Snow, Fog and a Wheel of Ice!

Our team on board the Plancius reports that the weather is quite mild for South Georgia standards. The sea level temperature reads 4 degrees Celsius / 39 degrees Fahrenheit with winds gusting to 25 knots. In response to a question we received yesterday, we asked the Plancius team whether they had encountered any precipitation. They report that they've had a couple thin, blustery snow flurries but nothing else up to this point.

On the subject of questions and the Plancius, Sharon from California asked us if the name Plancius has any special meaning. Well Sharon, Petrus Plancius (born Pieter Platevoet) was a Dutch cartographer, astronomer, clergyman and co-founder of the Dutch East India Trading Company. See one of his over 100 published maps below.

A Plancius Map

The Shack Trackers had quite an exciting day. The team broke camp and immediately set upon traversing one of the most difficult sections of the route: descending the very steep Trident Ridge. Half a meter of freshly fallen heavy, wet snow added avalanche and crevasse danger to topographical challenge. 

To allay these dangers, the guide team carefully evaluated the various options for descent and chose the route with the least risk. In addition to other evaluation methods they created a 300 lb "wheel" of snow and ice measuring approximately one meter in diameter, and from the lip of the Trident Ridge they rolled it over the ledge where it rolled perfectly down the steep slope--over 600 meters down before it finally toppled over, carving a path down the slope as it went. Thus partially relieved from fear of avalanches or snow-hidden crevasses, the team made their meticulous way down the slope over the next three hours, briefly resting at the bottom for their push to Nunatak, this evening's campsite.

Compare Shackleton's Memory Map to our Team's Route Map

As is often the case, the South Georgia weather patterns refused to fully cooperate. Falling barometric pressure sent snow flurries into the already foggy atmosphere. The team pushed on for five hours in greatly diminished visibility atop the Crean Glacier, named for one of Shackleton's companions.

The PolarExplorers Team Route; Yellow Dots are Campsites

Within a mile of Nunatak, the team decided to call it a day and pitched camp. Even though tomorrow's forecast calls for another 24 hours of low barometric pressure carrying the possibility of more whiteout conditions, the team is traveling quickly and meeting challenges efficiently as they go. So they don't mind adding one mile to tomorrow's itinerary.

When the PolarExplorers headquarters touched base with the Shack Trackers, Anja was polishing off her plate of beef stroganoff, and heading back for a helping of veggie pasta. Rick was checking in on everyone, sharing a nip of whiskey as he went, and all were quite well in the comfort of thermarests and dry tents.

Thanks for following, and keep the questions coming! We love 'em. Check back tomorrow for another update from the field!