Wednesday 9 May 2018

Victory Day Today

It is Victory day today which means we have only the international team in camp. Up in the village our team are preparing themselves for this afternoon's celebrations. Last night Millie asked Bill if there was a big meal involved in the celebration. Bill's reply: "Only to line the stomach!"

Victory Day
Sergey and Max left the camp yesterday to get some last minute supplies in Murmansk and to be ready to greet incoming fisherman on Saturday. The ice track between us and the village is beginning to get quite chewed up and poor Sergey had to pack his things into the sledge and then run up the hill after the skidoo.
Sergey before the 200 yard dash up the hill
It seems to be a breakfast thing but each time we settle in for breakfast another raft of ice arrives. This morning quite a large raft slipped gently down to us and began to break up on the shallower water in front of us. It is clearly from close to the village because there were snow mobile tracks all across it. For a time things plugged in our narrow channel but the river came up and forced it to break up and flow through.
Bill is ready!
Last night we had news from Middle Camp that the ice was breaking up around the island. We expected to see this reaching us but it must still be built up behind the village. Tomorrow the forecast is for 11 degrees C and no frost at night so with luck this should trigger things.

Heli pad cleared for tomorrow
Millie and I have been told that we might be heading to Middle tomorrow by helicopter. If this is the case I will hope to be sending Friday's blog from Middle with images. We are both very eager to get up there and get things prepared for guests as soon as possible.

A large raft of ice
Jack Selby (Operations Manager)