Friday Jan 8 2010 - Arrival on the Ice!

On Friday January 8th, 2010 at around 2:00 pm we finally landed on the ice! The flight down was larger this time, with close to 120 people. About 3 hours into the flight I lucked into getting up to the cockpit to have a chat with the pilots and to see a panoramic view of the continent of Antarctica far in the distance. It was at this point that I knew we were definitely going to make it that day as the pilot was giving us the thumbs up. One hour before landing we were instructed to get dressed into all our Extreme Cold Weather Gear (ECW). They even cool down the plane so we all don't sweat to death in our hats, mitts, snowpants, down-filled parkas and yes, the bunny boots too! I was sitting close to one of the tiny port windows and was able to watch our approach and landing on the Pegasus White Ice Runway. This runway is 10,000 feet long and is on top of 110-feet of glaciated ice shelf (The Ross Ice Shelf) covered by a few inches of snow.

After disembarking we were greeted by hoards of people and vehicles. Another full load of passengers was already out on the ice waiting to board the plane once we were off. These folk consisted of many people who had been on the ice for months, and were just as anxious to get off the continent as we were to get on it! We were quickly boarded upon the craziest looking vehicles that I do not know the name of, but I'm quickly realizing that many things here look like they belong on the moon or mars.

McMurdo Station is approximately 30 km from the Pegasus runway and the drive there took us just over an hour. As we bounced around in the back of this moon-vehicle all of us first-timers were given the guided tour by the few that had made the trip numerous times before. In the distance we could see Mt. Erebus (an active volcano) and stopped to have a look at our first Emperor Penguins. I'm still wondering if they were planted there as some sort of "Welcome to Antarctica" joke. Unfortunately we weren't able to get out to get closer shots as we need to go through various training courses before having those privileges. So my digitally cropped shot through the foggy vehicle window will have to do for now.



After 40 minutes we made the crossing from the Ross Ice Shelf to the actual continent. The road went from snow to brown, coarse rock/dirt. From here we snaked our way up past Scott Base (this is the New Zealand base that is strictly off limits to the American base residents, unless it is a Thursday night and then we are invited over for beer between 6:30 and 11 pm) and finally to McMurdo Research Station. This place is a complete contrast, with the dirt roads and industrial buildings set up against the most stunning backdrop I've ever seen in my life.

In addition to being awestruck by the beauty of my surroundings, I'm still pretty exhausted from all the travel and trying to adjust to life in a VERY busy and bustling research station. We are nearing the end of the summer research season many people are returning in from field camps and the station is at it's maximum of >1000 people.

I'll sign off for now as it's past 11:30pm, and despite my 14 hour day of lectures and training, my brain is not getting the sleep signals. It probably has something to do with the crisp blue sky and sunshine that is beaming through the dorm room window. Time to shut those curtains!

j

ps. these are the only two photos I managed to squeak through the connection tonight. I'll try to add a couple more tomorrow.

Attempt II - January 6

Another 4 am wake-up call after a fairly sleepless night. I guess I was anxious about whether or not we’d get to go today or not. By 5 am we were all downstairs and ready to board the hotel shuttles for the short (5 min) trip to the Antarctic Center. Once we arrived, we had until 6 am to sort our bags: organizing what we wanted to take on the plane with us for the 5 hour flight and what was going into the boomerang bag (which is the only checked bag returned to us if we can’t land due to weather). We had to have/wear the main components of our extreme weather gear on the flight. This meant dressing in thermals leggings, t-shirt, wool socks, fleece, red down filled parka and wearing those oh so styling “bunny boots”. Pockets stuffed with hat, gloves and goggles.

We went through Antarctic immigration, checked our bags and were issued boarding passes (yellow laminated cards on a chain, with a number.. I was #52) Then we could hit up the cafeteria at the Antarctic Center at 7 am for much needed food and coffee. When we went back to the boarding area for our info movie about the trip we all noticed that our fellow passengers had arrived. Sir David and all his BBC film crew. I got up the nerve to go over and introduce myself to him and had a quick chat about how his documentaries were some of the first introductions we all had to biological research and the importance of continuing to spread the word of our research with the general public.

(Here's one for framing!)

We then went through security, boarded a bus that took us to the airfield. On our way to our plane (C17), we were handed our bagged lunch and a bottle of water by some very lovely military personnel. We then grabbed seats and got settled in for our extremely noisy 5 hour flight.

(Back section of the plane, view from my seat)

We were up in the air by 9 am… right on schedule. I napped the first hour, finished one of my books over the next few hours (thanks Kimberley it was a great one!!) and then had some lunch at noon.

(Contents of brown bagged lunch)

By the 4 hour mark the energy level started to build in the plane… we could see ice flows and parts of the polar ice cap out the teeny round door windows (only 4 for the whole plane). Then… by the 4.5 hr point the pilot made an announcement “We’ve been in a holding pattern above McMurdo for 20 minutes now and the weather isn’t clearing. We’ll be turning around and will have to back to Christchurch by 6:30 pm”. The dreaded BOOMERANG! A lot of defeated faces as the reality set in that we’d be on the plane for another 4.5 hrs. Good thing I saved all but my apple, sandwich and granola bar from my packed lunch. Snacks for the trip back to NZ!

