Dye 2! A Major Milestone

PolarExplorers Greenland Crossing team members at Dye 2 in 2024

After battling unrelenting terrible weather for 9 hours, the Ruff Riders have arrived at the abandoned Dye 2 radar station! A great accomplishment, and a meaningful milestone. Way to go, Riders!

The conditions they faced were so bad that they took on a comical element. If you're familiar with the term "type 2 fun" (i.e. an experience that is unpleasant in the moment, but is remembered fondly), you can appreciate how that might happen.

While reporting the team's position and providing details about their very windy ski day, Keith wrote:

"We were pelted with high velocity snow-rain mix for over 7 hours that was uncomfortable, wet, and hilarious. The sleds and we increased in weight by absorbing a slurry of slushy liquid. Unrelenting. We are now camped at Dye 2 drying out. We are laughing at our current state of being."

This brings to mind the great polar explorers Ernest Shackleton and Tom Crean, a pair that were known to consistently maintain jovial, humor laden banter in the face of impossibly horrendous conditions. Their team member, the amazing navigator Frank Worsley, described their banter as a "comic revolt against the conditions."

Embracing comedy in the face of big challenges can be such a positive camaraderie builder. We hope the Riders dry out soon, but never stop laughing together.

They were so wet and tired from their huge ski day effort, that they only did a little peripheral exploration of Dye 2 this evening. But they do plan take a deeper dive into the radar station tomorrow in the hopes of finding the old bar room where they will participate in the Greenland Crossing tradition of signing their names on the wall.

The PolarExploers Cocoa-nuts team memorialized on the bar wall at Dye 2

For more information on Dye 2, check out this blog. And don't forget to check back tomorrow for the latest updates.