The temperature had suddenly fallen to -22°C overnight against our expectations (it was consistently around -15°C for the last few days). There were some doubts as to whether we should leave or not. If the temperature here was -22º, then it would in all probability be around -40° at the ice shelf. It would be a major strain on the men as well as the vehicles. But such thoughts were quickly banished and the convoy finally left at 4 AM, just at the break of dawn. The days had lengthened considerably after the polar night. So we could expect long hours of daylight. After a brief halt at Sankalp point, where the Banjara and Jeevan Jyoti were hooked to the vehicles, the convoy started for the shelf. As always, Krishnamoorthy was tugging the Banjara and Ganapathy was tugging Jeevan Jyoti. The rest of the vehicles were tugging empty oil tankers. It was a clear day, with bright sunshine all the way. Although the sun was shining in all its glory, the temperature was around-25ºC for most of the journey. It was the same when I had gone for my first convoy in May, but the sun made all the difference. It was a lot less stressful for all. Everyone was is a cheerful mood, unlike last time, when the mood was a lot more sombre. The convoy proceeded at a leisurely, but steady pace.
The route was a lot better this time. Most of the fissures in the blue ice caused by snow melt last summer had now filled up due to the good blizzards in the last few months, except in the crevasse area around barrel A20, where there is a gentle ascent. So the ride was a lot smoother this time. The tracks had disappeared due to fresh snow. So we were dependant on the GPS for showing us the route.
As dusk fell, the temperature plummeted down to -35°C. Our worst fear was coming true. Thankfully, there was no wind. Such weather conditions were expected to continue tomorrow as well, when fuel decanting would start. We reached the shelf at 7PM after an uneventful journey. The vehicles had behaved themselves. The vehicles were parked near the containers, Jeevan Jyoti was started, and the Banjara was made liveable. The blower was switched on, kitchen was started, and soon we settled down. It was party time after a tough day. Soon, the temperature inside was 35ºC as against -35ºC outside. As the frost of the last 3 months inside the Banjara started to melt, water started dripping from the roof and had to be wiped off repeatedly. It was amazing. A tiny 12 feet by 25 feet island of comfort was fighting for survival against 14000 square kilometres of icy desolation.
The next day was unexpectedly cloudy and windy. But it was also warmer at -26°. The decanting operations started soon. I was put on kitchen duty with Gaffar since I was untrained for any other job in the decanting operations. Soon, a snowdrift started. The wind was getting stronger. Before we realised, a blizzard was raging outside. The nearby vehicles and containers were lost to sight. But the work continued. I was busy fetching snow from outside to make water. Huge amounts of snow yielded pitiable quantities of water. So it was tough job but a lot of fun. The rest of the team members were coming in for short periods to warm themselves and have some tea. They discovered that their balaclavas refused to come off because they were frozen. They had to be warmed before they could be taken off. It was Herculean task to continue the decanting operations in this weather, when visibility was reduced to a few meters. Ice used to form on the snow goggles, but the snow used to hit the face and the eyes hard without them. So it was a difficult job. Somehow 2 containers were decanted, and then Ganapathy, the convoy chief, called it a day at 2 in the afternoon. Most of the members had mild frostbite on their faces. The rest of the day passed lazily, watching movies, eating, drinking and chatting. The plan was to yield to the weather, and wait for the blizzard to stop before starting work again. At night, the blizzard fizzled out. A faint moon was shining outside.
The next day was as clear as the first day. There was no evidence of the previous day's blizzard. So the rest of the work was finished at a leisurely pace. Meanwhile, I made a trip to the edge of the shelf. This was about 200 meters from where we had camped. The ocean had frozen over completely. There was no difference between the sea and the land, except for a steep edge about 50 meters high. Both were solid ice. It was fascinating to imagine that the ocean is actually frozen for over a 1000 km from where I was standing. The three poles to which our ship had moored were witness to the hectic activity this place saw in the summers. Decanting operations were going on nearby. The oil tankers from which the oil was being decanted were buried in snow upto their roof. One could walk all over the containers. At this rate, these containers would soon be completely buried in snow. The scenario was completely different during my last convoy. But then this is what we expect in Antarctica.
I next went to a portacabin nearby. It is a small cabin meant for use primarily during the summers when scientific and logistic teams work extensively on the shelf in case of emergency. There is sleeping arrangement for 7 people along with adequate food arrangements. A generator is also present, but is out of order. Anyhow, heating is not needed during the summers. There is an automated geomagnetism experiment going on in the portacabin.
Work was over by evening. The vehicles were refuelled and made ready for the return journey the next morning. This was quick work and it went according to plan, except for the blizzard. But then there is no fun in a convoy unless we get stuck up for a few days in a blizzard.
The next morning, the temperature again dipped to -29°C. When we were set to depart, Meena's vehicle would not start. This was the hazard of doing a convoy in such low temperatures. It took about 3 hours to start the vehicle. The other vehicles had in built heaters, which helped in ignition. We finally left at 9 AM. It was partly cloudy. Upto barrel C7, we encountered soft snow. That made our progress slow. The vehicle tracks used to sink in the snow. This was due to the huge loads that all the vehicles were tugging. After C7, the route was a mixture of snow and ice. That made life easier. It soon became overcast and very windy. There were chances of another blizzard. The further inland we went, the less the chances of a blizzard. So we hurried up, with minimum halts. We did not have our meals till we reached the station.
The rest of the journey passed uneventfully. Banjara and Jeevan Jyoti were unhooked at Sankalp. The rest of the loads were tugged to the station. We reached the station at midnight of 14- 15 September. It was clear weather here. No blizzard had hit Maitri. So that brought another convoy to a close. That leaves 2 more to go.
Abhijeet, whenever you post such an experience, my heart tells me what all I have missed, and my mind goes wild in imagining what all it would be like during such convoys. But then one can not manage all the experiences. I had my share of things and I should not complain. Best wishes for successful expedition.
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