A visit to Peter Fuchs
07/10/07 21:24
Today we all made our way to Peter and Ann Fuchs'
home in Leicestershire. There was more kit business
from Steve and we tried on the Muckluck boots that
will be the basic boot we move around in when we
don't need to wear crampons. They are much more
substantial and well-insulated than I thought they
would be and seem impressively warm. I also picked up
a huge green rucksack (provided by Cotswold Outdoors,
who are one of our sponsors). This should be the bag
in which I get all this gear to South America.
Ann provided us with a magnificent lunch and then we got to examine Sir Vivian's original Antarctic kit. It was quite an eerie experience to be zipped into Sir Vivian's own sleeping bag and to know that this had been his on the crossing of Antarctica. The sleeping bag was an absolute monster in size and weight and Phil did his best to make sure that I couldn't get out of it without help! The older gear all seems warm and we thought that the inner silk gloves were wonderfully comfortable. However, we also agreed that the modern kit is much better in terms of its bulk and weight. Peter read us a few extracts from the original expedition log and gave us a taste of the conditions to be faced.
We moved to another room to watch some of the film of the expedition as shot by George Lowe. It was moving to see Sir Vivian in the same hat and sweater that I had just held in my hands. The same patches on the seams of his hat clearly visible. The film gave a taste of the huge preparation that went into this enterprise. It was also interesting to hear Sir Vivian talk about the many things that were just not known about the weather, geography and geology of the interior of the continent and which could only be uncovered by serious scientific study of the sort that the TAE was to undertake.
Richard and his colleague, Wendy, came to film the afternoon and much fun was had faking arrivals and departures for the camera while we tried to keep track of Fiji's valient resistance to the South Africans in the World Cup.
Ann will be bringing Peter down to Freman College to give his talk on Antarctica on Thursday evening. Richard is coming to film it too. I just hope I can succeed in attracting an audience.
Ann provided us with a magnificent lunch and then we got to examine Sir Vivian's original Antarctic kit. It was quite an eerie experience to be zipped into Sir Vivian's own sleeping bag and to know that this had been his on the crossing of Antarctica. The sleeping bag was an absolute monster in size and weight and Phil did his best to make sure that I couldn't get out of it without help! The older gear all seems warm and we thought that the inner silk gloves were wonderfully comfortable. However, we also agreed that the modern kit is much better in terms of its bulk and weight. Peter read us a few extracts from the original expedition log and gave us a taste of the conditions to be faced.
We moved to another room to watch some of the film of the expedition as shot by George Lowe. It was moving to see Sir Vivian in the same hat and sweater that I had just held in my hands. The same patches on the seams of his hat clearly visible. The film gave a taste of the huge preparation that went into this enterprise. It was also interesting to hear Sir Vivian talk about the many things that were just not known about the weather, geography and geology of the interior of the continent and which could only be uncovered by serious scientific study of the sort that the TAE was to undertake.
Richard and his colleague, Wendy, came to film the afternoon and much fun was had faking arrivals and departures for the camera while we tried to keep track of Fiji's valient resistance to the South Africans in the World Cup.
Ann will be bringing Peter down to Freman College to give his talk on Antarctica on Thursday evening. Richard is coming to film it too. I just hope I can succeed in attracting an audience.