Svalbard 2004 Met Fire Diary
Day 1 (16/07/2004) Top
All meet at Heathrow for the flight out - BSES office staff there to see us of. For the YEs a chance to play "guess who" with those who have shaved off all their hair, for us leaders who haven't met before it's a chance to get to know each other, and the fire, before heading off into the wilderness for a month. Fly from Heathrow into the dark in Oslo, then back again into the light of Longyear where we're greeted by the Advance party. In an act of supreme kindness they've put up all our tents for us, and even though there are exactly enough there still seem to be a few empty spaces. Arctic Terns around the campsite are quite protective of their ground and are fond of dive-bombing trespassers. Apparently the trick is to wave your finger in the air above your head, John Travolta style. This foxes them enough that they fly off in hysterics. It doesn't seem to work; we suspect a ruse by the advance party.
Day 2 Top
Start the day with a sense of unease about what's to happen to us later; no-one seems sure whether the Met fire will be allowed on the boat to Base Camp tonight or not, in which case it'll be back to fending off the Terns at the campsite. We spend the morning teaching people how to use the stoves, to try and prevent any problems later. Opening the ration bags triggers noises of disgust followed by a slowly dawning awareness that for the next month this is dinner. In the afternoon we move over to the container on the shore. This has been boated over from the UK and is full of all our shared equipment; pulks, skis, science kit, more food, and so on. It all has to be moved about half a mile along the coast to another jetty so the fire in engaged in loading & trailer-pushing. During the afternoon Guy and Abi pick up the dog, "Tantus", who we've decided it'll be fun to have with us for the month. He seems quite well behaved. When the boat arrives John manages to persuade the owner to take us all at once so we head off to Base Camp. Once there, we start unloading the boat using the Zodiacs to get the crates and equipment onto the shore. The camp itself is fairly impressive; two huge glaciers carving into the fjord. Crashes and rumbles make everyone turn their heads to see, but the distance is too great - by the time you hear it the excitement is over. None of the fire can sleep from excitement after having been taught the "Joe" song, so they stay up all night and are collared into doing bear-watch for Base Camp.
Day 3 Top
We spent the morning moving stores around base camp. Much more excitingly we're constructing a huge aerial mast for the evening call. Driftwood is abundant here so the challenge is to build something that will withstand the potentially enormous winds. When it's done it's quite impressive - 3 towers about 20m apart. In the afternoon we start our first activity as a fire: Kite Building. Felicity has left us with the plans for a couple of kites, which Yvonne and Hamish have kindly sewn up. All that's left for us to do is to fit the dowelling, tie on a string, and try and fly them. This soon results in one of the kites being broken. The other one seems much more stable but will need a higher wind to use it. Later on, we wander off for a play on the snow and ice nearby, then return for a long chat around the bonfire back at camp.
Day 4 Top
Still at Base Camp, we have a training day, going around various stations learning about looking after ourselves, how to use the radios, practising with the rifles (in case of polar bear), and having our crampons and other ice equipment issued. In the afternoon / evening we head back on to the ice patch and have a real session playing with crampons, doing some ice-axe work, that sort of thing. Tomorrow we plan to do the same thing with the skis and then head up onto the Von Poste to check out a possible location for our science work.
Day 5 Top
Spend most of the morning fitting up pulks and skis so that we are ready to head up onto the glacier, then having a long play around on the ice sheet near the camp. Skiing is great fun and remarkably easy. We have a few problems with the skins we fix to the skis (so that they only slip one way), but these can be resolved by getting the nearest strong man to stretch them nice and tightly. After lunch we dump the skis and pulks as being less than useful on ice, and head off up onto the Von Poste. We find a couple of really thick ice-bridges on the far south side of the glacier, which we can walk over easily. A bit of fun in the mud below them. Once we're on the glacier we have a Polar Bear drill. We will just have to hope any bear that comes for us is a patient one. After that we head on up, to the glacier spur we want to look at for our science work - this is plan a) for today; plan b) is to recce the large nunatak in the middle of the glacier but since it's late when we get to the glacier spur we decide to turn round and head home, recceing a different ice-bridge on return and discovering the moraine pile we will thereafter refer to as "Mount Doom". We also christen a particular patch of the Tunabreen as "Hades" - it's quite black and spiky. Another bonfire tonight.
