Tobogganing on the endless snows

Call it tobogganing or just sliding around on snow, it is a new sport we have taken to at Maitri.

We started off in June, when the slopes around Priyadarshani Lake were well covered with a safe layer of snow. All traces of ice were well hidden underneath. We have 2 pairs of skis here. We connected the 2 pieces of each pair with a hinge to make a wider platform. We also had a wooden board lying around which could be used for the same purpose. This was supposedly used for tobogganing by the previous teams.

The basic requirement for tobogganing was a steep slope (steep as per the expertise of the individual), ending gently in the lake to ease one softly on the hard ice. The slopes are usually about 10 meters high. It is a simple sport and does not need much practice to master. That is the beauty of this sport. One climbs up the slope to where the snow begins. Then one places the board on the slope and lies on the board on one’s belly with face in front. Hands firmly grip the front part of the board that is raised from the ground. The elbows are kept raised till one comes to a halt. This is mandatory as one is sure to injure the elbow on the lake if they are not raised. Then we raise our feet off the ground to send us sliding down. This downward journey gives an extreme rush of adrenaline as one hurtles to the lake. Snow particles are blown all over. As soon as one hits the lake one can feel the stony hardness against the board. Inspite of being on a level surface one does not come to a halt soon. One goes on and on for a considerable distance. Sometimes the board turns 180° in the opposite direction. This is when one must keep a cool head and let the board turn without trying to correct ones course. The basic principle is not to not move till the board comes to a halt. One then picks up the board and again climbs up the slope for a repeat performance. This sport is truly addictive. The uphill climb is a great exercise and the downward journey is the thrilling part. We used to spend a lot of time at this sport even during the polar nights as one did not need to go far from the station.

Another sport that we are experimenting with is snow boarding. The same board that is used for tobogganing is used for this purpose. There is a gradual slope outside the station. It’s ideal for beginners. One just stands on the board with one foot pointing in front. The board slides gradually downwards. It requires a bit of skill to steer the snow board in the desired direction. This is a safe sport as our speed is slow and the snow is soft. In fact falling down is a lot of fun.

I also learnt a bit of ice skating during the initial part of the winters. The lake surface is not as smooth as it is on an ice skating rink. It has frozen when there were ripples on it. So what we have are frozen ripples. At places, however, the surface is smooth. But the temperature was below -15ºC and the ice skating shoes do not offer much protection at that temperature. So it was very uncomfortable for my feet which used to go numb within 20 min. I got a hold of the sport then I gave it up.