Antarctica.
VII THE CAMP AT THE POLE OF INACCESSIBILITY
VII THE CAMP AT THE POLE OF INACCESSIBILITY
Antarctica. Chapter VII
I am ready for a long road flight for work with a week- or months-long projects.
THE CAMP AT THE POLE OF INACCESSIBILITY
S82°06 E55°02
Coordinates
3 739 meters
Height above sea level
SOVIET STATION AND BUST OF LENIN
SOVIET STATION AND BUST OF LENIN
THE STATION AT THE POLE OF INACCESSIBILITY WAS BUILT IN 1958. IT WAS A SMALL TRAILER WITH A DRILLING RIG, ON TOP OF WHICH SITS A BUST OF LENIN.
THE STATION AT THE POLE OF INACCESSIBILITY WAS BUILT IN 1958. IT WAS A SMALL TRAILER WITH A DRILLING RIG, ON TOP OF WHICH SITS A BUST OF LENIN.
The initial construction was temporary, and the scientists spent just 12 days here. Since then it has been used only a few times, each time for several days. The building is located under the bust of Lenin at a depth of 20 meters, everything inside is mothballed by a layer of snow and cold. Now, in addition to Lenin, on the surface you can see a meteorological tower and a weather vane.
The initial construction was temporary, and the scientists spent just 12 days here. Since then it has been used only a few times, each time for several days. The building is located under the bust of Lenin at a depth of 20 meters, everything inside is mothballed by a layer of snow and cold. Now, in addition to Lenin, on the surface you can see a meteorological tower and a weather vane.
THE POLE OF INACCESSIBILITY IS A POINT EQUIDISTANT FROM ALL THE SHORES OF ANTARCTICA.
THE POLE OF INACCESSIBILITY IS A POINT EQUIDISTANT FROM ALL THE SHORES OF ANTARCTICA.
Russian calculations of its location do not include ice shelves, whereas the British ones, for example, do. Therefore, one pole of Inaccessibility may be different from another. But the Russian one is much more widely known. This place is visited by no more than a hundred people a year, so this point on the Antarctic map can still be considered among the least “popular”. This is not surprising as it is extremely difficult to get here on skis, and few people opt for vehicles.
Russian calculations of its location do not include ice shelves, whereas the British ones, for example, do. Therefore, one pole of Inaccessibility may be different from another. But the Russian one is much more widely known. This place is visited by no more than a hundred people a year, so this point on the Antarctic map can still be considered among the least “popular”. This is not surprising as it is extremely difficult to get here on skis, and few people opt for vehicles.
CAMPS
CAMPS
IT IS IMPORTANT TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT PLACE AND TIME FOR YOUR CAMP.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT PLACE AND TIME FOR YOUR CAMP.
The site should be flat with enough snow to dig up quickly with shovels. Under the tents, at the entrance, a recess is made of about a meter so that you can stand up to your full height inside. The tents are placed in such a way that they are heated by the sun and not blown away by the wind. Then, all the joints are covered with snow so that the wind does not blow them inward. A place for a tent with a toilet is also dug, at least half a meter deep.
The site should be flat with enough snow to dig up quickly with shovels. Under the tents, at the entrance, a recess is made of about a meter so that you can stand up to your full height inside. The tents are placed in such a way that they are heated by the sun and not blown away by the wind. Then, all the joints are covered with snow so that the wind does not blow them inward. A place for a tent with a toilet is also dug, at least half a meter deep.
OVERNIGHTS ARE IMPORTANT, FIRST OF ALL, FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF TEMPERATURES.
OVERNIGHTS ARE IMPORTANT, FIRST OF ALL, FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF TEMPERATURES.
The sun, which does not set here in summer, must fall on the tent at a certain angle to heat the air inside to a comfortable temperature. Therefore, when planning a route, vehicles move, most often, at ‘night’, when it is coldest, and they arrange parking and overnight stays during the ‘day’.
The sun, which does not set here in summer, must fall on the tent at a certain angle to heat the air inside to a comfortable temperature. Therefore, when planning a route, vehicles move, most often, at ‘night’, when it is coldest, and they arrange parking and overnight stays during the ‘day’.
For even greater comfort, sleeping bags inside the tents are heated with hot water bottles and saline heating pads.
For even greater comfort, sleeping bags inside the tents are heated with hot water bottles and saline heating pads.
As a rule, 2-3 people sleep in one tent. In such a format, it is comfortable to sleep and there is enough space for one’s personal items. The bed is a sleeping bag for temperatures down to -40ºC, under which several mattresses are placed. One covers the entire floor of the tent, then two foam mattresses and another large inflatable mattress are placed under each sleeping bag. So even if someone accidentally falls out of their ‘bed’ at night, they will still not freeze.
