Pete and Alan have a route planning session in Bristol
January 23, 2008 | Filed Under Pre Expedition |
With the expedition crossing the icecap midway North the route across needs meticulous planning. A study of Wegener’s route has provided the team with initial information albeit nearly eighty years previous it has helped determine the teams time distance speed walking plan. The goal of Wegener mid ice station named ESIMITTE will be the initial focus for Pete and Alan.
History
Wegener planned to establish three observation posts at latitude 71 degrees North, one on the Western edge of the pack-ice, one on the Eastern edge and one at ICE STATION – “MID ICE” (ESIMITTE).
Its location would be 40 degrees West and 71 degrees North.
“Esimitte” was to be manned by two members of Wegeners expedition. In order to ensure this station was manned, Wegener despatched teams from two separate locations on the Western coast of Greenland; Umanak and Uvkusigsat.
The expedition encountered adversity from the outset, not the least of which was the worst summer Greenland had ever recorded. Though the main party arrived on the Western edge of Greenland on April the 15th, unexpected harbour ice delayed plans to land the 98 tons of expedition supplies until late June. Thirty-eight days behind schedule they embarked upon the journey onto the ice cap to set up the Western observation post.
The coast of Greenland offered just one route onto the ice cap, directly over the steep coastal cliffs. For many weeks the team struggled to establish path suitable for their Icelandic ponies to ascend the steep incline. The expedition also took advantage of dog teams and a somewhat less than reliable “aero-propeller sledge” which proved totally inadequate.
On July the 15th a small party headed inland and set up the mid-ice camp “ESIMITTE”. Fifteen days later, Meteorologist Georgo and Glaciologist Ernest Sorge the camp was fully established 250 miles inland at an elevation of 9850 feet.
Unusually inclement weather resulted in only a fraction of the supplies being provided to Eismitte in the next month and a half, crucially they had neither shelter nor a radio. With only one light tent and insufficient food Wegener feared for the safety of his men at Eismitte.
On 21st September 1930, Wegener bravely resolved to relieve the plight of his friends at Eismitte. His party departed into extremely poor snow conditions with Wegener feeling a deep sense of personal responsibility towards the men trapped at Eismitte.
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