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Tardigrades revealed!

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2008-11-13T17:51:05+00:00

I was invited to the British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge at half term to see how Sandra McInnes had progressed with extracting some creatures from our samples. I have been champing at the bit for months to know what I had brought back from the Ellsworth mountains but I appreciate that Pete Convey and Sandra McInnes have their own jobs to do before they can look at my collected materials. Sandra took the chance to make a first attempt before the lichen samples were sent away for formal identification.
The first fruits of her hard work are a few examples of an Echiniscid species of tardigrade (not unexpected) as well as one of the big predatory Milnesium sp. as well. A few rotifers were found in a dormant/collapsed condition. Sandra managed this feat with tiny samples nibbled from the edges of lichen samples currently sent to Norway for definitive identification by Dag Ovstedal (whose brilliant book, Lichens of Antarctica and South Georgia - co-written with Ronald Lewis Smith - was my constant companion in Antarctica). When we finally know exactly what we have found it will be fascinating to see if it throws any light on the limited knowledge that we have at the moment. The pictures are attached with grateful acknowledgment to Sandra McInnes.

The big predatory Milnesium at X40 (and in rather poor shape after his journey back!)

Echiniscid at X40

Bdelloid rotifer at X40

Three Counties Radio Interview

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2008-01-24T18:33:49+00:00

A trip to Luton this afternoon for an interview with Lorna Milton at Three Counties Radio. Daytime radio is a funny world, but I must say that Lorna was very friendly and professional and gave me the opportunity to talk properly about the expedition and asked some very relevant questions. I'm not sure who would have the chance to hear it at this time of day but now is your chance. (The interview is a little over eight minutes long). Podcast attached!
Podcast

Scott Polar Research Institute and St. John's Dinner

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2008-03-01T21:24:41+00:00

At about 1.30 pm all the old crew gathered in the Scott Polar Research Institute to prepare for the afternoon. We each had to give a ten minute talk about some aspect of the expedition. We tried to make sure that we each had a different slant on the story and did not overlap too much but it was interesting that Ruth and I had latched onto the same stunning view of Connell canyon that had made such an impression on us at the time.
It was hard to stay calm as the lecture theatre filled up with so many people, many of them very knowledgeable about Antarctica and many with strong links to it. Peter Fuchs described the background to the expedition and introduced us. Phil ably topped and tailed our four talks and Amy had brought three students from school who delivered a polished and enjoyable talk about the experience from the pupil's point of view. Afterwards Steve gave a fine "epilogue". Then we answered lots of questions. The afternoon ended with a look around the TAE exhibition and a really excellent tea party.

In the evening we all made our way to St. John's College for an event quite beyond anything that I have ever experienced before. Try to picture the scene:

Imagine a long, oak-panelled gallery lit only by candles and warmed only by fires. The room dates from 1599 and retains its original plaster ceiling (which is quite low). The dark polished table reaches almost the full length of the room and eighty three of us are seated around it. I am near one end and if I look to my right the table disappears into the distance! After a long grace in Latin, we are served a really excellent meal. (The wine is good too). Sir Vivian and his son Peter both attended St. John's so it is very fitting that we are here, but this is a room that is very rarely used. There is lots of good company around us and lots to talk about. After the meal, Peter introduces our guest of honour and speaker, Lord Browne (The retired MD of BP) who gives a good solid speech and then we all mill about chatting until very late. It is particularly interesting to meet three of the four teachers who have been selected for the expedition to the Arctic, which is to take place in the Summer of 2009. Each of us will get to mentor one of the team and it will be fun to re-live the stresses and strains of preparation, without the burden of having to actually raise the money ourselves! Eventually, most of the old and new teams make their way to the pub while my wife and I make our way homewards to a welcome bed.

Exhibition Opening at the SPRI

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2008-01-16T23:28:06+00:00

This evening I went to the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge for the opening of an exhibition to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Trans-Antarctic Expedition. It was a really enjoyable event and a great opportunity for Peter to plug what the Foundation is doing now and for me to try to make the right impression as the only expedition member present. I hope I convinced the sceptical and unconvinced of the huge value of what we have done. I certainly found people receptive and interested. I just love meeting people at these events. I have met so many fascinating characters with their own amazing Antarctic stories to tell; as well as people who are simply a privilege to meet in any context.
We will be back here on March 1st to tell our own stories.