As a rule, 2-3 people sleep in one tent. In such a format, it is comfortable to sleep and there is enough space for one’s personal items. The bed is a sleeping bag for temperatures down to -40ºC, under which several mattresses are placed. One covers the entire floor of the tent, then two foam mattresses and another large inflatable mattress are placed under each sleeping bag. So even if someone accidentally falls out of their ‘bed’ at night, they will still not freeze.
In Antarctica, it is forbidden to leave or take anything, so thoughts of a souvenir pebble from the coast can be immediately abandoned. You need to take everything out with you, including human waste, which is packed into barrels and sent to the mainland along with passengers and cargo.
In Antarctica, it is forbidden to leave or take anything, so thoughts of a souvenir pebble from the coast can be immediately abandoned. You need to take everything out with you, including human waste, which is packed into barrels and sent to the mainland along with passengers and cargo.
A separate small tent is set up for the toilet, and everyone is responsible for the disposal of waste. Our expedition had to pick up several other people's barrels on the way in order to take them to Novolazarevskaya.
“
The day of a trip is always more or less the same. In the morning we make water, have breakfast, check the vehicles, and tear down the camp—and everyone has a role to play in this process. It is important that the toilet and food box are packed so that they can be easily reached. Then we travel for 10-15 hours and, again, look for a place to spend the night.If we plan to stop for a long time, then we put up a communal tent for the kitchen, where we can cook dinner. Then we check everything again, and sleep. So, it's camping and travelling,and trying to get some sleep in between.
If the temperature drops below -20ºC, the vehicles must be left running for the night. We position them so that the sound of the engine does not interfere with our sleep. If the car freezes over, there will be problems with fuel, filters and parts. Once, we had to shut down the car at the South Pole at -25ºC because the noise was disturbing the guests. We, of course, managed to start it later, but it was rather challenging. If the temperature drops below 30-40ºC, metal becomes more brittle and it’s easy to break something. Therefore, in such conditions, we try to do everything more carefully.
If the temperature drops below -20ºC, the vehicles must be left running for the night. We position them so that the sound of the engine does not interfere with our sleep. If the car freezes over, there will be problems with fuel, filters and parts. Once, we had to shut down the car at the South Pole at -25ºC because the noise was disturbing the guests. We, of course, managed to start it later, but it was rather challenging. If the temperature drops below 30-40ºC, metal becomes more brittle and it’s easy to break something. Therefore, in such conditions, we try to do everything more carefully.
The day of a trip is always more or less the same. In the morning we make water, have breakfast, check the vehicles, and tear down the camp—and everyone has a role to play in this process. It is important that the toilet and food box are packed so that they can be easily reached. Then we travel for 10-15 hours and, again, look for a place to spend the night.If we plan to stop for a long time, then we put up a communal tent for the kitchen, where we can cook dinner. Then we check everything again, and sleep. So, it's camping and travelling,and trying to get some sleep in between.
If the temperature drops below -20ºC, the vehicles must be left running for the night. We position them so that the sound of the engine does not interfere with our sleep. If the car freezes over, there will be problems with fuel, filters and parts. Once, we had to shut down the car at the South Pole at -25ºC because the noise was disturbing the guests. We, of course, managed to start it later, but it was rather challenging. If the temperature drops below 30-40ºC, metal becomes more brittle and it’s easy to break something. Therefore, in such conditions, we try to do everything more carefully.
If the temperature drops below -20ºC, the vehicles must be left running for the night. We position them so that the sound of the engine does not interfere with our sleep. If the car freezes over, there will be problems with fuel, filters and parts. Once, we had to shut down the car at the South Pole at -25ºC because the noise was disturbing the guests. We, of course, managed to start it later, but it was rather challenging. If the temperature drops below 30-40ºC, metal becomes more brittle and it’s easy to break something. Therefore, in such conditions, we try to do everything more carefully.
KITCHEN AND FOOD
KITCHEN AND FOOD
THE KITCHEN IS AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE, AND THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT IS A GOOD WHITE GAS, OR NAPHTHA, A REFINED GASOLINE BURNER, WHICH WORKS EVEN AT LOW TEMPERATURES.
THE KITCHEN IS AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE, AND THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT IS A GOOD WHITE GAS, OR NAPHTHA, A REFINED GASOLINE BURNER, WHICH WORKS EVEN AT LOW TEMPERATURES.
RATIONS ARE CAREFULLY PREPARED, AND THE PROVISIONS ARE ARRANGED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THERE IS ALWAYS A CHOICE.
