Krystal Paraone, Studio Manager at Staples VR, talks about the process of bringing this incredible piece of world-leading technology, to life.
In July, South Auckland high school students from Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate took their first steps in the Trust’s In the Footsteps of Hillary Inspiring Explorers Expedition™, which will culminate in an attempt to climb Mount Tapuae-o-Uenuku (South Island, New Zealand).
Antarctic Heritage Trust was excited to deliver our inaugural Explorer Conference in South Auckland, New Zealand, which was attended by 100 Year 12 students from local high schools.
AHT is searching for five young New Zealanders to be part of the first official expedition to cross the country’s new world-class ski route.
In November, the Trust brought together twenty students from around Canterbury, New Zealand had the opportunity to follow in Frank Worsley’s footsteps.
In March 2019, Marco de Kretser travelled to the Antarctic Peninsula as a member of Antarctic Heritage Trust’s fourth Inspiring Explorers’ Expedition.
This expedition offered the young explorers a chance to push themselves, to connect with experts, and learn about Antarctica’s history, science, wildlife, and environment, as well as the legacy of exploration in Antarctica.
Marco recorded the sounds of Antarctica’s frozen wild—the ice cracking, the birds shrieking—in order to bring those sounds back to the studio and create music inspired by the brutal, desolate, gargantuan landscapes. Marco wanted to create an interplay between the smaller details and larger saws and strings to mimic the nature of the Antarctic environment.
Here is that music:
Marco also used the sounds he recorded in Antarctica to compose a soundscape, which accompanies a photographic exhibition in collaboration with Alexander Hillary, who was also a member of the expedition. Experience that exhibition here.
After arriving back home from the Inspiring Explorers’ Expedition 2019, Mele and Lana were excited to feature on kid’s TV show ‘Fanimals’. They shared the story of their trip to the Antarctic Peninsula where they learned about wildlife, the history of polar exploration, and science happening on the ice today.
The segments were split up between two episodes. Be sure to check them both out!
After a short break and some time to process her experience in Antarctica, we caught up with Inspiring Explorer Caragh Doherty to get her perspective on the expedition, find out the highlights of the trip and the big challenges she faced.
My favourite moment was when we were in Paradise Bay sitting in a kayak facing all the glaciers. It was 360 degrees being surrounded by ice that I felt so small, and so humbled by Mother Nature all around me. It was the most raw, beautiful pure moment of my life. It was amazing.
Dairy entry: Sunday 10th March 2019
After lunch we set out Kayaking. What an amazing kayak it was. We kayaked through so much brash ice. The noise it makes, the shapes of the ice, the way it bobs up and down in the ocean and the way it pops as it starts to melt in the ocean. We paddled quite far this afternoon and ended up in Paradise cove. A remarkable spot at Admiral Brown Base. We were almost surrounded by glaciers. They were shaped like dominoes and just looked amazing. Then you heard this thunderous crash and there would be a slide in the ice. Some would end up in the water, and a significant swell reached our kayaks. That was the moment when it struck me about how powerful Mother Nature is and is certainly not a force to be reckoned with. I felt very small compared to the massive ice, which we were surrounded by.
It was more what was happening to my body than my mind. It was rocking, and even we got onto land my body was still rocking. I was sad that we were finishing that chapter of our lives, and remember thinking “I hope we don’t just go back to our everyday lives, but that we keep the story going.” Although, I did have mixed emotions arriving back in Ushuaia, because while it meant saying goodbye to everyone, I was one step closer to getting home to my kids who I missed terribly.
I want to share the legacy of Antarctica. I want people to know how powerful Mother Nature is, and how untouched the planet can be. We’ve altered the planet so much in the society we live in. We have wrecked a lot of the environment and if we could just simplify things and preserve what things we have rather than get rid of parks and put up more buildings.
There were a couple. Definitely getting in and out of the kayaks, especially from the zodiacs. It was difficult enough on land, but add in the layers you are wearing, the ocean and the ice and the zodiac, and there were several made-for-YouTube moments, but I didn’t fall in so that was a good thing. The other challenge was the same but in reverse when we had to get back out of the kayak and into the zodiac.
I learnt I can do anything. I can go anywhere, and mix and mingle with anyone. Before this trip I did underestimate my own ability and doubt my place in the world, but little ole Caragh from little ole Otara – we rocked it in Antarctica. Especially being older, I wondered how I would keep up, but it was fine.
Diary entry: Sunday 3 March 2019
So, what a busy few days we have had with soooo many first and new experiences for me. Talk about lost child at the airport, not even knowing how to check in. Lucky for Toni (Mele’s dad) guiding us through the process. It was so cute that the families and school family came to the airport. I said goodbye to my two boys at home and surprisingly I was ok (as were they). I was glad to be sitting with the girls (Mele and Lana so I could keep an eye on them and felt a sense of ‘normal’ to the very ‘un normal’ situation I was in. I feel a sense of protection and guardianship towards the girls and even more so – to their parents. But at the same time I want then both to grow immensely on this trip.
