News is filtering through that the Catlin Arctic Survey Expedition has been evacuated from the ice, less than half way to their intended destination. Details are strangely sketchy at their own website, but the operation takes two days and requires two aircraft - one to carry extra fuel.
So in the middle of May you can land an aeroplane on the sea ice nearly 500 kilometres south of the North Pole. Who knew?
Here are some other awareness-raising lessons about global warming from the Catlin crew and support team - a selection of quotes in their own words:
"All members of the Ice Team are healthy, with the exception of Pen’s tooth. Having sneaked some of his remaining birthday chocolate into his sledge, his tooth cracked when biting into it."
“I’m getting extremely frustrated with the stupidly cold temperatures that are making my life a misery, day after day."
"SPRITE, its pioneering Surface Penetrating Radar for Ice Thickness Establishment, and onboard sledge computer kit have, despite rigorous testing ahead of the expedition, both been disabled by the extreme conditions."
“The worst thing was I was trying so hard not to cry because I was wearing my sunglasses. They would have steamed up and then the steam freezes and I can’t see!”
"...the cold is all consuming and refuses to go away. I lie in my sleeping bag and close my eyes but it’s so bitterly cold that I’m always half-awake, shivering. All I can think of is that while I’m lying here we’re constantly drifting southwards... It’s soul destroying."
"If I am totally honest it is pretty horrid out here and not very nice but you just have to keep on going."
"The Catlin Arctic Survey Team have now been working in temperatures of below -40 degrees centigrade for more than 30 days. When the three leave messages... their voices often sound slurred and they occasionally muddle their words."
"Every living moment currently hurts for the Ice Team...Even the tent offers little sanctuary, since the team’s breath freezes to the tent inner overnight and they wake up entombed in a cavern of ice crystals.""We’ve all chosen to be here and nobody’s complaining."
9 comments:
"We’ve all chosen to be here and nobody’s complaining."
Imagine if they did? What would it sound like?
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OT
Looks like the O man is getting serious with Israel, latest demand is the signing of the nuclear non proliferation treaty.
(ttp://engforum.pravda.ru/forumdisplay.php?f=36)
in german,
Trying to find english source.
Orion
The above re. atomic weapons, apparently came from the Washington Post around the 10th or 11th May 2009. can't find it.
Orion
O/T continuing - try this link re Israel being thrown under the bus:
Jerusalem Post
"That plan, which calls for Israel to withdraw from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the Golan Heights and accept millions of foreign Arabs as citizens"
I knew there was an agenda in the Obama camp, but if this plan will be carried out, then good night Israel, either by fighting to the death, or by slowly suffocating under the weight of the extra arabs.
Orion
PS sorry MM for hijacking your thread.
PPS, I will star a blog and won't be a nuisance in the future, thanks MM.
Orion
All correspondence here more than welcome Orion. Let us know when you're starting up...
I can't believe it!
Tonight on SBS "news" one of these jokers was swimming across an opening in the ice to demonstrate how thin and fragile the ice in the Arctic is.
The mind truly boggles.
Orion
In the interview on the Catlin website, Pen Hadow says they were expecting to have to swim up to two hours a day, but that was the one and only occasion where they had to cross the water.
"The Catlin Arctic Survey Team have now been working in temperatures of below -40 degrees centigrade for more than 30 days."
And likely ill-prepared, per JMH: a case of dumb and dumber and dumber?
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