parts of this journey.

So far, they are doing beautifully well. The speed is now just above 20km pr day, they are a well oiled machine with clockwork routines and very high spirit!

During the coming week, they will pass by Thiel Corner and the last Nunataks sticking up through the ice. The weather looks good with partly cloudy, a steady 8-11 metre pr second / gentle breeze in from South West.

Keep it up!

Day 19: Today we took a turn!!!

For the last 19 days we have walked in a straight line, on the same bearing, heading not quite South to work our way from the edge of the Continent and avoid some mountains and crevasse fields. Today we finally turned left! A monumentus moment turning to 152°. After nearly three weeks of vast white plains there are mountains on the horizon. We’ve set sight on Theils Corner and our first resupply and then.. the South Pole!
We arent heading directly South on the compass because we are heading to the geographical pole which is where the lines of longitude converge, the spinning point of the earths axis and the bottom of the world! We are going where Amunsden went.
Five happy explorers, one step closer to the Pole.
- Laura -

Day 20: Wind in the face, 20 blue degrees, cloudy and low contrast

On days like this we make the contrasts in our mind. Thinking, make plans for the future, remembering bits from the past that was forgotten a long time ago, and very often ideas for future expeditions comes on «internal» days like this.
We take turns going in front. In front we need to be fully focused, navigating by the wind and the angle of the sastrugies.
In all we did 20,2 k’s, a bit less than we hoped for, but with the high snow friction we are happy anyways.
Cheers!
:-) Bengt

Day 21: getting into the rutines

We are settling in our routines and beginning to know the gear. Building the camp goes faster every day, and our ears pick up on the small changes in the hum from the burner, letting us know that it needs attention. Although the days are longer, life feels easier. The team is good, the jokes are dry, and the sun is emerging from behind the clouds.
- Marthe -

day 22: Clear skies and little wind today

Beautiful conditions with temperature of -20. incredible views of Thiel mountains to our west. Weaved our way through small sastugi as we head south.  Minds wandered as we continue to be moved by the infinite vastness. Today we reached 85 degrees south after 21 km skiing. Another small milestone. Mind boggles at the incredible journeys and length of Amundsen, Scott and Shackleton’s epic heroic-era journeys. The team are starting to really appreciate and be in awe of those inspiring explorers.
Nigel

Day 23-25: Rest days!

Update from the ice. The team has arrived at thiels corner for a resupply before the next stage of the expedition. After 23 days skiing, we skied into Thiels corner after a easy 8,9km ski. Thiels corner is a logistics hub and fuel depot supporting transport across the continent and we met a kiwi/canadian crew dropping supplies. We’ve reloded with 21 days of food and have begun ythe second stage 550km to Pole. 
-Mike-

Day 26: 26 days in, 25 days of food left, 400km down, 500km to go

At this point in the expedition we have settled into a flow state, our routines are set, our timings precise and the team is working well together. We’re ready to tackle the next 500km!

The return of the sun after yesterdays white-out revealed glorious views of the Theil Mountains, its a welcome sight to have on the horizon. Every day we are grateful for the opportunity to be here. 

Today we take a moment to acknowledge our family and loved ones back home, while we are so far away they are never far from our thoughts and their love and support helps us on our way. Out here on the ice the five of us have become a little polar family riding the highs, lows and everything in between in expedition life. 
- Laura -

Day 27: All good!

All good, the team is working hard on the ice, so we didn´t get any direct blog from the ice. But we recieved a text message that said All good! :)

day 28: all good!

Yesterday, 111 years ago, Amundsen reached the South Pole. We are in awe of his speed of travel. Today saw us cover nearly 22km as the Thiel Mountains start to recede to our right. Gentle weather and reasonable surface for travel. Good to be in the tent and resting up before we rinse and repeat tomorrow.

– Nige –

day 29: Half way!

We’re halfway there!! We’ve just heard that our Inspiring Explorers™ team have made it past the halfway point!

Ticked over to our 4th week on the Ice living the simple life – sled, skis and slowly moving towards the Pole. Currently camping in amazing weather at 85’59,357 so will enter the 86th degree early tomorrow. Over halfway done and everyone is doing well and loving life. Changed to short skins and great snow conditions making for faster travel.

– Mike –

Day 30: What a day!

