The Saga of the Polar Winters

"In all the world there is no desolation more complete than the polar night. It is a return to the Ice Age- no warmth, no life, no movement. Few men can fight off its effects altogether, and it has driven some men mad." These words, written by Alfred Lansing in his book 'Endurance- Shackleton's Incredible Voyage', sum up the experience of the polar winters.

It has truly been a once in a lifetime experience. One can never fathom the true nature of the polar winter till one has actually experienced it. It is a more a test of mental endurance than physical abilities. The true character of a man is revealed during this period. I feel truly blessed to have got this rare opportunity. Now, as the winter draws to a close and as we welcome spring at Maitri, it is an appropriate time to sum up the experience of the polar winters.

It all began on 15th February 2008, when the summer team sailed back, marking the official beginning of our wintering period. It was somewhat scary for the first timers. We were stepping into the unknown and going to be physically cut off from the world till November, when the flights would resume. Till then the 26 of us had to weather the vagaries of the polar winters with only each other for support. It appeared to be a daunting task. The temperature at that time was a 'pleasant' -10ºC. The lakes had frozen over to a large extent and the days were getting shorter. Most of us were in a sullen mood for the first few days. But soon we got into the groove and joined hands to finish off all the tasks before the polar nights. It was a race against time. The last convoy was completed about 1 week after the onset of the polar night. This was in temperatures below -30°C. Once this was done, we shut shop for the winters. Just the essential day to day activities were being carried out, apart from the routine scientific work.

During the polar nights, all our schedules went haywire. Sleep cycles were ruined, eating habits changed, personal grooming took a back seat and the strain of wintering over in Antarctica was evident. Most of the expedition members gave up shaving and either went bald, or grew terrible locks of hair. All our activities were limited to within the station. Walks were limited to just a few hundred meters around the station, not as much because of the cold as due to lack of energy and a sense of gloom. There was no sunrise, just dawn and dusk. Daylight lasted only 3 hours. Temperature dipped to -34ºC. Even on windless days, outside movement was difficult. The silence and the stillness were unnerving. It was as if time had come to a standstill. Killing time was a daunting task. Sports activities were planned and afternoon mythology serials were shown on TV to boost morale and to prevent friction between the team members.

We were battered by numerous blizzards during the polar nights. They were a huge strain on the life support systems here. The generators needed constant vigil and maintenance, water supply and sewage systems were difficult to maintain, heating systems were ineffective, snow accumulated all over and a lot of restrictions had to be placed. One major bright spot during the depressing polar nights was the mid winter day celebrations, when the Russians visited us. From then on, it was all downhill. The days now started getting brighter. Finally, the sun showed up on 21st July. The length of the days increased rapidly at first, and then tapered off. July and August are traditionally the coldest and the windiest months in Antarctica. It was no different this year. The longest blizzard was in the month of August. It lasted 5 days. The wind speed on 14th August reached 110 knots, which is extremely rare at Maitri. But life was easier because of the ever increasing sunshine.

Now that September is here, the temperatures have increased considerably. Presently, they are in the early -20s and the days are 12 hours long. The convoys have resumed and so have the other outdoor activities. It is now possible to go for long walks if the weather is good. As the news about the next team and our return home filters in, there is cheerfulness and hope all around. But for now, we await the arrival of spring and with it the penguins and the skuas. Joyful days are now round the corner.