A Season Working and Living in Antarctica - Part 1

It had always been a dream of mine to visit Antarctica.  The reality of that dream was often realised by looking at the cost of travel to Antarctica and the knowledge that even if I could afford it, I would likely end up stuck on a boat unable to do the types of things I really wanted to do.  Last year I was offered an opportunity that I could not refuse--to work as a field trainer for the US Antarctic Program.  This would allow me a trip to Antarctica, and the ability to get paid for it.

It was not until I got my first glimpse of the Antarctic continent that I truly believed I would get to Antarctica.  The Antarctic Program had not sent me my ticketing information to New Zealand, a required stopover, until less than 24 hours before my scheduled departure time. Thus, even once we were in the air, leaving New Zealand behind, I still believed it was entirely possible this last flight might actually take me somewhere other than Antarctica.  

Flights to Antarctica are done mostly with US Air Force C-17s.  New Zealand and Australia also help out by adding couple of additional passenger aircraft in early and late season when large amount of people are moving back and fourth.  We flew down in a chartered Australian Airbus A-319.

We landed at McMurdo Station or, more specifically, on the sea ice about 2 miles outside of McMurdo Station.  McMurdo is the main US research station in Antarctica and also the biggest.  It is located on Ross Island very close to where Robert Scott built his first hut in 1902.  The station is so close and now so large, outward sprawling like every other American city, that the Scott hut almost feels like a part of the station.  It was originally built by the US Navy.  The US Antarctic Program (part of the National Science Foundation) now runs the station since its sole purpose under the International Antarctic Treaty is scientific research.  Although I do poke a little bit of fun at the expense of large government entities, I do truly respect the science that takes place in Antarctica and believe that it is invaluable to this and future generations. 

Robert Scott's Discovery Hut

The sprawling metropolis of McMurdo Station.

McMurdo houses somewhere between 150 and 1,200 people depending on the time of year.  When I arrived, there were about 300 people on station.  Within several weeks that number grew close to 800 people including support staff and scientists.  During the winter a core group of about 150 people keep the station running, but there is very little science underway.  The support staff at McMurdo consist of everyone from janitors and mechanics, to fuel handlers and IT people.  Imagine a totally isolated city with lots of heavy equipment, an airport (or two), a sewer treatment facility, a garbage sorting facility, a fire department, a cafeteria, gym, helicopter hangers, an amazing scientific laboratory, and even two bars.  For each part of this small town there has to be a person to keep it running.  Housing is another story. Everyone is housed in dorms, two to a room much like college.  

Fuels employee refueling an LC-130.

My job, "Field Instructor," in the Field Safety Training Program (FSTP) consists mostly of teaching survival courses to every person who is going to leave the station for field work.  Much like a cold weather camping class we teach setting up tents, lighting stoves, and digging survival trenches.  Survival trenches are basically a shallow grave dug in the snow in which to die in if all else is lost.  They will, however, allow you to live slightly longer than if you did not know how to dig one so they remain part of the curriculum.  In addition, we put the students through some scenarios, one of which we call bucket head, where the students attempt to find a missing person with buckets on their heads to simulate a whiteout.  So as not to forget that this is a government-sponsored entity we also cover many of the protocols of McMurdo Station which take about as much time as the survival training.  The course is a two-day course affectionately referred to as Happy Camper.  Each participant gets to spend the night camping outside in Antarctica on the McMurdo Ice Shelf while we, the instructors, sleep several hundred yards away in a hut warmed with a diesel burning stove that even on the lowest settings makes us wish we were sleeping outside also.  

Setting up a Scott Tent on the McMurdo Ice Shelf.

A well-built happy campers camp with Mt. Erebus in the background.

Bucket head

Sun dog over Mt. Erebus as seen from happy camper on the McMurdo Ice Shelf.

