It dawned today as a pretty unexciting day. After celebrating innumerable birthdays, there was no charm in the day. The only thing different about my birthday today was that it coincided with Janamashtmi. There was supposed to be a party in the evening, which I find quite boring and uninteresting. But soon things took a 180º turn and the day turned out to be the most memorable one for me. Probable no one would have ever celebrated a birthday in Antarctica like I did today.
Today, being a holiday at the parent organisation of Indian Antarctic Research program, the Boss there was to address us on the newly started video conferencing facility. As soon as the link was established with India, we were told that it was the Boss' birthday as well today. They were aware that it is my birthday today as well. That was a pretty exciting coincidence. But the best was still to come. There was a prolonged video conferencing after the initial round of happy birthdays and the Boss spoke to each expedition member for about an hour. It was friendly chat and there was bonhomie all around. We were all feeling good. When the video conferencing was about to be over, there was a repeat round of happy birthdays and invitations to the birthday parties at both ends. It was then that I proposed that we have a joint celebration online. The cake cutting ceremony that was scheduled during the evening party may be held now. The Boss agreed. So we got 2 cakes, which are always prepared well in advance by Narayan, our cook. One was for me and the other for the Boss. The Boss also arranged for pastries in a hurry and also called his wife over. Flowers were also 'exchanged' (taken in front of the camera and accepted by the recipient at the camera at his end in a gesture). There after, candles were lit at our end. I blew out the candles and cut the cake first for the Boss, then for myself. The same ceremony was repeated on the other side. We then 'offered' each other cakes by taking it close to the camera. There was a cheerful singing of 'Happy birthday to you' from both ends. The excitement that was missing at the station for so long was now palpable. This was a historic birthday for me as well as for the Boss.
Thereafter, the television telecast, which was being tested for the last few days, was also started. Even the dull, boring DD News channel had full attendance. The breaking news at that time was "Madhu Koda resigns". It provided us a reminder of life in the civilised world. There, probably, will not be a coincidence like this ever again in Antarctica and probably not another celebration like this. This celebration will last me a lifetime. What was to be a dull day turned out to be the most memorable one.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Thank You Shuklaji
Those were the days when galley duties were dreaded. The whole day- and night we were on our toes. There was not a moment's rest. But all that is now history thanks to Shuklaji. Earlier, the galley duty used to include maintaining a night long vigil in the station and the generator complex to ensure smooth running of the life support systems and to prevent any untoward happening, like a fire. This was done in 2 shifts. The first galley person was on the 7 PM to 2 AM shift and the second one was on the 2 AM to 7 AM shift. The second shift was the more difficult one. It entailed the loss of next day due to sleep.
A way out was suggested by our leader- 2 people would volunteer for the night duty, one each for each shift. These 2 people would be excused from the shramdaans, galley duties, party arrangements and all other day to day routine activities of the station. Their only duty in the station would be night duties apart from their professional job. So Ramesh, the communication room in charge and Shuklaji, the scientist from Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment volunteered. Ramesh was put on the 7 PM to 2 AM shift and Shuklaji volunteered for the 2 AM to 7 AM shift. These 2 did duty from February till August, which corresponded with the winter period including the darkest period, the polar nights. They used to go out to the generator complex every one hour even during the blinding blizzards and ferocious cyclones, keeping an eagle's eye on the functioning of the generators, clearing the snow and informing the concerned person in case any malfunction was suspected. Their night long vigils ensured that the rest of us slept peacefully. The galley duties ceased to be a pain thanks to these 2 people. They did a marvellous job.
Now, Shuklaji has chosen to opt out of the night duty from 14 Aug as he wants to experience the other activities of the station as well. Ramesh still continues. He has handed over the charge to Chaubey, a vehicle mechanic. A thanks-giving party was organised to felicitate Shuklaji for the remarkable service he has done to the team during the toughest winter period. A toast was raised and Shuklaji was given small gifts by various expedition members. According to Shuklaji, the assignment was not at all difficult since his job in India takes him to the most inhospitable terrain in The Himalayas including the Siachen Glacier, where he has to endure worse conditions with rudimentary facilities. He then went on to tell his tales from those icy heights. All listened with rapt attention.
