I had spotted the motorized scooter whizzing across the ice from a few hundred metres away. The situation seemed preposterous, I mean, we are talking about a frozen lake here and someone is driving across it! Maybe the surprise was a British thing? Immediately I knew that there could be a shot here and like a bloodhound on a scent, I was on a mission; I just needed to work out how the hell to get over there, quickly.
Eventually I found my balance. Gradually I found my rhythm and using the ripples and dents in the surface began to shuffling; inching in the direction of the scooter until my shuffle became a glide and I was skating, all "Blades of Glory," a lone wolf, gaining confidence, my pace increased.
WHAM.
I'm flat on my back. Looking up at the sky above me, the haze and smog glowed with tones of orange and blue as the sun started to drop in the sky, ever closer towards the horizon. The ice around my aching head reflected the light and for a moment I forgot the pain. But only for a moment. Crap. That really hurt. I blinked and screwed up my face and rubbed my it with cold hands. My ribs ached. I would feel that one in the morning. It happened so fast.
My trusty 5D, still in my Sling, had somehow managed to rotate around me and had avoided death by crushing ... or more likely, avoided breaking my ribs on impact! I rolled onto my front, a little bit winded and a lot dazed, the frigid surface chilled my ungloved fingers as they began to support my weight. I pushed up onto my knees, downward dog onto my feet, forcing myself upright with the momentum. I let out a long, deep exhale...willing it to keep me upright. I composed myself and then I continued, slowly, in the direction of the men.