How do you get around in Antarctica?
So, I have been driving for about 15 years. I came all this way to Antarctica and the last thing that I thought I would have to do is take a driver training course. However, sure enough, in addition to the technology training, environmental training, lab safety training, survival course, and sea ice training, I have to go back to Antarctic Driver's Ed.
For all you students out there getting ready to get your license, be grateful that you didn't have to do your driver's education in an Antarctic mobile. It's not as easy as the professionals make it look.
As we get ready to venture out on the sea ice, I thought we would look at ways to get around in Antarctica. As I am certainly not a vehicle expert, I went to Tony Buchanan, Supervisor of the Mechanical Equipment Center, and guru of moving vehicles down here in Antarctica.
Meet Tony Buchanan, Supervisor of the Mechanical Equipment Center.
You'll see his thoughts in the segments below labeled "Tony's Take".
Vans & Trucks
These shouldn't surprise you. We need to move people and gear around town. It makes a lot of sense to use vans and trucks to do that. These look a lot like the vans and trucks at home, except for their slightly larger tires, electric plugs for engine heaters, and wheel chocks. These vehicles are the most efficient on the roads around McMurdo Station, but they are useless on deep snow.
This van is used to transport people around town.
This truck is useful for moving gear along McMurdo roadways.
Mat-Tracks
Meet the Mat-Track. This monster is a cross between an F-350 Ford truck and a miniature tank. Everything is pretty much the same except the wheels have been replaced with tracks. This vehicle is a little goofy around town, but it really shines out on the sea ice.
This is a Mat-Track.
Tony's Take
Tony told me, "The Mat-Track is a pick-up truck on tracks. It is limited in speed by the track design. It will do 40 mph but the tracks won’t last long. So we ask people to drive 15 mph. It is a one ton Ford truck so you can carry 2000 lbs in the bed of the truck. They are made for snow roads in the area and are used when a wheeled truck will get stuck in the deep snow. They are Ford F-350 crew cab pick-ups with the Mat Track conversion. They have the 240hp Ford V8 gas engine."
Hägglund
Meet the Hägglund. This is a medium-sized vehicle that is a good passenger carrier over snow and ice. It can also be outfitted to carry gear. There are only a few of these at McMurdo Station. One of the departments using them is FSTP (Field Safety Training Program).
This is a Hägglund. These are used at McMurdo by FSTP personnel for sea ice training.
Tony's Take
"The Hägglund is a Swedish made vehicle. Our military uses them to move troops around in snow and all types of soft terrain. They are amphibious; yes they float and can propel themselves in the water. I would not take it out for an ocean crossing but if I was driving through the woods and came across a small river I would drive right through it. They can carry 14 people in the twin cabs and can move at speeds up to 35 mph. Like the Pisten Bully they can climb snow hills that you can’t walk up. They use a 150 hp Mercedes Turbo Charged engine."
Pisten Bully
Meet the Pisten Bully. This will be our primary field vehicle for our work out on the sea ice. The Pisten Bully is a tracked diesel vehicle that can carry passengers and gear. It is a lot of fun to drive.
This is a Pisten Bully, towing a diving structure.
Tony's Take
"The Pisten Bully can pull around 10,000 pounds through the snow and a little less over ice. They can climb hills you can’t walk up. The max speed is only 16 mph and we ask people not to drive it as fast as it can go. They can carry 8 people and their gear up to 100 miles on a tank of fuel. They have a 150 hp Mercedes Turbo Charged Engine. This is the 'SUV' of snow vehicles."
Ski-Doo
Meet the Ski-Doo. Some people call them snow machines or snow mobiles. Ski-Doo is actually a company that makes them. There is nothing like the experience of riding a Ski-Doo across the ice in Antarctica.
This is a snow machine, the motorcycle of Antarctica.
Tony's Take
"Ski-Doo Skandics are the primary snow mobile we use here in McMurdo and at the South Pole. They carry two people at speeds up to 50 mph and can pull up to 2000 pounds on the right snow or ice. They have 50 hp gas engines. These are the 'motorcycles' of Antarctica."
Using the vehicles
There's a lot more that goes into operating these vehicles in the harsh Antarctic conditions than meets the eye. First, conditions here at McMurdo require that vehicles have engine heaters. So every vehicle gets plugged in when it's not in use. This makes the engines a little easier to start.
These are the electric plugs, which power the engine heaters when the vehicles aren't running.
Before you run a vehicle, it must warm up to operating temperatures. This takes 15-20 minutes depending upon the outside temperatures. Next, the USAP requires that all vehicles be thoroughly inspected before using. This includes checking fluids, inspecting for leaks, and logging the engine hours and general condition. Thank goodness you get trained on how to do all of this. Out in the field, your vehicle is an important part of the team - you need to treat it well.
Here's a McMurdo parking lot at meal time. Does this look like parking lots by your school?
Meal time at McMurdo. Do parking lots by you look like this?
Not your typical parking lot.