“Chill, not ill, man,” was the catchphrase of a particularly laid-back, didgeridoo-playing schoolfriend of my brother, many years ago, and it still makes me smile now. And it’s true of course; on any decent polar expedition, there are so many critical factors that are utterly beyond your control (the temperature, the windspeed, the direction the ice is drifting) that you have to be able to stop worrying about what you can’t change, and only focus on what you can.
The hurdles that have popped up in my path recently have been largely man-made rather than natural, but the principle still holds true. I spoke to Andy this morning as he headed out to the runway at Resolute Bay to get on the Twin Otter ski plane that would fly to me here in Eureka, then carry us both to Ward Hunt Island (before heading on to Alert to collect Hannah McKeand). In quick succession the plane then suffered a flat tyre (apparently a major job if there are skis on the plane to remove), a hydraulics failure and a third undiagnosed mechanical hiccup that prevented them taxiing more than a few metres down the runway before spluttering to a halt. So, no flight today.
The good news is that the plane has been fixed, and my flight is now scheduled for first thing tomorrow. And my groundhog day at Eureka was interrupted by being given the chance to launch a hydrogen-filled weather balloon this evening, which made me feel like a big kid. Andy emailed me beforehand to suggest holding on to it and wangling a free lift to Ward Hunt, but alas I could only bounce a couple of feet off the ground...
Comments
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By Simon Jones on 26th March, 2008
That picture is too funny! I thought you said it was more like a hotel there? :-)
So have you caught up on your sleep now? I would imagine so, I mean what the heck is there to do in Eureka anyway?
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By Paul Deegan on 26th March, 2008
Hi Ben,
In his introduction to ‘Patagonia: Notes From The Field’, Yvon Chouinard wrote: “I’ve always chosen my climbing partners carefully… I learned that that someone’s value to an expedition could largely be determined by their storytelling skills. Lingering on the details of distant events, describing and interpreting the natural setting, waiting as long as possible before saying the obvious – these skills are not frivolous. They delay the onset of insanity. They help stave off boredom. And boredom is what causes climbers to move on, to start climbing when it simply doesn’t make sense to do so. Imagine that: storytelling to save lives.”
Seems to me that blogging on this solo venture is your equivalent of storytelling - with thousands of virtual expedition members.
Keep chillin’,
Paul.
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By Doug on 26th March, 2008
Hey Ben. Just read about you on Simon’s blog and wanted to come over and wish you a safe and successful expedition.
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By Mark Linder on 26th March, 2008
This is is a peculiar form of stress that goes with your calling! There are analogues like Paul’s mention of Chouinard. (By he way he wrote an excellent book about Patagonia, called Let my People Surf which is about finding people with compatible values). We are all geared up for “actions”, but it’s the “between actions” times that are the most challenging.
Wishing you the best of luck today.
Mark
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By Cas on 26th March, 2008
Hi Ben
Paul Deegan kindly gave me the address to this site , so now I can follow you all the way.
Love the picture, although I always thought the Ice Hotel was somewhere in Norway
Chill my friend, it shouldn’t be too difficult in those temperatures
Cas -
By Tomas on 26th March, 2008
Dear Ben,
Hope that you can start soon. I really hope you do it. I have written about you for my class newspaper. We will try to look at your website everyday. It’s really good!From Tomas, year 2 (aged 7)
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By James Carroll on 26th March, 2008
Hi Ben
I’ll take the credit for introducing Simon to you via TED. I’d love to be on that show, or even just attend. Do you know Iain Grant - Senior Medial Officer of the British Antarctic Survey ? he is a customer of mine. We supply him with lasers that heal injuries sustained out on the ice and snow. Did you know that some water based creams degrade with subzero temperature. Take paraffin based ointments instead. Good luck, if you need anything just ask (if you can).
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By Alison Lowndes on 26th March, 2008
Patagonia .. don’t know much about it apart from a great story by Simon J King (one of the UK’s “Hairy Bikers” & outstanding chefs) .. on a bike trip through Patagonia he suddenly found compelled to stop and have Che Guivera tattooed on his right upper arm .. [http://tinyurl.com/2f3pe4] .. wonderful storyteller too, laughed so much & thats what life’s about (along with pushing yourself to the limit of course).
x!x May the mechanical-gods be with you today, Ben x!x -
By Alison Lowndes on 26th March, 2008
Wow .. you must be getting popular, Ben .. “Akismet thinks my input might be spam” so my previous attempt to wish you well is now being “moderated”. Ahh, such is the online world.
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By Ben Saunders on 26th March, 2008
Well, the plane’s in the air… It’s due to reach me in Eureka at 1635UTC (an hour and 20 minutes from now) and the weather looks ok at Ward Hunt at the moment, so I *think* it’s all go.
I’m off to put my thermals on!
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By Nick Hancock on 26th March, 2008
Mate, getting bored of waiting yet?
I just started a new book, I’m sure you’ll recognise the first few lines:“Polar exploration is at once the cleanest and most isolted way of having a bad time which has been devised.”
From your blogs so far, I’ll substitute ‘bad’ with ‘good’ until I hear otherwise.
Think of you out there, and very jealous.
Nick
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By Nikki on 26th March, 2008
BRAVO, Ben! It’s AWESOME to have you out on the ice again! I wish you all the luck in the world on your new journey! You can do it! I look forward to tracking you all over again!
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By Brooke on 26th March, 2008
Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. — Calvin Coolidge
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By Alison Lowndes on 26th March, 2008
Awesome quote, Brook .. Here’s to your next post coming from Ward Hunt Island, Ben.
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By Jonathon Bradshaw on 26th March, 2008
Ben,
All this chomp about the icecaps melting, its getting colder up there by all reports and the ice is getting thicker, so I hope as soon as you get started the ice will be thick enough for you to break the record, bring it home!Good luck and make sure you don’t get ‘Arctic Willy’ - you are an inspiration!
Jonathon
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By Susan Stevens on 26th March, 2008
When the snow is blindingly white, know that there is a girl in Mississippi where the azaleas are in full bloom; reds, violets, pinks, bursting with color; and that girl will be thinking about you...treking to your goal. I’ll send bright, warm, colorful images in my wishes for your success!
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By pylorns on 26th March, 2008
Wow, I’ve heard of layovers, but you’ve definitely had a long one! Good luck and godspeed!
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By Moki Kokoris on 27th March, 2008
Ben,
After seeing the photo of you on that comfy recliner, I exclaimed: Oh! What I wouldn’t do to be in Ben’s boots. No wait! Those are Borge’s boots, aren’t they? I thought I recognized them. [she typed as she drooled]
But boot ownership aside, I am informing you that a sacrificial lamb has been offered to the Twin Otter god who, having been satisfied, assured me that your adventure shall imminently begin. [Yes, I know people...]
Here’s to your ultimate success!
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By Mike on 27th March, 2008
Hey Ben
Hope all is going well since I dropped you off at the runway in Eureka. Hope you didn’t have to swim across any leads yet. Good luck man. -
By Sean Chapple on 27th March, 2008
Awesome picture. Focus, focus focus. Think of nothing else, let no distraction take your eye of the ball, forget the outside world. The Pole is your target nothing else matters!
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By David McQueen on 27th March, 2008
You rock man! Proud of you on this expedition and hope now the tyre is fixed things really kick into gear.
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This journal is coming to you from the high Arctic, where Ben Saunders is attempting to set a new world speed record from Ward Hunt Island to the Geographic North Pole. The current record was set in 2005 by a guided team using dog sleds and numerous re-supplies in a time of 36 days 22 hours. Ben’s expedition will be solo and unsupported and on foot. Read more about the expedition and Ben