Hi, it's Tim, and I've been on the move for more than a week now. By land, air or sea, I'm getting closer to the Endurance each day, and just getting there is a big part of the fun! Let me tell you more about the modes of transportation I have used (and hope to use) as part of this expedition.
There is a good reason why very few people have even been to the area of the Weddell Sea. It is a long way from anywhere else! I have been traveling for over a week now, and during that time, I have driven in a cab, flown on two different airplanes, driven in a van, walked, and I am currently cruising across the southern Atlantic Ocean aboard a large ship. The S.A. Agulhas II is also carrying two helicopters, cranes for lowering people onto the sea ice, and a number of small boats that can be launched into the water around the ship to explore areas where the bigger ship can’t go. All of these modes of transportation are important to the expedition. We may not need to use the helicopters, for example, but we need to have them in case the ship cannot reach the Endurance sink site due to thick ice conditions.
