Antarctic Blog Archives

Logistics and Delays

February 6, 2020 - Antarctic Blog, Share, UKAHT

Sometimes getting to Antarctica is as simple as getting on a plane in New Zealand and stepping off 5 hours later into sub zero temperatures. This year’s work expedition to Port Lockroy, (the British base on the Antarctic Peninsula managed by the United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust) was a whole other story.

Like Travelling to Another Planet

November 5, 2018 - Antarctic Blog

For me the whole experience of travelling to Antarctica felt more like travelling to another planet. Luckily I had Lizzie, Nicola and Martin – the seasoned and awesome AHT conservation crew I’ll be working with over the next six weeks – to shepherd me through this foreign process.

We began at the United States Antarctica Programme (USAP) departure lounge, a whole separate terminal at Christchurch International Airport, where our bags were weighed and checked, followed by a quick video from the head of the USAP. We then hopped on a very old American school bus. We were shuttled across the road, and directed to board the US Airforce’s C-17; this in itself was an amazing experience.

Mike Gillies

Mike Gillies on arrival at Scott Base

It was totally different to boarding a regular international commercial flight. Think very loud, lunch in paper bags, basic, and military green. The flight took about five hours. When we were approaching McMurdo there was a muffled announcement over the planes intercom, and then a mad flurry of passenger activity. All of the passengers were throwing on their ECW (extreme cold weather) gear. Me as a newbie followed suit, sitting in the C-17 sweating, but prepared and ready to face whatever Antarctica had to throw at me when the plane landed.

Mike Gillies

Mike Gillies is a long way from home at Scott Base

Maybe I was ready for the weather, but what I wasn’t prepared for was the Antarctic’s onslaught on my senses. Upon landing I walked down the gangway, and then – smack! I was instantly overwhelmed… that first breath of Antarctic air is unlike anything imaginable… extremely cold and dry, but the most pure air ever. Then the overwhelming visuals… vast ice fields as far as the eye can see; mountains which seem so close you could touch them but are miles away; Mt Erebus puffing away in the background; and the whole time these behemoth red American dinosaurs (think ski field shuttles on steroids) are carting people and gear around, to and from the airfield to McMurdo. Where on earth am I…?

Written by Conservation Ambassador Mike Gillies

Reflections from Antarctic Ambassador Chris Ansin

March 19, 2018 - Antarctic Blog

When I talk to people about what it is like to visit and live in Antarctica, everyone’s imagination is that Antarctica is an incredibly remote, beautiful and stunning environment.

Antarctic Youth Ambassador Chris Ansin working on the hut roof

While no truer words have been spoken, Antarctica has left a very different, and for me, even more special impression. It was the environment that the people created, one of collaboration, hard work, friendship and happiness. Nowhere else have I ever experienced something more powerful than being surrounded by people where everyone was living the life that made them happy.

I feel humbled to have worked alongside some of the most incredible people I have ever met. Al, Lizzie, Geoff and Diana were such an amazing team to work with. It was hard not to feel inspired just working and spending time alongside them.

Chris Ansin

Chris in Antarctica

Antarctica itself still seems such a surreal place, full of magic and wonder. Stepping into the historic huts flung striking pictures of the struggles of the men no older than myself into my mind. The vivid history of the surroundings envelopes you in emotion, it is impossible not to form a connection. To work on and help preserve the legacy of the heroic explorers that I idolise was such a rare treat and one that I will treasure for the rest of my life.

Experiencing the grandest and most dramatic landscapes on the planet, I am now only beginning to realise the effect that Antarctica has had on me. I am truly excited by the possibilities of life, and feel so privileged to have experienced this amazing continent with the crew from AHT. I definitely have the Antarctic bug!

Written by Sir Peter Blake Trust Antarctic Youth Ambassador Chris Ansin

An Antarctic Ambassador’s Awe – Diana McCormack

March 19, 2018 - Antarctic Blog

Diana McCormack

Inside Scott’s Hut

Since getting back everyone has been asking me “Well, how was it?” and I keep finding myself short on adjectives.

