The time had come to sort out the equipment and personal gear to load aboard our aircraft for the flight to the remote part of Antarctica, where we would spend the next few days surveying and investigating the area. I piled all my kit up outside of the tent for collection by skidoo, of course.

 

Most of the equipment had already been loaded including two skidoos and all our camping equipment. We all loaded the remaining items and they were secured by the flight crew.

We still have to wait for confirmation of the weather at the destination. I am getting used to the reality that the weather determines most timetables in Antarctica. But it did mean we could get some lunch before our expected departure. After a couple of hours we get clearance to load our personal kit and at 4pm the flight is confirmed GO.
Boarding our Douglas DC3 TP67 by ladder and it’s Hobson’s choice where to sit. It’s a choice – front and cook or back and chill. The experienced hands get the middle of course.

Our team is made up of the very experienced pilot Jim, CoPilot Ben, engineer Alex, environmental expert David, Antarctic operations expert Mike and mountain guides Seth and Fred who will be responsible for glacier safety and myself, the surveyor.

We’re heading to a rarely visited area to study and survey if there is a possibility to establish a blue ice runway and a re-supply base. This area is part of the Transantarctic’s mountain range and was “recorded” as part of the 1967/1968 Trans Antarctic expedition which passed by about 20-30km away. The TAE carried out surveys along the way of the peaks they encountered. We have also gathered some satalite imagery of the area to have a focus on the specific areas of interest.

The DC3 “Basler” is equipped with skis for snow landing. Before landing at our site, Jim makes a number of passes and studies the ice from close up to determine the best landing site and direction. When he has decided Jim makes a touch and go landing to “feel” the ice and then goes around for the actual landing happy with the outcome.

It’s then all hands to unload our substantial cargo and set up camp.

The tents are secured by ice pegs and the main guys are fixed using an ice screw to make two angled joining holes to create a roped anchor in the ice know as “Abalakov thread” which is very effective and avoids the need for many ice screws.

Our plane is secured with the same method, but the ice screw is a bit bigger 🙂

Camp was established within a few hours and it was time for some dinner – although it was probably past midnight again it was hard to tell.