Sunday 3 Dec. [Actually December 02]

After taking a latitude observation which gave 86°47', we set off. But we might just has well have remained where we were. It soon began to blow again, and in a short while a full storm was blowing from the SE. We couldn't see our hands in front of our faces. Had the terrain been smooth, we would have continued, but an unfortunate and, considering the weather, a dangerous change had occurred. The pressure on this area had been rather greater than where we had been the past couple of days. The ice was broken by huge crevasses. Admittedly all these crevasses are filled up with snow, but on both sides, along the solid edges, this crust is rather thin and dangerous. We could not use out skis today, it was just sheer ice all over and we had to help the doggies.

After several quite dangerous stretches in thick fog, we had to give up and make camp. We had only done 2 nautical miles. But we could have risked people, doggies and sledges in this filthy weather – and that is too costly for a miserable few nautical miles. Out tent is now pitched on bare ice – narrow crevasses everywhere. To reduce our loads, we left all our fur clothing at our previous camp this morning. However, we kept our anorak hoods, which we cut off the anoraks.

-21° and storm from SE. Boiling point this evening gave 9,500 ft. asl.