Latest News
Click GALLERY to see pictures from the 2005 race.
Send Gary an email
'DIARY..........
..... OF AN ARCTIC RACER'
Thursday 5th May 2005
Temp: -10C Distance: 22.2nm Wind: Strong southerly Weather: Variable Polar Bears: 0
Arrived at the finish at 2010. Yesss! It's all over, thank goodness. Never have I been more pleased to reach somewhere. The finish line is at a place called Isachen Mine 14 miles north of the 96 Mag North Pole and is visible from about 3 miles away. Those 3 miles dragged and dragged and dragged but we made it..... we are here and I don't have to drag a pulk or ski hour after hour after hour anymore.
What's more we came fourth and were only about 3 hours behind the guys who came third. Result... I'm over the moon. I'm also very tired as are Will and Vicky. Our time was 13 days 12 hours and ten minutes
The Scott Dunn Polar Challenge has got to be one of the most all consuming and intense things that I have ever done. It's described as one of the toughest races in the world and now having done it..... I can see why.
Tuesday 3rd & Wednesday 4th May
Temp: -10C Distance: 19.1nm Wind: Northerly Weather: Variable Polar Bears: 0
Currently camped 7 miles south of the 1996 Mag North Pole on Noice Peninsula. We need to go past it tomorrow in order to sign a chart that has been left there by the race organisers. Then it's a mere 14.2 miles to the finish! Plan is to get up at 4am tomorrow and spend 15 hours on the ice hopefully getting to the finish line at approx 7pm.
The last few days have been really tough. Although we're at the end of the race the miles still need to be covered and the 50 miles since Checkpoint 2 have been through strong head winds, poor visiibility and various surfaces of differing quality. Lack of sleep and physical tiredness are taking their toll. This really is endurance of the highest order; 19 days on the ice of which the last 11 have been in race mode. 300 miles covered with 22 still to go.
It's perpetual daylight up here now. I actually used the sun to navigate whilst heading due north ar 2am the other morning. Most surreal.
Time to turn in now..... It's not everyday that you visit the Mag North Pole.
Sunday 1st May
Temp: -10C Weather: Fine. Polar Bears: 0
Up at 6am to a find a strong northerly wind had buffeted the tent for the four hours that we had been asleep. The pulks were completely covered in snow and had to be dug out.
Upon setting off the wind was right in our faces so it was a full balaclava, goggles, wrap-up affair with GPS navigation because the visibility was very poor. Snow was being whipped up and blasted constantly across the landscape. I took one of my gloves off and it blew out of my hand. I chased it fruitlessly, stumbling all falling till out of breath. I eventually gave up and when I turned round Will and Vicky had disapeared in the haze. I followed my footseps back and it made me realize how easy it would be to get lost out here.
Kept going for 12 hours, put the tent up and had a meal 7.6 miles short of Checkpoint 2. Then dragged ourselves back outside for a final push. Got to the checkpoint at 3.30am.....covered 70 miles in 64 hours with only 10 hours sleep.
Only 72 miles to go now so should be finished by Thursday afternoon and have just been told by The Polar Challenge staff that if you want to send us any emails to receive at the finish (individual or collective) send them to sarah@polar-challenge.com. Do it asap as she won't be in her office from Wednesday. Sorry so matter of fact tonight v tired after efforts of last 3 days.
Friday 29th & Saturday 30th April
Temp: -15C, -10C Distance: 20.4nm, 25nm Wind: Light Weather: Clear becoming overcast Polar Bears: 0
Bade farewell by the Challenge crew at 8am yesterday morning at Checkpoint 1 with a bacon sandwich none the less! Travelling due north the 70.4 miles to Checkpoint 2. Visibility was clear but deteriorated throughout the day.
Skiing over frozen open water so the going is quite good. However there are large patches of ice rubble punctuating the otherwise flat surface. Giant slabs of aqua blue ice stick up like jagged teeth sometimes twenty feet into the air.
Camped Friday just in front of Polaris and Fat Face. Was up and gone by 7am as they were getting ready to go. I think that it's going to be a tussle between us three for centre of the field.
Today (Saturday) has been a torrid day of bad visibility and massive ice rubble fields. We spent five hours winding through huge slabs at a tortuously slow 1 Knot. It is now 2am and we've only just got off the ice after a 21 hour day. Covered 25 miles and are now only 25 miles from Checkpoint 2. Dog tired, must go to bed, as need to be up again in 3 hours to do it all again.
