breaking the Ice in New Zealand

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Raglan
January 29th 2011

Published: February 19th 2011

One of the things that happen when youve been a 'castaway' in the Antarctic for a number of months is that you slowly forget the world to the North, the planet that is a warm blue, green and brown ball and not the stark white, black and grey you have come to see as your world. As spectacular a landscape as it is, and as interesting a place it can be, humans were never meant to be part of Antarcti... Read Full Entry

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Antarctica: Year on

surfbird

Just over ten years ago, I walked away from my career as a space shuttle systems and launch pad technician, a job I actually loved, and many would say, crazy to leave. Shortly after, I flew 9000 miles by way of New Zealand, to the the 7th and most remote, unexplored continent-Antarctica. This for a much lower level job that would last less than 6 months. From a career progression point of view it was like driving down a steep mountain in my old 88 GMC pickup truck-the brakes would very likely fail! I was 40- not a particularly good point in life to just 'bail' on the job and the 401K- but ... full info

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raglan 1

on to Raglan, North island west coast-for a surfer this gets the stoke flowing!

happy to be in Raglan!

Raglan sunset

summer sunset over Mt Karioi and Raglan harbour, jan 2011

raglan main bch surf

nice little swell waiting to be ridden -by me!

raglan panarama

the points, Manu, Whale Bay and Indicators in the distance, Ngarunui beach below

ready to paddle out

yep, a self portrait, I really do surf!

stormy day

The amazing wild Waikato coast , and the Tasman Sea, Raglan NZ Jan 19 2011, my 52nd Birthday...

manu bay

a small but nice empty left at Manu Bay Raglan

manu bay

the first and most famous surf point in Raglan, small here but on its good days--epic!

raglan bridge jumping

jumping from the pedestian bridge to raglan town, a rite of passage when staying in Raglan-once apon a time i did it (a few times) too, but not at low tide!

waves 2

raglan str

late eve in Raglan, after a long day in the surf.

lines....

fun little waves, Ngarunui Beach, Raglan

last look

my last look at green grass before boarding my plane to the Antarctic!

pack ice

the pack ice in the Southern Ocean, the first clue youre entering the polar world.

so many dials and stuff.....

ice

hard to beleive this was once a continent of temperate forest and wetlands. ..

C17 window

cockpit window view, a familiar sight as we approach the Ross Sea and Mcmurdo.

boomerang

after flying 5 hours south, we banked around over Ice fogged Mcmurdo Station and headed back to New Zealand, another 5 hours! this pic over the southern ocean 10 minutes from Mcmurdo-we call it the 'boomerang' we returned the very next day-and made it!

welcome home!

nice thing to see on my return, airfield road, welcome back to Antarctica-the Emperors have arrived!

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breaking the Ice in New Zealand

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