Page 12 - Issue 69 Online

DICING WITH DEATH

IN THE ARCTIC

anea seems to draw an eclectic group
of people into its boundaries and with “Get off the ice
Mthem a fantastic array of stories, like
the one about the explorer who had a major - get evacuated
medical emergency on his way to the North
Pole. now - or you
Manea based adventurer, explorer, author, and could die.”
educator Justin Miles was tackling a new route to
the North Pole in the depths of an Arctic winter
when things took a dramatic change, bringing As he pulled his pulks over a ridge he felt the
him to call on the help of Cambridgeshire based load start to slip; he braced to take the strain
Magpas Air Ambulance. and as the weight jolted back, he experienced
dynamic pain throughout his torso.
As Justin hauled his heavy pulks (sleds) across
the frozen Arctic Ocean, he encountered wave That night, Justin became ill; shivers, a fever,
after wave of pressure ridges of different pains and nausea. But, feeling a little better the
heights, which are caused by pans of ice following morning, the duo pressed on towards
colliding. their objective.
The hours passed, but it was
clear that something was
wrong. Justin’s condition was
worsening; his energy levels
were depleting rapidly, he
was sweating profusely and
dehydrating, his decision
making was hindered, and
eventually he began to
stumble and stagger.

Pain washed over him, his
vision became blurred with a
yellow tint, his balance failed
and he crumpled to the ice.

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