Happy campers are not the only course we teach.  Trainings are a key part of the US Antarctic experience, and anyone who has to do anything must take a training in order to do it.  If you are going out on the sea ice you must take sea ice training. If you are going to altitude, and most of Antarctica is at high altitude, you must take altitude training.  FSTP teaches both of these.  In addition we provide specialized technical trainings for science groups going to glaciated areas of the continent.  Other required trainings include driving snowmobiles (basic and advanced class), Hagglunds training, Piston Bully training, chainsaw training, and light vehicle training.  Light vehicle training is a two-hour class that explains how to drive a pickup truck at less than 5 mph, check the oil, and place a wheel chock any time you park it.  This is all done via a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation while the trucks are parked safely outside with their wheels chocked. 

In addition to trainings FSTP is also responsible for establishing travel routes on the sea ice for science teams to travel to and from dive huts and Weddell Seal breeding areas. This is amongst other things that I will get to later.  Route work consists of flagging routes, and monitoring the sea ice and known crack crossings for safety.  This sea ice work is conducted in the early season when it is cold.  Working on the sea ice can result in some of the most fun days and also some of the worst.  Overall enjoyment of sea ice work depends on weather, and, as most people probably know, Antarctic weather can be fairly bad.  Antarctica may not have a lot of wildlife outside the water, but what it does have is most likely to be found while working on the sea ice.  Weddell seals are often laying on the ice near the cracks that FSTP monitors, and occasionally penguins wander over during the work.  Penguins are drawn to pretty much anything else that is moving on the ice so if they see you they almost always come to investigate. More on penguins and seals later...

A not so good day of sea ice work.

Drilling holes to measure ice thickness.

Lunch break.

FSTP and members of our Kiwi (New Zealand) equivalent are also responsible for search and rescue.  Each Thursday the team trains together.  Training days consist of whatever we deem necessary to become a more effective search and rescue team.  Throughout the course of a season, we step in and out of helicopters while they are hovering under full power, we set up pulley systems for an entire day, and climb around Castle Rock (one of the few recreational outings available to staff).  One of the more interesting parts of search and rescue in Antarctica is the tools available to us.  A lost person in an Antarctic storm would be next to impossible to find using standard search and rescue techniques.  FSTP uses three Hagglands amphibious vehicles.  These vehicles are meant to float if we drive them on to ice too thin, but due to a lack of spare parts neither the door seals or the pumps work in any of them, dooming them to the bottom of the Ross Sea if we were to ever drive them into the water through thin ice.  Roof hatches will allow us to escape out the top as the Hagglunds slowly sinks.  The Hagglunds are equipped with marine radar, Radio Direction finder, and infra-red video that allow us to drive around in zero visibility to find lost people or vehicles.  All this equipment would be useless if we did not know how to use it, so we spend several days working with that also.  In past years it has been used several times in real situations to find and return lost people to McMurdo safely.

In the 2012-13 season, FSTP participated in a real search and rescue involving a downed aircraft with a Canadian crew.  It turned out to be a major mission involving many resources and almost all of the members from both the American and Kiwi teams.  Six of us were transported approximately 800 miles by helicopter and dropped near the summit of Mt. Elizabeth in the Trans-Antarctic Mountains.  At this time I will not go into any more details about this tragic accident. 

Hagglunds

SAR training on Castle Rock

Traversing a snow slope on Castle Rock with Mt. Erebus in the background.

The Hagglunds early in the season when the sun still sets.

Driving a Hagglunds using radar only.

Even with radar navigation some route marking flags become casualties.

Testing the roof hatch of the Hagglunds.