(Here’s the closest we came to seeing Antarctica today)

We give it another go again tomorrow morning bright and early. Here's hoping this one isn't another 10 hr flight to end up where you began!

johanne (now officially a member of the boomerang club)

Postponed due to weather

Attempt one at the journey to the ice was a no go. But thankfully the trip was called off before we even left the hotel (4:30 am) instead of finding out after flying 5 hrs. Apparently the it was due to high winds that made visibility bad for landing. We will make attempt two tomorrow morning same time.

So instead, a crew of us borrowed one of the hotel shuttles (yes.. borrowed.. this hotel is amazing!!!) and made the 2 hr drive across the island to Arthur's Pass National Park. The scenery was breathtaking and lots and lots of photos were taken. One part of the group made an epic 4.5 hr hike to the summit of Avalanche Peak, but unfortunately my hikers were packed in my bags at the Antarctic Centre, leaving me with only my Converse so myself and a few others stuck to the walking trails and saw some beautiful waterfalls, rivers and tropical like forest. We were also entertained by the native parrots, the Kea, at the village cafe. They were pretty cheeky and seemed to love cappuccinos... but would pick the spoons up and flick them out of the cups.

I'll throw in a few pics and then it's off for beer and dinner at the hotel restaurant, before another early night. Here's hoping we get there tomorrow!

j

Christchurch - the adventure begins

My 30+ hours of travel from Ottawa - Chicago - LA - Sydney - Christchurch all went without a hitch. No issues with security and my checked bag made it. It was fun playing "spot the scientist" on the LA-Sydney and the Sydney to Christchurch flights (distinguishing features being hiking boots, khakis and glasses) and I managed to meet a few of the course members along the way. Everyone is super friendly and there are people here from all over the globe: Sri Lanka, Sweden, London, Italy, Germany, US and a few Canadians to round it out.

Yesterday afternoon a group of us wandered around Christchurch Cathedral Square and chatted over a pint of NZ beer. Lots of excitement brewing about the trip.

This morning had us up bright and early to go to the Antarctic Centre for our clothing fitting. Here's the wall display of all the gear we had to try on and pack into our orange duffel bags:



















Trying on all the gear and packing the bags for tomorrow's flight really made it all hit home and the excitement started to build. Then, once we checked out the passenger list for our flight the excitement nearly went through the roof when we saw who else would be part of our flight of 117 people heading to the ice. Being a total biology nerd I had to take a picture of the flight list for proof, see 4th name from the top!!!! (click on the picture to enlarge it for easier reading)


We headed back to the hotel for lunch before heading back downtown to explore a little more of Christchurch. The sun was splitting rocks on the hotel patio and of course my pale Canadian arms got a little sunburned. I also made friends with the hotel cat "Ken".
Then we headed down to the Canterbury Museum to check out the Antarctic exhibit. George Somero (the instructor/prof) for my working group came with us and he told us lots of amazing stories to go along with the exhibits. He's been going to the Antarctic on a regular basis since the 1960s so he has lots to share about how things have changed.

Tonight will be an early night as we are to check in for our flight at 6 am tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed we don't have to "boomerang" because of bad weather at McMurdo!

j

Farewell 2009

One more sleep! One more sleep!

I'm just back from dropping off the cats at their home away from home. It was so great to see them check out the place and settle into their Billings Bridge routine right away ( And a big thanks to Shelby for being an awesome surrogate cat lady for all my travels this year!). So now the rest 2009 will be spend packing and just chilling out. I will be celebrating New Years twice as usual... ringing in the Newfoundland New Year with Toni-Marie and all the superb NTV computer graphics. Then watching the names of all the towns in the province scroll across the bottom of the screen and having a drink for everyone one I've lived in or know somebody from!

I will try and post as much as I can over the next month. I don't think pictures will be possible due to limited bandwith at the station, but text I can do. Y'all just have to hold your horses for the pretty pictures! I'll leave you with this cartoon image of MY home away from home for the next month and a fantastically fun Antarctic themed video from one of my favourite Canadian bands.

Happy New Year everyone and as my Sis said to me last night "I'll be thinking of you down there, standing upside down and you can think of me up here, standing upside down."

xoxo
j

How's this for timing?

CBC Newsworld's Passionate Eye aired "March of the Penguins" tonight! How's that for a coincidence??? I had tuned in to watch a documentary on the dark side of pedigree dog breeding and saw that the penguins were coming on afterward (the dog documentary is eye opening and definitely worth the watch btw).

Anyways, I don't think the penguins and I will be able to coordinate our schedules, but the scenery... oh the scenery! I only hope I can capture a fraction of that beauty myself while I'm down on the ice.

(Photo Credit: Jerome Maison)
http://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/specials/2008/marchofthepenguins/

Antarctica... seriously?

I decided to give the blog world a whirl after a few friends suggested it might be the easiest way to keep in touch with everyone while on my adventures in Antarctica.

To catch everyone up to speed, I found out in late September that I had been accepted as a participant in the 2010 Graduate Training Course in Antarctic Marine Biology. Basically, it's a trip of a lifetime and a comparative physiologist's playground! After reams and reams of medical and dental tests I've finally been cleared to go, or as all the cool kids say "I've finally PQ'd" (physically qualified). Flights have been booked and it's finally seeming real to me!

I begin the long journey south on New Years Day. What a way to bring in 2010!

Stay tuned for more info, updates and fun Antarctic themed goodies. To get the ball rolling I've added two weather trackers at the bottom of the blog: one for Ottawa and one for McMurdo Research Station.

Let the coldness competition begin!

j