The other guests on the boat were worldly and well-travelled so I wasn’t sure what to expect of them or how I would fit in, but everyone was so relatable. The whole ship became one big family. We all sat at different tables at meal times and moved around to meet people so by the end of the trip we were all friends. It was a lesson for me not to judge, because my expectation was that they would be different, but everyone was amazing.
I want people to know that they shouldn’t settle for what’s in front of them. Whether it’s your lounge, your local park or your school, you need to push your boundaries and get out and explore. Step out of your comfort zone because you never know where it will take you. For us it took us to Antarctica, for other people who knows where it will take them. I will say don’t just settle for what is right in front of your eyes, but see what else is out there. I also want people to know that we need to look after our planet, because it is precious and we need to take better care of it.
Diary entry: Monday the 4th of March 2019
Sitting on the bow of the boat and just staring out to sea is my favourite way to pass the time on the Drake Passage. So far we have seen many lighthouses and a range of birds. There is a keen birdwatcher on the boat so I will make sure to learn what I can from him. Today I say a very elegant albatross playing chicken with our boat. It was pretty staunch but eventually retreated. In due course the sun set and I could no longer see anything so retreated back inside.
I didn’t realise how much the team and all their little quirks meant to me until the night they went camping. I stayed on the boat and ended up writing in my diary about how much I missed them. I couldn’t believe I was more homesick for my boat family, than my real family! Marco was like a goofy little brother and Georgie was like my big sister, even though she is younger than me, and Leah was my little sister. Everyone was so comfortable with each other, we were just who we were.
Of course you should. Grab any opportunities that come your way and never underestimate your ability or fitness levels. Don’t doubt yourself, just go for it.
Make the most of every opportunity given to you. The trip is full of opportunities to make connections and to challenge yourself. You definitely need to live in the moment because you can’t take back the time if you miss it. I didn’t want to go in the single kayak, but I knew I would regret it if I didn’t, so I went and I did it.
Diary entry: Sunday 3 March 2019
We survived Buenos Aires and headed out early in the morning to Ushuaia. How about it, I had two seats to myself. Went out to dinner and it was hands down the best BBQ lamb ever, and the biggest!!
Georgie inspired me when she talked about her experiences as a solo camper so the day I came back I went with my partner to find out about buying a tent so we can do family holidays that aren’t touristy things. We are going to go and look for DOC campsites and go and explore Mother Nature around New Zealand. We’ve camped before but always borrowed kit and gone to the popular places. Now we’re going to head out simply and without the mod cons and have an adventure. The kids are so excited.
Antarctic Heritage Trust/Leah Stewart Caragh explores Deception Island in Antarctica
After a short break and some time to process his experience in Antarctica, we caught up with Inspiring Explorer Marco de Kretser to get his perspective on the expedition, find out the highlights of the trip and the big challenges he faced.
My favourite part of the trip was the overnight camping on the ice. It was just mind blowing. I keep looking back through photos and reliving the experience. It was just so memorable. The best moment for me was in the morning when I woke up. I sat up, everyone was still asleep, and I watched as the sun climbed up over the mountain peak and the snow turned orange. It was that single moment when I realised that ‘Wow, this isn’t a dream, this is really happening.”
Diary excerpt: Friday, 8 March 2019
The wind is so cold that each time you took a breath it sends a cold spike through your throat. The shovelling began. Creating your own ‘grave’ is an odd experience but somewhat satisfying as one slides the shovel deep into the powder snow. We made a hole in the snow just wide enough to fit us and our sleeping kit in, and then we build walls around our new home. As we prepared for bed, Leah and I decided to make use of the ‘toilet’ which entailed a 10 minute walk down past our kayaks, past two fur seals, up and hill and down the other side to where the other camp was. When we arrived we saw that the toilet was not quite as glamorous as the rest of our trip had been. Hidden in a tent, was a single plastic rubbish bin lined with a black bag with some slightly off-putting steam coming out and mixing with the cool Antarctic air. On the way back to the camp, Leah and I slid on our bums down the snow bank to our camp. It is debatable whether that was intentional or not. We spent the evening around camp chatting, taking photos of Georgie reading a book on Arctic adventure – yes, the wrong side of the globe, and videoing Mele building her first ever snowman.
On way back through the Drake Passage I was processing the experience and how amazing it was to be in Antarctica. But leaving the ship made me realise how incredible the on-board experience had been. The staff on the boat had been amazing. They were interested in our story, they shared their stories, they were there for all the time. The moment I left the ship and waved goodbye that was a moment that sticks in my mind. It was sad to leave the Ioffe family.
