Packing for the Ice
Four days from now I will be well into my journey to the bottom of the world. Having been there before, I thought my excitement and nervous energy might be abated this time, but I already have butterflies in my stomach. In many ways preparing for McMurdo Station is similar to other long trips--it's important to pack plenty of clothes, toiletries, etc. However, going to Antarctica does require some special gear.
What would you want to pack if you were heading to a continent that had temperatures as cold as -129 degrees Fahrenheit? Luckily, I won't be heading to the East Antarctic Plateau in winter (which is in the months of June through August in the southern hemisphere). The weather I'll face will be just a little below freezing and I'll be there as we approach summer. Still, being outside in freezing temperatures for a month requires warm gear!
ECW Gear
I will receive the warmest gear, called Extreme Cold Weather Gear or ECW gear, when I arrive in New Zealand. The most famous piece of ECW gear is "Big Red"--a very warm, very large, Red coat that is given to everyone.
A kindergarden student at Nittany Valley Charter School is dwarfed by the size of the Big Red coat.
The Clothing Distribution Center in Christchurch, New Zealand houses rows of Big Red coats to lend to incoming staff and scientists.
Michelle Brown wears her Big Red coat proudly upon arriving in Antarctica.
There are a sea of Big Red coats inside the shuttle bus to McMurdo Station.
Can you guess how many pockets are in Big Red? Post your answer in the "Ask the Team" section.
My Own Gear
Aside from what the United States Antarctica Program provides me, I will be bringing my own gear as well. The photo below shows most of what I'll pack: long underwear, mid-weight layers, down pants, socks, sweaters, a cotton t-shirt with my husband's face on it, a hat, gloves, and a bathing suit. One of these items is not recommended for McMurdo Station--can you guess which one it is? (Post on the Ask the Team section to see if you've got it!)
Michelle Brown arranges the clothes she will bring to stay warm in Antarctica.
Besides clothing, I will be sure to pack lots of lip balm and moisturizer lotion. Antarctica can be very cold and dry. I also will pack polarized sunglasses and sun block. This is because the sun will never set and will reflect off of all the white ice, back into my eyes. If I didn't wear polarized sunglasses, I could damage my eyes. This is not a new problem--snow goggles can be traced back 2000 years ago. Inuit people in the Arctic crafted eye shades out of bone or ivory with small slits to allow light in.
A pair of Inuit snow goggles carved from caribou antlers.
The Hardest Part About Leaving
I thought long and hard about whether or not I should join this expedition. It was not because I didn't want to go or because I wasn't sure if it would be an incredible experience, it was because it meant leaving my daughter for a month. Although I will be leaving my daughter in good hands with an amazing husband and daycare, it is a very difficult aspect of my trip.
I am willing to leave my daughter for a month because I know one day she will learn about this trip and understand what it means. When she learns that her mother flew 8,000 miles to the bottom of the world to monitor the environment with a research team, I hope she will realize that mothers and women can be scientists, adventurers and are not confined to stereotypes.
However, if the thought of leaving her is too hard, I may just dress her like a penguin and smuggle her into Antarctica.
Johannah wears a penguin costume for Halloween and reads Helen Cowcher's book, Antarctica.
I don't think anyone will notice... do you?
Teachers: Follow ICE Picture of the Day
If following journals with your students feels like too much, use my Ice Pictures of the Day (ICE POD)! I will post a powerpoint slide with every journal to take you through the trip. Many ICE PODs will be NGSS aligned and have links to follow up activities. I will also provide a more detailed summary in the notes section of the powerpoint slide.
Enjoy today's Ice POD:
The first ICE Picture of the Day, meet the team.
Click this link to download the PowerPoint slide with notes: 1_icepod_join_the_journey.pptx
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