Is this good-bye from Punta Arenas?
We´re now on standby! Our bags have been weighed and sent to the plane. We´re now waiting for a weather window for the 4.5 hour (1600 nautical miles) journey to Patriot Hills on mainland Antarctica. We will fly in a Ilyhusin 76 (a HUGE Russian cargo plane). This monster of a plane can carry 190 tons of skiers, snowshoers, climbers, and gear. It lands on a blue ice runway of 2500 meters in length. Landing at a speed of 120mph, it´ll take approximately 37 seconds to come to a stop. Our camp will be about 1.5 kilometers from the runway and temperatures will be about -20 degrees Farenheit.
Keep your fingers crossed for our flight to leave tomorrow. The last group to come back to Punta Arenas was delayed at Patriot Hills for 11 days!!! We´ll be the last flight of the season headed South before winter closes in with its 24 hours of darkness.
Thanks to everyone for your kind messages and words of encouragement. We´re reading everyone of them at least twice!
Signing off,
Team Polar Opposites
Keep your fingers crossed for our flight to leave tomorrow. The last group to come back to Punta Arenas was delayed at Patriot Hills for 11 days!!! We´ll be the last flight of the season headed South before winter closes in with its 24 hours of darkness.
Thanks to everyone for your kind messages and words of encouragement. We´re reading everyone of them at least twice!
Signing off,
Team Polar Opposites
posted by Kathy Braegger | 3:17 PM
3 Comments:
Hey Kathy,
Laurie and I were talking this morning and she told me about your trip. Just wanted to wish you well, and to have a good time. I'll keep watching.
Linda
This is a message for Naomi - we're all missing you and looking forward to hearing amazing tales of your trek! Safe flight to the blue ice runway! You're in our prayers - lots of love Umar and Sarah (p.s. JC has actually been cooking rather than just ordering take away - you'd be impressed : ) )
Hi Kathy, good luck getting out before the darkness sets in. We are thinking good thoughts for your successful trip. I saw one of those Russian cargo planes when I was in Siberia and they are gigantic. Have a safe flight.
Mark Carter
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