Today was our safety training day, starting off with a presentation from UNIS (University of Norway In Svalbard) about the dangers of Svalbard and the necessary precautions! We were very tired though-it was hard not to fall asleep in the comfy lectur room chairs!
We then headed out to the Rifle range to be shown how to use the guns in case a polar bear turns nasty! (The BBC had also arrived so the cameras were rolling!) There were targets and a professional was there, but the chances are we won't need to use them! The leaders stayed on for further training while we headed out to the coast.
We started with a member of the UNIS staff showing us how to do the basics of professional camping, inclouding how to put up a tent, light a stove and carry an injured team member into the tent safely! We also tried some camping hot chocolate- very comforting with this cold weather.
The best part of the day was the water training. We were all given orange survival suits which covered all our skin head-to-toe. On a small Zodiac (Norwegian dinghy), we headed out 1/5 of a km out to sea and they dropped us in the water! But no worries, these suits wouldn't let us sink if we wanted to! Our challenge was to swin back to shore on our backs connected to one another, as in a real emergency. It was quite relaxing, being able to float withe waves, but we got a bit tangled up! The suits made us look like orange Smurfs!
We are about to head out to a Spitsbergen restaurant- yummy!
The weather is so refreshing and the surroundings are beautiful!
Bye for now,
Liss and Lucy
The Iced Gems
xx
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24 comments:
Hi liss. & Lucy. we have seen your comments & pictures , It sounds very exciting. Guess you are all very tired with all your experiences.Hope the food is good. Wish I could be with you . Enjoy every minute. & will await further update. All our love MAma & Grandad Will pass all the info on to the rest of the family.
Hi Liss & Lucy,
The place looks amazing from your picture. Hope you are both OK and enjoying this trip of a life time.
I am keeping the chaps at work up to speed with your many activities, and I would love to be part of this exciting experience.
Talk to you soon
All my love Dad xxx
Ruby says you look like Britain's next top model in those high fashion orange suits. Daddy says a big hello and he loves you very much. We just love your blogs!
Mummy, Daddy and Ruby from Haymarket!
Hi Lucy and Alicia
Loved the pics of you in your orange suits,the water looked freezing!
What lucky girls you both are (we're all very jealous!), it looks like you're having a great time and you haven't even boarded the boat yet.
We can't wait for the next instalment.
Love from Jackie, Nick, James and Poppy xxxxxxx
Hi Lucy and Liss,
We have just seen you on BBC Breakfast live by satellite!! How cool is that!
We are all very excited for you.
I hope you do get to see some polar bears now that you know how to deal with them.
Enjoy your ice cruise, looking forward to seeing more of you on tv.
Lots of love Aunty Claire Uncle Dave, Laura and Adam xxxx.
Hi Liss and Lucy - we watched the BBC Breakfast every hour this morning - it was great and we have taped it, so you can view when you are home. Sarah Campbell's inflatable suit leaked - hope yours didn't?! We keep checking the photos on the Edge site and are waiting eagerly for those from the current day. Hope you manage to get all that gear back in your luggage today to get onto the boat! I'm sure that's when you'll miss your Mums! Hows the Look North video diary going?? More importantly how is the unofficial version going?? Hope you have managed to get lots of photos - if you have time between all these amazing activities! Love you loads!
In fact Liss, love you six gherkins.........you know the rest!
Mum xx
Hi Liss and Lucy, it was just such a thrill to see you at the safety training. Grampy Jack would expect you to be a fine shot Lu! Great to see you so clearly, i just cannot believe this technology. You both look like experienced expedition leaders now! Hope you have settled into the cabin by now and can finally sleep soundly. Ruby missed you at Mary Poppins but will do all the dances for you when you get back!
So much love from us all Daddy, Mummy, Ruby and Roxy. Such a lot of interest from everyone...you are stars!
Hey Liss & Lucy
Hope your having a great time, not much has changed at school and everyone's missing you!! =] Just to let you know liss, for the year 9 field trip J are going to Newcastle, its not final but its likely we're going there! We're finding out this week which tutor we're going with!!
Remember...Watch out for the walruses...Enjoy yourself LOTS and don't forget me! =D
(and also if its possible bring me back some lovely ice)
Can't wait till you get back... =)
Lots of Love...
Jess/buzz/kartoffeln
xoxo
*HAE CUK BAW*
Yo lissy! Hope u r havin fun and its not too cold frost bite would not be fun! The pictures look incredibal i cant belive theres 24hr sunlight! Hope u dont get a tan, im already way paler than you. Wrap up head to toe in clothes to make sure you dont get a tan plez!!
Have fun and try not to kill anyone with the guns!
Hi girlies!!
We know that you are out of range for a while but that still doesn't stop us from sending you a message anyway - plenty to read when you can!
We are following your itinerary and track your destinations on the map - it is just so hard to believe that you are really there!
Chris and Alison have been asking after you Liss, so have Friedegund and Ian. June called too and she says she would be thankful of a bit of iced water - after the heatwave they are having in Rhodes!!
We'll keep checking for updates both blogs and photos - can't wait for the Liss/Lucy double act on the blog soon!!!
