Arctic Adventure has come to an end. The first group returned safely yesterday and BSES is already hearing great reports of their experiences. The second group is due home this evening: flight SK0815, Heathrow Terminal 3 at 21:35.

Base camp manager Thea Campkin contacted HQ yesterday to say that the fires had all descended upon base camp and begun the big process of sorting equipment for their final move by boat back to Longyearbyen. Equipment is being marked for maintenance and checking, extra food is being boxed and counted, some YEs are reported to have washed themselves in the icy water, and everyone is looking forward to some non-expedition food.

In the image above we see the expedition team on the beach below Sveasletta. Here they are hanging clothes to dry and sorting food and equipment on large tarpaulin sheets.

Base camp manager Thea Campkin was able to dispatch a memory stick via snail mail, and the results are now in. This blog entry gives a closer look at expedition life in a typical Svlabard campsite.  Here we see YEs keeping warm and cooking rations over a small stove nestled among rocks for wind shelter.

Below, two rope teams stop during a glacier crossing, with all expedition equipment on their backs. Wooden stakes can be seen strapped to ruck sacks– This is part of the bear defence system in which a trip wire and “banger” system are used to alert the team if a bear enters their camp.

The long march–   Some fires have set off on ambitious treks over the mountains and icefields.  A few decades ago this part of an expedition was known as “the long march” and was only possible for the most fit and determined members of a team.  As for 2010?  We understand that Tor Harmer and Richard Payne’s team are a motivated group bent on reaching some of the furthest corners of Oscar II Land.

FROM ALOPEX FIRE

It’s a dark and stormy night except it was not dark! Evening was upon us as the Langoysund sailed slowly towards the site of basecamp which was to be our home for the next month. A few chunders later we arrived and set up our tents under the blazing midnight sun, after a few days of training learning skills that we would need to use when we got out on the glacier. Clare our missing fire member arrived soon after she had problems with planes! We then set out to spend time taking part in one of the group science projects which involved watching the Sveabreen glacier to see how much of the glacier calved unluckily our fire ended up with the night watch and it rained constantly. But we just made it through after seeing some amazing wildlife such as seals and some awesome glacier calving.

We then returned to base camp and squared away our kit to prepare for a one night mini-expedition for our first night camping on the snow (which was cold and wet) We then returned to base camp and some of the braver members of our fire went for a cold wash in the lake (Charlie, Alice, Katie and Ele)! We then began the challenging task of sorting out our fires food ration for the whole expedition which was down to our scarily efficient fire manager Alice. The rest of us tried to help but didn’t really! We then set out to our ice-training camp which was on the edge of glacier, we practised skills such as setting up ice-screws and ice-axe arrests which were good fun,

We all practised crevasse rescues before heading out in the evening to go walking on the glacier Katie decided that she would fall into a crevasse but she climbed out, we then returned to our ice camp and had a great dinner of ration packs which is pretty disgusting.

The next day we set off to return to main base camp on the way we went on an amazing ridge walk which enabled us to see some amazing views across the glacier and the surrounding mountains. After returning to base camp Trevor allowed us into the mess tent and gave us all a good hot drink which we needed!

Friday afternoon BSES HQ received an eagerly awaited sat call from expedition base camp. The team have had five days of clear weather with only moments of early morning fog– needless to say spirits were high when the news came in.

Spread out across Oscar II land, the fires have undertaken a range of mountaineering objectives and long distance journeys over the ice cap. As pictured above, the terrain is one of massive glacial coverage. The expedition reports that all members have been doing well to hone their mountaineering techniques, which they have relied on to deal safely with crevassed terrain, moving through difficult sections of glacier and mountain ascents.

Some fires have combined their field studies with mountaineering days, making observations and data collections on the move. Others have devoted days specifically to carrying out the science projects, and other days for peak bagging. People are fit and well with only a normal range of aches and ailments.

CL Trevor Clarke described the expeditions reliance on RIBs (rigid inflatable boats) of which two are in use from base camp. In the early days of expedition all YEs were introduced to safe use of the RIBs as they are used to reach and see other points along the Oscar II Land coastline. In many places the Oscar II Land coastline is a forbidding rock buttress, and in other places tall shelves of ice flow meet directly with the sea. The RIBs move together as a safety measure, seeking out the “beaches” as landing sites.

The Arctic Adventure expedition is basking in the heat of an unseasonably warm and sunny Svalbard – highs of 10 degrees! Making good use of the conditions, the YEs are being put through their expedition training. Everyone has been boat trained (see photo above, from 2008 Svalbard Summer expedition with not such nice weather!) and some YEs are currently up on the glacier going through their safety training, including mountaineering and ropes skills, and crevasse rescue. Everyone is reported to be fit and healthy and coping very well with the demands of the expedition.

With the YEs out and about, base camp manager Thea and chief leader Trevor are getting lots done at base camp. The fine glacier silt and grit is getting everywhere and causing trouble with some of the equipment, so they are working hard at making sure that the tent zips don’t clog up and everything is in fine BSES working order.

After several days of unstable weather a high pressure system seems to have come over Oscar II Land (pictured above) where the expedition have set off from base camp. Chief leader Trevor Clarke made a brief sat phone report to HQ Tuesday morning, and reports that all YEs are doing well, people are on track and expedition is going well.

The view from base camp is beautiful. To our right the Sveabreen glacier is calving huge lumps of ice into the sea, and the water is littered with ice – some are the size of a suitcase, and some the size of a few houses. The rumble as they break away from the glacier has become common place, and we do not tend to look up and watch anymore. The Arctic Terns are busy letting us know that they are nesting nearby by bombing us as we approach. Yesterday an Arctic Fox dared to walk past the pathetic little depressions that the Terns call a nest, and received an aggressive reception from the birds. We have seen a few seals basking on ice as well as popping their heads above the water. We have not sighted and Polar Bears though. The explosive trip wires are ready and waiting, as are the rifles, but I think that they are further North.

All is well here. The YEs have completed their briefings. These included medical information, how to fire the rifles, communications and boats training. I think that all of the YEs have been in the RIBS and have thoroughly enjoyed being on the water. After the training all fires have been out for a couple of nights getting used to their kit and discovering just how heavy their rucksacks can be. The glacier watch science project at the start of the expedition went well, and all fires returned from their location just down the valley having really enjoyed watching great lumps of ice fall into the sea from close range. Once that was over, they all left base camp for their adventure and science phase, and reports back from the fires is that all is well. There have been no incidents to report atall and everyone is safe and well and from the radio reports, morale is high.

The weather at the start of the expedition was just great, and enabled base camp to be established with ease. We then had two days of drizzle which was rather unpleasant as the fires were doing their three days away, and it was a little uncomfortable. Since that time, the weather has changed from just superb – bright and sunny for individual days, to overcast and a bit cold, but very little rain – just the occasional odd showers.

We had a visit from the Sysselmannen’s office, and I think that the party contained the head of the environmental office. She inspected the base camp site and passed us with flying colours – latrines and waste disposal all in order. They stayed for a cup of tea and were presented with some glacier mints as they left.

Some of the fires have planned to be out for the whole of the next three weeks, and some have decided to call back into base camp to resupply. The expedition is going well.

The Group 1 left Heathrow this morning in high spirits! They will be greeted in Longyearbyen by the Advance Party who have been very busy unpacking the container since Saturday.

Group 2 leave tomorrow morning, see you there!  -Jamie Abbey

(Expedition Coordinator)