Mt. Erebus Work

One of the best parts of our job is field support of science projects.  Science grantees can request the help of FSTP for field work.  In the 2012-2013 season, FSTP supported several field projects ranging from seal tagging, to placing very precise sensors at over 10,000 ft on the polar plateau.  The job of FSTP is to ensure the safety of the scientists.  The field project to which I was assigned was investigating micobiological life around the volcanic vents near the summit of Mt. Erebus.  Mt. Erebus is a large active volcano that makes up a huge amount of the total area of Ross Island.  It is also the most southern active volcano on earth and the second highest in Antarctica.  Mt. Erebus is also home to one of the only permanent lava lakes on earth.  Because Mt. Erebus is an active volcano it has many vents near the summit, many of which are located underneath the glaciers and snowfields.  These vents melt the glaciers from the bottom up and create large cave systems all over the mountain.  There are at least 50 known caves, some of which have never been entered.  Access to these caves is highly restricted due to the sensitivity of life forms that could be in them.  The goal for our group was to look for microbial life in the darkest parts of these caves. My job was to get them in and out of the caves safely, and, in some cases, to look for pristine, previously unentered caves from which to collect samples.  This work involved finding the safest entrances, building anchors on the outside, belaying or lowering the scientists, ensuring they could climb back out, and monitoring the air for dangerously high levels of CO2. 

Weather on Mt. Erebus can be exceptionally bad.  Our first few days had us stuck inside a small hut while the temperatures dropped to -35F with winds up to 60 mph. 

My evening accommodations on a windy day.

...and on an even windier day.

Inside the Lower Erebus Hut, desperation called for the use of a human waste bucket for the Thanksgiving turkey brine.

Many of the cave entrances are marked by large towers of ice.  These are formed by steam freezing as it escapes into the incredibly cold Antarctic air.  There are hundreds of these on the mountain and each is truly unique.  

The large ice tower at the entrance to Sauna Cave.

Looking strait up inside one of the ice towers.

Ice towers near the Erebus hut.

Exploring the ice towers.

This tower, located above a small cave (haggis hole) with no recorded entries, was one of the sampling caves for the project.

In the past few years both BBC and National Geographic have spent time photographing inside the Erebus caves.  There is no doubt that these caves are one of the most incredible places on the planet, and I feel truly lucky to have been able to work inside of many of them. 

Exiting Warren Cave, the same cave captured in both the National Geographic and BBC visits.

Some caves are covered in crystals so fragile that even the lightest breath causes them to collapse.

Deep inside Warren Cave.

The one and only thing I truly have problems with is small spaces. I had to talk myself through this.

Exiting Mammoth Cave.

Light shines through the thin walls of Heroine Tower.

Warren Cave.

Crystal found in one of the caves.

The aptly named Imax room.

Inside Mammoth Cave, one of the largest on the mountain.

Inside Worm-tounge Cave

Not all of the work was inside the caves.  One area of the mountain has surface temperatures so hot that  any ice on it is melted off.  This area also has unique biological life.  We spent some time here locating and removing experiments that were left last season.

Sampling on Tramway Ridge.

The summit crater of Mt. Erebus is huge and active with a large lake of lava in the bottom.  I was able to hike around the summit on two different occasions during my trip.  There is something truly amazing about visiting active volcanos.  It is difficult to give a sense of place in photos since because of the incredible sounds that were present when the images were taken. 

Mt. Erebus summit crater.

The lava lake at the bottom of the crater.

 

Looking into the earth.

In the next several weeks I will add more info on what it was like to live and work at McMurdo Station in addtion to some wildlife and other adventures.  

Antarctica

I will once again be based in Antarctica for several months later this year.  Stay tuned for many more photos and stories from the coldest, driest, highest, and least populated continent on the planet.

Bewick's Wren

I shot this video earlier today after I split a rotting log in the yard.  It was full of termites and within a few minutes the wren nesting in the next box I put up last year found it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inQpJj6kXRM&feature=player_embedded

Using Your Camera in Extreme Cold and Wet Weather.

This is an article I wrote a couple of years ago but still get a lot of questions about.  I have updated with some recent information.


As a guide who always carries a camera, I am often asked about cameras on climbing trips and whether it is a good idea. My answer to that is always YES! Bring along your camera! The results are often amazing. 

Inside and ice cave in the Erebus Glacier, Antarctica.

There is a wealth of information on outdoor camera use already available on the internet, but much of it does not apply to taking cameras up mountains and in arctic areas where conditions are considerably more severe than what the internet articles are presuming. The information in this article is my personal opinion. It's a description of what has worked for me over the last twenty years of shooting outdoor photographs, including six climbing trips to Alaska and time in Antarctica in which I have never had a camera failure.

