Marr Ice Piedmont

Well we are back and unbroken though a little worse for wear. We have had a wonderful 8 days out on Anvers Island and we were successful in our attempt on Mt Francais, so even better.

It all started on the previous Sunday, when after a 5am start from Port Lockaroy we were dropped at Access Point. After the first three expeditioners were on land, I was in the next group to be taken by the Zodiac inflatable dinghy but the landing spot was full of ice that had just blown in so we had to move further up the coast. The last group was then delayed due to one of the members feeling quite nauseous and unwell, plus the bay was now full of ice and they couldn't drive the Zodiac through. So we explored Access Point for a couple of hours, spotting fur seals and penguins. There is some left over bits of hut and rubbish left by a Chilean survey expedition from the 1980's. The ice didn't clear but we found an alternative site on the other side that was a bit rough but eventually the last three were landed.

Now we got to use the pulks. Dragging sleds is a great Antarctic tradition. We were able to channel the spirits of Shackleton and Scott as we pulled our loads with our skis. I think mine was about 40-50kg, but pulling such weights is much easier than carrying the mass on our backs.

So we were roped in three groups of three to ascend the glacier from the point. There were a few crevasses but they were obvious and not too wide. As we went higher we must have been on very old ice where the pressurised grains of ice no longer stuck to each other so it was like skiing across a plain of large salt crystals.

We ascended into cloud with poor views of the mountains we were passing. After 6 hours but only 10km, rising 500m on to the ice field, we stopped and set up camp. This involved stamping out an area of snow with skis, putting up the three tents, setting up sleeping bags and mats and settling in for the night. Stephen was our resident cook and prepared delicious and much appreciated meals of pasta and risotto, preceded by hot tea and soup.

The second day started in dense cloud. After a three hour breakfast and de-camp process, we were off. Today the pace picked up. 19.5km in 9 hours, rising to 850m. During the afternoon the cloud cleared to reveal the peaks of our destiny. Firstly Mt Agamemnon, and then Mt Francais behind and above. A beautiful warm sunny evening could by enjoyed in shirtsleeves sitting outside.

Skip's original plan had been to keep travelling north around the Menelaus Ridge, cross east through a col and ascend the Iliad Glacier. However after a solid hour heading north we realised we would have to drop quite a lot, then regain that height, and the route was uncertain. So reluctantly, but it turns out correctly, we turned around, back to our camp. It was especially easy to find as I had built a 2m cairn out of snow blocks. It was topped off by a flag bearing the words "Anglo-American-Chilean-Australian Antarctic Expedition 2013" with "One Ton Depot" on the reverse. One Ton Depot was the large cache of food that was left for Scott on his return from the pole, but he died 11 miles short. We however continued south-east to camp under Mt Agamemnon near the Menelaus Ridge. It was a beautiful evening as we prepared for the assault on the summit t he next day. It should start pleasant but high north east winds are expected later…