We welcomed him into the galley duty roster, something he looks forward to with the same zeal the night duties. We all thank Shuklaji for this tremendous service to us.
A way out was suggested by our leader- 2 people would volunteer for the night duty, one each for each shift. These 2 people would be excused from the shramdaans, galley duties, party arrangements and all other day to day routine activities of the station. Their only duty in the station would be night duties apart from their professional job. So Ramesh, the communication room in charge and Shuklaji, the scientist from Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment volunteered. Ramesh was put on the 7 PM to 2 AM shift and Shuklaji volunteered for the 2 AM to 7 AM shift. These 2 did duty from February till August, which corresponded with the winter period including the darkest period, the polar nights. They used to go out to the generator complex every one hour even during the blinding blizzards and ferocious cyclones, keeping an eagle's eye on the functioning of the generators, clearing the snow and informing the concerned person in case any malfunction was suspected. Their night long vigils ensured that the rest of us slept peacefully. The galley duties ceased to be a pain thanks to these 2 people. They did a marvellous job.
Now, Shuklaji has chosen to opt out of the night duty from 14 Aug as he wants to experience the other activities of the station as well. Ramesh still continues. He has handed over the charge to Chaubey, a vehicle mechanic. A thanks-giving party was organised to felicitate Shuklaji for the remarkable service he has done to the team during the toughest winter period. A toast was raised and Shuklaji was given small gifts by various expedition members. According to Shuklaji, the assignment was not at all difficult since his job in India takes him to the most inhospitable terrain in The Himalayas including the Siachen Glacier, where he has to endure worse conditions with rudimentary facilities. He then went on to tell his tales from those icy heights. All listened with rapt attention.
We welcomed him into the galley duty roster, something he looks forward to with the same zeal the night duties. We all thank Shuklaji for this tremendous service to us.
Monday, August 18, 2008
The Ice Caves
They are located close to Shivling hill about 5 km from here, just off Schirmacher, on the convoy route. They are usually snowed under during the winters and can be seen only during the summers. But this year they were discovered to be open during the winters during one of the Geology traverses. So it was planned to take all the expedition members there in 2 groups. We were all eagerly waiting to go there for a picnic.
So 14 of us were off to the ice caves in a cabin vehicle, cameras fully charged up, fruit juices, and sundry other eatables in tow. The ice caves were located in the deeper parts of some snow dunes in a large depression hidden from the surface. So unless one came close, one could see neither the caves nor the depression. But once there, the opening of the cave was unmistakable. There were 2 caves: the larger one was truly massive. It was about 20 metres long and 5 metres wide. Its opening was fish mouth shaped, irregular and narrow. But inside it was very spacious. One could easily construct a house inside. Mounds of snow had collected inside due to the blizzards. So it was a roller coaster walk through- climbing up and sliding down. There was a pleasant blue tinge on the walls, roof and the floor. That colour is indescribable. Cool blue should be an apt word. The floor was very slippery. Without snow boots, there would surely have been a few broken bones. The exit was half covered with blocks of snow and ice. It was narrow as well. The walls and roof were irregular with sharp edges. There were plenty of cracks as well. The surface was like any other natural cave found in rocky terrain, except that here they were made of ice.
The second cave was much smaller in all dimensions. The roof was so thin that it is sure to melt away in the coming summer. One had to crawl to pass through this tunnel. In the centre, there was a gap in the roof. One could stick his neck out of the gap. A photograph taken in this manner gave the illusion that one is buried neck deep in snow. Surprisingly, it was warmer inside the cave than it was outside. This is the principle of the igloo.