Day 6 Top
Like most of the other fires we pack up camp today, in the drizzle, and are on our way by 12 noon - a good start for the first pack-up though it will get faster. We head back to the ice-bridge we discovered yesterday evening, and have lunch just before crossing it. More fun in the mud: Oli gets stuck ankle deep, then knee-deep, then almost waist deep before we manage to get enough people to rescue him. Messy stuff, and then there's the dog to contend with. Tantus seems to be unable to cross water so he has to be hauled across by his collar. For a long time he is walking on one side of an impassable stream whilst we are all on the other, until eventually we manage to pull him across. When we are nearing our science glacier we meet Glaciology, who are heading up and over the top of it to get to their science location. Although steep, we head half-way up what we have now christened "Metbreen" to set up camp on some moraine there. Making flat platforms out of sharp 10-inch rocks is not easy but we manage, and the camp looks quite impressive as a result - over the course of the evening it develops a sofa and cooking shelters. Somewhere the bear trips have been left out of our packing so whilst we wait for these to be delivered by Perception (who are heading this way tomorrow) we are on bear watch again.
Day 7 Top
Dismal weather but it's good enough for us to do some science briefings. We are all learning how to take cloud measurements, to identify the different types of cloud, to measure wind speed, temperature and relative humidity - all this will be important in one of our big science projects. After lunch we head down the glacier to a snow-slope spotted on the far side. This is a perfect location for doing ice-axe arrest practise with varying slopes, some of which are positively terrifying - especially when you're going down them head-first on your back. The idea is to stick the sharp bit of your axe into the snow until you stop, but it's more fun to not stop so it turns into a sledging session, too. Return to camp with waterproofs full of snow. About half the fire start building a snow-hole in the snow bank. Leaders soon graffiti this with rocks to turn it into a huge face smiling back at camp. Bear trip flares are out tonight for the first time - this is just a trip-wire around the campsite, with an explosive flare on it that goes off if a bear trips over the wire. It's supposed to scare the bear off and wake the campers up.
Day 8 Top
The weather today: Minging. So we head back down to the snow patch, today to learn about snow belays and crevasse rescue practise. This goes really well and everyone seems to pick it up, so we finish with a race to see which team can pull the leaders out of a 'crevasse' quickest. Derek's team wins! Once that's done the snow-holing people head off to finish digging that, whilst the rest of us go to a large crevasse that leader Hamish has spotted for a bit of exploring. We set up a belay and lower people down - there's a large cave system down there under the ice, hollowed out by meltwater as it flows through cracks in the glacier. The highlight is an enormous underground whirlpool; from the surface it's impossible to see any sign of it, but under the ice it's a cavern a good 4m deep and probably the same wide. It makes you wonder how many of these things we just walk over on the glaciers without realising.
Day 9 Top
Today we collect the data for our first major science project; a 6-hour study of the effects of altitude on temperature. We had chosen this glacier for the project since it was steep, so we position 4 groups over the height. Met. observations and measurements are taken every 5 minutes - when the sun comes out we find ourselves sunbathing as the thermometer reads 3 degrees. After 6 hours it's definitely time to pack it in, and the snowholing people from yesterday want to go down another hole in the glacier. Compared to the undiscovered treasure of yesterday this one is a full-on adrenaline rush; a 30m pit of despair with a waterfall spraying into it. We can't see the bottom from the top; it's too dark, and going over the edge is a thrilling experience. Oli goes first and there's a moment of worry when a few cubic feet of snow detaches itself from the top of the hole and crashes down, we soon discover, inches from his head. Needless to say we are relieved to hear his shouts of "I'm OK" from the bottom. It's too hard to ice-climb out of this hole, so we practise our crevasse-rescue pulley system and haul people out. It all seems to work fine which is a good comfort. A couple of people lose kit by dropping it into a meltwater stream, which just demonstrates how fast these things flow and is a good reminder not to go in them yourself.
