We're off! After what eventually turned into a 24 weather delay, conditions have now cleared near the Pole. I am writing this aboard our ride - a DC-3 modified for ski landings with big turboprop engines and an extended fuselage - called a BASLA. Of course the basic DC-3 airframe hasn't been built since the 50's, so the plane is at least 60-70 years old...
The DC-3 does have some advantages over the Twin Otter, however, including a faster cruise speed and longer range. We will only take 3-1/2 hours to get to our expedition starting point near 89 degrees South. The Chinese team in the Twin Otter that took off at the same time as we did will arrive several hours after us, with an extra stop to refuel from a cache near the Thiel Mountains.
Not too much else to report from yesterday. In the afternoon we went o
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