Base Camp blog entry

Group: The Big Blue Mess Tent
Members: Holly, Emma, Trou, Lizzy, Danielle, James, Nathan

So, a lot has happened with our group since the last update. You can read about our activities in mountains in the blog entry above. Myself (Emma) and Clem are currently the only members at base camp (although Clem has actually been spending a lot of time with another Fire, Man Mountain), and the only members of our Fire taking a trek down culture alley (bring on the reindeer!).

Danielle, James and Holly are learning some snazzy kayaking manoeuvres for their third expedition; Lizzy, Trou and Nathan are being transported to the glacier for their third expedition.



I think what The Big Blue Mess Tent has learnt most is how to communicate and work with people. Maybe it’s because we are not so dissimilar after all, maybe it’s because we have some aspects in common. I don’t know to be honest. This is the philosophising rambles of a twenty year old, who has been away from civilisation far too long. I know I’m going to miss our Fire because of the things this Fire has taught me about myself, and other people.

Kayaking Group 1 blog entry

Name: Drittunge
Members: Rose, Gabby, Katie, Tasha, Gribbs, Laura, Callum & Alistair

“Darling, it’s better, down where it’s wetter, under the sea” Or at least it was until the tents were in it. That’s right, this week we’ve been kayaking.
Gabby has been keeping us going by singing delightfully. Rose has turned into a pirate and attacks any other kayak she sees. Tasha has put her mountaineering knotting skills to good use for tying our escapee boats up.
Katie has been out early everyday to try her hand at fishing but so far she’s only got one; not as good as Reg (who she is competing with) but he cheated by swapping one small one for two big ones with the other fire. Gribb’s has been lurking in the shadows in an attempt to hide from the sun. However, if chocolate is near she will be fighting you for it...

We are all still alive thanks to Laura’s light sleeping, which allowed her to wake us as our campsite flooded. Although Alistair still endeavours to eat us out of hearth and home, Callum and Alistair managed to catch a fish big enough for Alistair and the rest of us to share; Nahom (honorary member) even had a bite since he taught them how to gut it. Along with fish we have seen a variety of wildlife including white-tailed sea eagles, porpoises and a river otter and that was only on the surface. Gabby and Rose got to play scientists with a clever underwater camera but we only saw one sea urchin…plenty of (star)fish though!



P.S. Rob and Sheena, Tasha is really enjoying raisins and sultanas so if you could take some to the airport she would really appreciate it. From Rose 

Mountain Man blog entry

Mountain Group 1
Name: Man Mountain
Members: Izzy, Ruth, Rachael, Luke, Peter, Sam and Clem

The rest day saw an 'expedition' to the local shop with everyone getting quite tanned in the heat of the day.

The next day we started our mountain phase training which meant a hike up to ABC (advance base camp) which the boys the managed in one trip (the girls needed a second to carry up their vital third bag of clothes). As part of our training on the snow we hurled ourselves backwards, forwards and headfirst down the glacier all in the name of “ice axe arrests” (very fun) and mastered walking with crampons, John Wayne style. At the bivi site, we occupied our time mainly with “rock excavation”. Yes, that’s the girls as well. Well, only the girls. It was then time to take on the glacier.



After roping up, and tackling the devious moraine, we reached Coffee Shop Rock, and from then on it was only up. Lukey Luke managed to “lose” his ice axe down a crevasse, less than five minutes up the glacier. Mucho respect to Stevie G for its rescue, the stuff of legend. As Lucy Lu put it, we truly did look like an advancing army, with our lines of rope in perfect order, ice axes in hand. BSES takes on the mountain! The 360 panoramic views from the top cannot be omitted, they were truly awesome. Clem, Izzy, Ruth and Holly proved their metal at the top (the photos have to be seen to be believed) and have found a December picture for the calendar.



