Things to do in Antarctica

Cycling?

You maybe thought you had seen it all.....

Maybe not such a good idea.

A belated Merry Christmas and the happiest of New Year's to one and all.

Big hugs and kisses to my wife Sharon and the wonderful children that she gave me; Katie Rose and Alec. Love you more than you could ever imagine.

Hubby / Dad xxxxxxxxooooooooxxxxxxxx

Halley V and Halley VI Relief 2010

The summer season at Halley is the busiest, most important time in the Halley V calendar. Whilst the science and maintenance activities continue all year round it is during the long 24 hour days of summer that the work necessary to sustain absolutely every endeavour throughout the winter is carried out. Antarctica is a frozen desert that will not sustain land based life without external support. At the very least Halley V is dependant on food and fuel just to keep the base and personnel going. To keep the whole base and science in tip top shape other supplies are necessary e.g. tools, equipment spares, vehicles, gases. In fact, too many things to describe here. To keep the base running an annual exercise called 'relief' is undertaken. A British Antarctic Survey research vessel docks at the sea ice just off of the Brunt Ice Shelf. The supplies are unloaded and transported to the base which is some 20km away.  The RSS (Royal Research Ship) Ernest Shackleton departed from Immingham in the UK some months ago and travelled via Portsmouth and Cape Town to pick up more passengers and cargo. It was due to arrive at Halley in mid December but heavy sea ice provided difficult navigating conditions which eventually delayed the Shackleton's arrival at Halley until December the 25th. Aye, that's Christmas Day. Heavy sea ice conditions have prevented the ship from reaching the Brunt Ice Shelf once before when, in 2002, the ship was unable to pass the Stancomb - Wills ice tongue.  It subsequently docked at the Drescher Inlet about 200 miles away where a partial relief was carried out by Twin Otter's flying the supplies from the ship to Halley V (thanks to Andy Smith at www.Zfids.org.uk for this information). This type of supply line is limited and all but the heavier, awkwardly shaped items can be transported. Base supplies are stocked such that a base can survive by missing one relief. If Halley misses two reliefs then the base will probably have to be mothballed and restocked from scratch. The best option for getting all the supplies and materials in to Halley V in one go is by ship. RSS Ernest Shackleton moored onto the sea ice at Creek 3 The RSS Ernest Shackleton arrived on Christmas afternoon and the first big job was to get the ship moored onto the sea ice at Creek 3. Sea ice can be very unstable and great attention was paid to Creek 3's condition prior to the Shackleton arriving. Heavy vehicles and cargo would be traversing the sea ice for many days so the sea ice at Creek 3 really had to be up to the job. Peoples lives depended on it and the Creek was rigorously inspected by the Field Assistant department over many weeks. Creek 3 sea ice and the edge of the Brunt as seen from the Shackleton To the left of this image is the ramp up to the Brunt Ice Shelf from the Creek 3 sea ice  All the BAS staff at Halley V had a job to do. I was selected to work on the depot line and the fuel dumps. My love of drums would be further tested after the pleasures of raising the drum line to Windy Bay. There were other teams. The teams on the ship took care of getting the cargo off the Shackleton whilst the Halley V sea ice team got the cargo to the top of the ramp onto the Brunt. A vehicle mechanic support team was based here as well to enable a quick response to any vehicle breakdowns that could seriously hamper progress. The vehicle operators working on the Brunt delivered the cargo to the Halley V supply line where it was logged then either parked or distributed immediately. It was a twenty four hour operation with two shifts splitting the day evenly between them. Once the cargo was delivered the Shackleton would then receive Halley V's outgoing cargo such as recyclable waste and items that were being returned to Cambridge depot for whatever reason. And so the relief of Halley V began…….. I was working days from 7.30am to 7.30pm and the important task on the first full day was getting the food into it's appropriate storage. There was a lot of pallet work which took me back to my first job in the Safeway foodstore. The following night shift took care of the rest and when we took over from them the next day they had begun stacking the aviation fuel or Avtur into dumps. There were over 1200 drums of fuel being delivered with over 700 being dumped at Halley V and the rest being stored at the new Halley VI site. The team assembled for fuel dump duties was Antarctic legends Richard Sands, Mike Ramage, Bryan Brock, Nigel Blenkharn and Big Al Geach. From left to right: Richard, Nigel, Mike, Big Al and Bryan Nige and Mike would be transferring the drums from the sledge to the dump. Nigel and Mike unloading the drums Big Al, Rich and myself would be stacking them.  Big Al and Richard stacking the drums And Bryan would be driving the machine. Guess who's got the best job? Nigel was living the dream and his goal was to break the 12 hour stacking record. Over 700 was the target on day two and we charged on with our mission. Delivery after delivery arrived with little pause between loads. This is a testament to the efficiency of the operation on the whole. By the end of day two we had stacked 726 drums of Avtur. The record had been broken. Nigel was happy and I was dead beat. Dumps of Avtur We repeated the task at the Halley VI site the next day where we managed to move over 500 drums. No mean feat considering that the Halley VI site was 16km further on from Creek 3. One thing that really helped move the relief process along was the fantastic weather we enjoyed from start to finish. The Relief of Halley V was completed with the final load being delivered and loaded onto the Shackleton on New Years Eve. The RSS Ernest Shackleton arrived one week late but departed one day early. Christmas and New Year were essentially cancelled but the job got done. I've never see such dedication in people at a time of the year when they all should all be kicking back, relaxing and enjoying Christmas and New Year with their families. My hat comes off to the entire  Halley V relief team and, for that matter, anyone else who finds themselves working in Antarctica over the festive period. Shackleton Panorama 1 Shackleton Panorama 2

