During the austral summers of 2012>2013 and 2014>2015 I worked in Antarctica as an Antarctic Field and Support Specialist with the United States Antarctic Program. Throughout my deployments, I wrote countless field reports and photo essays about life on the ice. Here are my experiences in Antarctica…
Austral Summer 2014-2015
West Antarctic Ice Sheet Divide Field Camp (WAIS)
From December 2014 – January 2015, I worked at the WAIS Divide Ice Core Field Camp for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Space Science and Engineering Center as an Ice Drilling Design and Operations group Field and Drill Specialist. I lived in a remote field camp in Antarctica working on a small team to disassemble, package, ship, and store the large DISC Drill.
During the Austral Summer of 2012-2013, I traveled to Antarctica to work as a Cook for Gana-A’Yoo, EMT, Tour Guide, and Photojournalist at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. While I was living there, I took over 10,000 photos, hours of video footage, and published an article about life in Antarctica on my blog every single day.
My name tag and program patch on my “Big Red” parka. Note I also added my Explorer’s Club members pin.Since the LC-130 is LOUD when it starts up, safety briefing takes place outside of the airplane. Oxygen masks are a bit different on this aircraft, and consist of a chemical oxygen generator coupled to a full-head hood. Much like an emergency fire escape hood.While we’re in mid-flight, it’s ok to go visit the cockpit – super cool!Passing over the seasonally frozen southern ocean, with cracks forming in mid-summer. The ice cover is absolutely beautiful, and takes on infinite forms.Massive peaks of the Trans-Antarctic Mountains poke out of the polar ice cap. Beautiful.Another one of the many many forms of sea ice.In addition to USAP members, we also flew with a bit of the crew of New Zealand’s Scott Base, which is just over the hill from McMurdo on Ross Island.A delta, and Antarctic airport shuttle, essentially.A map of key field camps and stations, with associated pictures.Going over the basics of setting up both our main tents, as well as the tents contained in deep field survival bags, which are supplied on aircraft and as backups at field camp.Testing snowmobiles – fun!Hiking across the ice shelf to the crash site of the PegasusExiting the main admin building at Scott Base with my nifty Betabrand Space Jacket.Me, walking through the inter-ridge trough.Pressure from the McMurdo Ice Shelf pushing the sea ice against the shore of Ross Island is so intense that it pushes the ridges of ice very high in the air – the formations are constantly changing, and always beautiful.On the outer lap of the ob hill loop, cracks in the Ross Sea give way to lots of seals coming up onto the surface of the ice to warm up and relax.Seals on the Ross Sea iceA lone Emperor Penguin glides across the frozen sea ice.A Bell 212 Twin Huey comes in to drop off a slingload of gear at McMurdo Station.Main stage, with the Antarctic sun circling overheadThe SPIDER Polarimeter during the assembly and testing phase before being flown to 125,000 feet under a NASA Long Duration Balloon.Arrival at the WAIS Divide Field Camp, Antarctica.Me outside of the central Galley tent at the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) Divide Field Camp.From front to back of the galley tent. You can see two “Preway” diesel fueled stoves on the left, with large water pots on the top. The stoves heat the tent, and some of the heat goes to keeping water hot, for hot water bottles, etc.Outside of the comms tents, various antennas are setup, including VHF, HF, and Satellite.Smouse posing on one of our snowmobiles.After a successful landing at field camp and quick briefing in the galley, first order of business was to get our tents and gear setup. In this picture, I’m sitting in our gear sled as we snowmobile to “Tent City”, on the edge of camp. Everybody has their own tent, and it’s a blend of 4-season mountaineering tents, pointy “scott tents”, and dome-shaped “Arctic Oven” tents.My tent, with Enerplex solar panel.Tent City is a short walk from the center of camp.Tents arranged on the West Antarctic Ice SheetWalking to work in the drill arch, visibility can vary.Walking back to WAIS DIvide Field Camp after a day working in teh drill arch. On days of low visibility, flags are the only way to tell which way to walk – and where the ground is.Walking down the ramp to our drill arch during stormy ways was a bit like entering a frozen polar base. The ramp leading from the surface down to the arch door frequently got drifted in, requiring digging out by our bulldozer support crew.The inside of the main drill arch. Overhead you can see the blue heavy crane. The yellow safety fences are surrounding the Winch Pit, which housed the main winch, level wind, and related machinery. This winch pit leads into the borehole slot, which is about 40 feet deep, 40 feet long, 5 feet wide. Although the borehole is only a few inches in diameter, the slot must be long and wide to accomodate the swing room for the drill tower – it must pivot from vertical to horizontal in one motion.Mike descending into the borehole slot, tethered by a steel cable.Rigging the levelwind for extraction from the winch pit. Each piece of gear was meticulously secured to be moved carefully.Chansawing the ice floor, to level it out in preparation for loading the winch reel, seen behind me.Merlin Mah tests his ice fabric logging instrument.The crater left by a PETN disposal explosion.The WAIS Divide, Antarctica DISC Drill crew in January, 2015. From left Rick Smouse (ASC), Otto Neumuth (ASC), Jim Koehler (IDDO), Mike Waszkiewics (IDDO), Jeffrey Donenfeld (IDDO), and Don Kirkpatrick (IDDO).The US Coast Guard Cutter “Polar Star”, the world’s most powerful non-nuclear icebreaker, in port at McMurdo Station, Antarctica.Inside Captain RF Scott’s Discovery Hut, Hut Point, AntarcticaInside Captain RF Scott’s Discovery Hut, Hut Point, AntarcticaInside Captain RF Scott’s Discovery Hut, Hut Point, AntarcticaPreparing to leave Antarctica on an LC-130.Flying north, the sea ice gradually melts away to reveal open ocean.Outside the International Antarctic Centre in Christchurch, New Zealand. This is the New Zealand office location of the United States Antarctic Program, and serves as the departure point to the main US Stations – McMurdo and Amundsen-Scott.Abord the C17 flying Christchurch>McMurdo. People sit in conventional airplane seats, as well as on webbing seats along the walls. Additionally, my flight was carrying pallets of scientific equiptment and machinery.Finally leaving the ice on an Air Force C-17 Globemaster III. Read more about my experiences in Antarctica at https://JeffreyDonenfeld.com/Antarctica and contact me at Jeffrey@JeffreyDonenfeld.com .Upon landing at McMurdo, I’m shuttled to the station by this giant bus. I only stay at McMurdo for one night, before getting back on a flight to the South Pole.Once airborne, free roaming around the airplane’s cargo bay is allowed. The view out the window, passing over the Transantarctic mountains, is beautiful.The mirrored ball at the Ceremonial South Pole. This pole is only used for ceremonial purposes, and does not mark anything.The greenhouse is not used in the summer, however in the winter it’s used to grow fresh food for the station staff to eat.The South Pole Telescope, which is able to look at the Cosmic Microwave Background, a remanant of the Big Bang.Loading a dewar of liquid helium into the Dark Sector Laboratory.Toursts visit the south pole too. Although they are allowed in the elevated station for brief tours, they are restricted to camping out in the “NGO Camp” about a half mile away from the station. Adventure Network International runs the tourist camp.The Golf Ball, which houses the GOES and Skynet satellite uplinks. These links provide voice and data access to the station.