There was a clamour for photography at these caves. Many people like Mr Raghunathan- the water supply and sewage disposal systems in charge, Mr Venugopalan- the generator mechanic, Mr Gaur and Ramesh- the communication room in- charges who are not able to go out too often because of the nature of their duties were at the forefront of the assault on the ice caves. All of us were frolicking around like kids, sliding around on ice, climbing on each other. The sight of a camera created frenzy. I was carrying one and was literally mobbed. Those who were left out sulked for days. It was a pleasure taking photographs there. The unique colours and shades in the caves were what attracted me. I wished that I were better trained at photography.
Thereafter, to escape being lynched, I went out and climbed a nearby hill to get a good view of the surroundings. To my surprise, I found a small lake on the top of the hill. I don't know if it is shown on the maps anywhere. I went up alone. On looking back I found people gaping at me as if I had climbed Mount Everest. I was photographed extensively from below like we would photograph a penguin. The downhill climb was fun, half walking and half sliding.
We then left for the station, leaving the ice caves behind groaning under the effects of the onslaught by crazy Maitrians. I chose to walk back with Narayan Singh, our cook. He is obsessed with his weight loss program and tries to grab every opportunity to exercise. He has achieved tremendous success in his mission. The walk was lovely due to the bright sun and windless conditions. Narayan did not stop at all on the way to make his exercise more effective. I stopped often to taken in the views and for photography. We went up and down the hills, walked over numerous lakes, slid down the snowy slopes wherever we could and finally we were back in 45 minutes, very tired. Our moustaches and beards were covered with frost. I could not open my mouth because of it. The snow goggles were also covered with a layer of ice. So they were useless. Camera batteries were down. Thankfully, the lens had not frozen over. I was covered with frozen sweat. It made me feel uncomfortably cold.
So a memorable day came to an end. I will surely return to the caves, this time on foot. It makes the trip so much more fun and adventurous.
So 14 of us were off to the ice caves in a cabin vehicle, cameras fully charged up, fruit juices, and sundry other eatables in tow. The ice caves were located in the deeper parts of some snow dunes in a large depression hidden from the surface. So unless one came close, one could see neither the caves nor the depression. But once there, the opening of the cave was unmistakable. There were 2 caves: the larger one was truly massive. It was about 20 metres long and 5 metres wide. Its opening was fish mouth shaped, irregular and narrow. But inside it was very spacious. One could easily construct a house inside. Mounds of snow had collected inside due to the blizzards. So it was a roller coaster walk through- climbing up and sliding down. There was a pleasant blue tinge on the walls, roof and the floor. That colour is indescribable. Cool blue should be an apt word. The floor was very slippery. Without snow boots, there would surely have been a few broken bones. The exit was half covered with blocks of snow and ice. It was narrow as well. The walls and roof were irregular with sharp edges. There were plenty of cracks as well. The surface was like any other natural cave found in rocky terrain, except that here they were made of ice.
The second cave was much smaller in all dimensions. The roof was so thin that it is sure to melt away in the coming summer. One had to crawl to pass through this tunnel. In the centre, there was a gap in the roof. One could stick his neck out of the gap. A photograph taken in this manner gave the illusion that one is buried neck deep in snow. Surprisingly, it was warmer inside the cave than it was outside. This is the principle of the igloo.
There was a clamour for photography at these caves. Many people like Mr Raghunathan- the water supply and sewage disposal systems in charge, Mr Venugopalan- the generator mechanic, Mr Gaur and Ramesh- the communication room in- charges who are not able to go out too often because of the nature of their duties were at the forefront of the assault on the ice caves. All of us were frolicking around like kids, sliding around on ice, climbing on each other. The sight of a camera created frenzy. I was carrying one and was literally mobbed. Those who were left out sulked for days. It was a pleasure taking photographs there. The unique colours and shades in the caves were what attracted me. I wished that I were better trained at photography.
Thereafter, to escape being lynched, I went out and climbed a nearby hill to get a good view of the surroundings. To my surprise, I found a small lake on the top of the hill. I don't know if it is shown on the maps anywhere. I went up alone. On looking back I found people gaping at me as if I had climbed Mount Everest. I was photographed extensively from below like we would photograph a penguin. The downhill climb was fun, half walking and half sliding.