Thursday 28th April
Temp: -25C plus wind chill Distance: 14.7nm Wind: Northerly 25 knots Weather: Overcast, clearing later Polar Bears: 0
The 15 miles to Checkpoint 2 took 8 hours and we arrived here at 4.30pm. At 6.30 this morning as I fruitlessly wrestled a frozen tent peg out of the ice in the morning chill of -30C I did think to myself, "What am I doing here?"
I asked myself the same question as I hauled my pulk into a bitterly freezing headwind a little later on. It wasn't until I was sitting with a hot soup in my hand in the reception tent at the checkpoint that I realised enjoyment is generally retrospective in the Arctic.
The Challenge staff aren't allowed to tell us who has come through CP1 but judging by the tent imprints (cunning eh?) three teams have moved onto the next leg which means we are currently about fourth.
Polaris and Fat Face arrived just after us and that's all are here. Passed Cotswold again and they were still in bed at 11am 8 miles from the checkpoint ..... Completely baffled by their tactics.
Polaris told us that they lost their map on Bathurst and ended up going back 8 hours to try and find it passing teams going in the right direction.... all to no avail alas. Cracking onto Checkpoint 2 tomorrow which is 72 miles up the Maclean Strait where we then head into the grandly named Prince Gustav Adolf Sea.
MESSAGES: Will to Nick and Georgie: Warmest of wishes from the coldest of places! Have a wonderful day. Sorry not to be with you
Wednesday 27th April
Temp: -15C. Distance: 19nm Wind: Northerly 10 knots Weather: Overcast, clearing later Polar Bears: 0
Covered 19 miles in about 12 hours and are now camped in May Inlet, 15 miles south of Checkpoint 1. Today was really painful. First it was feet, then back, shoulders followed by general tiredness. Being physically on the go virtually 24-7 definitely takes its toll. It didn't help that the visibility was very poor this morning so all navigation is done by staring at the GPS. With white ground merging with sky and a heavy mist in the air it's a very odd medium to travel through. Pristine, cold, eerie; yet also slightly claustrophobic.
Seen no wildlife yet although Commando Joe told us yesterday that they had seen 4 polar bears, an arctic fox, owl and hare since Saturday. It must be the military training.
Passed Team Cotswold again this morning, this time at 11am. They must be travelling nocturnally, which doesn't really matter as it never gets dark here. Although it is much colder at night, probably by about -15C. Sunset is currently 2348 and sunrise 0315.
I really feel like we are entering the second leg of the race now. It's a time to get our heads down and grind out the miles... every hour spent on the ice is an hour we have over our competitors and closer to the finish and home. Just need to ignore the aches and pains and keep on chugging.
We hope to arrrive at CP1 at 1500 hours on Thursday.
Monday 25th to Tuesday 26th April
Temp: -15C. Distance: 20.5nm, 19.5nm Wind: Light Weather: Sunny and clear Polar Bears: 0
Horrible morning going across the top of Bathurst Island. Lots of incline and false summits. Although much to our surprise and jubilation made cracking time and emerged in a frozen estuary early yesterday evening. Camped and up at 5.30am for a 20 mile ski up Dundee Bight to the north of the Island.
Now only 30 miles from Checkpoint 1. Will hopefully arrive there on Thursday afternoon. Crept past Team Cotswold at 10am this morning, they were still in bed! Then bumped into Commando Joe just before setting up tonight's camp. We thought they might be in the lead as they have fourteen seasons of Arctic military experience between them.
Other than that it's very hard to tell where we are in the field, although you of course know from the live race area on the Polar Challenge website.
Giving it everything that I've got at the moment as are Will and Vicky. We're sticking to a strict routine that ensures we hardly ever stop moving when we're on the ice. We've covered 130 miles since leaving Resolute of which of those are in race mode.
As I write this one of the Challenge supply planes (probably coming back from Checkpoint 1) has just flown over the tent.
After CP1 it's about 120 miles to the finish, so nearly halfway there.... It feels like it though, everything aches.... A lot
|
Sunday April 23rd
Temp: -15C. Distance: 17nm Wind: Light Weather: Sunny and clear Polar Bears: 0
Up at 5.30am for a 7am start on the ice. It was bitterly cold in the tent this morning (-25C).
