After almost two weeks in NZ, feeling rested and refreshed with some wonderful adventures with the Noonsun crew (in wheeled vehicles), I got in touch with some Antarctic people to see if they still needed help with the winter Search and Rescue (SAR) team. They had offered me a contract extension while I was on the ice, but at the point, I was ready for a break. Turns out they still wanted me, so instead of flying home, I flew back to the ice for a bonus month-long contract.
In short, it has been a wonderful bonus of a contract. I was given responsibility, freedom and trust without even having a supervisor on the continent. I helped provide some technical rope/rescue skills to the volunteer SAR team – they have regular jobs but train for potential call-outs once a week. My contract is now complete, though I am still in McMurdo. We were supposed to fly out yesterday, but some weather has come in so who really knows when we’ll get out of here.
This time, though, I am not eager to leave. The people I have gotten to work with have been excellent. And the sky has been amazing. It is fully autumn here, and instead of leaves changing it is the sky. We’ve been losing more than 15 minutes of light for each day that passes, which means every four days, we lose another hour. In another month, the sun won’t rise. The twilights have been amazing. I have often found it hard to sleep when it’s so pretty outside.
With the dropping sun comes the dropping temperatures. Mostly it’s been around 0F/-18C, but with some windchill it can be far colder. But the change is stimulating and instead it being an arduous task to prepare for going outside, it becomes like putting on a space suit. Cover all skin! You don’t want to have any leaks in the space suit or you’ll get frost nipped or worse!
A taste of the winter season has also been fun. Instead of 1000 people here, there around 300. No lines in the galley, I have a room to myself, outside is relatively quiet, everything is quieter. I’m back in the main dorm, (building 155), in which I haven’t lived since my first season in 2006-07. Many happy memories linger from that time.
I asked the management if I could stay until the last flight before real winter sets in (May 3rd) but there is not the funding to support me, so home I will go. I’d love to see the last month of sunlight where twilights last for hours. Alas, I have summer things to prepare for back home, and it feels like I’ve been away from home for years. But I will miss the people, the light, the spacesuit, the adventure of it all. This little bonus makes the whole 2022-23 season a good one and a very memorable one. Antarctica is a beautiful place with some amazing people. I hope to return next season in a new role – to be figured out in a month or so.
On a sadder note, we have lost two dedicated blog readers, Sally Willis and Bija Sass. Sally, such a hometown family friend, who always loved hearing of the adventures I’ve had and was such a good friend to my whole family. And Bija, who I met in 2006 as part of a Taylor Dome cleanup crew in Antarctica. Bonds in the field last a lifetime, though sadly hers was cut way too short. You both are so missed!
And some more pics from the summer season:
Wonderful description of the beginning of winter and loved seeing the photos of the SAR training. All photos great – they help us to imagine what it is like both inside and outside when you are on the ice. Such a nice tribute too to Sal and Bija.
Wonderful post, Ben! I love your photos too. I’m really, really glad to hear that you’re doing so well, although, sorry to hear about your dear friends passing.
Miss you!
Penny
Thank you Penny!