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In northeren Norway there is supposedly a saying that if Widerøe was not flying, it was no weather to be outdoors in. At one point the company was the worlds biggest operator of Twin Otters. And the plane got a reputation for flying in horrible weather conditions.
There's a regular flight from Glasgow to Barra which makes use of these - the runway is a beach. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVFjH6b07a4
I would love to get the opportunity to overwinter at the Amundsen-Scott base. Being cut off is what makes it an attractive adventure in my eyes.
That does sound attractive and a good opportunity to reflect. Anyone here (or do you know any good stories) spent any long periods either in complete isolation, or in a small group like this far away from society? How was it?
I overwintered on Kerguelen island. The environment is not as extreme as on Amundsen-Scott, but from what I can see the isolation is almost exactly the same: same amount of personel in summer and winter, just a slightly shorter isolation in winter. On the other hand there's no runway and it's too far from inhabitated land for helicopters, so in case of a real emergency the best that can happen is that a ship can come to the base and get you to Réunion in ten days or so. Also, communications are much worse it seems, with a few tens of kB/s at most, shared with two other smaller French bases in the Indian ocean.
It was great, the best experience in my life so far. It felt like real adventure that doesn't really happen anymore in the civilised world. You have to be very patient, understanding and open though, because at least a few of your companions won't be. There was a sense of companionship I haven't felt elsewhere, as well as the possibility for people with vastly different backgrounds to meet, when they would probably never had met in "real life".
One of the heroes involved: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_Otter These planes are special things. If you want to go somewhere dangerous, or just weird, this is what you want carrying you.
At 3am when I should be sleeping. The internet is the invention of our lifetimes..its just amazing how just on the notion of sheer information - and education of us regular citizens, has totally been shaken. I recently read that libraries were first created with the purpose of letting even poor folk self-educate.
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Um, go on …
Here's a blog post from someone who was there: http://www.funraniumlabs.com/2013/06/alcoholism-in-antarctic...
Amundsen-Scott Tour: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5lQ9DCXIbs
Earlier quoted context omitted.
That does sound attractive and a good opportunity to reflect. Anyone here (or do you know any good stories) spent any long periods either in complete isolation, or in a small group like this far away from society? How was it?
> Anyone here (or do you know any good stories) spent any long periods either in complete isolation, or in a small group like this far away from society? How was it? I overwintered on Kerguelen island. The environment is not as extreme as on Amundsen-Scott, but from what I can see the isolation is almost exactly the same: same amount of personel in summer and winter, just a slightly shorter isolation in winter. On th…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
There's a regular flight from Glasgow to Barra which makes use of these - the runway is a beach. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVFjH6b07a4
Surprised they didn't use floaters.
I have a childhood memory of being on a ferry across it and being the only person interested in lunch.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Anyone here (or do you know any good stories) spent any long periods either in complete isolation, or in a small group like this far away from society? How was it? I overwintered on Kerguelen island. The environment is not as extreme as on Amundsen-Scott, but from what I can see the isolation is almost exactly the same: same amount of personel in summer and winter, just a slightly shorter isolation in winter. On th…
I spent a year on Marion Island, it sounds pretty similar. It's quite a strange feeling adapting back to civilisation afterwards. Going 60km/h in a car feels terrifying. Having to remember to take money everywhere with you in order to get everyday things like food.
Honestly cars were not a problem for me since I had one of the few cars on Kerguelen: there is just one road, to go to the IT/electronics/geophysics lab.
What was strangest for me once back to civilisation was being able to just go wherever I want without asking or even notifying anyone, and even go there alone, after a year of strictly controlled movements and the obligation to go everywhere in groups of three :)
One of the heroes involved: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_Otter These planes are special things. If you want to go somewhere dangerous, or just weird, this is what you want carrying you.
#nostalgia