We then left for the station, leaving the ice caves behind groaning under the effects of the onslaught by crazy Maitrians. I chose to walk back with Narayan Singh, our cook. He is obsessed with his weight loss program and tries to grab every opportunity to exercise. He has achieved tremendous success in his mission. The walk was lovely due to the bright sun and windless conditions. Narayan did not stop at all on the way to make his exercise more effective. I stopped often to taken in the views and for photography. We went up and down the hills, walked over numerous lakes, slid down the snowy slopes wherever we could and finally we were back in 45 minutes, very tired. Our moustaches and beards were covered with frost. I could not open my mouth because of it. The snow goggles were also covered with a layer of ice. So they were useless. Camera batteries were down. Thankfully, the lens had not frozen over. I was covered with frozen sweat. It made me feel uncomfortably cold.
So a memorable day came to an end. I will surely return to the caves, this time on foot. It makes the trip so much more fun and adventurous.
Life at Maitri during the austral winters
This is a world far removed from the rest of the world. The way we do things here is vastly different from how it is done elsewhere. Each aspect of life- be it the activities that are unique to Antarctica or the mundane day to day activities- has a different taste. This is because of a variety of reasons like the extreme isolation and the extreme climatic conditions and a dearth of people who did a lot of things for us back home. The unique thing is that whatever supplies have come are final. Whatever has not come will not be available till the summers. However big or small it may be. No amount of money can get those things here now. One may be a millionaire but it does not matter in Antarctica. So meticulous planning is paramount for an Antarctic expedition. Let's have a look at the way of life at Maitri.
What we eat:
There is plenty to eat and drink. Almost everything that we are used to at home can be prepared- rice, dals, roti, vegetables, sweets, chicken, mutton, fish, prawns, pork, eggs, packaged foods, namkeens, juices, cold drinks, breads, pickles, sauces etc. But that is where the similarity ends. All fresh food was over before the winters began. Vegetables are available in their frozen avatar. Potatoes mean precooked french fries, garlic means garlic paste, tomatoes mean tomato puree, lemon means lime juice cordial. There is no substitute for onions available. Fruits mean readymade fruit juices. The last lot of apples was consumed on the last day of the polar night. That was the last bit of fresh stuff left over. They lasted this long because of immaculate storage procedures followed. For now, it is goodbye to fresh foods till the ALCI flights begin.
Eggs and bread were something we used to fuss over a lot for their freshness back home in India. The bread dare not be more than a day old. All that is now history. Everything arrived with the ship and there will be no more supplies till the ship arrives next year. That means the bread we are having will soon be more than one year old. Eggs have frozen over. So when they are peeled after boiling, they come out half their original size. They also have a peculiar brown colour.
Milk was till now available in cartons. But now that it is over, we make do with powdered milk and milkmaid. . There is plenty of tea, coffee, bournvita, horlicks, complan and cheese. Dry rations are available in plenty as well.
The water we drink:
We are lucky to have 24 hours running water supply, both hot and cold. It comes from the Priyadarshani lake. It is glacier fed lake. Hence it is like distilled water. One can drink straight from these lakes if one is feeling thirsty. It does not contain any impurities, no micro- organisms, no minerals- not even the minerals that are necessary for the body. That can lead to a lot of deficiencies. The water freezes upto a depth of 2 meters in winters. The piping in the pump house goes deeper than that, and has heaters installed in it to prevent water from freezing while it is being pumped out. The pipline upto the station has trace heating for the same purpose. After the water has been pumped, the pipeline is dried with a blower. If the water freezes in the pipeline, it tends to burst. Many a times the pipelines get choked, more so on windy days. The ice is then melted by pouring boiled water and then running the blower.
