Since our last update, the weather has
not been kind. Twice, the climbers had had to abandon their
scheduled acclimatisation climbs. Last Thursday, they spent
a night at 6200m with plans to go up to over 7000m the next
day.
But that night, gale-force winds and blizzards that continued
into the next day forced them to come back down to ABC.
The visibility was very bad and they could hardly see the
way.
On the way down, Mok and Robert fell into huge crevasses up
to their chests, with just their heads and arms showing above
ground! (Crevasses are enormous holes in the ice caused by
the movement of the glacier and can be hundreds of metres
deep. They are usually covered by snow and are thus not visible.)
Luckily the guys were roped up together and could pull themselves
out. Without the ropes, they would have disappeared into the
hole and rescue would have been quite impossible.
The climbers were also able to help an Austrian woman climber
descend to ABC with Mok dispensing some medication as she
was quite exhausted by the ordeal. In fact, here at ABC, it
is rather like an international gathering with Germans, Swiss,
Austrians, Finnish, Spanish, Italians, Belgians, and of course
Singaporeans. I am happy to say there has been considerable
cooperation among us.
The guys are now resting and recovering. And waiting for a
break in the weather so they can continue with the acclimatisation.
After that, they will need a period of 6 days or so of good
weather for the eventual summit bid. Hopefully, the weather
will be kind.
Meanwhile, life here at ABC continues. Our communications
system is the envy of all. Our communications tent has an
impressive collection of 12-volt batteries fed by a spread
of solar panels from Siemens, powering laptops from IBM and
SCS, as well as a Nera satellite phone and a Nera world communicator,
which with its own antenna. The entire lot is linked by a
network of cables and clamps into a system designed by DSO
Laboratories. All this has allowed us to send and receive
emails and photographs, make and receive phone calls, as well
as charge our videocam batteries. Those of you who saw the
Mediacorp TV interview with Robert recently may like to know
that the equipment used was also powered by 12-volt batteries,
also set up by DSO in which Mediacorp is itself most interested.
You may wish to visit our website at www.xixa.com.sg
for more information and photographs.
Until our next update, do let me know if you have any queries
regarding our expedition.
Lulin Reutens Base Camp Manager
Singapore Xixabangma Expedition 2002 29
April 2002, 9.18 am
