Friday, October 20, 2000

Stuck in Christchurch

The summer (Nov-Feb) population of Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station averages about 200. I am now en route to Antarctica with about half of this group. Most of these people will be at the Pole for the whole summer and many are staying for the winter. We all met in Denver and went through a one-day orientation that included safety briefs and information on what to expect for the trip down. The throng of Pole people left that night for Los Angeles, and after a five-hour layover, boarded the 747 for the fourteen-hour flight to New Zealand. Leaving late Saturday night, we arrived in Auckland on Monday morning just after crossing the International Date Line. Another eighty-minute flight brought us to the South Island city of Christchurch, our destination for the day. Christchurch, New Zealand is the home of the International Antarctic Centre and serves as a staging area for all participants in the United States Antarctic Program (USAP). It will be our last stop on the way to Seventh Continent. We were greeted by a representative from the USAP and set off for the hotels that had been booked for us. I found my room at a quaint little bed and breakfast near the center of the city.

We reported bright and early to the USAP’s Clothing Distribution Center to be issued our ECW (extreme cold weather) gear. Everyone going to Antarctica is given proper raiment specially designed for the extreme cold of this polar region. The amount of gear supplied depends upon where on the continent the person will be working, how long he or she will be staying, and the type of work being done. Since I will at the South Pole for a year and working outside, I received the maximum amount of ECW gear: boots, snowsuits, parkas, long underwear, wool socks, polar fleece pants and jackets, hats, gloves, mittens, goggles and more. All in all, it was nearly 70 pounds (30 kg) of gear! Every item had to be tried on to ensure proper fit. Once I’m down at the Pole, I won’t be able to return them.

Our plane bound for Antarctica was scheduled to depart on Wednesday, the day after clothing issue. The flight was cancelled, however due to mechanical problems with the aircraft. So we had to spend an extra day in Christchurch. Thursday, the problem still wasn’t fixed. Another day off! So we were again rescheduled to leave today at 5 a.m. I woke up and brought all of my luggage downstairs only to find that the flight was cancelled again. This time the delay was caused by the weather at our intended destination: McMurdo Station. The forecast for tomorrow looks better and we again must be at the airport at 5 a.m.

Although many of us are anxious to get down to Antarctica, we have certainly enjoyed our time in New Zealand. It really is a wonderful country. It is spring here and everything is in full bloom. On Wednesday, I wandered through the city and did a little exploring. Christchurch is quite a large city and very nice. It is reminiscent of Europe, particularly England, with its red phone booths and British influence. The city is divided by a narrow river, the Avon, which meanders through the Botanic Gardens and empties into the nearby Pacific on the East Coast of the South Island. Tourists can ride little narrow boats, which look much like the gondolas of Venice, maneuvered along the river with long sticks wielded by standing gondoliers.

Yesterday, a group of us organized a whitewater-rafting excursion on a river a few hours' drive to the Southwest of Christchurch. On the bus ride there we rode past the beautiful New Zealand countryside. Sheep, cattle, deer, llamas and even reindeer grazed green pastures with a backdrop of snow-covered mountains. Mostly though, there were the myriad New Zealand sheep with their newly born lambs.

We were fitted out with wet suits and paddles by the outfitter, and navigated class five rapids on an ice-cold river flowing out of the base of one of the many glaciers found in New Zealand’s South Island.

Today I spent most of my time in the Botanic Gardens surrounded by blooming flowers and green trees. I found a place in the shade of a colossal tree and easily absorbed the warm sunlight and vistas of flowers, green foliage and cumulus-speckled sky; I listened the sound of the birds chirping, water gurgling, and children playing. I took it all in, knowing that all of these things would be only memories for me during my looming year in Antarctica.