Answer to Yesterday’s WATIZITCongratulations to Brandon for correctly guessing yesterday's WATIZIT!!!
Hand Warmers
Today’s WATIZIT Picture
WATIZIT
Why is this person wearing a bucket over their head?
What an incredible way to start the new year!!! I spent the first night and the first two days camping in Antarctica.
At 9:30 in the morning Jonas and I met 10 other trainees and boarded a massive Delta transport vehicle along with our Happy Camper School instructor, Danny.
Jonas and Delta
Loading onto the Delta
After a bit of indoor instruction, Danny had us load camping and survival gear onto a large sled, which he towed and unloaded on the McMurdo ice shelf, a large area of the frozen ocean.
Camping Gear
Camping Gear
Through out the afternoon he gave us instruction on cold weather camping and survival.
Danny showing us how to make snow blocks
Danny showing us how to cut snow blocks to use to build a wall.
We learned how to set up a Scott tent (developed by Robert Falcon Scott who died returning from the South Pole in 1912) and mountaineering tents.
Scott Tents
Scott Tents
We learned how to arrange a camp based on wind and weather conditions. Although the temperature was not severe like when Mindy (another PolarTREC teacher) went to Happy Camper School. The temperature was in the mid 20’s, rather warm by Antarctic standards. However the wind was blowing about 15-20 mph and it was snowing moderately hard.
Snow Camp at midnight
The camp that we built.
Danny showed us how to build snow shelters including a snow trench and how to build and design a quinzee (basically a hollowed out mound of snow).
A quinzee
Entering the quinzee.
Danny also taught us how to dress during the day and night to stay warm and safe (well at least safe). He then left us to continue setting up our camp, cook dinner and spend the night alone.
Camp kitchen
How does our kitchen compare to yours?
Before the Christmas break my students voted and told me I should sleep in a quinzee if I had a chance. So I spent a large part of the day working with others to build and hollow out the quinzee and than I shared it with two other people. While we worked on that, others built an large wall out of snow blocks for our kitchen area. The wall protected us from the wind and blowing snow. They made benches out of snow and they even made a heart shaped table with a block of snow.
Snow blocks for wall
Why would we build a wall out of snow?
Heart shaped snow table
How do you like our dining room table?
After a long hike with another camper, it was time for me to crawl into the quinzee and go to bed.
Mr B entering quinzee
Crawling to bed.
My boot and the inside of the quinzee.
My foot