It may be gray, but it’s Christmas Day!
Hi everyone, and Merry Christmas!
As befits the season I’ve been exchanging well-wishes with ANSMET vets from around the world and with the individual members of our field team. Being the nosy sort (and missing my buddies) I asked a lot of questions. On this day dedicated to giving and sharing joy, I thought I’d share some of the snippets of wisdom I’ve received in the last day……
“The most important thing I know now that I wish I had known last time? Mental readiness for “the waiting game”. It is not easy for anyone so eager to get out to the field. But there are the things (like the weather and logistics) you can’t control. So I hike instead. Getting outside and enjoying the beauty of Antarctica is the best solution for me………..The scenery here is so beautiful. Even the same hiking trail gives you different scenery with different sun angles and clouds…” -From Minako
“I can’t wait to get into the field, but even being back in Antarctica and in McMurdo has felt like a homecoming at times, especially when we got off the plane and then walked out on the ice. I saw Erebus and Ivan The Terrabus. Erebus was the last place I went to on my last trip here five years (ago), and I rode Ivan out to the airfield when I left two days later. So it was like seeing two old friends. It was very emotional, in the best way. Walking through the pressure ridges, riding a snowmobile and sitting by the green bench behind the Chapel of the Snows again have all had a similar effect………..Like last time, I’m learning a lot about myself and my perceived versus actual limits. It’s tough sometimes, of course, but it’s a big part of the reason I wanted to come back. So definitely more than worth it. This place is like a white canvas of possibility and opportunity.” -From Daniela
“Once we got to McMurdo, we went through a lot of training on station. The shakedown test was probably the best possible thing we could do to prepare for the field. It was a great chance to test out our tents, clothing, cooking, making water, operating snow mobiles, and search strategy. You can sit in training courses all you want, but there’s a lot to be said for the learn-by-doing method. We all learned how to get our snow mobiles started, pack gear in a siglin sled, tie the right knots, and communicate with each other while setting up a tent……..And the training continues as we all learn from each other. Each team member has a different skillset and it’s fun to keep learning as we get to know each other and go through different experiences together.” -From Lauren
Darth Citron. (Note from rph: I wore a very similar mask in a few of my early seasons, but several painful “beard frozen to the mask” episodes resembling what SpaceX calls “rapid unscheduled disassembly”, I altered my approach)
“I expected ANSMET to be different than pole since it is field deployment instead of biding time on a station, although the current confinement at McMurdo does seem closer to the pole experience! But similar to Pole, we are in close proximity to our team and in isolation for an extended period of time……… it is important to maintain a good group dynamic throughout the isolation, which includes being considerate and communicative so problems don’t fester, focusing on the shared team goal and not internal competition, and chipping in to share the burden of labor…….. I’ve loaded up on books, including some self improvement titles to occupy myself while waiting for the field and during tent days. I also brought a photography book to improve my photo taking skills……. In terms of cold weather, my primary concern is keeping my goggles from fogging up. I found a spare “snorkel” at McMurdo and made use of the craft room here to rig up a facemask snorkel that will prevent fogging. It’s actually the same snorkel type I had found previously at Pole…….. it should work to prevent fogging – which is super important!” From Robert
And last, from someone I miss sharing Antarctica with very much……
“I miss living in the Scott tent, in a warm sleeping bag listening to the wind buffet the tent and the hiss of snow grains on the tent fabric. I miss climbing out of the tent to face the day, and whatever challenges and adventures are in store. I miss the anticipation of knowing the unknown. I miss introducing and sharing the Antarctic with a wonderful group of people who will become lifelong friends. I miss working with the many support people in McMurdo, many of whom are also close friends. Both groups are family. I miss the vastness of the grand vistas. I miss being where few others have been. I miss the mental and physical challenge of living and working in an unforgiving environment. I miss the light shimmering off the scalloped bare ice. I miss the deep blue skies, the silence, the raging winds, the ground blizzard, the stinging cold. I miss finding a really cool meteorite. I miss so much more.” -From John