Thread: Antarctica and Tractors

Ref;Glaciers
Hercules Stuck in Crevasse

It isn't only people and tractors that have trouble with crevasses.

Above, a McMurdo common drive photo of the track of the unfortunate aircraft. This happened near Upstream D (81°S-140°W) on 16 November 1998. An account by Bruce Blackburn:
As the aircraft was taxiing after drifting the cargo the pilot was trying to find a better takeoff route. She felt the bump as she landed across the crevasse. the nose ski bumped and she hit full power on all engines. The right ski dropped in and #4 hit the snow. The ski jumped out but the left side was not so lucky. They had to replace three engines on site and all 4 props as a precaution. The crevasse was not uncovered as you see in the picture 'till the salvage crew got on scene. They filled the crevasse with snow and used a bullbag to get the ski out of the crack. Note; I had ridden this aircraft to and from Downstream Charlie two weeks before the incident.

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Is that how high Icebreakers sit out of the water?
or is it just really empty

(they work by weight dont they?)

Originally Posted by Pedro_The_Swift

Is that how high Icebreakers sit out of the water?
or is it just really empty: (they work by weight dont they?)

The Aurora Australis has just emptied a massive amount of fuel to the Davis Station in Antarctica, I would have thought that it would use seawater as ballast and that would have been dumped well out at sea before getting near the Tasmanian coast.

I reckon that there would be a couple of reasons for that as the ship would be getting prepared to return a.s.a.p. back to Antarctica and the need to not have ballast water on board when entering port for quarantine reasons.

I rang the Australian Antarctic Division to find out about this but! They were all busy with the boat.

Aurora Australis
Photo: Hosung Chung
Launched 18 September 1989.

Owner: P&O Maritime Services

Designer: Wartsila Marine Industries Inc.

Builder: Carrington Slipways Pty Ltd, Newcastle Australia.

Gross tonnage: 6574 t

Deadweight: 3893 t

Length: 94.91 m

Beam: 20.30 m

Draft (maximum): 7.9 m

Endurance: 90 days or 25 000 nautical miles

Maximum speed: 16 knots

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Ref; A Milestone Day (Day 98) | Blog | The Scott Expedition

Ben and Tarka have picked up their last Depot and are close to Scott's last Camp.
They are getting excited about how close they are to the finish, with people adding comments to their blog page joining in with excitement.

COMMENTS
# Heidi, January 31st 2014 Reply
Dear Ben and Tarka, this has been a good day: sunshine, depot, finding your previous tracks. We are so happy and thankful that things let up a bit. Nearly there, gentlemen. I will be holding my breath until you arrive at your destination. Many thanks to you both for your superhuman efforts to maintain contact with us. It is quite a privilege to hear from you. Warmest hugs.

COMMENTS
# Richard Pierce, January 31st 2014 Reply
At this moment, I believe Ben & Tarka are taking their steps into history, and passing the spot where Scott, Wilson and Bowers lay down for the last time.

I thought it appropriate to share this short film with historic images, and images I shot myself when I was out there in January 2008. And the music’s damn good, too. Maybe Andy should record it as an mp3 and send it to the boys.

Dead Men book trailer - YouTube

God Speed, B&T
R

Dead Men book trailer - YouTube

Another youtube link with an excellent documentary.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufijjhdR03E]Secrets of the Dead III (2002): 5. Tragedy at the Pole - YouTube[/ame]
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Ref; https://www.facebook.com/TheScottExpedition

Antarctica's throwing everything it's got at Ben and Tarka in their final few days but, as Tarka says: "Mate, we've gone a hundred and two rounds with Antarctica and we've won every one of them. Tomorrow we're going to win round one hundred and three."

Day 102 - Round One Hundred and Two (Day 102) | Blog | The Scott Expedition
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Ben and Tarka have only four hours of sking left to do, then they will be at the Ross Station.

You will have spent 106 days on the ice pulling a sledge each, which started with a load of 200 Kgs.

Well done fellows and build your depleted bodies back up carefully!
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Ref; https://www.facebook.com/TheScottExpedition

Olly Hicks
LONGEST POLAR JOURNEY ON FOOT IN HISTORY - COMPLETE!!!

Incredible - The Scott Expedition !! - Ben & Tarka have done it - after an unimaginably gruelling & monotonous 105 days on the Antarctic ice, dragging 200kg sledges for 1,795 miles to the South Pole and back - have completed Captain Scott's unfinished 1912 Terra Nova Expedition.

Fantastic work lads, delighted for the whole team, 10 years of perseverance!! Now enjoy the payback & the rest...!

The Scott Expedition
@polarben
@scottexpedition

Please like this / share this / tweet it and generally spread the good news so that the Expedition gets the coverage and recognition it deserves.... Surely the greatest polar expedition for decades.....ever!?

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Ref; Anniversary of Mawson's return from first Antarctic expedition - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

February 26, 2014 17:02:39. Today marks 100 years since Sir Douglas Mawson returned home from the first Australian expedition to Antarctica.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-2...5285488‎
It has been 100 years since the return of Douglas Mawson's Australasian Antarctic ... Sir Douglas led a group of men through Antarctica to extend the boundaries of human ... The World Today · Radio Australia News · NewsRadio ... Posted February 26, 2014 15:55:48 ... Topics: research, science, history, antarctica, australia ...

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