The following day, the fire split, and some more intellectual members of the group did science research while the more enthusiastic took an earlier start to summit the glacier. Lukey enjoyed his “Summit Sprite” later on that very day, although sharing it with Rachy and Sam in celebration. The girls drank the “Final Ascent Fanta” somewhat lower down on the snow with Geli, but did not appreciate the numerous attempts at their lives throughout the day, all in the name of science. The group suffered a minor setback when Pete took a fall taking stuff to ABC, but he has pushed on, and is preparing for kayaking with “all the strength of a raging fire”. For Alison (Clem’s mum) don’t worry, Clem has not been lost but merely relocated. At ABC, major change and as a general consensus Clem was adopted into Man Mountain, into a four person tent, which is certainly cosy. “Man” Mountain becomes more ironic every day. The fire is looking forward to the next phase, although cannot mask its sadness at the prospect of being split. Ruth, Izzy and Pete will be reunited with Henry, Jasper and Pete’s boat, Luke has been sent back up the mountains, without Sprite, and Clem, Rachy and Sam will be becoming Culture Vultures, getting friendly with the reindeer. See you all in a week!

Blog Entry

Written by: Drittunge
Members: Gabby, (Laura) Gribbs, Rose, Tasha, Katie, Laura, Callum and Alistair

If you don’t want to hear about us throwing ourselves down glaciers then “go put on a brew” because this is exactly what we did; backwards, forwards, head first and roly-poly, braking only with something that resembled a weapon (ice axe). Despite this, Tasha can still walk but she has difficulties getting to the toilet safely by creating rockfalls narrowly missing “Windy Alley” while her comrades sleep peacefully below.
When we say Windy Alley we are referring to our open-air camp next to the glacier where we Bivied (sleeping in sleeping bags under the “night” sky) for three nights while sporting sunglasses and suncream. We stayed in fluctuating temperatures from 30 degrees to minus 3 leaving us burnt, frozen and bitten from every angle, but we are still enjoying it!
Rose (along with 22 others) managed to celebrate her Dad’s birthday by climbing up to the highest ice point in Finnmark. It was a long way up but an even longer way down with crevasses opening up below our feet, which resembled Sibera’s answer to football boots. Katie managed to lead the rescue group as Rob trailed behind admiring the view leaving the rest of the rope team in the capable hands of its youngest member.
Gabby’s enjoying 3000 calories a day; no chance of her wasting away! Although if you saw the bizarre combinations - take peanut butter and pitta bread as an example - we are currently creating (with the help of Laura’s can-opening skills) you would think all the sunshine has gone to our heads. Alistair has been playing the role of tinkerer so that we can eat, despite our temperamental stoves’ best efforts by clearing them of soot.
Callum has been good at carrying things when the girls have been struggling, even if we do have to “work as a team” to get it over the heavy rocks.
Despite Gribbs taking up so much room in the tent and receiving several death threats, we are all still alive.

Blog Entry

Written by: Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch
Members: James O, James L, David, Rowan, Emma, Alex, Nahom, Will, Lucy

Expertly guided by Mark Hickman, the Funky Bunch stormed their way up Arctic Nusvag’s most foreboding glacier in a day. On the way to this remarkable triumph, “the Bunch” as they have become known in elite mountaineering circles bivied (slept outside) on three consecutive nights enduring the extreme wind and Arctic conditions. Respite from this was provided by the phenomenon referred to as “spooning.” When not scaling glaciers of daunting height the Bunch have been regaled and comforted by Fire Leader Mark’s stories of times past, most notably being detained for espionage activities in Communist Russia. Glacial activities have kept most of the group cold and moist for the duration of the expedition, notable exceptions being Rowan who to her delight has managed to stay hot and sweaty throughout. David, on the other hand has found to his embarrassment the adverse effects of the arctic chill. Hopefully this problem and his intimate chafing will be short-lived when he dons his “tell no lies” dry suit in the coming weeks. Will “Willy” Gibson’s outstanding architectural achievements notably a wall and a leaky dam have survived his ration pack induced gale force winds. Lucy’s androgynous dress sense has endeared her to “the Bunch”, her Y-fronts a special highlight. Emma’s impeccable climbing has been in evidence and the admiration of her Fire the whole week. James “choir boy” Leadill’s harmless persona displayed at the briefing weekend has metamorphisised into Nahom’s “Fruits of intensive labour”. Nahom’s selfless nocturnal habits have been in evidence on many an occasion on this trip, his “one down one to go” Black Man Sandwich policy has typified his efforts to raise the moral tone of the fire. Alex “washboard abs” Bennion’s pink BJ Borg boxers have aroused James’ considerable interest on several occasions, we’ll keep you updated… James “gag and bag” Oldham’s majestic and much speculated trips to the little boys Room have been nothing but “leg” or legend to me and you!