Day 10 Top
Wow - what a change! Beautiful weather and not a cloud to be seen. There's only one thing for it; we're off climbing. An early start and within 2 hours we are enjoying lunch whilst looking over all of the Von Post and spying on what the other fires are up to. Off the ice it's lovely and warm, and it's quite tempting to stay here all afternoon. The leaders have other plans though - they have spotted a peak (point 850) on the other side of an ice-sheet, only 6 km or so away, which they want to climb. So pretty soon we're back on the ropes and heading across into the unknown. At times we are in dips on the ice, and literally can't see anything apart from ice and sky - it feels kinda desolate, but we are moving well and the good weather had made us enthusiastic. Gradually, though, the ice starts to give way to what can only be described as "Slush Puppie" caused by meltwater streams and melting ice. When we head down into the a bowl in the ice this gets worse until at one stage Laura is wading almost up to her waist. Though she laughs it off this is not what we came here for, so we plot another route to the point, keeping to a ridge. This is long and hard, with much more wading (up to our calves at most though) and the thought that our previously dry boots may not ever be that way again. By the time we want to give up and go home it looks like we are so nearly there we have to go the final stretch, and about an hour later we finally make it onto the rock at the base of the mountain, exhausted. Most of us push on to the summit - a fairly easy walk up a steep ridge - and are rewarded by stupendous views made all the better by the effort it took to get there. We can clearly see the contrast between the glacier-covered landscape and the tundra areas to the south, which look far more inviting. Also we find the ideal poser's rock which everyone takes turns standing on to have an "Explorer Pose" photo taken. Returning to the base of the mountain the length and wet misery of the walk ahead sinks in, and we set to it slowly. Once on the ice it's a case of keeping going, and eventually we manage to make it out of the slush and back onto our friendly Metbreen; it's 0130 before we get to bed, and still beautiful - rows of boots and socks out to dry on the rocks.
Day 11 Top
What a change in the weather! In the few hours we have actually slept it has gone from beautiful to truly Minging - wind, rain and cold. Still, we have to get to Base Camp by lunch in order to pick up some more food, so we pack up and leave. This is our first return to base for a while, and it's all changed. Most of the tents have disappeared with the fires, and they've erected an enormous bear-flare wire around the perimeter. It looks heavily fortified! Still, the trek is worth it as we are welcomed by a large pot of hot soup, and food for the rest of the expedition. After lunch we pack everything (including pulks) on our backs, and head off to Science camp again - it's quite a sight; everyone looks like turtles or large insects with the sledges on he back of their rucksacks. We manage to take all our supplies in one trip though, something we'd probably never have been able to manage without pulks, so they are deemed a Good Thing. On the ice-bridge Andy worries us all by pretending to fall through a pit to certain death in the icy waters below, but we soon discover that he has only slipped 3 feet into a trough. Still, he is a bit shocked and injured so he is relieved of pulking duty for the rest of the day.
