Bonjour Arnold:
Espero que este te encuentre muy bien a pesar de todos los desafios en la zona arctica ;-)
Que te vayas muy bien,
un abrazo muy fuerte,
Bill
Wells, BC Canada
Here is the translated version of the Blog, April 10:
A bathing day with obstacles
Everything points to one routine day. I appear to be inclined to write something about the expedition’s everyday life. Well, the temperature has fallen below 37 degrees, a colder record so far into our expedition. However, what a few degrees more or less can do in this deep-chilly-area? It certainly doesn’t increase the damned cold!
And so we unwind kilometer after kilometer. I have the feeling that in the meantime, I have found my marching rhythm. Only the sheer force is noticeable. Poldi must be making some cursing sounds.
Suddenly we stand before a big steaming water opening. Thomas climbs on some bigger ice blocks to look for a possibility to handle the open water. No chance.
The plan of our expedition leader goes like this: We fasten to both sides, front and back of Thomas’ sled some ropes. His sled, in comparison to ours is longer and higher on the sides. Then Thomas, whose whole body is covered with a plastic outfit that is indeed suited for the Polar sea, would swim to the other side of the ice shore. Then he empties the sled so that we could use it like a ferry. The three passengers, one by one, should lie down flat inside the sled-turned-ferry. Then the sled boat must be drawn and pulled up by Thomas. Our sleds also should follow that of the big brother’s in order to reach the other side of the shore.
Damned knots
Thomas gets into the special suit and now he looks like out of a Science Fiction film. We go to the narrowest place of the channel which is about ten meters wide. Because the ropes are too short, we extend them with a string which reminds me of a dragon's string. And then something happens which seems should happen to anyone who allows dragons to rise! Exactly at the moment when Thomas enters the water, the string gets entangled. Now we must take off the gloves to disentangle the knot. At least, we succeed in saving so much string that Thomas together with his sled can reach the other side of the shore.
Running against time
Eugene, as the first passenger, gets in with belted ski and lies down on the back. The sled tends towards the head side, but remains on the water nonetheless. I am next in the row. Thomas reminds us to hurry, because the channel further opens. The crossing is very pleasant. I lie on the back, look in the beaming blue sky and could almost forget where I am. Until the sled scrubs the ground and I must quickly climb up. The channel increasingly widens. While Thomas on the one and Frank on the other side draw and pull back the sled, looking feverishly for other possibilities to extend the rope. I loosen the tent strings, with bare fingers, because it would be impossible with gloves.
An amusing sea journey
In the meantime, all sleds including Arnold’s have crossed. Now only Frank is left behind. Just about now the rope comes to us. "Bring the ski poles!" shouts Arnold. Then together with Thomas, Arnold knots them to the already pieced-together rope. It is just long enough that Frank can pull the sled to himself and gets in. On the crossing he sings: " A navigation, that is amusing...". As soon as Frank sets foot on the shore safely, we shouted a cheer and relieved our tension along with it. That was pretty tight. The distance between both shores has almost doubled in the meanwhile. Good that I had lit a candle in the Cologne Cathedral before the expedition.
Ice-cold fingers
After the adrenalin-driven action, we tried everything to breathe life again into our ice-cold fingers. Shortly after, we get on the way once again. After nine hours, during which we completed 15 kilometers, we set up the tents. To the North Pole, we still have 32 kilometers to go. The incident today will certainly remain in our memory for ever. " Next time, I will wrap longer ropes ", says Thomas and grins.
Was macht Ihr da nur wieder für Sachen...und wie geht's retour?;)
Wünschen Euch morgen einen schönen Ostersonntag und vielleicht verirrt sich doch noch der Osterpolarhase bei Euch!
Liebi Grüessli Rita
Hallo, lieber Stefan, wir wünschen Euch ein schönes Osterfest bei schöner Sonne, wie wir sie hier haben!
Aber erfriert bitte nicht, sucht auch keine Ostereier, denn die Hasen sind alle hier.
Liebe Grüße, Lilo und Winfried.
