'Today was a tough day’: Paralysed Shrewsbury adventurer shares update from Antarctica expedition
A disabled adventurer from Shrewsbury has issued an update from Antarctica on the second day of his attempt to reach the South Pole and break a world record.
Darren Edwards was left paralysed from the chest down after a rock climbing accident in 2016 when he was 26.
The former soldier is aiming to complete the longest sit-ski expedition in history, covering 222 kilometres across Antarctica to the South Pole in just 20 days.
He arrived in Antarctica earlier this week, and on Thursday night (December 11) spent his second day on the ice and snow.
Darren, who is raising funds for the charity Wings for Life, which is researching cures for spinal cord injuries, is being supported by a team of adventurers including British explorer Lucy Shepherd, Chief Scout Dwayne Fields and filmmaker Matthew Biggar, but the adventurer is facing brutal conditions, with temperatures expected to plunge to minus 30°C.
But he said day two of sit-skiing to the South Pole had been tough.
“Today was a tough day, probably the hardest I’ve had in my sit-ski," he said. “The landscape around us, as far as the eye can see, is marked by the windswept formation of ice/snow ridges known as sastrugi, which steal momentum and require real effort to crest before slamming down on the other side.
“As much as I wanted to be independent from the start of this expedition, sometimes we need to have the humility to accept that teamwork is the way that we redefine impossible - not stubbornness.
“Today’s intention, under the stewardship of our polar guide, Eric - who is awesome - was to sharpen our skills and discover how we would manage the obstacles ahead of us as a team, so whilst we didn’t cover much distance, the skills and drills we need to reach the South Pole are being sharpened.”
Darren hopes to raise £100,000 for Wings for Life. You can support his fundraising efforts here
