Listers,

Still stuck here in Punta Arenas. I’ve been spending many hours in the met office at the airport. There is a window tomorrow that would provide an ice free flight to Antarctica but with severe turbulence and winds of up to 70 knots, a substantial component of which would be headwind. If I took that window, I’d also have to deal with very strong headwinds from Antarctica to New Zealand, a portion of the route that almost always produces tailwinds. Making New Zealand with dry feet could be problematic. The likelihood of finding a window that is free of ice and has acceptable winds is decreasing very, very rapidly. It’s just too late in what has been an unusually bad season.

Soooo, it is with great disappointment that I officially throw in the towel and give up the attempt. I have a MUCH better understanding now about why this is such a difficult and rarely attempted record.

I’m planning to depart SCCI and fly to Key West on Sunday, a 29-30 hour flight. I’ll try to take what I’ve learned from this attempt and, perhaps, one day give it another go. For now, my fondest desire is to just be home. Click, click, click there’s no place like home, there’s....

Bill