Day 12 Top
After the previous few days of hard work (not back into camp until late again last night) today is declared a rest day - it's perfect weather for it; blue skies and a good breeze make it ideal for drying out socks and boots still wet from the point 850 mission of a couple of days before. After a long lie-in followed by a lie-out on the rocks, there's a brief return to the nearby peak with all the maps, as from there it's possible to see the whole of the Von Poste and surroundings - a major planning session ensues and by the end of the day we are ready with plans to take us up to the end of the expedition which seems so soon! On return the weather has turned decidedly windy which is a perfect opportunity to do some kite experiments. Whilst one half of the fire are measuring the 9 O'clock wind (like an express train it seems to rattle through our camp every night bang on 9; like a Virgin Train tonight it is late, but only by a couple of minutes), the others are engaged in flying Yvonnes box-kite. We realise we've forgotten one of the dowel rods that would be needed to keep it light, but the wind is so strong we can make do with ski-poles. To get it stable we have to put it on two strings so in effect we have a huge stunt kite - not for the faint-hearted or the light as several times we find ourselves at risk of take-off. During the last, particularly dramatic, flight some of the wing material tears and we put it by as out-of-action, to be used by the basecamp party (who have the datalogger and connecting PC) to experiment with. It is good to know that it works, though, and very well, too!
Day 13 Top
This is our last day at science camp before moving further up the Von Poste tomorrow, to try and get some climbing and some views of the far coast in. We want to try and get another large set of science data so despite the weather (Minging), we head down to the bottom of the glacier and onto the moraine stripe. we're trying to map how the winds flow down Metbreen and join onto the Von Poste. At the junction point they meet at 90 degrees to each other, so we're hoping for some interesting flow results. The measurements take a long time since we must GPS-mark every point before moving onto the next. This means a good deal of walking for one group. Unfortunately the handheld radios that we have are falling foul of the bad weather and battery problems, so the wireless entertainment is less so that other science days, but still people seem pretty happy. The evening sees us have a fire meeting, and since it's raining everyone piles into the leaders (3-man) tent. When they bring out the cheese (supplied by Base Camp) the tent stands no chance - it's mayhem! In a few minutes all the cheese is gone and we can get down to some real science work, plotting the results from the two projects and planning the write-ups. Looks like we got some good results so everyone seems satisfied with what we did.
Day 14 Top
We are now camped on the ice near a small moraine patch, just to the south of Kopingfjellet. We moved up to this position with 5 days of rations; the aim is to do some climbing in the region and hopefully get some nice views over the coast towards Storfjorden. The going was fairly easy thanks to some excellent route-finding. The scare stories put about by Bravo Bravo of huge meltwater streams turned out to be unfounded (or at least we don't find any) though leader Hamish does go for a swim in one of the larger rivers, largely thanks to Tantus who sensibly refuses to jump across and has to be carried. Fortunately, 10m downstream there is a shallow point and we are able to rescue a cold and wet leader from the torrent. For the rest of the day the dog shows a keen sense of self-preservation by keeping out of Hamish's way. As we settle down to camp on the ice the cloud rolls in on top of us and we are in white-out. All fingers crossed that it will clear tomorrow so that we can get some climbing done.
Day 15 Top
MINGING. 9 Okta cloud (white-out). Eventually we roll out of bed in the realisation that it isn't going to get any better soon, and we head off up the glacier - soon the visibility is down to 20m and navigation a nightmare. We soon hit a moraine stripe that we recognise from the map, and follow it along to recce the route up one of the peaks we want to make an attempt on. Some way along, as we're feeling particularly disoriented, we find a really deep gorge carved out of the ice by a meltwater stream, and decide to abandon recceing and go ice-climbing instead. Some good routes, a bit short but a really fine taster for people in how to climb - hopefully we'll get a bit more in later in the expedition. Just as we're about to set off we see Bravo (Geomorphology) heading our way and stop for a chat; sounds like they're all well, and David reports finding some Gold in the moraine strip near our camp. Still white-out on return.
Day 16 Top
MINGING, day 2. Total white-out around camp - visibility down to 20m maximum and the ground has become lethally slippy. We can see the things on our tent washing-line actually getting damper over time not dryer! Not much to do so some of us get our prospecting hats on and try to strike Gold in the moraine. No luck though, even though leader Hamish is a geologist; apparently it isn't his type of rock or something. Enforced rest day just sitting out the cloud, so loads of sleep and a chance to catch up with the diary.