However, waste water disposal is a problem. The waste water pond is now full and frozen over. In the summers, the waste water which goes into the pond from a sewage treatment plant, seeps into the ground. But now, the water has frozen over and is unable to seep through the permafrost. So it piles up near the outlet, blocking the outlet. Mr Raghunathan, who is in charge of water and sewage disposal systems works hard to melt the water in a small area and discharge it in other areas of the pond. When there is a blizzard, this is not possible. So water is at a premium. All bathing and clothes washing is stopped.
Fuel:
We use aircraft turbine fuel for generators and vehicles. That is the only fuel that does not freeze at the temperatures experienced here. We also have some petrol in small quantities. For cooking, LPG is used. While it is in the containers outside, it is frozen and has to be stored inside for sometime before use.
Writing material:
We are rediscovering the childhood joys of writing with pencils here. although pens are available in plenty, the ink freezes when used outdoors. But pencil lead does not.
Electricity:
There is uninterrupted power supply available from the 3 generator complexes here. They have been named Bhaskara, Surya and Aditya. They are run by turn 24 hours a day. Heating is mostly through hot water radiators that maintain the indoor temperature at a comfortable 15ºC. There are electric heaters also available but they are used only where radiators are not present to reduce the load on the generators. Any interruption in the electricity supply stops the various life support systems like heating and water supply. So the efficient running of the generators round the clock is a must.
Travelling:
It is mostly done on foot if restricted to Schirmacher. But distances are shortened considerably due to the frozen lakes. One can walk right over them. If the trip is planned anywhere on the ice cap, outside Schirmacher, then vehicles are used, but that is rare. Due to snow deposition in the blizzards during the winters and also due to freezing of lakes, many areas of Schirmacher are also accessible to vehicles. The Pisten Bulleys can run on the lakes.
Entertainment:
Lots of activities are possible. A whole lot of indoor and outdoor games are present. A well stocked library, that contains in addition to other books, a wealth of information on Antarctica. A collection of over 3000 movies in also available. So killing time is not a problem. It is upto the individual whether he wants to kill time or utilize time. My favourite are long walks around Schirmacher and sometimes on to the glacier and the ice shelf. I like to explore various lakes and take in the different sights. In October the penguins establish rookeries around Schirmacher. They will be a delight to visit. I also indulge in a lot of photography.
Clothing:
Whenever one goes out, one has to wear atleast 7kg of clothing. A dungaree, warm trousers and shirt, balaclava, 3 layers of gloves, 2 layers of polar socks, snow goggles, and huge snow boots. This is the standard equipment. No outdoor venture is possible without any of these.
Communication:
Limited telephone time is available via Intel sat. Internet is limited to just email less than 100kb once a day. But life is good without TV, internet, newspapers and the constant ringing of the telephone.
House keeping:
All expedition members are put on galley duty by turn. They are responsible for the general cleanliness of the station on that day. their duties include cleaning the floors, washing utensils, clearing the dining table, cleaning the toilets, incinerating the toilets and garbage disposal. Night duty personnel are responsible to keep a watch on the life support systems including the generators all through the night. These people are volunteers. The cook, generator mechanic and the night duty personnel are exempt from galley duty due to the nature of their duties.
What we eat:
There is plenty to eat and drink. Almost everything that we are used to at home can be prepared- rice, dals, roti, vegetables, sweets, chicken, mutton, fish, prawns, pork, eggs, packaged foods, namkeens, juices, cold drinks, breads, pickles, sauces etc. But that is where the similarity ends. All fresh food was over before the winters began. Vegetables are available in their frozen avatar. Potatoes mean precooked french fries, garlic means garlic paste, tomatoes mean tomato puree, lemon means lime juice cordial. There is no substitute for onions available. Fruits mean readymade fruit juices. The last lot of apples was consumed on the last day of the polar night. That was the last bit of fresh stuff left over. They lasted this long because of immaculate storage procedures followed. For now, it is goodbye to fresh foods till the ALCI flights begin.
