Guest post by Steve Goddard
Reading through the recent blog posts of the Catlin expedition, it has become apparent that they have made errors in judgment. Team member Martin Hartley is suffering from frostbite, and hasn’t been able to sleep for nearly a week.
The current temperature is -42C (-44F.) The sensible course of action would be to evacuate Martin to someplace warm where he can receive proper medical attention. Cold and lack of sleep make healing impossible and threaten his health. I have camped in tents in -30C weather, and it is all about survival – nothing else has any meaning when you are that cold.
The wet sleeping bags are apparently the result of a poor decision.
Indeed, the scientific merit of the expedition is questionable.
I made 48 snow measurements after we’d stopped walking today – the best yet.
What is the point of taking a lot of measurements at one location on the same day? Arctic ice continuously shifts and melts or freezes, and the ice they are standing on will have moved hundreds or thousands of miles by next year. The temperature is -42C. No doubt the ice is getting thicker at that temperature.
Meanwhile, the expedition sponsor (HRH The Prince of Wales) has been jetting around South America enjoying the life of entitlement currently reserved for global warming patrons. The formula is simple – as long as a celebrity keeps talking about global warming, their carbon footprint and lifestyle excesses are above reproach. Perhaps if AIG had of named their bonuses “carbon offsets,” they could be partying in South America too.
As of today, global sea ice area is again above normal.
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I hope whoever is sponsoring that expedition is paying attention to their blog. They need to get those people out of there immediately, they seem to have lost the capacity to make rational decisions on their own.
Not that there was anything rational about that expedition to begin with…
Wow, the last two paragraphs say it all. The two pictures do a wonderful job illustrating the dichotomy between the two. We should all save the world by driving less, using less electricity and so forth. This way the leaders of the AGW movement can continue flying planes all over the world to go on ‘cultural missions’ to further educate us serfs. Also, we should stop reading blogs such as this, lest we threaten the landed gentry…
Clueless? pathetic? They obviously have no business being where they are. I only hope they don’t become mortal victims of the AGW fallacy.
For climate change/man-made global warming read MOTHER NATURE!
Every cause loves a martyr. Maybe that’s what they’re shooting for.
6 days without sleep and wet sleeping bags in the arctic? As you said, if they don’t get him out of there soon he’s gonna be a corpsicle.
Take it from an old arctic hand, they are in a state of medical emergency and need to be evacuated. Early Arctic expeditions survived because they utilized native survival skills, e.g., FUR clothing, proper footwear (kamiks), and igloos for shelter. Too many armchair quarterbacks and jet-setting environmentalists got into the planning/training of this venture.
As to the science, I’m puzzled how a single series of measurements will allow anyone to estimate the increase/decrease of any physical phenomenon.
In a previous post, it was suggested that we should all have some degree of respect for this group as they attempt to do their survey. I’m sorry, but not from me. This is yet another example of zealots masquerading a scientists. (Though I’m sure they have earned various degrees from like minded providers) I’m not holding my breath in anticipation of any science coming out of this farce. If it looks good on TV then it can’t be science. Years of watching Discovery Canada’s “Daily
PropagandaPlanet” has proved this hypothesis.The Catlin Expedition is sounding more and more like the Scott Expedition, which was doomed from the start based on poor decisions and hard-headedness. They should have studied Amundsen if they wanted a successful Polar expedition.
I noticed that dynamic too in other arenas. The other day, George Soros said “I’m having a good crisis.” Imagine if a libertarian or Republican said that! But it’s ok for Soros to make billions off the recession/depression, he supports the Democrats! Note that Warren Buffett also is granted immunity for his support of Obama. The same with Hollywood. It is all a big extortion racket. If you are rich, but support the “right” causes i.e. Global Warming, Obama, etc then you are exempt from criticism. But if not, then you will be attacked.
The last two days of reporting have had the group travel exactly 10.00 km per day. Remarkable, isn’t it! A week ago, the team was lamenting the prospect of 70 more days on the ice. They better get some fresh ponies if they’re not going to spend more that 85 days from now.
Seriously, I think the sponsors are jeopardizing the life and limbs of this team for nothing other that a PR stunt. What possible scientific benefit could a scheme like this really achieve. Measuring a shifting icepack is like herding cats. With the sponsors of this, we already know the press release: “Brave team gathers data showing icecap is melting faster than predicted!”
