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Mountaineering, 'BSES Arctic Adventure', Svalbard (Norway), Jul 2010, ID 939

617 (Heber) Sqn ATC, West Mercian Wing ATC

On the 15th July, after almost a year of fundraising, physical training and equipment buying, I departed Heathrow airport and swapped my life in civilization for 5 weeks in Oscar II Land, at 78 degrees North in Svalbard. 

The expedition was split up into three phases, the first being a training and preparation week, which was followed by two main expedition phases. During our training, we discussed medical issues and first aid with the doctor, and spent a morning learning about polar bear defence, visiting the range to practice shooting the Mauser full bore rifles we had with us. We then spent 3 days hiking in the Lappdalen valley close to base camp, familiarizing ourselves with our equipment and learning how little we would need to survive. Although the bad weather during the first week was challenging, we learnt quickly how to make ourselves comfortable and set ourselves into a routine. 

For our first expedition phase we ascended the Sveabreen glacier to conduct ice training and also to learn more about our science project. We spent 7 days learning crevasse avoidance and also rescue! For our science project of geophysics and the optical properties of snow, we learnt how to take our snow samples correctly, as we would later be filtering them to determine the amount of black carbon present. During this time we enjoyed superb weather and took the opportunity to abseil into a huge crevasse to explore inside and ice-climb back out. However, once our food was running out we returned to base camp to re-supply, wash (in the 1 degree Arctic ocean!) and relax for a day before we headed back out on another venture. 

After our day in base camp, the fire, (BSES terminology for team) were ready to move onto another area of Oscar II Land; we took the RIBs to a valley further North from base camp where we would be able to summit a peak before our science work on the glacier started. It was important that we were able to take snow samples along transects of at least two glaciers, so the team had to push hard to move 9 days worth of equipment and food up to a glacier camp quickly, where we were able to complete our transects. Our science project meant we had to filter our snow samples whilst in the field, which was a great introduction to the rigors of scientific and geographical fieldwork; the filtering of melted snow had to be done inside an atmospheric bag, which was very fiddly inside a cramped tent! Before we knew it though, the date for our return to base camp was close, and with the weather closing in, we moved quickly back down to our food dump by the coast. Upon our return to base camp, the Arctic bid us a definitive farewell with a surprise snow storm on our last night. The summer in Svalbard was definitely over, and it seemed like it was our time to reluctantly say our goodbyes and leave. 

Lessons from the Expedition 
The sense of wilderness and beauty when high up on the glacier is something that I will never forget; there was nothing and no-one for miles and miles around apart from my small team and our supplies. Our complete dependency upon each other meant that we bonded and gelled together as a team very quickly. Taking part in this expedition has definitely taught me how important strong teamwork is, and I myself learnt how much you can do to support others within the group. I also learnt that I should push myself out of my comfort zone more often and really challenge myself.

I would like to thank the Ulysses Trust for generously supporting me.
Cdt Olivia Taylor

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