The walk into Stromness – ah.Monika had said about three hours..in fact, it
was more like 5 hours, with frequent stops for nuts and raisins and slugging
of water. A long slow climb across scree, then soft deep snow, and through a
pass. The Traverse team catch up with us, having thundered around the shores
of Fortuna Bay; there is much rejoicing, hugging and tears. They are showing
their battle scars; burnt lips and faces, all totally exhausted, but still
fired up to finish the walk.

Then, in the distance, the Ushuaia in Stromness harbour.waiting for us. It’s
still a long way down though. Ulysses rigs up a rope for the frailer of us
to use as a guide going down; he is the Anchor man! This method is
frustratingly slow; so we descend into Stromness in time-honoured way, a la
Crean – on our behinds!

Feet and legs numb with fatigue, we wait on the fur seal-infested beach for
our Zodiacs.

Stromness is a ghost town. The weather breaks, and snow and low cloud sweep
in. somehow it is appropriate. In the afternoon, the tireless Monika is our
Zodiac driver; she has decided to give us Zodiac driving lessons. We think
it is a German joke, until she hands me control of the RIB…I hammer along
Leith harbour at top speed, terrified and delighted; we are chilled to the
bone, but do we care?