Day 4
Lat S80deg 29.901’
Long W80deg 26.821’
Altitude 817m
Daily distance 9.79nm
Sounds crazy but the tent gets too warm! The 24 hour sun radiates
through making it very pleasant but last night was too hot so didn’t
sleep well.
Got up early anyway so I could get a full day in before
the high winds came. It was so quiet without a breath of wind as I set
off and I reckon I could’ve gotten away with wearing shorts and a
t-shirt. For ten minutes. Then the wind started.
My next waypoint
is heading east (wrongly said west yesterday!) so with the wind being
SSW it was at right angles to my face. Not too uncomfortable but this
wind also shapes the landscape. That meant that I was crossing the small
ridges it creates. Not a huge problem but it stops you getting any
rhythm going. Occasionally though some are just high enough to stop a
100kg(ish) bloke in his tracks, especially if he’s using half skins and
pulling a pulk slightly heavier than himself. This stand-off in
suspended animation lasts only a few seconds until a few hip thrusts
gets momentum going and we carry on. Just glad nobody can see!
I
soon went past the Three Sails and although still in my periphery this
was now a blank whiteness in front of me where the compass will become
my friend.
The wind strengthened as the day wore on and I was keen
to get 9 hours in before it was predicted to hit 50 knots. I stopped at 9
hours and although not at its strongest it was interesting pitching my
tent. Before I do anything I clip it to my pulk to stop it blowing away.
That is unthinkable out here and wouldn’t end well. As I’m writing this
the tent is shaking constantly but holding up well. I have every
confidence in it and it always sounds worse from the inside. Looking
like another sleepless night with the noise but as it isn’t forecast to
ease until mid morning I might treat myself to a lie in.
Hoping to
complete the 11 miles to the next waypoint tomorrow so I can then start
to head south properly and fingers crossed the terrain is in my favour.
Downside to this is that the winds will then mostly be directly in my
face. As I was told a few months ago, things don’t get easier here, they
just get different!
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