Happy Camper 1
Note: The McMurdo internet connection is very busy today, and I'm not able to upload images to my blog right now. Thus, I'll explain Happy Camper in two entries. Part 1 describes the goals and why it's needed. Part 2, which I've already written, will be posted when I can include images of what we actually did. (At least I HAVE internet!)
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The weather is extreme in Antarctica, and it can change quickly. The mean low temperature for this time of year is about -18°C with the mean high all the way up to -9°C. The wind chill is worse. Sometimes, the weather goes from Condition 3 to Condition 2 or even Condition 1 in an hour or two when a Herbie comes from the south. Even if you are only driving a few miles away from McMurdo, you might get stuck if the weather turns bad or your truck breaks down. People aren't allowed to travel out of McMurdo in Condition 1. In fact, you might not be able to see from one flag to the next on the sea ice roads and the road might be blown away or buried.
When you leave the gravel for the sea ice roads, you have to have a radio and a survival bag, and you have to tell Mac Ops your group name, where you are going, who's driving, how many people are in the vehicle, when you expect to return, and the name and phone number of your POC. When you get back to the gravel or if you are delayed, you have to check back in with Mac Ops. If you are 1 second late, the key Search and Rescue (SAR) people are paged. Your POC is contacted, and they start looking for you and your vehicle on base in case you forgot to check back in; never forget to check back in! The SAR group meets to discuss the situation, and they develop a plan for your rescue. If you aren't found, they go looking, starting with where you said you planned to go.
Let's say they can't find you because you got off your track and got lost in a place they won't look for you right away. And the weather is really bad. Or maybe your helicopter had a mechanical problem and landed somewhere unexpected and another helicopter can't safely come get you because of bad weather. What do you do? That's what we learned at Snow School 1, better known as Happy Camper. We learned how to use the items in the survival bag and how to approach surviving in the extreme cold in Antarctica if you are stranded out. These same skills can be applied for those of us planning to camp out in Antarctica for weeks on end.
This is what's in a Survival Bag for 2 people for 3 days:
For Shelter:
1 Tent (4-season type)
10 Stakes (maybe steel, maybe bamboo)
2 sleeping bags - they are better than nothing, but not great
2 sleeping pads - 3/4 length foam
2 Bivy bags
Some extra socks, hats and gloves probably from lost and found
For Sustenance:
1 Whisperlite stove, including a wind shield, and spare parts
1-2 White gas in a bottles and with one pump Matches
2 Pots with lids to melt ice or snow and heat water
6 Old freeze dried meals
18 Bricks of hard stuff packed with calories, best dissolved in water so they don't break your teeth
12 Each of hot chocolate and tea
3 Large chocolate bars
2 Spoons
2 Mugs
Tools:
1 Collapsible snow shovel
1 Snow saw (although this isn't on the list I'm reading)
1 Pocket knife
6 Ice screws
2 Snow flukes
1 Rock hammer
50 feet of parachute cord
For Rescue & Health:
1 Signal mirror
1 First aid kit
1 Survival manual
1 Entertainment book or game
1 Roll of toilet paper
What would you do to survive?
The first thing you do depends on the details of the situation. If the weather is really bad, maybe shelter is most important. But if you have a vehicle you can sit in, putting up the tent might not be the first thing you do. If you have shelter and you know you'll be stuck for a couple of days, maybe taking time to plan how you will melt enough snow for water and wisely use your fuel and food is the first priority. If someone is hurt, their care might be the highest priority depending on the injury and situation.
These are really good things to think about BEFORE you get stuck out. You'll be better prepared if something does go wrong. Also, thinking about the consequences of getting stuck can help you be more careful, encourage you to be better prepared whenever you travel, aid your decision making process before you get stranded, etc. Happy Camper starts you thinking about all of these things.
*****************
The weather is extreme in Antarctica, and it can change quickly. The mean low temperature for this time of year is about -18°C with the mean high all the way up to -9°C. The wind chill is worse. Sometimes, the weather goes from Condition 3 to Condition 2 or even Condition 1 in an hour or two when a Herbie comes from the south. Even if you are only driving a few miles away from McMurdo, you might get stuck if the weather turns bad or your truck breaks down. People aren't allowed to travel out of McMurdo in Condition 1. In fact, you might not be able to see from one flag to the next on the sea ice roads and the road might be blown away or buried.
