This week is about the second of two training camps required by expeditioners before they can undertake the traverse to the Rauer Islands.

Traverse Training

The second group got out this week to undertake their traverse training after a week of delays due to high winds.

Once the camp location was decided the Hägglunds vehicles were parked to provide a wind break for the camp site. On this this trip we utilised one large endurance tent and two smaller polar domes to accommodate eight expeditioners.

The endurance tent was used as a communal space for hanging out and cooking, also 5 people slept here for the night. The three tents and Hägglunds were all connected with an orange rope that was used as a blizz line in the event of poor weather conditions.

Weather observer Chris took wind measurements with a hand held anemometer to inform us the wind was only blowing 20 knots at this time, however it did pick up by morning which made breaking camp a little more interesting. Once camp was packed up we then moved onto Plough Island for more training before returning to station later that afternoon.

Glenn

The campground, with the red and blue Hägglunds vehicles parked on the left and fluorescent striped oval shaped Endurance tent is in the middle of the two orange Polar Dome tents on the right.
Chris taking a wind measurement with a hand held anemometer behind the fluorescent oval shaped Endurance tent.
Wide open space of snow covered ice, with a couple of rocky hills in the background and the Antarctic Plateau in the distance.
Glenn and Aaron wearing harnesses, standing at the back of the blue Hägglunds vehicle ready for crevasse probing training.
Derryn practicing probing for crevasses wielding a long metal spike while connected by a rope to the red Hägglunds vehicle.
Chris, Derryn, Simon, Richard and Kate reclining on sheepskin rugs in one end of the Endurance tent, with hot drinks.
Red Hägglunds vehicle driving across a snow covered dirt track at Pioneer Crossing, a short land bridge between two bays of sea ice. Pink and purple sky at dawn on the horizon.
Chris harnessed up and connected to the red Hägglunds vehicle by rope ready to lower himself off the edge of a snowy hill while Simon, Richard, Iain and Aaron helping with preparations in front of the red Hägglunds.
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