I was one of the first to get a bit cold and fluey, which left me tired and bunged up. I was exhausted but didn’t want to miss out on anything so went on some land excursions or in the zodiac with Mike – that gave us some good opportunities for photographing whales.
On the technology front, my purpose was to get sound recordings but it was a lot trickier than I expected it to be. The environment was much quieter than I thought it would be, except there was lots of human noise just when I needed it to be quiet. It’s also really hard to predict when things like whales breaching, or ice cracking are going to happen. The one exception was when we were on Deception Island surrounded by a fur seal colony. There was so much to record – ice cracking, seals and other animals. It was incredible for sound.
This experience taught me that there is still so much in this world that I am yet to learn and to experience. Being in Antarctica was the most weird, wacky, “How-did-I–get-here-at-18- years-old,” experience. The opportunity to talk to the scientists on board, to talk to Alex and Mike about the different extreme adventures that they’ve been on, It made me realise there is so much that I’m yet to do. It was quite humbling.
I was expecting most of the trip to be focussed around Antarctica, the wildlife and the phenomenal landscapes but the experience on ship was really good. I loved hanging out with the team, going to presentations, and getting to know the staff. My favourite presentations were ones given by the whale expert on the ship. He was genuinely excited for us to get to know about all the different whale species he knew we would see. Him sharing his knowledge made the experience so much better when we actually did see whales, because suddenly what he had talked about was there in real life.
Surprisingly, I thought the whales would be the most memorable things, but the best things by far for me were the leopard seals. Once at Cuverville Island, a leopard seal played around our zodiac for ages, even popping its head up and sticking his face in front of my camera. It was looking me in the eye and giving me some freaky smiles. And then it followed us back to the ship, leaping in and out of the wake of the boat. Even our boat driver was saying she had never seen anything like that before in her life.
What I want to share is how real the environment is. It’s not like you are in some sort of staged environment, like a zoo. You feel the raw-ness nature. It was so unpredictable and not censored in anyway, just a raw, real place. At Port Lockroy, I watched as a leopard seal caught a penguin and was thrashing it around the bay. It was pretty graphic but it’s just nature in action.
Diary excerpt: Thursday, 7 March 2019
Walking among seals and penguins was amazing. Penguin carcasses were mixed in between poo, snow and rock. Late in the evening around 6pm, through the window we saw the mast begin to glow. I quickly ran up to the Top Deck and saw 360-degree views of the most incredible sunset I have ever seen. Stunning orange light created these deep, dark silhouettes of the surrounding peaks.
When we got back to Buenos Aires, you realise how insanely busy life is. Everything is happening so quickly, there are the constant sounds of cars and people talking all the time. Being down in Antarctica, it was a unique experience just to be so calm and quiet. There was this one time when we were kayaking at Almirante Brown Station around Paradise Bay through calm flat waters surrounded by glaciers. It was so quiet and you’re alone in the environment. We couldn’t see the ship, or any other people; it was just the group of us kayaking quietly. The experience definitely made me want to get out into nature more often to experience it’s serenity, and I just want to encourage my audience to as well.
My skills took me there to take photos and capture Antarctic audio, but what I brought was the ability to act weird and whacky. Being able to loosen up and be comfortable being myself around the team, I think helped loosen everyone up. We were relaxed around each other and just became great friends.
Firstly, everyone was great about sharing gear, and made sure that we all had enough so no one felt cold. It did take a few days to figure out what to wear under the dry suit.
Secondly, there were a couple of people on the ship who asked us whether we had been friends for years, they found it hard to believe that we had basically just met. Everyone got so close to each other we were so comfortable in each other’s company.
Yes, of course. How else could an 18 year old get themselves to Antarctica. It was such an amazing experience to be part of the team and sailing off to the bottom of world. It still doesn’t feel real. It feels weird to be back in Auckland and just carrying on with life.
Just be yourself, and if that’s wild and whacky then be it. Be open and be comfortable around the team. Be prepared to make yourself vulnerable because once you get super close to everyone it’s so much fun. It feels like we have been friends forever.
The trip has definitely changed the focus of my life as now I want to explore the earth and get back out there. Alex and Mike’s talks of their extreme adventures have inspired me and I have been looking at joining the university mountaineering and alpine clubs. I definitely think this has instilled a desire in my heart to spend my life in nature.
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Antarctic Heritage Trust
Administration Building, International Antarctic Centre
38 Orchard Road, Christchurch 8053, New Zealand
Antarctic Heritage Trust
Administration Building, International Antarctic Centre
38 Orchard Road, Christchurch 8053, New Zealand