Point and Shoot vs SLR

A point and shoot camera is lightweight and easy to carry and cheaper; a single lense reflex (SLR) is bulky and heavy and expensive. Most people I know use point and shoot cameras, and for most people they are the best option.  One camera I highly recommend is the Cannon G12 or its latest version.  I carry a Nikon SLR with a multi purpose zoom lens (and sometimes a tripod), because it allows me more freedom to shoot the exact photo I want. The debate here goes on forever all across cyberspace. For more information on this subject, you can just Google it.

Shooting Weddell seals on a bad weather day in Antarctica.

How to Carry Your Camera

Carrying is easy with a point and shoot type camera, because it fits nicely in a pocket; however, I recommend a small camera case that fits on the shoulder strap of a backpack. This keeps the camera close by for quick use and outside clothing so there are no potential moisture issues.

For a large SLR I sometimes will keep the camera in my pack to protect it, but most of the time my camera hangs on the hip belt of my backpack. This allows me to get to the camera quickly, but can be a bit annoying when I am on more technical terrain. Another option that I have seen with SLR cameras is to hang it between the shoulder straps so it is right in front of you. From a comfort perspective this is not my favorite option, but you should try several different things to see what works best for you.

Cold Weather Camera Use

One of the most common myths I hear about camera use in the mountains is that the new digital cameras don't work in the cold. I have never seen a camera that does not work in the cold. The working temperature range for most electronics is well below the temperatures you are likely to encounter in the mountains. So your camera will still work. There are however some parts of your camera that could be less likely to work in very cold weather, so if you are going to Denali or Antarctica, keep reading; if not, you can skip to the next section.

An exceptionally difficult day of work on the Antarctic sea ice.

Very cold temperatures do effect some non essential parts of a camera directly and other parts indirectly. One example is the LCD screen on the back of a camera. These can freeze at low temperatures, or just not work quite right, so you can't depend on that. Get yourself a camera with a view finder so you can see what you are shooting photos of. In VERY cold and dry conditions, even an eyepiece viewfinder can be a problem. On one trip I did to the Alaska Range, every time I held my camera up to my eye, my viewfinder fogged from the moisture near my body. These were the coldest temperatures I have ever encountered, and it is not likely that you will see these types of conditions. To put it simply, your camera is actually better suited to working in the cold than it is in extreme heat. On hot sunny days, don't leave your camera in the car. The batteries are another story that we will discuss next.

This photo shot from the summit of Mt. Crosson was shot in temperatures close to -40 degrees.  If you would like a copy of this photo you can purchase it by clicking on it.

The problems most people encounter with their camera in cold weather are only indirectly related to the cold weather and can be avoided by a few simple rules. This brings us to the second most common myth of cameras in the cold. I often hear people say they keep their camera in their jacket so it stays warm. This works great with water bottles, but is not a good thing to do with a camera. Picture a man with glasses walking into a warm room after having been outside in cold weather. Glasses fog, and so will a camera the second you put it back in your warm jacket. As long as it is dry outside, keep it outside. Cold is not your cameras enemy, changes in temperature are. This moisture problem applies to the inside of your tent as well. Tents can be very moist. I keep my camera in my backpack out of the tent at night and hanging on the outside of my backpack when I am moving during the day.

Batteries

Your camera won't have any problems in the cold, but your batteries might. Batteries do not loose their power in cold weather; they are just not able to give quite as much of it up. So as soon as a battery is warmed up, it is good again. Older metal hydride and nickel cadmium batteries are not very good in cold weather. Battery technology is advancing very fast, and this has been a great thing for digital cameras. Most new camera batteries are Lithium ion. They are expensive, but they work well in the cold. If you camera uses over-the-counter AA or AAA, buy the more expensive lithium ion batteries. They will last twice as long and save you money in the long run.

