6 Weeks on Larsen C
ANTARCTICA 2015
Parler
October 2015.
Parler
ANTARCTICA 2015
From one Pole to Another.
Getting ready for the craziest week of my life. In a few days I'll be leaving Svalbard, the place that I have called home for the past 4 years, to travel to the other side of the planet. But first, there's one last important matter I need to take care of, and not a simple one: my PhD defense. Four years of intense labor compressed in one day of presentations in front of an international Jury. Luckily, my family has made the trip to the Arctic, providing me with all the support I need.
"I hope you're not too stressed, today is a big day for you" I jokingly told my supervisor. The day went so fast, I blinked and it was over. I never though that a PhD defense could be that much fun. We finished the day with a huge dinner with friends and family before going back home under a sky of northern lights. The success was bittersweet, in a couple of days I will leave the place I love the most, leave my job, my friends and my glaciers, without knowing when I will be back.
The reason why I am leaving Svalbard so soon is because another adventure is awaiting. Something I have been dreaming of my whole life, the ultimate voyage a glaciologist can take. I am going to ANTARCTICA!
A few months ago I got asked to join a team of glaciologists from the Welsh universities of Aberystwyth and Swansea. They were planning their second and last field campaign of their project investigating the Larsen C ice shelf, 6 weeks working and camping on the Antarctic peninsula. I could not believe my luck, this was going to be the trip of a lifetime.
Svalbard - Tromso, Tromso - Oslo, Oslo-London, London-Santiago, Santiago-Puerto Montt, Puerto Montt-Punta Arenas. 3 days, 7 flights, and 17 500 kilometers later, we were one leap away from the White Continent. The last flight is a special one, we are taking a Dash 7 operated by the British Antarctic Survey. After a short night in Punta, we're told that the weather the next day looks good, Antarctica is calling!
The flight took about 5H, nothing like what the first explorers had to endure! We were the first batch of scientists and station personnel to reach Rothera after the winter. To say that the flight was spectacular would be an understatement. The ocean became sea ice, the sea ice became land, land became mountains. We were literally glued to the windows of the plane, trying to take it all in. I had to pinch myself so many times, this was not a dream, I was flying over the Antarctic Peninsula! "Fasten your seatbelts, we're about to land". This is it, our new home for a week, we've made it to Rothera.
THE MOMENT HAS ARRIVED
Finally, we've received the green light to head to our designated field area, the Larsen C ice shelf. After months of meticulous planning, our excitement has reached its peak. Logistically, the drop-off day poses a significant challenge. We must transport the entire team and all the necessary equipment in one go, making it tricky to halt the operation once it commences. Safety is our top priority!
I happen to be the third person from my team to venture into the field, and to my surprise, I have an entire twin otter plane to myself, expertly piloted by Vicky. Little did I know that as a co-pilot with BAS (an unexpected promotion for me), the pilot might request me to take the controls for a few minutes when paperwork needs attention. So there I was, soaring over the trans-Antarctic mountains, flying a plane for the very first time! Let me tell you, I held my breath for a solid 40 minutes.
And there it was! Ice stretching as far as the eye can see, a vast, white expanse—the Larsen C ice shelf in all its glory! On the blindingly white surface, we could spot a tiny black dot. That was our first camp, looking quite vulnerable amidst the ice.
Upon landing, it became a race against time, as is often the case in Antarctica. Being prepared for sudden weather changes is crucial. We quickly set up the tents, gearing up for our first night on the Larsen C ice shelf. An important note: we reached the Larsen C ice shelf on October 29, 2015, marking the earliest arrival of a scientific team on the ice. Winter was gradually fading, but we were still expecting pretty cold conditions. The initial days on Larsen C were hectic, involving tasks like finding our designated locations, preparing research equipment, and more. Everything takes considerably longer in extreme environments—simple activities like getting out of bed, fixing breakfast, and layering up for the day took at least 2 or 3 hours!
One of our critical tasks was setting up the solar panels. We had large, rigid solar panels attached to metal poles, connected to hefty 80 Ah car batteries used for charging our toughbooks, sat phones, and research equipment. Here's where I made my worst mistake of the trip! While wiring one of the big batteries to the solar panel, I noticed a burning smell. In a split second, the entire cable was on fire. It turned out that someone had taped the + and - together at the other end of the cable the previous year—something I hadn't anticipated! The problem was compounded by the fact that we were inside the mess tent, and everything was made of highly flammable fabric. Fortunately, the strong Bradley grabbed the burning battery with his bare hands and threw it through the tent wall, creating a massive hole. Unfortunately, this also resulted in burns to Brad's hands. This incident marked the first use of our extensive first aid kit, just two days into a six-week-long expedition.