Hallo liebe Abenteurer,obwohl Eure Wasserüberquerung
ja schon gestern war,bleibt mir heute beim Lesen der
Atem stocken....gut,dass Ihr alle gesund und trocken
das andere Ufer erreicht habt!!! Drücke Euch die Daumen,dass dies die erste und letzte Wasserrinne war,die auf Eurem Weg lag.Alles Gute für den "Rest" des Weges! Gruß Heidrun
Espero que este te encuentre muy bien a pesar de todos los desafios en la zona arctica ;-)
Que te vayas muy bien,
un abrazo muy fuerte,
Bill
Wells, BC Canada
A bathing day with obstacles
Everything points to one routine day. I appear to be inclined to write something about the expedition’s everyday life. Well, the temperature has fallen below 37 degrees, a colder record so far into our expedition. However, what a few degrees more or less can do in this deep-chilly-area? It certainly doesn’t increase the damned cold!
And so we unwind kilometer after kilometer. I have the feeling that in the meantime, I have found my marching rhythm. Only the sheer force is noticeable. Poldi must be making some cursing sounds.
Suddenly we stand before a big steaming water opening. Thomas climbs on some bigger ice blocks to look for a possibility to handle the open water. No chance.
The plan of our expedition leader goes like this: We fasten to both sides, front and back of Thomas’ sled some ropes. His sled, in comparison to ours is longer and higher on the sides. Then Thomas, whose whole body is covered with a plastic outfit that is indeed suited for the Polar sea, would swim to the other side of the ice shore. Then he empties the sled so that we could use it like a ferry. The three passengers, one by one, should lie down flat inside the sled-turned-ferry. Then the sled boat must be drawn and pulled up by Thomas. Our sleds also should follow that of the big brother’s in order to reach the other side of the shore.
Damned knots
Thomas gets into the special suit and now he looks like out of a Science Fiction film. We go to the narrowest place of the channel which is about ten meters wide. Because the ropes are too short, we extend them with a string which reminds me of a dragon's string. And then something happens which seems should happen to anyone who allows dragons to rise! Exactly at the moment when Thomas enters the water, the string gets entangled. Now we must take off the gloves to disentangle the knot. At least, we succeed in saving so much string that Thomas together with his sled can reach the other side of the shore.
Running against time
Eugene, as the first passenger, gets in with belted ski and lies down on the back. The sled tends towards the head side, but remains on the water nonetheless. I am next in the row. Thomas reminds us to hurry, because the channel further opens. The crossing is very pleasant. I lie on the back, look in the beaming blue sky and could almost forget where I am. Until the sled scrubs the ground and I must quickly climb up. The channel increasingly widens. While Thomas on the one and Frank on the other side draw and pull back the sled, looking feverishly for other possibilities to extend the rope. I loosen the tent strings, with bare fingers, because it would be impossible with gloves.
An amusing sea journey
In the meantime, all sleds including Arnold’s have crossed. Now only Frank is left behind. Just about now the rope comes to us. "Bring the ski poles!" shouts Arnold. Then together with Thomas, Arnold knots them to the already pieced-together rope. It is just long enough that Frank can pull the sled to himself and gets in. On the crossing he sings: " A navigation, that is amusing...". As soon as Frank sets foot on the shore safely, we shouted a cheer and relieved our tension along with it. That was pretty tight. The distance between both shores has almost doubled in the meanwhile. Good that I had lit a candle in the Cologne Cathedral before the expedition.
Ice-cold fingers
After the adrenalin-driven action, we tried everything to breathe life again into our ice-cold fingers. Shortly after, we get on the way once again. After nine hours, during which we completed 15 kilometers, we set up the tents. To the North Pole, we still have 32 kilometers to go. The incident today will certainly remain in our memory for ever. " Next time, I will wrap longer ropes ", says Thomas and grins.
Wünschen Euch morgen einen schönen Ostersonntag und vielleicht verirrt sich doch noch der Osterpolarhase bei Euch!
Liebi Grüessli Rita
Ihr seid körperlich und geistig gut vorbereitet!
Grüße zum Karsamstag!
Ute
Aber erfriert bitte nicht, sucht auch keine Ostereier, denn die Hasen sind alle hier.
Liebe Grüße, Lilo und Winfried.
ja schon gestern war,bleibt mir heute beim Lesen der
Atem stocken....gut,dass Ihr alle gesund und trocken
das andere Ufer erreicht habt!!! Drücke Euch die Daumen,dass dies die erste und letzte Wasserrinne war,die auf Eurem Weg lag.Alles Gute für den "Rest" des Weges! Gruß Heidrun