Sunny trough light clouds. A light breece and fantastic snowsurface. We pased 86 degrees!!! Our camp is at 86 13, we did 25km. Very happy about that.
Everything has become a routine now, the days are floating in to eachother and its hard to tell the difference from day to day - only the diaries can.
Cheers!
:-) Bengt

Day 31: 24 hours of sunlight§

A unique aspect of this Antarctic adventure is the 24 hours of sunlight. Completely new for the kiwi contingent, you lose all sense of time as the midnight sun rotates overhead. 
Without the cues of dawn and dusk to trigger our circadian rythm its easy to want to keep charging into the ”night“. The first few days at Union saw us working till late at night while still feeling like midday. 
We deal with the constant daylight by creating a solid routine. We work on the Chilean time zone to sync up with ALE and try keep our wake up and bedtimes constant. However if the weather is patchy we can easily shift our day. 
Some of us sleep with the luxury of an eye mask, while others use beanies to sheild their eyes. Despite the light, after a solid days work its the best sleep in the world. 

Laura

Day 32: These are the days

Epic few km’s in the bag as we head South. Snow conditions are perfect, big hill climbs today so knocked off a bunch of gradient. Currently at 1900m elevation, the altitude feels higher here, does anyone know why? 

86 deg 50min

Day33: These are the days

Epic few km’s in the bag as we head South. Snow conditions are perfect, big hill climbs today so knocked off a bunch of gradient. Currently at 1900m elevation, the altitude feels higher here, does anyone know why? 

86 deg 50min

Day 36: We’re well in on the 87’th degree

Terain is changing by the hour. Rolling hills, with ups and downs- sastrugi and flat. Sunny and overcast. Windy and at the moment no wind.
The days are realy going into eachother, we’re doing 9 legs a day, 5 before lunsj and 4 after. The camp is piched in less than 15minutes, and routines are mostly going automatic.
The team is happy, and we are looking forward to the 88’th degree.
Cheers!
:-) Bengt

Day 37: 24 december

Twas the night before Christmas, It was 25⁰ below,
Five polar explorers sat in a tent in the snow

3/4 of the way from the Ronne ice shelf to the South Pole,
38 days on the icy continent start to take a toll

Our bodies are weary, but our souls are alive,
Each day better and better, the time of our life

After a good day ski, enroute to the South Pole,
The team’s minds turn yonder to their loved ones back home

While not the kiwi summer or the Norwegian Christmas night,
Christmas in Antarctica still looks quite bright

Instead of the massive Christmas feast,
Polar explorers rehydrate a pack of reindeer stew to eat

No material gifts, wine or pavlova,
We will cherish the time here before it is over

Christmas is about family, friends and being together
And our polar family today makes expedition memories that will last for forever

So Merry Christmas! From the land of ice and snow,
Tomorrow we will ski onward towards the bottom of the globe

Your Inspired Explorers

Laura

day 40: Voice call

Day 42: The team have made it to their second food depot. From here they still have another 160km to go to the South Pole.

Update from Bengt:

Another milestone day today! We reached S 88°33 which meant the end of the rugged sastrugi and crevasses of the 87th degree and the welcome sight of our last depot!

The small flapping green flags and tracks in the snow symbolising the twin otter plane that dropped off our supplies and marks our buried dry bags of food. There’s nothing more exciting than digging into the snow, pulling out a dry bag, and opening the supplies you packed over 50 days ago. Seeing the treats that pre-expedition you decided to pack brings you a completely different level of joy.

This depot is symbol of the start of the closing of this trip. We now have all the supplies we need to reach the South Pole. It’s impressive and exciting, while simultaneously a bit sad as I’m not ready to leave this incredible place and re-immerse into the world. For now. One more week to soak it all in – all -30° of it!

Day 43: Rest day!!!!

After 18 days on the go since our last rest day at Thiel Corner, the team has taken a well-deserved rest day.  We cover approximately a half marathon a day, with a pulk full of gear behind us. It gets lighter every day but we get more and more worn down by the continuity of effort.

With the imminence of higher winds and cold temperatures it seemed a good idea to take our fresh supply of food and hunker down for a day of rest.
I slept for 14 hours straight…I ate lots of snacks, two dehydrated meals, caught up on my diary and prepared our 3rd and final Christmas celebration – Pavlova and Christmas crackers!