Condition 3: Wind speed is less than 48 knots (55 mph or 89 km/hr), wind chill temperatures are warmer than -75°F (-60°C), and visibility is greater than 1/4 mile (0.4 km)
Condition 2: Sustained wind speed are 48 to 55 knots (55-63 mph or 89-102 km/hr), or wind chill temperatures are between -75°F (-60°C) and -100°F (-73°C), or visibility is between 1/4 mile and 100 ft (400 and 30 m)
Condition 1: Sustained winds greater are than 55 knots (63 mph or 102 km/hr), or wind chill temperatures are less than -100°F (-73°C), or visibility is less than 100 ft (30 m)What do you do if you get stuck out? "Call for help" is an obvious answer. That works most of the time, and there are lots of people here to help you. However, what if you only have one radio, it's in your truck, and your truck catches on fire? (This happened to some people last year.) Hopefully, you followed proper procedures when you left. That means you told your Point of Contact (POC) your travel plans, including where you are going, why, and when you expect to be back. Then you should have properly checked out with Mac Ops, the group that monitors official radio operations, accepts and expects regularly scheduled radio check ins from field parties, and monitors all vehicle traffic off the McMurdo base.
When you leave the gravel for the sea ice roads, you have to have a radio and a survival bag, and you have to tell Mac Ops your group name, where you are going, who's driving, how many people are in the vehicle, when you expect to return, and the name and phone number of your POC. When you get back to the gravel or if you are delayed, you have to check back in with Mac Ops. If you are 1 second late, the key Search and Rescue (SAR) people are paged. Your POC is contacted, and they start looking for you and your vehicle on base in case you forgot to check back in; never forget to check back in! The SAR group meets to discuss the situation, and they develop a plan for your rescue. If you aren't found, they go looking, starting with where you said you planned to go.
Let's say they can't find you because you got off your track and got lost in a place they won't look for you right away. And the weather is really bad. Or maybe your helicopter had a mechanical problem and landed somewhere unexpected and another helicopter can't safely come get you because of bad weather. What do you do? That's what we learned at Snow School 1, better known as Happy Camper. We learned how to use the items in the survival bag and how to approach surviving in the extreme cold in Antarctica if you are stranded out. These same skills can be applied for those of us planning to camp out in Antarctica for weeks on end.
This is what's in a Survival Bag for 2 people for 3 days:
For Shelter:
1 Tent (4-season type)
10 Stakes (maybe steel, maybe bamboo)
2 sleeping bags - they are better than nothing, but not great
2 sleeping pads - 3/4 length foam
2 Bivy bags
Some extra socks, hats and gloves probably from lost and found
For Sustenance:
1 Whisperlite stove, including a wind shield, and spare parts
1-2 White gas in a bottles and with one pump Matches
2 Pots with lids to melt ice or snow and heat water
6 Old freeze dried meals
18 Bricks of hard stuff packed with calories, best dissolved in water so they don't break your teeth
12 Each of hot chocolate and tea
3 Large chocolate bars
2 Spoons
2 Mugs
Tools:
1 Collapsible snow shovel
1 Snow saw (although this isn't on the list I'm reading)
1 Pocket knife
6 Ice screws
2 Snow flukes
1 Rock hammer
50 feet of parachute cord
For Rescue & Health:
1 Signal mirror
1 First aid kit
1 Survival manual
1 Entertainment book or game
1 Roll of toilet paper
What would you do to survive?
The first thing you do depends on the details of the situation. If the weather is really bad, maybe shelter is most important. But if you have a vehicle you can sit in, putting up the tent might not be the first thing you do. If you have shelter and you know you'll be stuck for a couple of days, maybe taking time to plan how you will melt enough snow for water and wisely use your fuel and food is the first priority. If someone is hurt, their care might be the highest priority depending on the injury and situation.
These are really good things to think about BEFORE you get stuck out. You'll be better prepared if something does go wrong. Also, thinking about the consequences of getting stuck can help you be more careful, encourage you to be better prepared whenever you travel, aid your decision making process before you get stranded, etc. Happy Camper starts you thinking about all of these things.