Eggs and bread were something we used to fuss over a lot for their freshness back home in India. The bread dare not be more than a day old. All that is now history. Everything arrived with the ship and there will be no more supplies till the ship arrives next year. That means the bread we are having will soon be more than one year old. Eggs have frozen over. So when they are peeled after boiling, they come out half their original size. They also have a peculiar brown colour.
Milk was till now available in cartons. But now that it is over, we make do with powdered milk and milkmaid. . There is plenty of tea, coffee, bournvita, horlicks, complan and cheese. Dry rations are available in plenty as well.
The water we drink:
We are lucky to have 24 hours running water supply, both hot and cold. It comes from the Priyadarshani lake. It is glacier fed lake. Hence it is like distilled water. One can drink straight from these lakes if one is feeling thirsty. It does not contain any impurities, no micro- organisms, no minerals- not even the minerals that are necessary for the body. That can lead to a lot of deficiencies. The water freezes upto a depth of 2 meters in winters. The piping in the pump house goes deeper than that, and has heaters installed in it to prevent water from freezing while it is being pumped out. The pipline upto the station has trace heating for the same purpose. After the water has been pumped, the pipeline is dried with a blower. If the water freezes in the pipeline, it tends to burst. Many a times the pipelines get choked, more so on windy days. The ice is then melted by pouring boiled water and then running the blower.
However, waste water disposal is a problem. The waste water pond is now full and frozen over. In the summers, the waste water which goes into the pond from a sewage treatment plant, seeps into the ground. But now, the water has frozen over and is unable to seep through the permafrost. So it piles up near the outlet, blocking the outlet. Mr Raghunathan, who is in charge of water and sewage disposal systems works hard to melt the water in a small area and discharge it in other areas of the pond. When there is a blizzard, this is not possible. So water is at a premium. All bathing and clothes washing is stopped.
Fuel:
We use aircraft turbine fuel for generators and vehicles. That is the only fuel that does not freeze at the temperatures experienced here. We also have some petrol in small quantities. For cooking, LPG is used. While it is in the containers outside, it is frozen and has to be stored inside for sometime before use.
Writing material:
We are rediscovering the childhood joys of writing with pencils here. although pens are available in plenty, the ink freezes when used outdoors. But pencil lead does not.
Electricity:
There is uninterrupted power supply available from the 3 generator complexes here. They have been named Bhaskara, Surya and Aditya. They are run by turn 24 hours a day. Heating is mostly through hot water radiators that maintain the indoor temperature at a comfortable 15ºC. There are electric heaters also available but they are used only where radiators are not present to reduce the load on the generators. Any interruption in the electricity supply stops the various life support systems like heating and water supply. So the efficient running of the generators round the clock is a must.
Travelling:
It is mostly done on foot if restricted to Schirmacher. But distances are shortened considerably due to the frozen lakes. One can walk right over them. If the trip is planned anywhere on the ice cap, outside Schirmacher, then vehicles are used, but that is rare. Due to snow deposition in the blizzards during the winters and also due to freezing of lakes, many areas of Schirmacher are also accessible to vehicles. The Pisten Bulleys can run on the lakes.
Entertainment:
Lots of activities are possible. A whole lot of indoor and outdoor games are present. A well stocked library, that contains in addition to other books, a wealth of information on Antarctica. A collection of over 3000 movies in also available. So killing time is not a problem. It is upto the individual whether he wants to kill time or utilize time. My favourite are long walks around Schirmacher and sometimes on to the glacier and the ice shelf. I like to explore various lakes and take in the different sights. In October the penguins establish rookeries around Schirmacher. They will be a delight to visit. I also indulge in a lot of photography.
Clothing:
Whenever one goes out, one has to wear atleast 7kg of clothing. A dungaree, warm trousers and shirt, balaclava, 3 layers of gloves, 2 layers of polar socks, snow goggles, and huge snow boots. This is the standard equipment. No outdoor venture is possible without any of these.
Communication:
Limited telephone time is available via Intel sat. Internet is limited to just email less than 100kb once a day. But life is good without TV, internet, newspapers and the constant ringing of the telephone.
