DISPATCHE 2 : 10 - 14 December

Thursday December 14th : Arrival at Blue One

We have at last received news of the expedition. Why this three-day silence (for effectively, having left Cape Town midday Sunday for a flight of about six hours, they arrived at Blue One on Sunday evening, at about 19.00)? Some of the communication devices broke down: for two days, they worked morning, noon and night to repair and regulate the technology. Early evening yesterday, they were finally able to send the first photographs and the first e-mails. They tried particularly hard with the video, but unsuccessfully.

A summary of the situation: since landing on the blue ice at Blue One, they have had wonderful weather with a temperature of +3°C.
On Tuesday, the katabatic winds began to surge across the station's sparse installations. Temperature drop: Tuesday -8°C.
Monday: preparations of the team that has to set out with sledges for Blue One. Departure of the (René) and the cameraman (Jorge) on a skidoo for the Holtanna Peak, a distance, remember, of about 80 km.
Next morning, departure of the group heading for the base camp with sledge and sail: this comprises Hubert, Dujmovitz, Mercier, Georges and Zangrilli. They should take, depending on the weather conditions, two or three days to cover the 80 km between Blue One and the Orvin Mountains.
There will be permanent contact with the people who stayed at the base - Bidart, Van Heukelom and Ross - who should get to the rendezvous area by DC3 or by Twin Otter.
For these, the departure is envisaged for tomorrow, Friday. When Kathelijne sent us the first news, the katabatic winds that had already started on Tuesday were still blowing across Blue One.

Read here a quite surprising story by Alexa, the cook, about the landing of the Ilyouchine last Sunday at Blue One

Wednesday December 13th, 6pm : No news ...

Many of you have written in or are wondering why we are not giving any news about THE WALL team's arrival at Blue One. The answer is simple: because we have received no news whatsoever.

Alain Hubert knew however that the first thing to be done - after installing the expedition on the Antarctic ice - was to send news to the Brussels HQ. Either by telephone (they have taken one with them) or by e-mail. But nothing… One can of course imagine that blizzards - which are frequent at this season in that part of the 6th Continent because of the katabatic winds - might prevent all communication with the rest of the world.
No doubt that is actually the case. That said, Ronald Ross, the American member of the team, has been at Blue One for several weeks and sends back regular information on the research in respect of lichen, and a weather station would seem to have been set up while awaiting the arrival of the other members of the expedition. Which means that the equipment installed at Blue One on a temporary basis is in fact working.
So far, however, no news from Ross announcing the arrival of the expedition companions has got through to the United States. Tomorrow we shall doubtless know more…

Monday Decembre 11th : The Wall Expedition left Capetown

Yesterday, Sunday December 10th, the team has finally board the Iliouchine at noon. Together with about fifty persons : few Norwegians alpinists who are going to the Orvin Mountains, Swedish, Norwegian and Finnish technicians and scientist were flying to Blue One as well.
The fligh between Capetown and Blue One (4200 km) takes approximately 7 hours : today Monday at 10 am, we did not received any news from the Continent yet.

Monday Decembre 11th : The Wall Expedition left Capetown