Most of the precipitation in Schirmacher is only during the blizzards. That means ferocious winds, as in cyclones. The snow is constantly blowing all over the place. The snowfall is horizontal rather than vertical. It can be equated with a horizontal waterfall. Precipitation in calm, windless conditions is a rarity, seen only about 3-4 times in the whole year. A few snowflakes floating around are not accounted for.
Blowing snow causes the snow to deposit only on the leeward side of any obstruction in the path of the wind. The windward side is barren even after the heaviest of blizzards. The wind carries away all the snow. So till now we had not seen a uniform blanket of snow in Schirmacher oasis.
It happened on the 8th July 2008. It was a calm, windless, though cloudy, evening. I went outside to take some fresh air. Against the station lights, I saw a few flakes floating around. That was usual phenomenon. I did not pay much attention to it and returned inside. There was party that night. I was getting bored. So I went out again. The intensity of snow had increased tremendously. It could now be called a proper snowfall. The snowflakes were tiny and were floating against the light like wisps of cotton. Unlike the snow in India, they could be dusted off. I went in and raised the alarm. In moments, all the expedition members were outside, shouting and screaming at the top of their voices. They had to be herded inside to conclude the party and have their dinner so that the galley duty person could clean up the kitchen.
After dinner, I went out for a walk with Venkat Sir. A lot of snow had accumulated by then. We took a round of the station. It was an amazing experience- plodding through the snow with snowflakes drifting around on a windless night. It was something new to us. Snow was much more enjoyable without a blizzard. We went upto the workshop area and beyond it. It was a dark night, but the snow was reflecting whatever little light was available. So we could see our way even in the dark. The slopes all around were glistening in the dark. We returned to the station because it is not advisable to venture far from the station in the dark. We went on to the lake. It was also covered with a decent layer of snow. Usually, even after the severest blizzard, there is not even minimal snow deposition on the lake. This was the first time we saw the lake fully covered with snow. We returned to the station to find the others in high ‘spirits’ and frolicking around in the snow. They took off their shirts and were shouting and screaming in delight. They had their photographs taken lying in snow, bare back. The excitement continued well into the night.
The next day, I looked out of the window from my bed. I was greeted by the most heavenly sight. All around there was just one colour: white. Not even a part of a boulder could be seen. No landmarks could be seen. The lake was also covered by a pristine white layer. It was awesome. We decided to go on top of the glacier to take some snaps. So we dressed up in out polar best, picked up the ice axes and left. It was a pleasurable climb, with no boulders to hop across. It was a smooth walk. The crevasses were also filled up fully. No ice could be seen anywhere. It was all covered with snow. So there was no slipping. We reached the top and turned towards Schirmacher. What lay before our eyes was a sight fit for the gods. As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but white. Even the Trishul hill was draped in white. Some of the most awesome pics of the expedition were taken in those few minutes. We may not get this opportunity again. Schirmacher was blending well with the ice shelf that lay beyond Schirmacher.
A few inches of snow created the most awesome sights that even copious amounts of precipitation during the most ferocious blizzards could not. This is the wonder of Antarctica.
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