We've covered 17 miles today over Bathurst Island which is pretty good going considering the terrain. We also crossed the infamous Polar Bear Pass now which is a relief.
Probably 2 mores days on land then it's a bee-line for Check Point 1. Settling into the pace now although 12 hours of lugging the pulk does take its toll. Few blisters, back ache but nothing to worry about.
These dispatches might have to be dictated by Sat phone v soon to Polar Challenge as the batteries in the palm computer can't cope with the cold. So excuse me if they are brief.
Goodnight all. |
Saturday April 22nd
Temp: -15C. Distance: 21 Miles. Wind: Light Weather: Clear but cold. Polar Bears: 0
Race started to the crack of a pump action shotgun at 8am this morning. Sprint start now heading north the 96 Mag North Pole.We've covered an admirable 21 miles in about 11.5 hours and the pus just get heavier and heavier. Tomorrow we'll be crossing the land mass of Bathurst which is 50 miles wide with undulating the terrain. Any uphill gradient makes the pulk exnonentially heavier. Will also be crossing the infamous Polar Bear Pass in next 36 hours.
Feeling v tired as it's been a long day.
Thursday April 21st
Temp: -20C. Distance: 15.2 Nautical Miles. Wind: Southerly up to 30 knots Weather: Variable Polar Bears: 0
Covered about 15.2 nautical miles today in 8 1/2 hours. I'm going to switch to nautical units from now on because that is what our GPS are working in. And also we are travelling over water (albeit frozen) so it seems only right.
The weather was pretty wild today with a strong southerly wind blowing all day. It was -20C when we set off from camp 3 at 8am this morning, after about 4 hours there was a 'white out' when visibility went down to 50 metres. Snow swirls around your feet as it rips across the frozen ground making all the contours and undulations disappear. Skis slip into unseen cracks making the going quite tough. I must have fallen over half a dozen times today. I'm sure there is worse to come.
The southerly wind wasn't too gruelling because although it was strong,it was blowing from behind so you can get away with skiing in goggles and hat. Face on it would have been a balaclava, neoprene mask, hood up affair. There's definately going to be a lot of that in the forthcoming weeks as the prevailent winds here are northerly and north westerley. Today was a bit of a fluke.
Wednesday April 20th
Temp: -15C. Distance: 12 Miles. Wind: Southerly 20 mph. Weather: Clear but cold. Polar Bears: 0
Covered about 12 miles today in 6 hours. Now at Camp 3 with winds buffeting the tent and visibility outside worsening. Have a 17 mile ski to camp 4 tomorrow so will have to wait and see what the weather is doing.
After mentioning in yesterday's dispatch that one of the teams had seen a polar bear print, we crossed today what appeared to be a polar bear 5-a-side pitch! There were these big pads criss crossing all over the ice. Well pads with big claws. No bears though.
All the teams are still moving as a group and will do until the start line. Short and sweet tonight as it was my turn to cook and that takes up a lot of time. More to follow on the minutae of tent life in future dispatches. Time to get into my sleeping bag now in which I will be wearing; balaclava, hat, thermals, fleece, down jacket and boot inners. It's a squeeze and I'll still wake up covered in ice. Goodnight
Monday 18th to Tuesday 19th April
Temp: -15C. Distance: 22 Miles. Wind: Light. Weather: Fair. Polar Bears: 0
Left Resolute on Monday morning after a 'last' breakfast at the hotel. Fried potato and eggs with buttered toast has never tasted so good. I am actually writing this in the tent now after skiing about 22 miles over the last two days.
Had a communications problem last night so couldn't send any words back. Apparently the technology that I'm using to send this diary from the ice is pretty cutting-edge so is prone to mishap. When I press SEND it leaves my handheld computer where it is bounced off a number of satellites to the Explorer's Web in New York, it is then sent to the Polar Challenge HQ before being emailed to Jamie Clayton who updates my site. So don't be surprised if it doesn't appear for a day or two and is littered with typos.
Anyway all the teams are moving together to the start line. Since Monday we've covered about 22miles with another 40ish to do wmultitude of skills we were taught in 3 days.