If you don't want your camera to die on summit day, spend some time learning how long your batteries last. I know that given normal temperatures I can shoot all the photos I want with my Nikon SLR and spend a lot of time reviewing them and not run out of battery power for any trip three weeks or less. I carry two extra batteries just in case on Denali, and almost never carry an extra for any other trip. I have never run out of batteries with this system, but cameras vary. You should know about how many photos your camera can shoot on one battery and then subtract 30% to know what you might get in cold weather.  I have seen lots of battery failures on small point and shoot cameras.  I feel like more of these camera have problems than don't so be very careful which camera you buy.  If you can find one that uses AA batteries that is the best option.  Either way you will need to bring lots of extras on a long trip.  

Moisture

The only time I would think about leaving my camera at home is in very rainy weather, for example, the Cascades in early spring. Even then I usually bring it along anyway.  Moisture probably won't completely kill your camera, but it might. Keep your camera in a plastic bag if it is raining. Skip the long photo sessions, since they probably won't be great photos anyway. I always try to think about where the most moisture is and keep my camera somewhere else.  I will remove the camera from the plastic bag quickly shoot and then return it to the bag.  Sometimes I open the bag poke the lens out and leave the rest of the camera in the bag while a shoot a couple of photos.  I keep my camera in the tent when I am in wet climates and outside the tent when I am in Alaska.  Remember,  snow is not the same as rain.  It is a lot easier to keep a camera dry in the snow than the rain.  If your camera ever does get wet, immediately take the battery out and do not use it for the rest of the trip. Attempt to dry it out as soon as possible by leaving it in the sun or some other warm (not hot) area. Get a bag of rice wrap the camera in cheese cloth and bury it in rice for a week.  I have heard of some people putting their electronics in an oven to dry them out, but I don't suggest you try this. I just had an amusing email from a fellow guide asking for everyone's phone numbers after cooking his phone in the oven and losing all the data. Heat is one of the primary enemies of electronics.

A south polar skua in very wet snow.

I just returned from a trip to Antarctica where temperatures were the coldest I have ever encountered.  I spent some time shooting in volcanic vents which are warm and very moist.  This creates some of the most difficult conditions for shooting that exist.  In order for the camera not to fog the second it is taken into the cave it must be the same temperature as the cave.  The temperatures outside the cave were -20 and inside they were often above freezing (thats over a 50 degree change).  I entered the cave with the camera sealed inside a ziplock bag and placed the camera on the floor (the warmest part of the cave).  After finishing all my other work I then pulled the camera out to shoot photos which was sometime as much as an hour after entering the cave.  This is the only way to shoot in this type of environment.

Camera Use

The most important thing about having a camera in the mountains is using it. The best thing about shooting digital photos is that it does not cost you any more to shoot more photos. You won't automatically get better photos because you shoot more on a given trip, but if you consistently take a good quantity, two things will happen. You'll accelerate your learning of what works and what doesn't work in creating quality images, and if it becomes automatic to be taking photos throughout the day or throughout a climb, you are unlikely to miss great photographic opportunities - many of which are only there briefly. Shoot away!

Photo on National Geographic Traveler

The first of what I hope to be several photos from Antarctica was published yesterday on National Geographic Travelers Travel 365 feature.  It is located here:

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/365-photos/erebus-glacier-tongue-antartica

The photo published by NG.

The cave was located in the Erebus Ice Tongue near Ross Island, Antarctica.  An ice tongue is simply a glacier that continues past the edge of the land and is floating in water.  This was the second time we had been to the cave after finding it the first time two days earlier.  At that time we did not enter it because we did not have the equipment or time to determine stability and overall safety.  This photo was shot as Cory and I entered the cave and assessed the roof stability.  The original intent of entering the cave was so it could be used as a recreational trip for people working at McMurdo Station.  Ice conditions and transportation issues unfortunately did not allow this to happen.  The New Zealand program did end up using it for this purpose and used it as a side trip on Cape Evans and Cape Royds recreational trips.  

The cave and as much as two kilometers of the ice tongue are now gone.  Sometime in mid February the floating tongue broke off and floated out into McMurdo Sound.  

Here are a few more photos of the cave.