Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Geoff Long, and other SA Agulhas crew members.
University of Portsmouth sports science technician Geoff Long is currently on board SA Agulhas as she makes her way south carrying Sir Ranulph Fiennes and his six man team to begin the first ever attempt to cross the Antarctic during winter.
Geoff is blogging about his journey, as well as tweeting about his experiences. Read all about his life on board ship and the preparations the team is making for the record attempt.
A senior specialist technician, Geoff will carry out technical work, as well as testing the kit, which includes clothing, skis, and Caterpillar tractor units towing cabooses and fuel, to make sure it is operable before the team set off.
The team will be covering the route travelled in Sir Fiennes’ Transglobe Expedition of 1979-1982.
The trip will take up to nine months, with the team due to arrive in the Antarctic in February, where Geoff and the rest of the support crew will leave the ice team.
SA Agulhas landing in Antarctica
The team has sailed from Cape Town via the Greenwich Meridian to do some Marine Science, heading towards Crown Bay, Dronning Maud Land. The last stages of the crossing will be down the Leverett Glacier and into McMurdo Station. The team will then head to a piece of sea-ice or shelf ice (whatever they find suitable) about 200km from the Belgian base Belare, at which point they will be retrieved by their ship when the sea ice becomes navigable in the spring.
Antarctica in full winter experiences 24 hour darkness and an ambient operating temperature range of – 40 to – 70C. Wind chill will drive down the effective temperature further. Although dark there will be significant light reflected from the moon depending upon its phase and cloud cover.
At 10,000ft the thinner air on the plateau will further stress the vehicle engines until they have acclimatised and will also test the expedition crew. The air outside will be dry, 0 per cent humidity, which increases the effects of frostbite.
- Geoff Long and Sir Ranulph Fiennes
While they are in the Antarctic, the team will undertake valuable scientific work to support the work that is normally carried out by scientists from across the globe in summer.
It is the first time Geoff has been to the Antarctic, and he was invited after taking part in a preparation trip with the team in Sweden last year.
The team is attempting to raise £10million for Seeing is Believing to support their efforts against preventable blindness around the world. People can donate here.
