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OHYAY*: Penguins!
Jul. 21st, 2011 09:51 amI apologise in advance for the hefty portion of copypasta from Worst Journey, but no one can tell it better than Cherry, and there is a lot to tell, because this is seriously epic stuff.
Having their stone hut mostly built, Bill, Birdie, and Cherry took advantage of the first clear day (July 19) to make an attempt on the Emperors. They weren't just zealous for science: on the way to Cape Crozier they'd had to burn the stove in the tent far longer than planned, just to get through the night without freezing, and were on the fifth of their six cans of oil. They'd brought a stove which could run on rendered penguin blubber, once they had that at hand, so in order to make their oil last all the way back to Cape Evans they had to get some of that as quickly as possible.
( The First Attempt at the Emperors )
They made it back in one piece, though, and spent the next morning finishing the 'igloo', installing the tent-flap door and securing the canvas roof all around under layers of ice blocks and gravel. Then they were off again for a second attempt, this time trying to find a route over the 200-foot ice cliffs between their camp and the section of sea ice which would give them a clear shot at the rookery.
( The Seriously Epic Second Attempt at the Emperors )
*I couldn't post yesterday, and anyway this is a funnier acronym.
Having their stone hut mostly built, Bill, Birdie, and Cherry took advantage of the first clear day (July 19) to make an attempt on the Emperors. They weren't just zealous for science: on the way to Cape Crozier they'd had to burn the stove in the tent far longer than planned, just to get through the night without freezing, and were on the fifth of their six cans of oil. They'd brought a stove which could run on rendered penguin blubber, once they had that at hand, so in order to make their oil last all the way back to Cape Evans they had to get some of that as quickly as possible.
( The First Attempt at the Emperors )
They made it back in one piece, though, and spent the next morning finishing the 'igloo', installing the tent-flap door and securing the canvas roof all around under layers of ice blocks and gravel. Then they were off again for a second attempt, this time trying to find a route over the 200-foot ice cliffs between their camp and the section of sea ice which would give them a clear shot at the rookery.
( The Seriously Epic Second Attempt at the Emperors )
"Things must improve," said Bill next day, "I think we reached bed-rock last night." We hadn't, by a long way.
*I couldn't post yesterday, and anyway this is a funnier acronym.