RATIONS ARE CAREFULLY PREPARED, AND THE PROVISIONS ARE ARRANGED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THERE IS ALWAYS A CHOICE.
Nearly all the food is freeze-dried, dehydrated ready-to-eat meals that simply have boiling water added to them. However, in principle, you can take with you anything that can be frozen. Emil Grimsson, for example, shared with us the memory of how they fried bacon at camp—an unforgettable meal in such an environment. And Eiður, our guide, said that they try to take some kind of cheese and other snacks with them in order to organize a Sunday lunch and get a break from dehydrated food.
Nearly all the food is freeze-dried, dehydrated ready-to-eat meals that simply have boiling water added to them. However, in principle, you can take with you anything that can be frozen. Emil Grimsson, for example, shared with us the memory of how they fried bacon at camp—an unforgettable meal in such an environment. And Eiður, our guide, said that they try to take some kind of cheese and other snacks with them in order to organize a Sunday lunch and get a break from dehydrated food.
THE ENERGY GIVEN BY A DIET IS AN IMPORTANT PARAMETER TO CONSIDER WHEN PREPARING FOOD.
THE ENERGY GIVEN BY A DIET IS AN IMPORTANT PARAMETER TO CONSIDER WHEN PREPARING FOOD.
It depends on whether there will be physical activity (skiing or hiking, climbing), and how much time the group will spend in the car. Average indicators are as follows: for the normal functioning of the body at extremely low temperatures, you need about 4500-5000 kcal per day in the absence of physical activity. If active movement is involved, this number can go up to 8000 kcal.
It depends on whether there will be physical activity (skiing or hiking, climbing), and how much time the group will spend in the car. Average indicators are as follows: for the normal functioning of the body at extremely low temperatures, you need about 4500-5000 kcal per day in the absence of physical activity. If active movement is involved, this number can go up to 8000 kcal.
During short stops, a field kitchen can be arranged right by the vehicle.
HUMIDITY IN ANTARCTICA IS PREDOMINANTLY ZERO, SO YOU NEED TO BE ESPECIALLY CAREFUL ABOUT DEHYDRATION AND DRINK ABOUT 3 LITERS OF WATER PER PERSON EACH DAY.
HUMIDITY IN ANTARCTICA IS PREDOMINANTLY ZERO, SO YOU NEED TO BE ESPECIALLY CAREFUL ABOUT DEHYDRATION AND DRINK ABOUT 3 LITERS OF WATER PER PERSON EACH DAY.
You don't take it with you, but instead melt the snow, which is not lacking. To do this, you need special equipment: if the temperature is too high, the snow can ‘burn’, as if charred, and water will have burned taste. Arctic Trucks vehicles have snow melters that run on the same aviation kerosene as the vehicles themselves. Thanks to the well-thought-out design, melts like this can produce 14 liters of water in just 20 minutes. True, it tastes somewhat strange, since there are no minerals in it. If you have been in Antarctica for a long time, it is advisable to include nutritional supplements in your diet. But for a short time, the lack of minerals is quite successfully compensated for by the food.
You don't take it with you, but instead melt the snow, which is not lacking. To do this, you need special equipment: if the temperature is too high, the snow can ‘burn’, as if charred, and water will have burned taste. Arctic Trucks vehicles have snow melters that run on the same aviation kerosene as the vehicles themselves. Thanks to the well-thought-out design, melts like this can produce 14 liters of water in just 20 minutes. True, it tastes somewhat strange, since there are no minerals in it. If you have been in Antarctica for a long time, it is advisable to include nutritional supplements in your diet. But for a short time, the lack of minerals is quite successfully compensated for by the food.
“
We use pretty basic tents because as harsh as it sounds, the summer weather in Antarctica is generally quite mild. Strong winds are not common and it is rather dry here. Therefore, there is no danger that something will get wet, even if you put things on the ground. The tents heat up well, and it might be -30 outside, but only -5 inside. So there is no problem when it comes to things like undressing and getting into a sleeping bag.
I always take my e-book with me—I read a lot when traveling—and I have a hard drive with movies and TV shows. Because actually there is quite a lot of free time, especially when you just need to relax between stages. On my first trip, I didn’t have slippers, light down shoes, with me, and I was very sorry as literally everyone else wore them!
The next time I took them, and generally wore them all the time, even outside. Because they don’t get wet in the dry snow, they can breathe, and you feel much more comfortable in them than in heavy boots, especially if you wear them for 3 months without taking them off.
We love to take steaks with us on trips—they are very easy to store and quick to prepare. And we also take Icelandic snacks like fermented shark meat or dried fish. It all smells so-so, but it’s very tasty and healthy.