It’s hard to sum up just how special a place Antarctica really is or the real sense of privilege I found at being able to work in the historic huts. I met lots of interesting and lovely people, went snow-caving, bounced over the sea ice in a Hagglund, camped in sight of Mt Erebus, flew over the Barne glacier in a helicopter and learned so much about the first expeditions to the Ross Sea.

Antarctic Heritage Trust/Diana McCormack

Digging snow outside the hut

Joining Al and Lizzie and the team for just one season, it really struck me how much work has already gone into the huts and the enormous achievement of everyone in that team over the years. Thinking about all the logistics and planning that have been behind all that fieldwork is pretty humbling. It has given me fresh positivity in tackling my own conservation challenges at home, because the historic ships can be daunting at times. We are constantly battling the elements and trying to preserve very large objects in the outdoor marine environment – but seeing what has been possible in Antarctica and getting a taste of working in those conditions has given me a new perspective.

When I get asked “What’s the most memorable thing you took away from it all?” it still takes a minute to find an answer. But if I close my eyes the first thing that comes back is walking through the door to the Terra Nova hut at Cape Evans, and the amazing smell of blubber, and straw and timber. That’s going to stay with me for a long time!

Written by Conservation Ambassador Diana McCormack

Antarctic Heritage Trust/Lizzie Meek

Diana working on object in lab

Antarctic Heritage Trust/Diana McCormack

Group of donated items from Cape Evans

Cod Liver Oil

December 28, 2017 - Antarctic Blog

The team is back at Scott Base now and enjoying the relative luxuries (bathrooms, meals being served up for us, mattresses instead of roll mats).

I have been working in the lab here on some objects that need conservation before they can be placed or re-placed into their original locations in the historic huts.

Diana McCormack

Group of donated items from Cape Evans

Of special interest are a small group of objects that have been donated to the Trust this year. We have several cans of cocoa, a bottle of cod liver oil, a lacquered matchbox that still contains matches, and a jar of table salt. What these objects have in common is that they all came from one of the historic huts, but were removed during the 1950s and 1960s before the areas were protected by the Trust, often by people who were working or sheltering in the bases at that time. It is great to have these objects returned so that they can be put on display in their original context.

This bottle of cod liver oil is in really good condition, and that is mainly due to the fact that it is unopened and made from glass, which is a relatively stable material when compared to the metal artefacts. The bottle has also been sealed around the cork stopper with wax at some point, to make sure it doesn’t leak. Some little repairs to the label and a general clean-up were all it needed, and now it can be packed up and returned to the Terra Nova hut at Cape Evans next season.

Antarctic Heritage Trust

Diana working on object in lab

Life of luxury

December 21, 2017 - Antarctic Blog

Much like the differences in the historic huts, compared to the cosy cabin at Cape Royds in which we were cooking dinner, Cape Evans field camp was a five star hotel. It had a heater, a gas stove, you could fit more than 2 people in there without having to squeeze, and most importantly it came with a fresh supply of survival chocolate!

Antarctic Heritage Trust - Barne Glacier

Chris Ansin

It was here that we encountered our first storm of the season, but like the hard explorers that built these huts, a little poor weather wasn’t going to stop us from working to restore the hut. We had to mark a trail between our camp and the hut as when the wind picks up it picks up the snow on the sea ice, and forms an impenetrable wall of drifting snow. This also happened to redeposit most of the snow that we had dug out. Back to the shovel for me.

Cape Evans sits at the base of one of the main glaciers from Mt Erebus, the Barne! What a stunning blue that ice sheet was, just dropping into the frozen sea. Later in the season when the sea ice bubbles up and forms pressure ridges seals will come out to sunbathe on the ice, unfortunately none were to be found today.

During the trip out from Scott base, we heard a shout over the radio of “THAT’S FANTASTIC” from the group travelling out to Cape Evans, and we knew that could only mean one thing, EMPERORS! Luckily they weren’t too far from our base and that night I set off to find them. Just around the corner from the cape sitting on the sea ice fast asleep were four teenage trouble makers, clearly miles from home up to no good. I wish I could take daytime naps like these guys.

Chris Ansin

Emperor penguins

I waited for them to wake up and do something, I waited until my hands had almost fallen off, and waited some more and then….. They continued to sleep and completely ignored my existence!

