2008-2009 Matrix Shackleton Centenary Expedition South Pole Update

A very different day today - 16.4 nm achieved but at some cost - the crampons didn’t hold up to much and it sounds like the team wish they had brought with them steel crampons rather than the aluminium which they have taken instead.

They weren’t expecting the Beardmore Glacier to be one huge sea of blue ice - the obvious benefit is that they can now see all the crevasses, less helpful, is the feeling of walking on concrete wearing spikes for 8 hours a day.

Progress will probably be slower as they have to deal with their crampons more from now on.

SITREP

1. Sitrep No 35 as at 0908 hrs GMT 18 Dec 08
2. Distance Covered Today : 16.4 nm
3. Total Distance Covered : 425.4 nm
4. Hours travelled: 7
5. Daily Average to Date: 12.15 nm
6. Days to RV on Jan 9 at 97 Mile Point: 23
7. Distance to RV: 268.39 nm
8. Distance to Pole: 365.39 nm
9. Required Daily Average to achieve RV: 11.67 nm

Best wishes

Bill

Bill Shipton
Chairman
The Shackleton Foundation

Expedition Website: www.shackletoncentenary.org
Foundation Website: www.shackletonfoundation.org

E: bill.shipton@shackletonfoundation.org

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