Drum Raising to Windy Bay (or, 'Was I done up like a kipper?')

Meteorological cover is a seven day affair during the summer season so Richard and I organise it between ourselves which one of us will have what day off. It was my turn to work this particular Sunday and, of course, this wasn't a problem. It did mean that I would miss the trip to Windy Bay to visit the Emperor penguins but I was more than happy to take this on the chin as other opportunities would present themselves in due course.

Also on this particular Sunday, Antractic flying legend Doug was leaving Halley with some other Antarctic legends on a scientific endeavour that would take them all the way to the South Pole. So, it would be an Air Ob day. Air Observations are specialised met observations that inform the pilot of low level cloud, visibility and contrast information at Halley V just in case Doug had to turn around and fly back due to poor weather or other issues encountered during the outward journey. These Air Obs continue for a few hours after the aircraft has departed. Unfortunately Doug didn't leave till late in the evening so it was going to be a long day to boot. Again, working in Antarctica, that is the way of things and that is why we are here. Flexibility is the key to everyones success.

Once I had received word from Doug that Air Obs were no longer required I headed for bed.

Monday morning arrived and I was up and about for breakfast when the wintering base commanders both approached me and said that since I had worked a shift the previous day and in doing so had missed the trip to Windy Bay, why didn't I take a trip to the coast with Antarctic medical legend Dr. Mike Ramage and Antarctic machine operator legend Tim Gee. They quietly suggested that whilst travelling to the coast I  could raise a few drums along the way. I eagerly volunteered without giving the 'drum thing' too much thought.

That was an error………..

Antarctic machine operator legend, Tim Gee. Amos Brearly's long lost love child.

Amos Brearly. Landlord of the Woolpack in Emmerdale for 18 years

Antarctic medical legend, Dr. Mike Ramage

I rendezvoused with Tim and Mike at the garage where we picked up a John Deere tractor. I noticed items such as the Antarctic weapon of choice (the spade) and lifting strops and other items that didn't seem commensurate with a trip to the coast to see penguins. I was beginning to realise I was in for a wee bit more than just looking at a few Emperors.

John Deere tractor. A bit heavy handed for a trip to the coast to see some Emperor penguins

The important safe routes from Halley V are marked by empty fuel drums which are referred to as 'drum lines'. Routes from Halley V to Windy Bay, Creek 3 (where the RSS Ernest Shackleton will dock for relief) and the Halley VI site are all marked with evenly spaced out drums that will help travellers find their way if the weather or snow contrast takes a turn for the worst. As snow accumulates the drums become buried. The burried drums are raised to maintain the safe route markers. 