House keeping:
All expedition members are put on galley duty by turn. They are responsible for the general cleanliness of the station on that day. their duties include cleaning the floors, washing utensils, clearing the dining table, cleaning the toilets, incinerating the toilets and garbage disposal. Night duty personnel are responsible to keep a watch on the life support systems including the generators all through the night. These people are volunteers. The cook, generator mechanic and the night duty personnel are exempt from galley duty due to the nature of their duties.
Monday, August 11, 2008
The Hibernation Ends
August is finally here, marking the peak of the polar winters. July and August are the coldest and the windiest months in Antarctica. The lowest temperatures and the most ferocious blizzards are seen during this time. It has been no different during our expedition. What happens during August remains to be seen. But July lived upto its reputation. Temperature touched -33ºC in mid July. It also saw the maximum number of blizzard days in a month so far- around 15. July also brought sunshine with it. Days are now bright but certainly not warm. The sun rises for about 5 hours now, but is hardly seen above the horizon. The length of the day increases by 15 minutes everyday. Soon the rate will decrease to about 8 minutes per day. When it is at its zenith (local noon is at 11:40 AM), it casts an orange glow all around. It is a pleasure to feel the sun on my face at the breakfast table. The ozone hole is at its maximum at this time of the year. Protection, especially of the eyes, is mandatory. Mahabharat plays on the TV in bright sunshine as against total darkness at the same time in the afternoon 2 weeks back. There is some light now when I go for my afternoon siesta at 3. The sun casts a fiery red glow after it disappears behind the Schirmacher range. It appears as if the sky is on fire.
The snow has now compacted and become as hard as ice. Feet do not sink in the snow any more. It is like walking on firm but slippery ground.
The mood in the station can be equated with that of a polar bear stirring out of its hibernation. The gloom is slowly lifting. We are shaking away the laziness of the polar nights. Outdoor activities are being planned for the coming days. The energy is slowly returning. After the long dark Polar Night, there is some perceivable movement around, never mind if the only things that move in this icy wilderness are the sun and the wind. The frozen water bodies play with the rays of the sun. The mind perceives it as a sign of life. The various shades of the day are now visible. Shadows are now being formed. These are welcome signs after a trip to the ice age. There's more to come. But the mind wants to believe that the worst is over. It's just 3 months of isolation left, before we see fresh faces.
The convoys will restart next month when it begins to get warm. The scientific traverses of the geology team have already started. We are now eagerly awaiting news about the next team and news about our departure, which is planned in December. The first ALCI flight will land here on 31st October, marking the end of our isolation. Food and medical stocks are being assessed and the emergency demand lists are being prepared. All the tasks assigned to our team are complete. Our only jobs now are the regular maintenance of the station and continuation of the scientific observations that continue round the year.
The snow has now compacted and become as hard as ice. Feet do not sink in the snow any more. It is like walking on firm but slippery ground.
The mood in the station can be equated with that of a polar bear stirring out of its hibernation. The gloom is slowly lifting. We are shaking away the laziness of the polar nights. Outdoor activities are being planned for the coming days. The energy is slowly returning. After the long dark Polar Night, there is some perceivable movement around, never mind if the only things that move in this icy wilderness are the sun and the wind. The frozen water bodies play with the rays of the sun. The mind perceives it as a sign of life. The various shades of the day are now visible. Shadows are now being formed. These are welcome signs after a trip to the ice age. There's more to come. But the mind wants to believe that the worst is over. It's just 3 months of isolation left, before we see fresh faces.
The convoys will restart next month when it begins to get warm. The scientific traverses of the geology team have already started. We are now eagerly awaiting news about the next team and news about our departure, which is planned in December. The first ALCI flight will land here on 31st October, marking the end of our isolation. Food and medical stocks are being assessed and the emergency demand lists are being prepared. All the tasks assigned to our team are complete. Our only jobs now are the regular maintenance of the station and continuation of the scientific observations that continue round the year.
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