#8: Day 8

Great weather again today! Sunny and not too cold, a little windy in the morning, but as has been the case so far, the wind dies off around lunch time leaving us with welcome stillness. We traveled over 21km today, a result of our increasing efficiency with morning pack up, navigation and the timing of our breaks. Go team! We have two drones with us on this trip, and Nia and James being the excellent pilots they are have managed to get some amazing footage. Below is a still shot from one of James’ videos that really captures what it is like out here! Thoughts: Today I was thinking about the sounds of polar travel. On one hand, when we are still, the environment we are in is devoid of sounds, flat empty plains and blank horizons in every direction. But on the other hand, the sounds that we do hear are so detailed and textural; the rhythmic shuffling of our skis siding beneath us, changing with the snow conditions from a sharp whizz over crisp surfaces through to a dull luffing in deeper snow; the squeaky grind of the poles as they pivot in the snow beside us, sending vibrations through our hands and up our arms; the groaning of the sled behind us as it navigates the micro topography of sastrugi and ski tracks. This is what I spent hours listening to today. I haven’t dug out my headphones from my sled yet, still finding enough stimulation in just skiing. However I do get jealous when I hear the outbursts of laughter from Nia amused by a podcast she is listening to! Tomorrow perhaps! Mardi