Day 17 Top
MINGING - day 3. Total white-out during the morning radio call, and we decide to head back to science camp in the hope of salvaging a few more nice days lower down during the trek phase. No sooner are we out of the tents than it's all plans change; we can see a mountain! Within minutes we all have our boots on and we're heading for the summit of point 905. We pass the Geomorphology people on the way - they have had the same idea and have even stolen our chosen route. Not a problem, as it is a horseshoe and we elect to go up it the other way round, but Tantus doesn't understand this and follows the Geomorphs, with their strange and foreign smells, up their route. It's a steep ice-slope half way up to the top, followed by a treacherous scree-climb. Everyone makes it to the top safely, though, a really good route and not too long though the few metres transition between ice and scree is really "interesting". By the time we make it to the summit of the peak it is all covered in cloud and visibility is back down to 20m or so; in fact, we only manage to meet up with Geomorphology who are having lunch 30m away by the sound of their voices. After an aborted attempt at another route off the glacier (we can't see where we're going) we head back down to camp, satisfied that at least we have managed to conquer something.
Day 18 Top
MING, but today we don't care because we're heading back down to the science camp for a resupply before our trek phase begins. We are navigating by compass, and heading for one of the 'motorways' - smooth stripes of ice that provide good paths for us down the glacier. There are no problems getting back, and just after we set camp the clouds start to clear, giving some beautiful light effects on the end of Templefjorden, Tunabreen and Hades. With all the rain washing out mud the fjord has turned a magical copper red colour and the whole scene looks like a painting.
Day 19 Top
We need to drop off all our unwanted kit today at base camp, so it's out by 9:30 in gradually clearing blue skies. On the route to base camp we discover one of our original "solid as a rock" ice-bridges has disappeared to be replaced by a 2-inch-thick wafer. It holds our weight without even creaking, and provides plenty of opportunities for great dramatic photos. Back at base camp our soup order has been prepared, and for the leaders a wedge of fresh bread; a much sought-after delicacy at this stage of the expedition. All the ice that was floating around the fjord has collected around base camp, preventing them from getting the boats out at all, but it does provide an opportunity for a 'swimming round the iceberg' competition. This is shortly followed by a 'who can avoid hypothermia' competition. The return to camp is quick as we have empty loads, and we spend a good deal of it looking at one of the streams on the glacier that seems to be flowing uphill.
Day 20 - Trek day 1 Top
We have decided to start our trek phase by moving camp across the ice-sheet to our favourite peak; point 850. We want to camp on top tonight (it's flat as a pancake despite the slightly steep route to the top). The only trouble and a slight dampener on our spirits is that THE WEATHER IS MINGING and we can only see about 50m (it is impossible to see the last rope when you're at the front of the first, so we have to walk slightly bunched up). This is a mission, no mistake, since we are all aware of the mess of slush we got into last time we tried to cross this plateau. Once we have got to the top of Metbreen, leaving it for the last time, we are navigating purely on GPS and compass. These need frequent checking as the ice-sheet is covered in sets of parallel lines that look straight but in fact curve very slightly - to keep a good line is a mind-bending experience. To add to the fun we are carrying heavy packs, with food to last until the end of the expedition, and still some mountaineering and science gear. As there are no landmarks we walk based on time, going solid for 50 minutes between stops. By the time the GPS reports that we are 500m from the peak we are cracking up; we still can't see it and for all we know could have been going in circles all day - this is very demoralising. Heading towards what we think must be the route up it is a great relief to see the silhouette of a recognisable feature loom up on us, and within 10 minutes we are at the base of the route to the top and collecting water for our camp on the summit. Packing ropes and crampons away, we hope for the last time, we head on up to the top. But hang on - where did that wind come from? On the ice it was still like a mill-pond, but as we climb on the ridge our packs are acting like sails. By half-way it is like crossing a deep river, crab-walking with poles supporting you as you lean into the wind. And we're going to camp at the top? Crazy - no way! The walk up earns its new name of "Psycho ridge". But just then some of the guys who have already got there come back down pack-less reporting the unbelievable; there is no wind. And they are right - within 20m of the end of the summit ridge the air is almost still again. Perfect, if a little damp and muddy. We set up camp hoping, perhaps beyond hope, that the weather will clear tomorrow and we will be able to relive the glorious views of our previous ascent, and plot out our route west. Water-runs are interesting, the route up psycho ridge is quite draining in this wind after the third time. Dave has a mission doing the bear flares tonight; we look out of our warm tent with some pity as we tuck ourselves into bed and he is still out there in the rain, soaking, doing his utmost to protect us all and insisting he needs no help. Severe respect to that man (though there is a thought that any bear that makes it up here in this will deserve a quick snack).
