Just finished reading Fridtjof Nansen's account of his three-year voyage to the northern latitudes above Russia and Siberia. It is a hell of a story. Nansen's crowd used the westward drift of pack ice to transport their specially-engineered ship, the Fram, across the top of Asia, eventually exiting above Norway, in the process reaching 86 N latitude. That part will interest those enamored of the exploits of 1900's - vintage European polar explorers. The part Paddlewisers may find fascinating is Nansen's account of dog-sledging and kayaking (with one companion) from the ice-bound Fram, *toward* the Pole, and then back south, finally making a winter camp on a rocky point in Franz Josef Land. From the camp, they stumbled onto a British expedition and were transported back to Norway, rejoining the Fram. The style of winter travel on the water (and over ice) in 1895 will make we folks who are addicted to our Goretex and fleece shudder (and shiver): only enough clothes to accomodate high-energy travel (not enough to stop and rest), mandating vigorous exercise to maintain warmth until the tent was set up. And then, sharing a reindeer (or bearskin) "sleeping bag" as dinner was cooked -- the only time of day they were at all able to relax. The over-water parts of the journey, using skin-craft they made during the winter night aboard the Fram, will seem Rube Goldberg-ish to we sophisticates: paddles made from sledge runners, skin of cotton sailcloth, and "sail" of tent-silk. The best anecdote, however, should provide stimulus for the "re-enter-your-kayak" debate: Nansen fails to secure their joined yaks onto the ice edge and they drift off with all their gear. His only choice? Swim after them and paddle 'em back! Yeah, no dry suit, no neoprene -- just his skivvies. Paddle float rescue? 'Fraid not! A real adventure, both as a study of turn-of-the-century exploratioon, and for the fortitude needed to persevere through two Arctic winters, the second as a twosome in a sod hut, subsisting on walrus and seal meat, dodging bears at every turn. The version I read is a new Random House issue: ISBN 0-375-75472-5 complete with foreword by Jon Krakauer, lots of photos, and some tasty maps of the jouney. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Wed Jan 05 2000 - 09:05:52 PST
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