So far 2 hours of skiing followed by a 10 minute break seems to work. Although for that 2 hours it's just you and your skis and your thoughts. Mine flit around dwelling on Louise, Seb and Bella (Hi team, love and miss you loads) to how I'm going to spend my 10 mins break and everything in between.
We're crossing pack ice at the moment with land on either side. Rubble, pressure ridges and an abundance of white. One of the guys from Team Deliverance saw polar bear footprints today. Apparently they were twice the size of his glove!
Message from Will to Bels.... Happy Wedding Anniversary for tomorrow xxxx.
Sunday 17th April 2005
Temp: -5Cto -25C. Wind: Northerly 2 knots to 40 Knots. Distance: 10 Miles Conditions: Variable Polar Bears: 0.
Just returned from our first 48 hour soiree into the great Arctic outdoors for more training. We left on Friday morning with clear blue skies and camped on Friday night. On Saturday morning it was blowing a hooley with poor visibiulity and this morning we were back to clear skies again and positively barmy temperature of -10C. However, what I am beginning to realise very quickly about polar travel is that the environment is completely remorseless. Any mistake, such as a water bottle left out of a sleeping bag all night is rewarded with a solid block of ice in the morning. A bit of exposed skin is a fast track to frost nip quickly followed by frost bite. Also experienced morning ablutions at -15C with a good headwind.... put it this way I didn't take a book with me! This is the final dispatch that I will be filing from base camp as tomorrow we start the four day 'slow walk' to the start line. So from now on it will be from the tent via Palm computer and sat phone. This is the warm up.... fifteen miles a day for four days. Weather forecast? As Leo one of the instructors says, "Who cares, prepare for the worst. Everything else is a bonus."
Thursday 14th April 2005
Temp: -22C. Wind: Northerly 2 knots. Distance: 2 Miles Conditions: Clear blue skies Polar Bears: 0.
First lecture started at 7am this morning on Cold Weather Injuries with gruesome pictures of swollen fingers and tales of the dangers of hypothermia. Apparently it's a court marshall offence to get frost bite in the Norwegian Army because it's completely avoidable with the right clothing systems.... like the ones that we have. It seems that the secret is to know when to take them on or off. Too many layers.... you sweat and get cold... too few, you don't sweat and get cold.This was followed by a series of sessions on communications, emergency evacuations off the ice, guns (we have a Remington 870 Magnum Express Pump Action Shotgun to deter polar bears) and navigation. The afternoon was spent shooting said gun, practising GPS training and a little skiing. This was followed by another session on sending info back during the race via the sat phone that eventually finished at 9pm. Still got loads to do before tomorrow as all sixteen teams are off for 2 days of intensive training on the ice in the morning; it will be our first expereineces of proper Arctic overnight camping at -40C. I'm concerned..... what should I wear!?
WEDNESDAY 13th April 2005
Temp: -26C. Wind: Northerly 20 knots. Distance: 6532 Miles Conditions: Clear blue skies Polar Bears: 0.
After a 2 day journey from the UK via Ottowa the Polar Challenge entourage touched down in Resolute Bay at 4pm local time. Resolute is an extraordinary place. a huddle of buildings smattered across a bleached white landscape with one solitary road conecting the airport to the town where everything but everything needs to be brought in by plane. The temperature is shocking at first and my newly grown beard has experienced its first shards of frost. The next few days are going to be a hectic round of kit and food allocation, a 48 hour training session on the ice and numerous lectures. It's nearly midnight as I write this and it's still broad daylight outside. Most odd. Sunglasses in bed tonight perhaps.
MONDAY 11th April 2005
Temp: 15C. Wind: Southerly 10 knots. Distance: 1 Flight of stairs. Conditions: Temperatate with occasional sunny spells. Polar Bears: 0.
It's was a pleasant start to the day with a dawn rise and a breakfast of bacon sandwiches and tea. I can handle this for five weeks I thought to myself until realised I was still in the UK. Had a tepid shower this morning with the bathroom door slightly open as part of my continued 'Arctic' acclimatisation programme. Need to man haul large bags from office to car tomorrow and find passport. Bella our 2 year has just stared into one of my cases and asked, "Are you taking all of those jelly babies to the North Pole Daddy?" I had to inform her that I was as they were going to make up 45% of my diet for the next five weeks. She looked disappointed and left the office. The tensions mounts...last day in Blighty.
| 
