It's been a busy few days with some very long journeys to find a good route up to Sydcap Hut on the other side of Jameson Land. Because of the lack of snow we went south round Cap Stuart following the coast (red route). It took hours - many hours - an 11 hour trip all the way there arriving at about 8.00pm from a 9.00am start. We measured 200kms from Constable Point and used 45lts of fuel which was a bit of a shock, as it meant that we had to use much of the fuel we had brought to depot to get us home again. At about 100kms along, the snow turned to deep powder of about a metre. I broke trail as I was not towing a sledge and was route finding. The powder was so deep that my skidoo was using up to 30lts of fuel per 100kms (normally it averages 15lts). Powder snow was everywhere, covering us from head to foot and piling up on the skidoo. Then I noticed something strange with my machine. When I stopped, the revs stayed high instead of idling and I could not get it out of gear. We kept going until when we stopped about an hour from Sydcap. My skidoo started OK, but the power died when the throttle was pressed. It would not move. It was late now and the sun was going down and so was the temperature, so we left it on the coast and dashed to Sydcap.
Moving through pressure ice to get to land
Massive ice bergs as we neared Sydcap
Refueling a few kms from Sydcap at about 7.00pm after leaving the broken skidoo
Sydcap is a lovely hut - more of a house, but cold. Our little stove heated our water, but not the room and we jumped into our sleeping bags as soon as possible after our meal and the satellite phone call to see if anyone could call our mechanic and give us an idea what was wrong. We though it may be ice in the fuel system blocking a jet or something.
Next day we started well after 9.00am. It takes ages melting enough snow to make breakfast and flasks. We were expecting a long day, perhaps two, to get our broken skidoo back home. When we got to it the problem was still there. Doing anything other that very basic repairs was impossible in the cold and even operating the satellite phone was hard as the batteries would only last a few minutes and fingers became numb. We resolved to tow it and managed to get it about 20 kms down to the fuel depot. It was going to be hard in the deep powder which now fortuneatly had a track in it. After refueling, Darren tried to start it to warm his hands on the hand warmer grips. It revved! It fixed itself! The fuel blockage had gone and we were off again. 11 hours later we arrived back at 9.00pm at Constable Point in flat light all numb and jangled from too long a journey on a doo.
Preparing to leave Sydcap next morning
Polar bear tracks lead to an iceberg
Removing drive belt to allow towing
Towing was only just possible and once started, you had to keep the momentum going.
I felt the route was too long and with clients would be very exhausing, particularly if you add on the further journeys to get them to their expeditions sites from Sydcap. After a rest day we reccy'd the northern (green) route, which was the route we used last year, but felt it may not go due to the low snow cover. It was actually fine and we got to the fuel depot in 7 hours due to all the navigating. We delivered another 230lts of fuel at the depot and got back to Constable Point in 4 hours. It was still a 12 hour day, but this route all the way to Sydcap, is 50kms and 3 - 4 hours shorter than the southern route.
Tupilak on the northern route - a good landmark
Fuel depot stocked and northern route completed - a big relief!
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