Riding the Great White South and the journey to get there

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Kortbroek

Race Dog
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This is my first report so bear with me. This is a trip I did two years ago and although it might not seem so initially, it involved a few 100km's of riding
in very unique terrain on 800cc Snowmobiles. But more of that later.

I started this story initially in the general section on the SANAP thread ( https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=14323.280 ) a few months ago and then kind of neglected/forgot to continue the story. In retrospect I think a proper RR is the way to go, there was some awesome riding, so here goes.

Here is the text from part:1 re-posted for continuity sake. Photos can be viewed at the link above.

Part 1: The beginning

So to start at the beginning, since my second year at Uni I've been scheming to get to Antarctica. Fast forward to June 2014.
At this time I was camping in a sandy riverbed in southern Namibia a few km's from the Orange river. I was working with a team from the Council for Geoscience and we were busy doing regional commercial mapping for the Namibian government. We started this in 2013 and by 2014 I had started on my Msc project in the same area. On one of the koppies close to camp you could get SA cell reception and every odd day I would check messages and emails in the evening. So one evening this sms comes through, "Trying to get hold of you, do you want to go to Antarctica? Geoff". Bliksem. So I phone and no answer, immediately sent of an sms and email to make sure they get my reply. Of course I would, if my Msc Supervisor and Boss allows. So the next day I mention this to the Boss and he is more than happy to send me down. Now how to tell my supervisor I am going to take a three month break out of my studies.
So after a bit of diplomacy and a "I will work on my Msc during the voyage (of course  ;) )" I get the go ahead! To make matters even easier, starting November 2014 I got a two year contract at the Council for Geoscience, and Dr. Geoff Grantham (Antarctica team leader) also happens to work for them. A quick motivation to company HQ and I am his field assistant and safety officer for the expedition.  :thumleft:
...and then the chaos started.

I got back out of the field in Namibia late July and had to be in Windhoek for a conference middle August. My Supervisor told me two days after I got asked on the Antarctica trip that she is sending me to Montreal, Canada for Sept/Oct. That meant I had 3 weeks in July/August to get a US visa, Canada visa and do all of my medicals for Antarctica. CHAOS! But where there's a will there's a way and come hell or high water I was getting on that ship in Dec.

So mid October I am back in SA and planning started in earnest. I was in charge of safety in the field (ropework, rescue etc) and had to start going over lists of equipment. Explaining to DEA officials why the 40y.o. moldy climbing equipment in their store needs to be retired and never ever used again was a slight challenge, also meant replacement gear had to be quickly sourced. Next up was refreshing myself on crevasse and snow/ice rescue. I had a little experience in SA snow and ice conditions, but luckily a lot in general mountaineering, climbing and technical rescue. Once on the ice I would be presenting a short course to some of the year team members and had to make sure I am on the ball.

So eventually everything was ready and soon I would be trading the sand and sun of Namibia for the snow and ice of the Great White South.

(see the photos in the original post)

Part 2 to follow shortly
 
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