The insignia of the United States Antarctic Program, proudly worn by one participant.
If there's anyone between the ages of 12 and 18 in Friday Harbor that hasn't heard about our upcoming Antarctic expedition, I'd be surprised. A goal for the final days leading up to my departure for McMurdo Station is to familiarize as many local students as possible with Antarctica, the US Antarctic Program, the National Science Foundation, PolarTREC, and of course, giant sea spiders. To that end, I've been visiting local classrooms, giving a presentation that touches on all of the above, and tries to address many of the questions students have had about what it takes to travel and live on "The Ice."
Extreme Cold Weather gear dress up is a great way to learn about Antarctic weather conditions.
Most of their questions haven't been about the sea spiders. Everyone wants to know more about logistics: How will you get there? What will you eat? Where will you stay? How cold is the water you'll go diving in? What kind of gear will you need? How quickly do the diving holes freeze over? How dangerous is it? Why can't you bring us back a penguin? All of these are questions worthy of their own journal posting and I'm happy to answer the eager live audiences that pose them in the brief time I have with them. Even for a teacher excited to be on his way to the other end of the world, slide presentations will only take the message so far.
Diagrams are helpful in making sure all the gear is properly donned.
While pictures are each worth a thousand words, there's no substitute for experience. The loan of a decomissioned Extreme Cold Weather (ECW) gear kit from PolarTREC headquarters has made all the difference in helping kids internalize something of what conditions will be like at 77 degrees South. The kit's most notable components are the "Big Red" down jacket and white rubber "bunny boots," which instantly give the wearer a real sense of the weight and warmth needed to work outside comfortably. In the same vein, I've also put together my own demonstration kit of scuba gear - including an old dry suit, hood, mask, and mits - that helps give a similar sense of the exposure protection needed for the diving I'll be doing. Because I can't take any students with me, one of my major challenges will be to find ways to make my experience as real as possible for them. Dress up ECW and scuba kits are a fun way to start.
I've been making the rounds at local schools, sharing information about the upcoming expedition.
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