Day 21 - Trek day 2 Top
Yep - hope beyond hope. The weather is still foul. Correction: MINGING. The wind has risen during the night and grime is definitely going to be a theme of the next few days; the mud here is an oily slate that has turned everyone into mud-monsters. Once-sleek waterproofs in this year's light blues are gradually turning into a nasty pale green colour. After an extensive planning session we move off along the summit, in winds that do their best to topple us in every direction. In a couple of km we realise that the spot height and associated slope down we are looking for may not be as obvious as we had thought (50m contours leave a lot to the imagination), and we resolve to make a break for below the cloud at the next opportunity. This comes soon, and although we can't see all the way to the bottom, the route at least looks possible; any other way off we have seen so far would require abseiling for 20m, dodging falling rocks all the way. We are good, but not that good. We manage to make it down to the bottom without incident, and as if by magic, within minutes of coming off the summit plateau the cloud clears away from under us and we can see the route off. In the space of a km or so the terrain has totally changed, from the barren black fractured slate supporting snow patches and dotted with reindeer carcass, to a developing tundra based on compacted yellow rocks that look like blown-up fish food. The mood has changed, too - like in springtime people can see life appearing in the world after weeks of dead snow. The weather down here is far improved, too - still cloudy but warm enough for shorts (just). On the improved terrain we are rocketing along, making really good time compared to the relatively unimpressive distances achievable on the ice. Very soon we are walking amongst reindeer. If we are attached to the dog, we are being dragged towards reindeer. For some reason these animals turn him from a placid working puppy into a slethering beast, and he is stronger than we had ever imagined.
There is one moment of decision to be made where we realise that we'd totally misread, or just couldn't comprehend the scale of, the contours on the map. A gorge that we thought we'd cross easily turns out to be an indescribable pit with the grand canyon at the bottom. Our options are to head back onto the ice, and lose considerable time, or to head down into the main valley and attempt to cross the gorge where it joins another. No-one wants to see the ice again, and we are feeling adventurous, so we head down the valley into the Moskusdalen. At once we are overwhelmed with its beauty; green grass, flowing rivers, galloping reindeer, this is a scene from paradise itself - so much so that the leaders resolve to camp at the river delta tonight. Once the YEs have had their say, though, and the leaders have been put in their place, we're off along the side of the gorge. There is a crossing point that gets us onto the south side, which is made all the more exciting by a one-way ski down a fragile snow bridge. We'll have to cross the main river again later, but hope to do this at the bottom where it braids away into the Sassendalen. Half-way up the valley edge there is a flat grassy platform in the otherwise steep walls, and we follow this all the way for 4km to the corner in the Moskusdalen. Here we set up camp on a cliff promentary overlooking some awesome waterfalls, the constant rumble of water sending us off to sleep easily. Big news - blue skies tonight as we go to sleep!