It was time to say goodbye to Cape Evans, it was forecast to be terrible weather and I hoped it would turn out to be true so I could spend another day out there. Alas, Hagglunds as it turns out can travel in any kind of weather and so we spent a bumpy two-hour ride in complete whiteout conditions wishing that we could see more penguins.

Written by Chris Ansin, Antarctic Heritage Trust and Sir Peter Blake Trust Antarctic Youth Ambassador.

Life at Scott Base!

December 21, 2017 - Antarctic Blog

Adjusting back to life at Scott Base is like returning home from a long holiday. There are regular meal times, feasts would be a more accurate description. At 7, 10, 12, 3, and 6 you are fed with mounds of food with plate sizes starting at large. There is a running joke that you have to eat more than your body weight in food as you are in Antarctica and you never know when your next meal is going to be. If you are not careful you will end up looking like the seals out on the sea ice.

Chris Ansin

Life at Scott Base is not just all about the food. As it is essentially a giant box and going outside takes a significant amount of effort, there are often activities and events to keep the spirits high. During the first week back there was a barn dance with live bagpipes and a line instructor, it was the last place that I would expect to see a bagpipe. We spent the Sunday on a field trip exploring Castle Hill where you harness up to climb to the top, quite exhausting but the views are spectacular. From the top we could see cloud rolling in across the ice shelf so we quickly turned around to get back to base.

Chris Ansin

A seal basking on the sea ice

Stuck for nine days due to several storm cycles, some of the people at Scott Base were very keen to leave. I couldn’t think of a better place to be stuck! On the bright side, the storm cycle produced some of the nicest snow Antarctica has seen for a long time. It was bizarre to see people amazed at snow in Antarctica, what I thought would be the home of snow. The snow gods had delivered nearly a foot of fresh powder, and what better way to celebrate by going out skiing cross country.

We have started work on replacing the roof on Hillary’s (TAE/IGY) Hut, and it is about time that I became a roofer. I was always told by my father to get into a trade when I was younger. Here is my chance to live that dream and see if my dad was right.

Written by Chris Ansin, Antarctic Heritage Trust and Sir Peter Blake Trust Antarctic Youth Ambassador.

Cape Evans

December 15, 2017 - Antarctic Blog

Exhausted with desperation, in the dimming light of the Antarctic Autumn, the heroic men of the Terra Nova expedition left back at Cape Evans knew with certainty that the South Pole expedition had failed. It would be another 6 months until the first light of day gave any hope of finding the bodies and learning the terrific and terrible tale of Robert Falcon Scott.

Chris Ansin

Cape Evans

Jars full of salt on the walls, wheels of cheese high above, and at both ends of the hut were two ovens that would have radiated lifesaving warmth. Seal fat still to this day dripping from the blubber pile and a vast array of scientific equipment throughout the hut. This expedition lived in relative comfort, yet the challenges and hardship faced by these brave men were incredibly real. The polar party never returned, meeting their fate just 11 miles from a wrongly located lifeline of food and supplies, enough to ensure a safe return home.

Inside Scott’s Hut…

To this day, the Terra Nova hut at Cape Evans stands strong, the Antarctic Heritage Trust having conserved and made the hut almost liveable for another hundred years. So strong that it was almost enveloped in snow when we arrived. Good thing that I had just had lots of experience digging snow and ice at Cape Royds. We arrived on Friday and spent Saturday digging out the snow to uncover the hut beneath. On Sunday, a trip from Scott Base arrived to explore the hut and completed what we had achieved in an entire day in a matter of minutes. They did have a shorter walk to the snow pile!Scott’s Hut at Cape Evans is magical. It portrays a life of exploration in the quintessential British way of hardship and vision. It shocks you into a reality as if you are part of the expedition. The richness of the environment and the quantity of artefacts makes you feel like you are genuinely living alongside these men, yet it is steeped with tragedy from every heroic era expedition that stepped through those doors and slept on those beds. The hairs on the back of your neck tingle as you bend down to enter, with the memories of the expedition still so present today.

