Category: Arctic
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Arctic Club Dinner
13th December 2014 Queens College, Cambridge A few months ago I was invited to lunch at the Athenaeum Club, and a very fine lunch it was too! Not only was I fed halibut but I was also asked if I would like to be a member of the Arctic Club. I have to confess that…
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Pulks
April 2014 Sweden Being in Sweden they should really be called Pulkka (from the Finnish pulkka) but pulks or sledges will do. The one we used was made of wood to a design of one of Svarte’s relatives. The design was so successful that it became part of the Swedish army’s equipment. It was light…
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Russian Meeting No2
1st November 2013 Davy’s Wine Bar – Greenwich Maxine and Dirk had kindly agreed to meet us for a chat over dinner. By amazing coincidence we found out about Maxine’s amazing exploits early this year when we saw a car with Russian number plates parked in Greenwich. Asking if Dirk was Russian he replied that he wasn’t…
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Some Notes on Sweden
Swedish Precision We know the Swedes make the best adjustable spanners in the world. This precision can also be found in everyday life. English Charlotte had put out the wheelie bin at the end of the road as the Dustmen were due in the morning. Sadly this task was very poorly performed by Swedish standards.…
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It’s the big ski race day!
17th February 2013 As usual before a race I tend to detect little pains in my body and I noticed a nagging little ache in my knee. I rubbed in a bit of Ibruprufen gel and packed a few pills in case it played up. Last night we were shown by Svarte how to race wax…
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Journey to the Centre of the World
Descend into the crater of Yocul ofSneffels, Which the shade of ScartarisCaresses, Before the kalends of JulyAudacious traveller, And you willReach the centre of the earth. I did it.Arne Saknussemm. So we are now moored on the tyre wall at the base of Snaefell Jokull. Our long warps are weighted by my splendid bronze chum…
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Ice and Whales
Position N65,35.66 x W024,41.75. Wind Flukey SW F1-4 I am feeling a little bit sad that we are not going to see Greenland. Perhaps we should have pushed on but decisions needed to be made and I think it was the correct choice. I would hate to need to seek assistance if we made a…
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Denmark Straight
Position N66,27.868 x W025,54.99. Dense Fog Sadly we have decided to abandon our attempt to get to Greenland. A grib weather file was showing really strong winds approaching the area of coast that we proposed to try to make landfall. As it was by no means certain that the ice would have cleared enough to…
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Into the Ice
Position N66,13.7 x W023,22.28. Wind – just dropped off. We had a highly successful visit to Isafjordur, no one arrested and no one injured. Siggi and his father were marvelous. Siggi’s father, Jon, gave us a huge chunk of wolf fish to take to sea. That will be our super tonight then a nice fish…
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Today is the Official Birthday of Jacobus Halsall
Position N66,26 x W023,10 Wind N F3 16th July 2010 The Captain and Crew of the Good Ship Sumara and the Good Ship Thembi and the Good Ship Aurora would like to take this opportunity to wish Jack Halsall a very Happy Birthday. As you are all aware Jack is the Expeditions Official Model Maker and…