Wings Around the World by Polly Vacher

Author:Polly Vacher
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: HISTORY / Military / Aviation
Publisher: Grub Street Publishing
Published: 2008-07-14T16:00:00+00:00

The MSR stove doubled as an engine heater which I regularly practised using so that I could quickly set it up in Antarctica.

The fuel problem which had been niggling away constantly at the back of my mind, was now beginning to dominate my thoughts. Kenn Borek had changed their routing yet again. They were not now going into Sky Blu. When I had first spoken to them they were due to land on the ice runway at Patriot Hills, but they had changed their plan to go to the British airstrip at Sky Blu instead. Now Kenn Borek had changed back to Patriot Hills which would cause me all sorts of problems. Not only would it be more difficult to land there but I knew that it would be deserted until the end of November which was another six weeks away. This made me anxious. I was not physically strong enough to move full barrels of fuel on my own. Also it would be impossible to hand pump the fuel into my aircraft without help. It is a minimum two-person operation.

“How would I get Golf November started in the extreme cold even if I could manage to refuel her myself?” I thought, in spite of the fact I had a specially adapted engine heater and engine cover. Would it really be wise to go into such an inhospitable place totally unaided? The runway might be covered with uneven snowdrifts and there would be no-one there to indicate where the drifts were. Without skis in a light aircraft this could be fatal. I rang Maxo in New Zealand to ask his advice about Patriot Hills. What he said depressed me further. “It is positively dangerous for you to go there when no-one is around,” he said. He was quite adamant that I should not attempt it but then he was always so concerned for my safety.

The Hotel Isla Rey Jorge in Punta Arenas is a mecca for Antarctic expeditions. There was a lot of bustle in the friendly entrance hall which resembled a sitting room with several arm chairs and piles of books. Borge Ousland, a Norwegian and Thomas Ulrich, a Swiss had just arrived back from crossing the Patagonian ice cap on foot.This was the first time this had been done and it was exciting to listen to their stories. I also met Paul Olai Olssen who had cycled from Patagonia to Alaska passing through the notorious Darian Gap.You never knew who you would meet next.

Alejo took me back to the airport where the Kenn Borek pilots had just arrived in their Twin Otters. Sean Louttit was in excellent spirits. “We will load your fuel for you, Polly. We will put two barrels in one aircraft and one in the other.” What a star! Sean had not been that supportive at the meeting in Calgary with Steve Penikett. Sean too thought it was too dangerous for me to go into Patriot Hills on my own, which put me in a real quandary.

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