Memorial Cross on Wind Vane Hill

From the Terra Nova Hut at Cape Evans

December 5, 2017 - Antarctic Blog

From Cape Royds we moved on to Cape Evans, camping near the Terra Nova hut where we spent four days on the monitoring and maintenance work. There was a lot more snow at this site and the team have been very busy, excavating the snow away from the hut and exterior objects and checking the roof for snow ingress.

Antarctic Heritage Trust - Terra Nova hut

Diana McCormack

Part of my job was the conservation cleaning and treatment of mould growth around the hut, and this was particularly important around the exterior walls and bunk spaces. The environmental conditions inside the hut are very cold, but in the summer temperatures can rise high enough to allow mould growth; this would be damaging to the organic artefacts like the wooden boxes and the clothing and bedding on the bunks. We have also been monitoring and recording the condition of the artefacts, which has been great because I have been able to handle some amazing objects.

Diana McCormack

Inside Scott’s Hut

My favourite thing about this hut (which is all utterly wonderful!) is the wardroom table. It sits at the centre of the living space and appears in so many iconic photographs from the Terra Nova expedition, such as the one of Scott’s birthday dinner. Looking at it closely you can see the worn and scratched surface from years of intensive use in a really crowded space; for me this brings the warmth of life into the room, much more than if everything were in pristine condition.

It is important to remember in conservation that signs of use on artefacts are a huge part of their history and telling the story of the expeditions, and the AHT have done a wonderful job of preserving these living objects.

Diana McCormack

Digging snow outside the hut

Camping On Ice

December 1, 2017 - Antarctic Blog

Scott Base is situated on Ross Island which is connected to the mainland by the Ross Ice Shelf. Before venturing out onto the ice shelf and go exploring we had to go through Antarctic Field Training.

Chris Ansin

This is as exciting as it sounds, spending the night out on the snow in a polar explorer tent, which uses the same design as the original tents used for the early Antarctic expeditions. After getting everything organised and briefing the team, we loaded up the Hagglund (an off road monster) out to our campsite to pitch the yellow triangles of tents. We were pitching our tents on the Ross Ice Shelf where the ice was approximately 300m thick. We spent the next few hours setting up camp and digging our kitchen in the most picturesque landscape imaginable. There are few places where everything in all directions is pure white, and we were being shadowed by Mt Erebus steaming away in our backyard.

Chris Ansin

Chris in Antarctica

There was not a wisp of wind in the air as we cooked dinner and had ourselves a merry feast of backcountry freeze-dried food and hot chocolate. This was camping at its finest! After dinner we went out for a Hagglund back country cruise, a short trip and a mild scramble to the top of Castle Rock to get 360o views of McMurdo Sound and the mountains. The view was simply stunning. Unfortunately, time was not on our side as it was already nearly 11pm at night and we had to get back into camp. Somehow, I lost track of time being out in the field and around 1am I went to take a nap and fell straight asleep despite the daylight. This is inside the tent at 1am with my new found roomie and friend Grant who is showing off his supreme selfie skills.

Chris Ansin

Camping Out

Travelling back, we had a short excursion on the sea ice outside Scott Base to see the Weddell seals with their pups. The seals come up in the cracks in the sea ice where the ice is pushed against the land causing pressure ridges. This provides the seals a safe place to sun bathe and raise their pups away from the dangers of the open water. The seal pups are amazingly cute and fluffy, this seal is about three days old and is still in the care of its mum.

Chris Ansin

A seal pup on the ice

Tomorrow we are traveling to Cape Royds and then to Cape Evans to camp out in the field for 8 days. We are doing the yearly maintenance on the historic huts of Shackleton and Scott. The sea ice out at Cape Royds isn’t stable enough to drive out to so we get to go in a helicopter to drop us off. I am already excited!

Written by Chris Ansin, Antarctic Heritage Trust and Sir Peter Blake Trust Antarctic Youth Ambassador.

Like Travelling to Another Planet

Reflections from Antarctic Ambassador Chris Ansin

An Antarctic Ambassador’s Awe – Diana McCormack

Cod Liver Oil

Life of luxury

Life at Scott Base!

Cape Evans

From the Terra Nova Hut at Cape Evans

Camping On Ice

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