The other Fires will send blog entries later in the week.

WEEK TWO:

Overview:
Initial training complete, both the mountaineering and kayaking Fires set off for a one week expedition.

The mountaineers completed their move up to ABC and then pushed higher onto the moraine to bivy at 500m, just metres away from the ice of the glacial snout. Ice axe drills were carried out along with an introduction to crampon work and moving on a glacier. The entire team made it’s way up to the highest summit in Finnmark – a huge white snow dome on top of the ice cap – and, after three nights bivying, returned to base camp.

The kayakers set of on what was to be a 80 kilometre journey exploring the fjords east of our base camp area. This took them to remote areas and secluded beaches with wild camps. As company on this voyage of discovery they had numerous porpoise, otter, and the magnificent White Tailed Sea Eagle – an indicator of the remoteness of the environment and the riches of the Sea. Riches that would supplement the YE’s staple diet of ‘rat pack’. Science played a major part of the Sea kayak journey with over twenty drop camera stations completed recording sea bed data and rock pool biodiversity on behalf of the Norwegian Environment institute.

A real ‘mixed bag’ of weather meant that they experienced cold, wet, sunny and warm paddling conditions – each a challenge in its own right but in a land where it never gets dark (at least in the summer months!!) each took to this challenge in their own way and at their own pace.

Blog Entry:
Written by: The BBMT Crew (The Big Blue Mess Tent Crew)
Members: Emma, Clem, Lizzy, Holly, Danielle, James, Trou and Nathan

After a very early start at the airport, we met the people we’d be spending the next month of our lives with. Two planes, two coach journeys, a ferry and a hike later, we were pitched at base camp, thoroughly enjoying the twenty four hour daylight as we desperately tried to sleep. At some point the next morning, after a “brief” chat from Mike, we split into our separate fires, ours quickly to become the Army Tent, due to the military majority of our group. We quickly discovered our roles in the group, mainly Danielle, or as we fondly know her, “Action Barbie” who can gut fish, fell trees, cook gorgeous dinners of corned beef with beans, all with a full face of make-up. Lizzy, Guide Extraordinaire, not only showing herself to be the group’s pyromaniac, is also fantastic when it comes to fixing and building tents and things with little more than gaffa tape and a smile. James and Nathan ‘s speciality is doing exactly what they are told by the girls, and never fail to be impressed by the weather, even though it’s stayed the same for two weeks now. Trou, a ‘true’ gentleman, the true-bear of the group; will help out whenever and wherever he’s needed, and makes it look like you’re the one doing him a favour. He also caught fresh fish for us all week, but didn’t relish keeping them between his legs in the boat. Emma has kept everyone entertained in troubled waters with renditions of most Disney musicals. It really had to be heard to be believed, but it kept a smile on everyone’s face throughout the trip. Clem , the baby of the group, not only keeps a smile on everyones face throughout the day (after she gets her morning hug) has grown up, and is really finding her independence on this trip. And finally, Holly has won the hearts of everyone here, one in particular, but has also shown her tough and rugged side (Grrr!!). We have been so lucky with the weather, no-one can believe they will be going home with a tan, and I think we have all discovered a secret love for kayaking, some more secret than others. Particular high points of the week were, Emma diving into the water between kayaks during training, the Clem’s birthday midnight paddle to see the sun. Kayaking a full day of 15km, the daily Mars Bar and the stunning weather in the fjords. James falling asleep to wake up covered by the tide, and of course, the inspirational leadership of Mike and Geli. Get a brew on!