The 'Windy' route is the longest drum line at 22km and Mike and I had the privelege of raising the one hundred or so drums that marked the route. Here, Mike demonstrates the repetitive task that would get us to Windy Bay. Think of this trip as a kind of 'work your ticket' type of arrangement if you will.

Mike lassoes the partially buried drum. Note the previously raised drums disappearing into the distance behind Mike 

Mike informs Tim that he can pull the drum out of the snow with the John Deere

Tim complies and the drum is yanked out of it's hole

Mike removes the strop and resets the drum

There is always some Antarctic spade action to be had. Here Mike beds the drum in with a smattering of snow

Mike is happy. Penguins here we come! Only 90 drums to go! Great!

So, many hours later we arrived at the caboose at Windy Bay. A caboose is a caravan that can sleep a few folk and also contains supplies like food, fuel and outrageously out of date chocolate. Of course one can't just open the door and walk in. No! Unsurprisingly there is Antarctic digging to be done.

The John Deere pulling the caboose out of the accumulated snow

The snow that blocks the way to culinary heaven has to be removed

Once dug out the door can be opened and the treasures which can be found inside can only now be enjoyed. Food supplies for the field are lovingly referred to as 'Man Food'. This is tasty, high calorific dehydrated fare which puts pot noodles to shame. Each Antarctic legend has their own favourites but Tim and I were enticed by a Chicken Balti recipe.

Chicken Balti.....that's what it says on the packet 

Descriptions are necessary as a great leap of imagination is required to tie up the contents with what's written on the packet

Add some hot water

Leave to rehydrate then consume. It is the perfect 'Man Food' as no dishes are generated during the preparation 

Once consumed it was followed by hot coffee and a Dairy Milk chocolate bar that featured retro foil wrapping. Goodness knows how old that was although It was interesting to note that out of date Dairy Milk has a similar texture to a Wispa bar. It also loses it's dark chocolatey appearance and instead sports a white finish that reminded me of the colour that dog poo goes when left on a hot pavement for a few days. It did taste like chocolate though and was melt in the mouth beautiful when melting in my mouth with a mouthful of hot coffee.

Once we were fed and watered we then ambled down to Windy Bay. After the long, never ending dirge of drum raising this would be the icing on the cake. We were quite a distance from the edge when experienced Antarctic hands Mike and Tim warned me that we could go no closer for safety reasons. I had travelled all this way and I couldn't even see the bloody penguins. I could hear them though. I suppose that was something. 

I took a few snaps of Windy Bay and we can now directly compare Windy with the shots taken by our Antarctic chef legend Chris Walton whose images of Windy were taken well over a month ago. Since then the summer temperatures and heavy winds have broken up the sea ice to the extent that it cannot now be seen from our vantage point. Looking at my panorama you can see as you move right along the ice cliff that there is a dark stain just above sea level. This is penguin poo. 

Before the winds came and broke the ice up and blew it out to sea there was an ice ramp from the sea ice up to this point. Penguins had made their way up this ramp and settled there to raise their chicks in what is I suppose a more sheltered spot. Chris's shot features this ramp intact. By comparing the two images one can appreciate how much sea ice has actually been lost and the devastating impact this would have had on the breeding colony.


Click on the images to view full size

The edge of the Brunt Ice Shelf at Windy Bay. Note the brown stain more than half way along the ice cliff just above sea level

The same stain (and the ice ramp) can be seen to the right on the ice cliff. A vast majority of this ice has now been blown out. Courtesy of Chris Walton 

Once we had stood near Windy Bay and 'listened' to the penguins for a little while we headed for home. I spent the journey mulling over the days events and I couldn't help feeling that I had been had….maybe just a wee bit. It was inconsequential really as I had an absolutely smashing day out with Antarctic legends Mike and Tim. Cheers lads!

Just being here is what it is all about