8th Feb (day 28?)

[Shot Robbie’s arriving sequence, and personal ivs – also did some great hero shots silhouetted by the low lieing sun.]

Noticed that there was no water left.

Interviewed the chef about the current food situation. Apparently due to bad weather and ‘logistical problems’ we haven’t had our food supplies turn up since last Saturday (almost a week ago!!!!)

“OHMIGODWE’REALLGONNADIE!”

There’s only enough food left for maybe a day, before we run out and we’re already out of bottled water!!!! This means having to drink the water pumped form a local lake, chlorinated and then run through the camp’s ancient plumbing (something which the camp sanitation guy told us not to do or risk a severe case of “the heebie jeebies”!) The fact that the water is distinctly yellow and tastes like shit isn’t reassuring. I filmed the chef cooking toasted sandwiches and showing me the empty storerooms. Mid interview, he kept asking the roughnecks to limit their portions, while they picked up their food from the canteen. None of them were too happy. One of the only things they have too look forward to is the food – and they need a massive amounts of calories to deal with working hard in these extreme conditions. The army’s ration kits for the arctic have almost 100 times the number of calories than their standard ration kits.

Moral is getting low.

Is this program going to turn into a documentary about cannibals?

Watched ‘Goodbye Lenin’ – not bad…….

Nicked one of the pick ups to go for a spin down the ice road with Sam to check out the Northern Lights from outside the camp. They tend to get obscured by strong light sources and the rig and camp are lit up like a dentist’s waiting room.

We were rewarded with the Best Northern Lights we’ve seen yet. They literally spread across the entire night sky and varied in colour from silver to green, even red, and they moved and rippled so fast your eyes could barely keep up. Absolutely stunning.