This is my first moment for reflection in Murmansk. We have been working from six until midnight most days

Ros Edwards 20th July in Murmansk. Just before we leave….

I am sitting in the reception of the Azimuth hotel in Murmansk making use of the free wifi to do some last minute emails. We have a safety briefing at 1300 and then we will be going through the immigration and customs procedures ready to leave the port this afternoon.

The last week has been a whirlwind. I have been taking the north east passage first week’s food, and all of the baking and flavouring ingredients, out of the long term storage on the boat and putting them where we can reach them more easily while sailing, as well as trying to clean and organise the living areas while the floors and hatches are up for engineering work, and getting extra supplies in Murmansk – I love the the latter, a great way to get to know a city and the people. Barbara and Constance have done an enormous fresh food shop in the Okay supermarket in Murmansk. And Ben and I have been working on a few IT upgrades to try to make sure that we can send photos, recordings and video successfully while we are sailing. Nikolay, our skipper, and his first mate Denis have been fixing engineering problems and making some engineering upgrades to try to make sure that we are in the best possible state for the adventure to come. And David has been negotiating our permits and visas.

This is my first moment for reflection in Murmansk. We have been working from six until midnight most days, with time out for lovely dinners (the food in Murmansk is excellent), and a trip to the Lenin icebreaker and the Murmansk war memorial with Ben, but otherwise full on.

So what will it be like? Will the ice clear to let us through in time for the subsequent legs to make it the whole way round in one season? Will the victualling be good enough that we can prepare what I have bought while sailing for 24 hours a day, even in rough weather, and everyone can eat well and stay happy and healthy – my responsibility and it feels huge, although trivial compared with David’s work putting together the whole expedition and expedition leadership, trying to make sure everyone gets through safely, and Nikolay’s responsibility for the engineering finalisation of the boat, and navigational and technical shepherding of the boat on the voyage. Will the boat keep working….

And what will it be like? How does it feel to be surrounded by an icy ocean, making slow progress and picking a way through. I am especially excited about this and can’t really imagine it.

So, now I have time to stop I am just ready to get going and see what is in store for us. Briefing at 1300, and had better take the seasickness pills…