I always take my e-book with me—I read a lot when traveling—and I have a hard drive with movies and TV shows. Because actually there is quite a lot of free time, especially when you just need to relax between stages. On my first trip, I didn’t have slippers, light down shoes, with me, and I was very sorry as literally everyone else wore them!
The next time I took them, and generally wore them all the time, even outside. Because they don’t get wet in the dry snow, they can breathe, and you feel much more comfortable in them than in heavy boots, especially if you wear them for 3 months without taking them off.
We love to take steaks with us on trips—they are very easy to store and quick to prepare. And we also take Icelandic snacks like fermented shark meat or dried fish. It all smells so-so, but it’s very tasty and healthy.
We use pretty basic tents because as harsh as it sounds, the summer weather in Antarctica is generally quite mild. Strong winds are not common and it is rather dry here. Therefore, there is no danger that something will get wet, even if you put things on the ground. The tents heat up well, and it might be -30 outside, but only -5 inside. So there is no problem when it comes to things like undressing and getting into a sleeping bag.
I always take my e-book with me—I read a lot when traveling—and I have a hard drive with movies and TV shows. Because actually there is quite a lot of free time, especially when you just need to relax between stages. On my first trip, I didn’t have slippers, light down shoes, with me, and I was very sorry as literally everyone else wore them!
The next time I took them, and generally wore them all the time, even outside. Because they don’t get wet in the dry snow, they can breathe, and you feel much more comfortable in them than in heavy boots, especially if you wear them for 3 months without taking them off.
We love to take steaks with us on trips—they are very easy to store and quick to prepare. And we also take Icelandic snacks like fermented shark meat or dried fish. It all smells so-so, but it’s very tasty and healthy.
I always take my e-book with me—I read a lot when traveling—and I have a hard drive with movies and TV shows. Because actually there is quite a lot of free time, especially when you just need to relax between stages. On my first trip, I didn’t have slippers, light down shoes, with me, and I was very sorry as literally everyone else wore them!
The next time I took them, and generally wore them all the time, even outside. Because they don’t get wet in the dry snow, they can breathe, and you feel much more comfortable in them than in heavy boots, especially if you wear them for 3 months without taking them off.
We love to take steaks with us on trips—they are very easy to store and quick to prepare. And we also take Icelandic snacks like fermented shark meat or dried fish. It all smells so-so, but it’s very tasty and healthy.
Our long overnight camp consisted of two sleeping tents, one for the toilet and another larger one for the kitchen and dining room. If the weather was not very good, or if we were in a hurry, we didn’t put up the large tent.
Our long overnight camp consisted of two sleeping tents, one for the toilet and another larger one for the kitchen and dining room. If the weather was not very good, or if we were in a hurry, we didn’t put up the large tent.
We almost reached the nunataks near Novolazarevskaya when our team was stopped by a storm. The visibility was almost zero and everyone was so tired that Eiður suggested we set up camp and try to get some rest.
It is difficult to say how much everyone managed to rest in these conditions, but this night was definitely one of the most memorable of the entire trip.
It is difficult to say how much everyone managed to rest in these conditions, but this night was definitely one of the most memorable of the entire trip.
We almost reached the nunataks near Novolazarevskaya when our team was stopped by a storm. The visibility was almost zero and everyone was so tired that Eiður suggested we set up camp and try to get some rest.
It is difficult to say how much everyone managed to rest in these conditions, but this night was definitely one of the most memorable of the entire trip.
It is difficult to say how much everyone managed to rest in these conditions, but this night was definitely one of the most memorable of the entire trip.
“
This night was perhaps the most difficult—in terms of weather conditions—of all my trips here. We had almost reached the mountains, when a storm began with a terrible wind and blizzard. We were very tired, so we decided to set up camp. I don’t know how much sleep we got that night. But when we finished pitching our tents, my face was covered with snow and ice. At first, of course, everyone was very surprised at my proposal to set up camp in the middle of a storm. But it’s always worth remembering the human factor, and the fact that when you are tired it’s easy to make a mistake. So sometimes you just have to stop and get some sleep.
This night was perhaps the most difficult—in terms of weather conditions—of all my trips here. We had almost reached the mountains, when a storm began with a terrible wind and blizzard. We were very tired, so we decided to set up camp. I don’t know how much sleep we got that night. But when we finished pitching our tents, my face was covered with snow and ice. At first, of course, everyone was very surprised at my proposal to set up camp in the middle of a storm. But it’s always worth remembering the human factor, and the fact that when you are tired it’s easy to make a mistake. So sometimes you just have to stop and get some sleep.
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