The Anatomy of an Antarctic Convoy-V (Exploring Indian Coastal Camp)

The Indian Coastal Camp

The Banjara Kitchen

I used to have plenty of time at hand. I used to do odd jobs & help out the other convoy team membes in whatever way I could. I used to explore the area, fiddling with the equipment & investigating each crack in the ice. From the edge of the ice shelf, one could see the vast frozen ocean with icebergs entrapped in it. The icebergs changed their colour with the time of the day and the angle of the sun. There was a huge crevasse nearby. But we were wisely forbidden to venture anywhere close to it. On the edge of the shelf were 3 poles to which the ship moored in the summers. The shelf also had a well stocked porta cabin with sleeping arrangements for 5-6 people. This was meant for emergency use, just in case some summer team member working on the shelf was not able to make it back to the ship in time before the weather turned bad. It had a generator attached to it, though that was not needed during summers. Apart from this, there was an assortment of cranes, snow scooter, containers, oil tankers to explore.

Icebergs Entrapped in The Sea Ice

On the Frozen Ocean

Finally, when work was completed, departure was planned for the next morning, usually 8 AM. But we were invariable delayed because one or the other vehicles refused to start owing to the intense cold. Then began the long march back home. On returning to Maitri, even that small hub of habitation in the middle of nowhere was like manna from heaven. Were we not pleased to be back? A warm welcome & hot dinner awaited us, before we plonked into bed, dead to the world.
The convoy was the high point of my Antarctica experience. It made my trip more complete. Without the convoy experience, I would have felt something missing & regretted it for long.