Let the sponsors know what you think of this stunt. I’ve collected some e-mail addresses for most of the sponsors:
catlininfo@catlin.com
patrick.birley@ecx.eu
press.services@nokia.com
tburgess@hillandknowlton.com
hasan.abdat@polarcapital.co.uk
info@jenrickgroup.co.uk
contact@triplepoint.co.uk
enquiries@prometheusmed.com
info@hidalgo.co.uk
reception@canadiannorth.com
mayday@bitc.org.uk
serge.viranian@climatefriendly.com
lwaters@london.newsquest.co.uk
info@sickchildrenstrust.org
BTW, I’ve gotten 2 responses back, both dismissive. Anyway, it lets them know they’re being watched and some people think they’re responsible.
I once spent 3 nights camping in the mountains of northern BC during early March. Our little expedition was adequately prepared for -10C to -20C, but not for the -35C we got that week.
We had trees, as we were near tree line, and so we were able to get a fire going each night. We even had a kerosene space heater for inside the canvas tent we used (which proved very inadequate at -35C).
Still, we got about 2 hours of sleep each night and were extremely lucky to not get frost-bite as the fires allowed us to to take off our boots for a few hour each day.
We learn from these experiences – or at least we should. I vowed never again to work for the cheap SOB who sent us out there and have not winter camped since, either for work or pleasure.
The amazing thing was that we able to replicate a series of soil samples collected during the previous summer – which was the point of the exercise. Ah, the joys of science.
The bonny Prince is a right Charlie 🙂
There comes a point when the risks involved with public relations are just foolish. While I believe amateurs can do scientific work of quality, this isn’t it. Call off the ‘expedition’ and get warm.
Love the reference to AIG carbon offsets. LOL.
I’m very much hoping that we’ll be a republic before Prince “less than 100 months” Charles becomes king. I think he’s a nut and a hypocrite, and if he’s excusing the jet travel because he offsets then I’d say he is also a fool.
I have personally experienced that sort of wet sleeping bag situation at -30 deg F, and ended up with hypothermia. They are in big big trouble and need to get off the ice. Wet bags at those temps are not an annoyance, they are a life threatening emergency.
Sponsors, take responsibility for these folks if they are cold,wet and sleep deprived they are no longer capable of rational judgment! Get them off the ice NOW!
Larry
The arrogant elitists such as the Prince and Gore (not to mention the Hollywood crowd) who demand we reduce our carbon footprint while spewing tons of CO2 jetsetting around the world makes me sick.
At least those naive souls on the ice are putting their lives on the line for their beliefs. Not that that makes them any less foolish and wrong.
OT, but according to the BBC reporting on the Red River floods in North Dakota: “Even as we face an economic crisis which demands our constant focus, forces of nature can also intervene in ways that create other crises to which we must respond – and respond urgently,” said Mr Obama. Forces of nature? Surely all this snow and ice is the result of cooling due to man-made global warming. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7969106.stm
The scientific merit of this expedition was doubtful from the start. The result was predictable. These deserve their lot.
I have been on a couple of mountaineering expeditions where we had sub 30º temps.
Here is the rule we followed. One problem is acceptable, we can deal with it. Two problems and we have to retreat. Three problems at once and we die. (Incidentally the same rule I use as a pilot)
It is my opinion that the expedition is in the two problems at once category. Let’s hope that another problem doesn’t rear its ugly head.
Darwin award candidates.Scott was prepared compared to this. What is really sad is that whomever rescues them is putting their life on the line to pluck them out-if they survive.
BTW-I was frostbitten in a back country trip in the high Wallowas of NE Oregon-XC skiing -the patient should get the H*** out NOW.
Why does this feel like a death-watch?
Must we wait for a week-long storm to prevent resupply and finish them?
Anyone know when the next resupply takes place? That would be a good time to evacuate Martin Hartley before something tragic occurs to him.
To paraphrase Robert Service as one of the members of the Catlin Survey did earlier, “There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for…” martyrdom. At least in Robert Service’s version the men were moiling for gold; not foolishness!!!
We all know how it will end. They will be evacuated short of their goal. It will be blamed on AGW