A SLEEPING BAG & THE ELEMENTS - 1 February 2008

This white land mass is often referred to as the "harshest of continents" the white desert. The coldest, driest and windiest of continents. Only cold-adapted plants and animals survive this environment. So on that note I decided I had to spend a night outside. No tent, No shelter. Just a sleeping bag, and a good attitude.

Be at one with Antarctica I thought.

My good friends Dave and Heath didn't need much convincing to join me.

Fortunately a friend in the field camp supply lent us some sleeping bags and mats.

Observation Hill had to be the destination. Standing at 750ft tall, Ob hill is the site of Scott's cross, a memorial to him and his expedition team. The large wooden cross is inscribed with names of the fatal party and a short quote from the Alfred Tennyson poem "Ulysses", which reads "To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

It started to snow as we zipped up our bags. I lay in awe, staring up at the cross, wondering what it must have been like in 1912, traversing this landscape I see before me. I'm brought back to reality by the feeling of chilly snowflakes hitting my face. I pull the sleeping bag draw cord in tight, and settled in for the night.

I slept soundly for an hour then awoke feeling intensely cold. I looked over at Dave and saw his black sleeping bag covered tip to toe in snow. I drifted off again. At 5am I woke this time feeling super warm, rather confused and still half asleep I opened my eyes and noticed the sun shining out through the clouds, it's rays rapidly increasing the warmth in my bag.

I soundly slept again until I was woken at 8am by the voices of some rather surprised hikers.

It was such a moving and memorable experience, and by the sounds of it we were the first to have slept up there.

WEATHER REPORT 31 January 2008 – 1st February 2008
Wind – variable 5 knots becoming easterly 10-18 knots
Temperature – max -13.c wind chill -24.c
Forecast – chance of light snow