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Published: September 8th 2006
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Antarctica Arrival
After almost 30 days at sea, we get our first sighting of the Antarctic Plateau in all it's magnificence The coldest continent on earth- ANTARCTICA - is one of creations most striking and beautiful continents. At the same time is also one of the harshest environments on earth.
Getting to Antarctica is no easy task. While some countries are able to invest millions of dollars in aeroplanes to transport them, South Africa keeps to more conventional methods - sea. In this instance, the project leader has decided on the SA Agulhas and the Navy's logistical flagship, the SAS Outeniqua.
Having said farewell to our loved ones, we set sail - watching as table bay slowly but surely disappeared from view.
The trip is considerably uneventful, with time spent reading or watching movies.
That is until 40 degrees latitude.
Dubbed the
Roaring Forties by sailors, gale force winds and huge waves continually pound against the bow of the ship. Similar to scenes from the movie - A Perfect Storm - the true force of
Mother Nature is made very apparent as the SAS Outeniqua - a behemoth 21 025 tonne- is effortlessly battered about as she ploughs her way closer to the polar circle.
ARRIVING AT THE POLAR CIRLCE (QUEEN MAUDE'S LAND)
Once through the
Screaming Antarctica the Majestic
A solid bank of ice - hardened in the sun. Called blue-ice, it is harder than concrete. Sixties the ocean settles and pack ice starts to form. This region abounds in living creatures. Large numbers of whales feed on the rich marine life, especially krill. Seals, including the elephant, and leopard seals are in abundance and about 12 species of birds live and breed in the Antarctic.
Sea birds wheel and turn in the wake of the ship, screeching as they dive into the freezing waters to snap up the krill and other crustaceans exposed as the ice is carved apart by the ship's propellers.
The most prominent inhabitant of the Antarctic is the numerous species of penguin that live on the pack ice and in the oceans around Antarctica.
THE ANTARCTIC PLATEAU
After a month at sea it is a relief to finally arrive at Antarc Plateau and to see for myself what everybody else has been raving about. White cliff’s merge as one with the ocean which itself translucent-aqua in colour.
Favourable weather conditions mean we quickly set about offloading the cargo we have brought with us.
This will be used as building materials for the South African National Antarctic Programme's research station - SANAP 4.
The previous research station taken
Time to Leave
The SA Agulhas returns to the South Pole five months after it dropped us off on the plateau. over by South Africa when Norway left in the 1970's , is well past it's sell by date. What was an easily accessible research station 20 years ago has now become a death trap, dilapidated structure buried under 30m of snow. The pillars holding it up buckling under the continued pressure that the snow is placing on them.
Once the arduous task of offloading the ships has been concluded, we are divided into our various groups - mine destined for Vesles Karvet.
VESLES KARVET
The new research station is situated 200miles from Bhukta where we first set foot on the continent.
It's foundation planted firmly in the crest of a rocky outcrop, Vesles Karvet is to be my home for the next five months or so.
Perpetual daylight during summer, complete darkness in winter and an ever-changing landscape as snow is shifted by heavy winds mean a new landscape everyday.
Storms known locally as
White Outs frequently whip across the continent sometimes reaching speeds of up to 200 miles/hour. These storms are so intense that one can't see a foot a foot ahead of you. Tethering yourself to a post becomes second nature as the trip to
The SA Agulhas
The SA Agulhas docking alongside the ramp ploughed into the ice-shelf. The most dangerous part of the expedition as the ice could collapse ito the sea at any time - taking us all with it. the canteen (made in 2 minutes under normal circumstances) becomes a treacherous ordeal taking up to fifteen minutes.
The work wasn't easy. I was assigned to the Depot - responsible for all building materials arriving from Bhukta. It also meant digging up materials (sometimes buried as deep as 6 metres under snow) using a shovel and ensuring they arrived at the building site on schedule. The unpredictable weather meant that we often had to do the same job twice because a storm meant snow will fill the holes we had dug.
According to those in the know - this year was by far the worst in terms of storms. We were often confined to our cabins for a number of days as we sat out a storm, the wind howling in apparent frustration as tried to move the structures in its way.
Christmas day brought some respite from all the work. Our only day off meant we could explore.
Antarctica is a treacherous place and what may seem like a simple walk in the snow could result in serious injury and even death.
As the ocean undulates far below - the ice cracks and shifts resulting
Antarctic African
It might be cold as hell - but you get a really good tan and can get badly sunburnt if you're not careful. in crevasses (sometimes as deep as 300m). Storms cover the cracks with a smattering of fresh snow. A poke with a walking stick results in tonnes of snow cascading into the abyss - taking along with it any careless individuals.
Not able to walk about very much meant visiting the
wind-scoop, a bank of snow in the lea of the rocky outcrop where the base was being built. Baked into ice by the sun, the wind-scoop was ideal for tobogganing.... For those who had the guts that is. After finishing a bottle of brandy to build up the courage, I eventually braved the icy slope - reaching speeds in excess of 120km an hour!!!!
By February the sun was starting to dip closer to the horizon and towards the middle of the month we saw the moon for the first time. This brought about much excitement at the base. It didn't last long though as we realised that with the sun sinking lower and lower every day - we were in for a chilly last month on the Plateau.
True to form, temperatures dipped to -20ºC as soon as the sun disappeared below the horizon. Although it only last a couple of hours, working in these temperatures brought new meaning to the word freezing!!!
The first of March was a memorable day to say the least. Having been dispatched to work at Bhukta for the remaining two weeks, we were the first to see the SA Agulhas sail into the bay at full steam.
Along with came packages from loved ones at home. I was fortunate enough to get 5 litres of
mampoer (a very strong liquor brewed from peaches) and consumed it along with my team that evening.
By the 6th of March we were all aboard the two ships. Seven days later we arrived at Simonstown where we disembarked and made a beeline for the nearest pub. Then it was on to the first train home.
Reflecting back on the trip - I will cherish the opportunity presented to me. While the work was hard and at time intolerable, how many people can say they have visited the South Pole and been paid to do it.
I hope one day to earn enough
mula to be able to return to the Antarctic so I can enjoy the splendour and magnificence that this - one of nature's last true outposts - has to offer.
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