The Big Move Out

The Fires walk out of the guesthouse and Nybyen pulling their pulks with everything in them – almost, in a very organised fashion. Others leaving Nybyen earlier in the week had pulks on soft (i.e. rope) traces and it was like a comedy show watching the pulks overtake them, slide sideways and almost take out their colleagues as they walked down the hill from Nybyen to Longyearbyen. Isbjørn and Polarrev pulk out into Adventdalen, the wide valley which runs almost east west and the proper start of the expedition begins. Both Fires settle to travelling on the north side of the approx 4km wide valley. They camp 500m apart about 3km out of Longyearbyen.

Rein (Tim and his north Pole Gang) travel on the south side of Adventdalen and pulk as far as the mouth of Janssondalen, whilst Rype (Base Camp team) tidy up the loose ends in Longyearbyen and then get a skidoo lift with the remainder of the base camp kit to BC1 in Janssondalen.

Rype then set up bear defence, HF radio, and toilet. The first radio schedule at 2000hrs and Isbjørn are late! Polarrev use the correct format but are difficult to hear. The radio schedule is 2000hrs every night when the Fire is away from Base Camp. It is the way that Base Camp knows where the Fires are, how they are and a chance to pass on information. It is how we get the information for these updates so the information is only as detailed as we can glean from the radio schedule! When everything is working well it is also a chance for the Fires to chat briefly to each other. Weather still, clear, -20ºc.