The team phoned in to report that it was an incredibly beautiful day, with virtually no wind and temperatures that hovered around -14C. That's warm! But the nice weather was the best part of the day because the ice conditions left a lot to be desired. It seemed that no matter where the team went there was another pressure ridge waiting for them. Each pressure ridge requires a lot of hard work to surmount. Chopping off blocks of ice and sculpting a path through pressure ridges is now standard operating procedure. Rick reports that the pressure ridges have been made up of old "multi-year ice" which means that the ice has been around for 3+ years and it is quite thick, with big chunky blocks that like to upset the dogsleds.
This rubble is small, but look behind them! Aye yay yay!
The team also saw the ice move today, which is always exciting. Tonight they are camped next to a recently frozen-over lead that is heading almost due north. They hope to travel on the lead tomorrow for as long as it will take them. Finding a northward heading lead that is frozen-over enough to support the weight of the sleds and skiers is like winning the lottery, especially after spending a couple days in areas of high pressure.
Leads that are frozen over can make for very fast travel.
Despite the difficult ice conditions the team made 7 nautical miles of northward travel and they finished at N89.34. 53. As the team signed off they were settling in for a comfortable night. Beef stew with mashed potatoes was almost ready and the team was finishing off polar pizza appetizers. Wendy Booker wants to wish a very special birthday greetings to her son Alex. Happy 22nd Birthday Alex! Check back again tomorrow for another update from the team.
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