As we have mentioned on a couple of posts now, Tark’s has been suffering from an allergic reaction from what we believe to be a combination of the chemicals in the water and the detergent used at South Camp. Well on Saturday he reached the point of near insanity, he was literally on fire! There was no way he could head back out on the ice the way he was, so after consultation with the team it was conclude that a short dose of powerful steroids was needed and if that didn’t work he was going to be on his way home to England to get some long term treatment. The next dilemma was getting hold of the steroids, as the closest doctor able to subscribe the drugs, was 2 flights away in Iqualuit. With the added bonus of the first available fight being on Thursday. Thankfully by the afternoon, lovely Mary the nurse in Resolute, had found a doctor in Ottawa who would carry out a consultation via a Skype video conference and allow the Steroids needed (technology saves the day)! Within 24 hours Tark’s was a new man, and was given the all clear to go back on the ice. We were also informed that our last test results from the kerosene heater saga, showed that the smoke inhalation all 3 of endured left our lungs looking like us mild to heavy smokers! Although we have been assured that all will be back to normal in about 8 weeks.

 

Well there is only 1 twin otter in service currently at Resolute and so we are in a queue behind the re-supply for the ice team and the Polar Continental Ice Shelf. Due to bad weather the ice teams re-supply has been put back two days already which mean we are not going to get on the ice until Wednesday or possibly Thursday at the earliest! let me out, let me out!!!

FSB’s Red Nose Day Celebrations

Our new heater has now arrived, hooray! So all being well we will be back out on the ice on Sunday, and not a moment to soon, as poor old Tark’s is suffering pretty badly with his allergy still, and various sources have put it down to the chemicals in the water here at Resolute. We will be testing the heater thoroughly and rigorously tonight to make sure it does exactly what it says on the tin, but thanks to all Ron’s advice from International Thermal Research Ltd I am feeling incredibly positive that we have a fantastic piece of kit from Pioneer Space Heaters. We are all scratching at the doors to get back up on the ice as we didn’t even have time to take in our surroundings last week. It is after all the cold Stark beauty of the Arctic Ocean that we signed up for, so on ‘take 2′ we hope to endure it with a smile.  When we do return on Sunday we hope that the pile of kit that we left out there is still in tacked, our tracking beacon is still beeping away with the kit’s location however,  we  won’t know until we get out there whether the kit is buried under a pressure ridge or floating in an open lead!

Some pic’s from week 1:

Frosted Tark’s

The pressure ridge behind camp

Charlie in the ‘Coal mine’ (at midday)

Charlie trying to fix heater