Early Bath
One of our greatest fears is falling into a lead and being sucked down into the ten of thousands of feet of black Arctic Ocean. If you do fall in, survival time is a matter of minutes. At first you feel all right and start swimming a few strokes, but soon enough the debilitating cold will overcome you as the water instantly flushes your clothes. Next your boots will fill up dragging you down and panic ensues. Even if you reach the side the ice is slippery and the edges frail, breaking away with your weight. Now you’ll sense a strange fatigue and your attempts become ever weaker. Finally, a hypothermic calm will descend on you, causing a strange feeling of peace and sadness as you accept your fate and disappear under the ice.
In these circumstances the benefit of being a team cannot be underestimated.. Hopefully our training will kick in and if one of us does suffer an early bath the team will spring into action. The poor soul will be pulled out of the water, stripped and rolled in snow; yes, it sounds barbaric but this is the fastest way to dry someone as the snow absorbs the moisture before it freezes to ice. Meanwhile others will have erected a tent, started the stove and got emergency clothes out of the sledge. Our day will be over whilst we thaw out the unfortunate swimmer, but that’s a small price to pay in the circumstances.
The Full Moon
If leads are not bad enough then there is the phenomena known as the “full moon inferno”. The full moon brings on a high tide and rising ocean water. Whilst the worst affects are felt nearer the shore, the impact in the final degree is still significant. We have a full moon right in the middle of our trip. For a few days before, we will be aware of the restlessness of the ocean. Ice will move around leads, colliding with immense force causing deafening crashes like a freight train. Thin sea ice will move up and down in a wave action as we walk on it, and the danger of new leads opening up in front of us will be at its greatest. I wonder if we will get any sleep, or spend the nights thinking about the ground opening up below us?
Frost bite
Cold water brings us neatly on to the likely temperature and the thorny subject of frost bite. In these temperatures, the risk of frost bite is ever present. With our many layers of specialist clothes and by incorporating the buddy system where each person has a friend to watch out for the first signs of trouble, there is no reason why we should get frostbite. At worst we can expect a little frostnip, but with the right remedial action this should be treatable.
Toes, fingers, nose and cheeks are the favourite spots for attacks. Frostnip shows as white or pale yellow patches, with a strong burning sensation when tissue is rewarmed. It results in temporary loss of sensation in the affected area for up to one year. Definitely worth wearing those special Kevlar underpants and being speedy when answering the call of nature; a little pinky or a toe is bad enough thank you …. If not spotted and allowed to develop, frostnip can progress to frostbite. Signs are a red swelling of the area (often visible in the evening) followed by blue spots, often visible in the morning or right after travel. These then develop into black areas. If again untreated, the final stage is blood poisoning which can be fatal. Frostnip can be reversed if the area is warmed and protected, whereas frostbite can be kept stable but will not heal until we have left the ice. Prevention is key - so it’s all about being careful, being aware and trusting your buddy.
Polar Bears
Assuming we survive the open water and the cold the next greatest risk to us is the wildlife. Obviously, in these extreme conditions there is little wildlife to talk about, but what there is, is bad news. As a simple quiz, which would you prefer to see, half a seal or a thin arctic fox? It’s actually a trick question as both would signify the possible presence of a polar bear. At least with half a seal it might be a full polar bear, whereas an arctic fox just follows the bears around to feed off the few leftovers. Polar bears are a significant danger. They are the largest four-footed carnivore on Earth. Males are up to 11 feet long and can weigh in as much as 1,500 lbs, so that is just 7 times more heavy than Chris, the heaviest member of our team!
Polar bears are the most nomadic of all bears, travelling an average of 5,500 miles a year or 15 miles a day, which is faster progress than we will make. They are present all over the Arctic and are equally comfortable on land or in water. They are exceptional swimmers having been spotted more than 100 miles from the nearest land or pack ice. Polar bears have only two main focuses: to conserve energy and to hunt. Their favourite food is the ringed seal but in hard times humans will do just nicely. They depend mostly on their sense of smell to determine location of prey, so I guess the fact that we can’t wash for the two weeks won’t help us. Their white coats make great camouflage and they are patient hunters happy to follow and wait for prey over a prolonged period.
We will be on special watch for bears throughout our trip & will take a couple of guns for our protection. In addition to Alan and Pete, the guides, Andre, being a Swiss Army Captain, is a very good shot. One peculiarity is that it is illegal to kill a bear without following the proper procedure, namely to attempt to scare it off first. If the gun fails, apparently barking like a dog is not a good deterrent as bears are very inquisitive! Also running is not a good idea as they are faster than humans even with our skis, although of course you don’t need to be faster than the bear, just faster than your slowest colleague! Personally, I am going to take some anti bear spray. On the can it says please read these instructions before use as you may not have time in a real situation! Very helpful. Also you need to be within 8 feet of the bear which seems perilously close!
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