Winds of change

The weather has changed this past few weeks and the wind has blown nearly non-stop.  I think we probably only had 2 or 3 nice days (i.e. wind below 15 knots).  

What also changed was our (or maybe just my) perspective that this year will be long.  

Previously, some attitudes had the underlying concern whether we will cope with this year, with all the interpersonal differences, all the darkness, all the challenges this harsh continent will offer.

Now the preparations for the next handover need to start and suddenly this year feels too short.  Suddenly we have deadlines again, schedules, new plans and personnel for the next handover.  

Questions that now pop into my head include:
Are we ready to go home yet?  Have we had enough fun?  Have we experienced enough?  Have we grown (other than in waist size)?  Could we have done better?  What is next?  Have we been good and faithful servants?

Fortunately there is still some time left, so the questions answered in the negative can still be addressed.  

This picture was taken the day our team was left on the ice.  

Antarctica through a professional photographer's lens

At the German Antarctic base, Neumayer, there is (by the look of it) a professional photographer over wintering.  Some of his photographs are truly amazing, it is definitely worth checking out.

To Stefan Christmann Photography's Facebook profile 

Antarctic film festival 2012

It seems the site that hosted the Antarctic Film Festival 48 hour movies has stopped doing so.  We are in the process of uploading a few onto YouTube so that the ones that haven't seen these works of art can still do so.  (It will take some time but enjoy what is loaded so long.)

In the 48  hour section some of the favorites where the following:
SANAELand - Our very own (Not really a favorite outside of SANAE)
The Soup Soap - by Neumayer (the German base)
Season of Change - By the Aussies
Dumont D'Urville - The Polar Hangover - By another French base

The winner in the 48 hour category was:
Super Mario in Kergueland - by the French

There also was an open section where the Antarctic bases had more freedom and time to produce their films here are some of the best ones:
One Small Step - by Neumayer (the German base)
The Departure - By Crozet Station - Also French I think
Spinning Round and Round - By the Americans

Aurora

Another weekend is concluded with aurora.  Not the best we have seen but judging by the rate at which daylight increases each day, soon our chance to enjoy this wonder will be over.  

Newsletter 6 Published

Follow my pages to the latest Newsletter.  Enjoy.

Hull Breach

Being part of a self supported team of 10 members in an inhospitable continent like Antarctica is what we signed up for.  Although we have become familiar with our base and surroundings and do not talk or consciously think about this point very often, in the back of our minds we realise that we are on our own.  We are the fire brigade, the ambulance service, the emergency plumbers, garbage collectors, the water treatment operators, the water melters, the breakdown mechanics, the cargo handlers etc.  On top of that we live in an environment that will not be possible without this base, similar to living on Mars or on a boat.  Without the vessel life is not possible.  This fact becomes very pronounced during storms where it becomes life threatening to be outside this base.

A few days ago we had quite a memorable storm and our "familiarity" was disrupted slightly.  The wind averaged around 90 knots and the whole base was shaking and trembling with the force, something we have become accustomed to.  I walked to the Wet Lab to ensure that the glass lab equipment is safely packed away.  As I neared the lab the doors of some offices were shaking violently in their frames.  I went into the leaders office to investigate only to find the wind howling through the window and the blind flapping loudly in the wind.  It was bit of a shock and it took me some time to compute what happened and what needs to be done.  The window wasn't left open, simply because it cannot be opened.  Living in South Africa the thought of a burglary crossed my mind but there is no one here.  As it turned out some of the antennas broke in the strong winds and one of the connectors of an antenna, which was attached to the stay rope, crashed through our triple layered window.

Luckily Stef was nearby, as I went looking for timber to make a temporary shutter, she spread the word and everyone jumped into action.  After some 30 minutes of flying glass and freezing temperatures we succeeded in closing off the base's breached hull. 

(This post is also published in our coming newsletter)

Antarctic 48 Hour Film Festival 2012 Results

Well I would probably like to write the "man in the arena quote" here, where credit does not belong to the critic but to the man in the arena who is covered in dust and blood but I guess it will portray me as a sore loser.  And lose, we did.  The results for the recent film festival is out and we were very nearly stone last.  The results is based on votes by the participating over-winterers.  Despite the temptation you cannot argue with the scoreboard.

Sorry South Africa....we let you down.

Results