Day 22 - Trek day 3 Top
We spend the morning travelling along the Moskusdalen, crossing small gorges along the valley side but always glad that we are not on the north edge which is impossible with cliffs. The land gradually flattens out into the "Reindeer Plains" - a beautiful green scene, which the dog appreciates as much as we do. We have discovered that with a clever attachment to your rucksack waist belt he can be used to pull you up hill and this comes into play at the end of the valley where the final hill has a scree slope so steep we can't traverse it and have to go over the top. Coming over the summit of this ridge is an experience in itself; we can look over the Sassendalen, which compared to our home of the last 20 days just seems to stretch on for ever in every direction. In the perfect weather we can see the mountains in the distance faded blue from atmospheric scattering. Over-awed we have lunch on this hill before heading down into the valley to try and cross the Moskusdalen where it braids. In the end this is not difficult, just a half-hour wade through calf-deep streams. By now the dog is keen for the water so he provides no difficulties in the crossing.
There are two more rivers to pass on our path, and we are aiming to cross the first of those before camp tonight, to save us having to faff around with it in the morning. That gives us about 9km to do along the side of the Sassendalen, which will be hard work - all in all this will be the longest day we have so far done with packs on. We take the trip at our own paces, regrouping every so often for a break and a snack; to walk on our own or in small groups is something we have not had a chance to do this trip, and it seems to go down well with most. As it approaches 8pm we reach the delta of the river crossing - earlier this season it has obviously been a formidable river, with a trough made for the delta that is 5m deep and 1km wide, but it has since narrowed to a mildly boot-wetting splash-through. We make camp, everyone tired, on the top of the cliff on the west side of the Brattlidalen. Tomorrow the distance is short, only 9km, but we are well aware that there could be a large river crossing at the end and it is this that we have left extra time for. As we camp the wind blows sand into our tents, our food and our mouths. Every word has a gritty texture to it.
Day 23 - Trek day 4 Top
We pack up camp and begin the final phase of our trek. News came in last night that Base Camp is moving to Kapp Schoultz, about 8km away, to try and avoid any problems with the ice keeping the Zodiacs in and the large boat out. This means we're unlikely to be boated out from Freidheim (our destination), which is a shame as we were all looking forward to that. Still, this mornings walk is satisfying - more close encounters with reindeer and the terrain has changed yet again to become really hummocky and heather-grown. It could easily be part of the Scottish highlands, but the weather here is better. We soon reach our river crossing which is a bit of an anti-climax; we manage to get across with no more worry than yesterday evening, though again you can see how this could have been a much more serious effort to cross. We lunch on the far bank before a short walk over to Freidheim and our first glimpse of 'civilisation' for a month - the hut has been well looked after, and also well-used. A couple of sculptures by previous BSES parties are here, but apart from signing the guest-book we leave all well alone and head back into the hills. Up above the huts there is a gorge just perfect for doing 24-hour Solos in and around, so we have a quick set-up of camp before heading up to spend the next day on our own, a stark contrast to the previous 23 which have been spent in the continuous company of 13 others. Leaders and those who don't wish to solo are up all night doing bear-watch. The image of a lone watcher with rifle on one shoulder and a guard dog in hand, peering into the hills with his binoculars to protect his charges seems dramatic and theatrical. By 3am it is less so, and by 9am breakfast is a welcome distraction.
Day 24 Top
Overnight the weather has moved in, so the soloists wake up to low cloud and occasional rain late in the day. This doesn't seem to distract anyone as come 8pm and the end of the solos people seem to have had an interesting time. Hamish in particular has been busy sculpting and building, and returns from solo with a huge pair of Reindeer antlers mounted on his helmet. Apart from that, not much to say about today - at the suggestion of some evening activity (a walk to investigate a curious man-shaped object in the middle of the Sassendalen, spotted during bear-watch the previous night) the rain comes in and we are confined to tents.