How lucky are we to get another day out here on the ice? The weather may be cold and windy, but the sky is blue and the sun is shining. We will tackle tomorrow feeling fresh, fuelled and ready to send it to the South Pole.
Mot Sydpolen!

– Laura –

Day 44: 31Descember

Blue bird day as we moved across the Antarctic Plateau towards the Pole. Currently at S 88°46 making steady progress South. Clear skies brought brutally cold temperatures and tough snow conditions, but rewarded us with a magnificent Sun Dog.

Loving all the messages of support and wishing everyone a happy new year and safe 2023.

Day 45: New Year’s Eve on the Ice

We are seeing in the new year in style, camping 3km north of the 89th degree. Today was another marvellous day where we went from some sastrugi to a dead pan of plateau, flat as far as the eye can see. 

It’s another level of cold up here, we need to adjust our processes, add layers and stay vigilant. 

This is a new years we won’t forget. 

- Laura - 

Day 46: 89th degree

The ultimate milestone for any polar expedition is to reach the 89th degree. Today, in the early morning we crossed over into our final degree, a momentous occasion for the team. We skied 9hrs and finished the day 93km from our goal — The south pole. Weather is amazing, snow conditions while tough are good and the team is pumped. Not far to go now! 
- Mike -

Thanks to our supporter Helsport, our team are using Spitsbergen X-Trem 3 Camp tents. They are designed for winter expeditions, sleep 3 people, weigh 5.91kg and when packed down measure only 50x24cm.

On reaching the final camp at the South Pole, Amundsen named his tent Polheim which means “house of the pole” in Norwegian. Several times during the South Pole journey, Amundsen writes about how hot it is in the tent. On the return journey from the Pole, Amundsen wrote on 14 January 1912:

“It has been so hot in the tent lately that several of us have to get out of the bags. Then we lie there in thin underwear on a skin on top of a large ice block – for the barrier is nothing but.

Day 47: One day closer to the pole

One day closer to Pole. Challenging conditions with flat light, low visibility and no horizon made navigating the focus of the day. The team did great work putting their compass and nav skills into practice. 22km covered. Cold day and everyone feeling the altitude but all in high spirits. We are slowly closing in on the goal.
– Nigel –

Day 48: 47km left!

We’re tracking awesomely right now, another blinder of a day and now only 47km to the South Pole. Short sleep tonight and back on the skins tomorrow. 

4 seasons in a day today with bad vis, winds and sweeping cloud banks roaming around on the Antarctic Plateau, before it cleared with a stunning Sun Dog right on what should have been sunset

23,2km Alt: 2775 Location: S89,34

- Mike -

Day 49: Update from Bengt!

We skied for 10 hours and we are now 22km from the Pole. The day was cold and windy, with a bit of sun.

We are all excited about tomorrow!!!

😊 Bengt

Day 50:

The Inspiring Explorers, Mike, Laura, and Marthe, with expedition leader Nigel Watson and guide Bengt Rotmo, arrived late on 6 January after skiing almost 1000km over 50 days to the heart of Antarctica. Congratulations team, we are so so proud of you!

150 years since the birth of the first to make it to the South Pole, Roald Amundsen, Antarctic Heritage Trust’s Inspiring Explorers Expedition™ has shown just how far the explorer mindset can take you.

Here are the team’s reactions to reaching the South Pole in their own words.

Mike Dawson: “It’s overwhelming to be here. It was a surreal feeling seeing the South Pole marker after such a long journey. Compared with my white water adventures, this was a long slow burn, every day walking towards that goal for 50 days.”

Laura Andrews: “It’s more about the journey than arriving. We had an amazing team spirit and that carries you through the high and low points. To have this continuous time in this pristine and beautiful environment where one minute you have perfect snowflakes and the next dramatic sastrugi – it’s just incredible.”

Marthe Brendefur: “I have so much respect for what Amundsen and his team went through now that I have experienced how piercing, cold and ruthless Antarctica can be. I love the expedition life – even the unpleasant parts. I loved pulling my sledge, using my entire body to move it – it was really satisfying!

We want to express our gratitude to Expedition partner Ousland Explorers, Clothing Partner  Norrøna, Photographic Partner Canon, Roald Amundsen’s House, Brynje of Norway, Fjellpulken, Helsport, Åsnes, and TrackMe NZ, along with logistics provider Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions for helping make this expedition possible