Landing Bluff, Thursday, 13th December 2001
The weather was forecast to change today. Jeremy and Ric departed early to get ahead of the oncoming whiteout but only got as far as Law Base, about halfway to Davis. The visibility deteriorated during the course of the day to a 40 knot blizzard by late afternoon. A blizzard induced languor had started to set in and I snoozed for a couple of hours after lunch, then continuing to read "The Heart of the Antarctic", the epic tale of Shackleton's attempt to reach the South Pole in 1908. Somehow our misgivings about the Antdiv's 16 day ration packs seemed inconsequential compared to Shackletons' sledge party being starved for two months. Needless to say I'm sure that if he were still alive, he wouldn't have been impressed with the fact most of the new ration pack was 98% fat free, and that through some logistic stuff-up there are only 8 sledging biscuits in each pack (there should be 8 packets). Luckily, a few experienced individuals in our group had the foresight to spend a couple of grand on supplementary food ! Quite a lot of snow fell in the late afternoon and we all had an enjoyable dinner with our 'jack' rations, washed down with the remnants of Ric's goon. The forecast for the next day was not good either ! It seems that weather here is a rapidly alternating cycle of 2 days blizzard, 2 days good weather, two days bli.... In the evening I started dreaming that Antarctica was full of big trees and strange colourful birds, a dream I have had often.
Landing Bluff (LDBF) Technical Inspection
Landing Bluff (Druzhnaya IV Station) S 69°44'48" E 73°42'35"
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