Day 25 Top
Tonight we must return to base camp, a short 8km walk which we decide to do over the clifftops overlooking Templefjorden. Of course there is no hurry and we have frequent stops to admire the view, look at puffins nesting on the cliffs, try and throw rocks into the fjord 300m below, that sort of thing. Hamish wears his antlers all day. The final descent towards Kapp Schoultz is through a steep scree valley; we have the feeling we could be ambushed by natives at any time. And soon enough after winding our way through the mine workings on the coast we reach the new Base Camp, which seems too busy and noisy for our tastes, so after setting up camp we head off back along the beach to find a quiet spot for an end-of-expedition bonfire, and to celebrate Andys 18th. This is done in considerable style with an (almost) whole-fire swim in the sea, more of a race-in-race-out occasion but quite a sight nonetheless. The rest of the evening is spent enjoying, learning, and singing a bunch of tunes (in the Arctic singing round a campfire is quite acceptable). We engage in an awards ceremony using marshmallows as prizes, and of course there is the cutting of Andy's birthday cake which the Base Camp party collected from Longyear a while back. This is a perfect end to the expedition, people still reflective after their Solos and realising what a good thing they have here, and totally comfortable in the company of 13 others. All the boundaries have already been crossed long ago and by now most of us have nothing to hide. On our slow return to Base Camp at 2:30 we find it has been populated by all the other fires, many sleeping. For us, games of clay-pigeon shooting with fragments of an iceberg that we've dragged onto the shore, lessons in stone-skimming, and sleeping out under, well, if not stars, then at least the low sun.
Day 26 Top
With the boat not due to arrive to pick us up until 9pm there isn't much to do today; general feelings of reflection amidst a slow pack-up whilst the leaders begin the end-of-expedition interviews. When the boat does arrive Met fire are on organisational duty and we take pride in doing it well. Anywhere there's a human chain needed, give us a call. The boat is loaded much faster than it was unpacked; there's no food to transport and people are more efficient in their maneuvers. Just as we depart the rain comes in; it is a wholesome and dramatic end to see the huts at Freidheim, and the cliff-walk of a few days earlier, roll by in the mist. It's a chance for quiet conversations with friends you haven't seen for a month, or for the whole fire to squeeze into a tiny room for a friendly sleep. On arrival in Longyear the weather is still rainy - we once again taking charge of the unloading of the boat, and we're instructed to leave everything on the docks before the long track to the campsite. The whole expedition is strung out along the road, small happy groups of people despite the rain and the time (we arrive at 0330), and when we reach the site we are quickly in our tents, but slow to get to sleep.
Day 27 Top
Up early despite the late night, and the weather is dry with a slight breeze, so it's back on with the damp clothes of last night in an attempt to dry them out. Head down to the container to pack the equipment ready for return to the UK, and once again Met fire take charge; from somewhere we have got a reputation for getting the job done. By 2pm after a series of delays and fit-starts we are done, and have rewarded ourselves with first shot of the showers. In so many ways these are a cleansing experience, and a real transformation takes place with some people unrecognisable once they have come out. Once clean clothes are on the rations switch from being desirable to unpalatable, so we head down to the local Cafe for sandwiches and an opportunity to type up all our science results. Once that's done it isn't long to go until the end-ex meal. This is fun, but there's a definite sense that if we were given the opportunity we'd exchange it for a pot of Shepherd's pie and a seat on a rock overlooking a glacier; or even for an Apricot flapjack, if we could have the chance to stay out here for another week. A bus has been booked to return us to the tents, but the night carries on in the campsite - what's to lose? we can sleep all day tomorrow on the 'planes.
Day 28 Top
Tents down, pack up, go home. A gradual return to civilisation through airports, Longyear, Tromso, Oslo, and finally Heathrow. Flying from Oslo we are all uneasy; the sky is getting dark - something we haven't seen for a month - and a primeval worry sets in. By the time we get to Heathrow there is time for a collective group hug, but no-one has anything to say. This is it - out into the real world and the struggles of relating to others what's happened, and what it means to us. Reunions already in planning, text and 'phone buzzing, time to catch up with exam results and sweat off the heat of the British Summer. Welcome home.