Trip Reports

South Georgia Traverse 25 February to 20 March 2003

Written by Leader Greg Mortimer, April 2003

REPORT ON SHACKLETON CROSSING OF SOUTH GEORGIA IN MARCH 2003

INTRODUCTION
This is a brief report on a South Georgia Crossing via the Shackleton Route made between 9 and 10 March 2003.

The expedition was a commercial one run by Australian company, Aurora Expeditions in conjunction with Jagged Globe. There were 7 team members and two guides. The group were supported by the ice strengthened Russian vessel, MV Polar Pioneer.

Seven of these 9 people completed the crossing but 2 people (1 guide and 1 client) only went from King Haakon Bay to the Tridents then returned to Possession Bay. These 2 people were then collected in Possession Bay by Polar Pioneer.

EXPEDITION DIARY
27 Feb 2003 – Polar Pioneer leaves Ushuaia

1 Mar – At sea – first briefings with group, gear check.

3 Mar – Warm up climb in Charlotte Bay, Antarctic Peninsula. Gear testing, rope work, tent erection.

7 Mar – At sea towards South Georgia – detailed briefings about route, equipment and food . Final check of tents and stoves. Final packing of personal and group gear.

8 Mar – Arrive in King Haakon Bay. Terrible weather so we went ashore at Cave Cove in pm. Ship anchored in King Haakon Bay overnight.

9 Mar 0500 – Depart Polar Pioneer in 1 Zodiac. Ashore approximately 2 km east of Pegotty Bluff. Calm but overcast morning, lightly snowing.

0530 – Start walk up moraines and onto glacier below Shackleton Gap. The lower 300 metres of the glacier was bare ice. As we climbed we got into a fresh south west wind stream, approximately 10 to 15 knots. Snow conditions were excellent – firm base with snow just to top of our boots. We were carrying all our equipment in rucksacs, no skis or snow shoes, no man haul sleds. Air temperature about 5°C. We roped up just below Shackleton Gap. Two ropes – one of 4 persons, one of 5 persons.

0830 – Mid Murray Snowfield on moderate SW wind, variable visibilty. One person moving very slowly. He is in bad physical shape it seems and not technically strong.

1230 – Trident Ridge – moderate to strong west to south west wind. Snow conditions good. Huge wind scour on the Possession Bay side of the rock spires of Trident Ridge. On first rope we had Greg, Nick, David, Dewi and Andy. On the second rope we had Tashi, Brian, Roger and Ian. We saw Tashi’s rope about 1km behind us when we were half way up the snow slope to Trident Ridge. We crossed at the left-most (northern) gap in the ridge. We (1st rope) waited for 20 minutes on the gap but there was no sign of Tashi. So we went over the to the Crean Glacier side of the ridge to get out of the wind. No crevasses, easy snow slope on the top half but we had to go across a bergschrund 2/3rds of the way down to the Crean and into crevassed ground. Once we got into the crevasses we kept moving down to the base of the slope at the margin of the Crean Glacier.

1400 – Waited at base of Trident Ridge. No sign of Tashi so Greg went back up to the saddle. Met Tashi’s rope on the saddle. Ian not comfortable with the conditions and moving very slowly and suffering severe cramps in his upper legs, so we decided to send him back to Possession Bay with Tashi. Brian and Roger join Greg’s rope. We telephoned the ship (using Iridium phone) to arrange for them to pick up Tashi and Ian next morning. The ship was in Right Whale Bay at the time.

1500 – Start walking across the Crean Glacier.

1745 – Camp site on Fortuna side of the Crean Glacier at the stable (dead spot) between the 2 main areas of crevasses. Good camp site. Moderate to strong west wind and moderate to poor visibilty. Camp assembled quickly and well. Four people in Salewa Magnum Space tent (crowded but workable) and 3 people in Mountain Hardwear Trango tent. Took us 3 hours to brew up for the 2 tents. Simple meal of sandwiches, soup and tea. Even though we had cut down on food supplies for this trip we could have taken less. Windy night, slept little but we were warm and dry. Great group of people in good spirits.

Tahsi and Ian managed to get as far as the snow slope approximately 300 metres above Possession Bay. They bivouaced there for the night in a small alcove at the base of a small rock buttress, in strong winds. They did not assemble the tent, nor did they cook any food or start the stove.

1930 – Telephone sched with Polar Pioneer from our Crean Glacier camp. Reception strong. Confirmed arrangements for pick up of Tashi and Ian next morning.

10 March 2003 0400 – wake up, start brewing. Beautiful day sunshine, high overcast clouds. No wind!

0630 – Start walking. Group tired but in good spirits. Snow conditions very good (top of boot), crevasses quite OK. Most are full but discernible. But every body fell in several narrow slots to at least thigh depth.

Approx 0900 – Tashi and Ian collected safely from Possession Bay.

0900- Main group arrives at the “dead helicopter” Twenty minute break.

1100- Arrive at the saddle next to Worsely’s Great Nunatak. Day has changed into white out conditions in the last 30 minutes (weather came in from the west). We watched the weather approach from the Tridents during an hour. Light snow, no ground definition.

1300- arrive at the edge of Fortuna Bay after a forced march across the Fortuna Glacier. Hard work.

1400- Arrive at sea level in Fortuna Bay. We went down the stream immediately south of the lobe of the Fortuna Glacier (which goes into the central part of Fortuna Bay) It is a great descent route. Here we were picked up by a Zodiac from Polar Pioneer and taken to the foot of the final walk over to Stromness.. We sent our packs back to the ship. A large contingent of people from the ship had already left to walk over to Stromness.

1700- Arrive at Stromness. Snowing lightly, poor visibility. Very noticeable increase in fur seal population.

11 March- Grytviken

Greg Mortimer
31 March 2003 « Previous report | Next report »

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