© 180 Degrees Pole to Pole
Dear Friends and Supporters of 180 Degrees,
We have been at sea just over two weeks now since leaving the Falkland Islands. The Southern Ocean has been unusually and surprisingly benign. We experienced almost a whole week of sunshine and winds below 15 knots, which although pleasant has hindered our progress. In the last few days things have begun to liven up and we've experienced the first strong winds of the voyage so far with winds gusting up to 60mph.
The weather has become increasingly cold as we've sunk beneath the Antarctic convergence; where the colder Antarctic waters meet the warmer Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. There has been near continual fog, causing anxiety after hearing a slab of ice the size of Tasmania had broken from the Weddell Sea and is shedding icebergs to the east of South Georgia. After initially thinking we had company of a container ship or sailing vessel we caught sight in the distance of an enormous ice berg.
Now we're following 50 degrees south and about to pass the Greenwich Meridian making good progress towards the Kergeulen Islands where we hope to arrive and re-water at the start of April. If the winds favour us we should arrive at the South Pole on the 19th April, James' 21st Birthday...
Life on board has its own challenges. The day is broken up into watches and there are three watches each of two people. During the day the watches are 3 hours long and at night only two hours so our exposure to the wind and cold is not too great. When the sea is thunderous 40 feet mountains of water, the wind is beating spray and rain into your face and waves are breaking into the hull, tearing you from the wheel and flattening you against the deck, two hours is all you can manage before retreating below deck. We have a great stock of food though and have been eating a huge variety of meals. The most loved feature of Blizzard is her little heater, sitting in the saloon and the centre of attention. The only problem is that she grumbles and chokes out when the wind comes from the starboard side of the vessel so we can only enjoy her warmth half the time!
Thank you to everyone who has helped and given us confidence to set out into this massive void of Ocean. We are currently organising our arrival in Sydney and would firstly like to invite you to join us for a party but also to ask if there is anyone who might be able to assist us with logistical support or contacts with the media to maximise the exposure we can give to the messages we set out to highlight. There is much wind, waves, spray and ice ahead, but we have our sights firmly set on a warm and sunny arrival in Australia!
With Best Wishes,
Rob and James
www.180degrees.com