Love you and miss you
Mum and Dad xx
Hi Liss, it sounds like you are having a great time. Lily & Ella have been looking at the pics and Lily wants to know if the reindeer belongs to Santa???? she said she knows it is not Rudolf as it hasn't got a red nose!!!! And Ella wants to know if you have seen any 'COLA' bears yet and says to be careful because she thinks they bite!!!! I didn't tell them that you were learning to shoot just in case one decides to give you a nasty nip on the ankle. I loved the orange suit!! The water looked very very cold, oh well keep enjoyed yourselves and keep us updated, take care, talk soon.
kisses from us all
Clare, Lily & Ella
xxxxx
P.S. Did the Old Boy tell you he got me up on Saturday morning and told me to put BBC on. I was half asleep and spent the next 20 minutes watching CBeebies and cursing him!!!!
This doesnt look much like a school trip to me! You lucky girls!
Have lots of fun Lucy and Alicia
xxx
Lucy, Liss!!
Little mission for you....
Get me some ice and bring it to Tenerife for me please, there is a definate shortage and my drinks just aren't the same without it!
Hope you're having as much fun as i am! =)
Got to go and enjoy the last little bit of today's spanish sunshine now!
See you both when we're all back! x x x x
PS. The boxes (upon boxes, upon boxes) of Iced Gems have my name written allllllllllll over 'em! x
Hi Lucy and Liss! We hope you have not met any viscious polar bears yet, but at least your training must be a relief!
Ella wants to know have you ridden any huskies yet? What was it like?
Big hugs and encouragement from Ruby and Ella xxxxxx
Wow - they are fantastic pictures on the site.
We will be glued to your next tv news report -
such a fabulous time. Max wanted to know just how loud the gun shot was - very exciting.
We know you are unable to pick up your messages right now but just wanted to send you HUGE support and kisses. Keep snug and hope there is gallons of hot chocolate on the go to keep up the blood sugar level!
Much love Auntie Melanie, Sophie & Max
xxxxx
Hello from sunny Dunchurch,yes the sun is actaully shining here!!
Adam went to a super BBQ at the week end played rounders and went on the Zip wire! However nothing to compare with learning to shoot and survive in the arctic!
We saw your latest report on Breakfast tv today- polar bears and plancton wow!
Nurse Claire recommends a drop of rum in your hot choc to keep out the cold!
Looking forward to hearing all about THE Trip.
lots of love the Hilliards xxxx.
Oooh Liss and Lucy,
Just seen the photos of you going into those Arctic waters with next to nothing on!!!! It was bad enough for us Mums to see their poor little darlings in the freezing water in those survival suits, but in only a litle more than you were born with, is torture for us! It was perhaps torture for you too!!!!
We watched (every hour) BBC again and how great to see that you saw a Polar Bear - so what was he carrying??????
June sends love, Liss - she was inteding to post you a message but the blogsite appears in Greek for her, and she couldn't understand the instructions!! She ought to ask Vicky!
Looking forward to hearing from you soooooon and who knows, maybe see you tomorrow???????
Love and stuff
Mum and Dad xx
PS How amazing - your sister sent a message - it can't be that exciting in Tenerife, if she found time to do that! x
Hello Liss and Lucy - class 5 from Branton St. Wilfrid's here! We are reading your BLOG as we wait to make our entrance in the summer concert! We are performing Rainbow Spectacular. It sounds like you are having great fun - we wish we were there. Ruby has told us about your adventures - she has been to Hayfield today (Wed). Enjoy the rest of your visit -we hope to hear from you when you come back!
Love from Mrs Barnes, Mrs Brown and all class 5
hi liss!!! (nd lucy)
yuu best b cmin bk soon!
oris meetings r NOT tha same without yuuu! :(
afta we gt off phone ta yuu mii nd nikki wo cryin *cringe* !
we are pathetic!
teehee
we miss yuuuu!
cm bk soon!
jst mk sure yuu kill all tha walrus's 1st!!!!
teehee
love yuu lotzzzzzz!
(i.a.n.w.w!) x x x x x
Just wonderful to see you on the pack ice girls! Still cannot believe it was you going in the icey water - brave or what! Wild to speak to you both on the phone yesterday at Hayfield. There were about 15 people in the room trying to get a word with you! We are all so keen to see you at Heathrow on Saturday, but enjoy every last minute. So proud of you girls!
Lots of love Mummy, Daddy and Rubyx
Great to hear from you yesterday - now back on dry land - well, almost! At this moment I'm thinking of you getting all togged up for the husky-sledding - it will be amazing, but then, is there any moment of this trip that hasn't been amazing!!!
Not that we want your trip of a lifetime to ever end for you, but we really are looking forward to seeing you tomorrow evening and hearing ALL about it! So many people are desperate to hear your tales, perhaps can feel a little powerpoint presentation coming on.....??!
Lots of Love
Mum and Dad xxxxx
PS One intrepid traveller has returned to Lower Pasture - Beth got in at 5.30 this morning! She claims she's brown! x
Hi Liss and Lucy
Looks like you have had a fab time
can't wait to hear all about it.
love Suey x
Heya guys!!! Missing you soooo much already!!!! was creating waterfalls in da airport wiv all da tears. Hope 2 c u all very very soon!!! Luv Ellouisexxx
Great work.
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