De-brief

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2008-01-13T23:21:36+00:00

Most of the day spent travelling to and from Leicestershire to discuss and review the expedition. We all feel that the expedition was a great success and very well-organised but, of course, there were still lots of small details that could be made better. A lot of time was spent considering how we could improve things for the next team of Fuchs teachers who are going to the Arctic in 2009. Lots of chat and a fine lunch again from Ann.
It was a shame that Ruth could not be there but she has sent me a hilarious photograph taken in a tent in deepest Antarctica. We look positively manic but that's what comes of being trapped in a tent by bad weather in the middle of thousands of square miles of glacier!

Lichens

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2008-01-17T23:06:57+00:00

This afternoon I made a swift journey from College to the British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge. I paused only to lift out the bundle of samples sitting in my freezer. I have very deliberately avoided disturbing these since my return but now was the moment to pass them on.
Crammed into Pete Convey's small office we had Steve Bull, Peter Fuchs, Sandra McInnes and Richard Wyllie with his camera; filming every moment for posterity!

Almost certainly a Xanthoria species, but which one?

It was a wonderful experience to see Pete and Sandra genuinely excited at what we had to show them. Equally Steve and Peter were keen to see the results of the first Antarctic expedition. Here were samples from an area never before investigated and the very real possibility of generating new knowledge about the Biology of Antarctica.
I found all the excitement of exploration revived in me and it brought back vivid memories of all the hours that Amy, Carolyn and I had spent hunting down these samples and collecting them. The laborious care taken to bring them back safely now seemed completely worthwhile.

I think this one might be Candelariella flava?

After I had passed on my photographs and Sandra had stored the samples in a suitable freezer, I gave one last interview to Richard in the foyer of the main Survey buildings. Images of Antarctica displayed all around me.

Now I am left with lots to do over the next few weeks to make sure that we can get as much as possible from the whole expedition. I need to be ready for the talks scheduled for the SPRI on March 1st.

Channel 5 News

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2008-01-07T23:42:57+00:00

Today was the first day of the school term and an INSET day.
Three people from Channel 5 arrived this morning to conduct both a recorded and a live interview for the Channel 5 News bulletins. They were very nice and friendly people but I have to admit that I found the end results frustratingly brief and uninformative - even misleading.
We set up in the library and an interview was recorded. This all seemed to go well. Then a live interview was broadcast at about 11.45 a.m. It's quite difficult to respond to a questioner who is only a voice in your earpiece, but who you know can see you! There were a couple of "leading" questions that seemed to give the impression that the only reason for going to Antarctica was to explore global warming but there was barely an opportunity to correct the impression and I kicked myself afterwards for not being more forceful in my replies.
There was a similar problem in the absurdly brief item that I saw broadcast at 7.30 p.m. The discovery of lichens was treated as both unique and sinister! An interview with Pete Convey from BAS was also recorded during the day and part of it was included in this later broadcast. I am convinced that only a tiny fragment of this interview was used too.
I will have to ask Pete Convey what he thought of the strange use to which our remarks were put in the final cut?
In the end, in spite of the pleasure of seeing the expedition get a greater measure of the publicity that it deserves, I have to admit to finding the end result too brief and innaccurate to give me much satisfaction.

An Announcement

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2006-09-19T21:06:34+01:00

Having kept quiet about the whole expedition thing over the summer, I decided that I had to announce the whole project and get the involvement of staff and students in this great project. In order to make a big impact I had borrowed Steve's Antarctic gear and gave an assembly fully kitted out and so, until I had removed a few items, completely unrecognizable. The impact was very gratifying and the children showed enormous interest and enthusiasm. I was even able to say that I might actually be going to Antarctica and that I would know in just a month from now.

Helen Loughran had thoughtfully contacted the local paper, the Mercury, and they came and took some pictures and ran a nice piece in this week's paper.

Home at last

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2007-12-27T11:41:20+00:00

I hope that you have had fun following our adventures on the Fuchs Foundation website.
I have had a great Christmas and, in spite of itching to get back some day, I am relieved that I did not have to spend Christmas in Antarctica. There has been a rather mixed end to our expedition. We arrived at Heathrow a little before 6.00 pm on Friday 21st of December and were met by our cameraman Richard Wylie and his colleague from Brook Lapping, the production company that have been making a programme about the expedition. Peter and Ann Fuchs came all the way from Leicestershire to welcome us home, as well as various friends and relations.

Peter and Ann Fuchs welcome Carolyn and Phil back at Heathrow

Steve Bull then drove us to Portsmouth for the final task. On Saturday we made an early start to spend the day being put through the various tests and tasks that we had completed just before we left for Antarctica. I experienced virtually no significant change to any parameter of measurement that we tried. Most of us indeed showed few changes apart from one intriguing change that affected all of us. In the VO2 max test we all showed a marked drop in our heart rate for an identical workload tackled before we left. Have we simply become fitter as a result of all that hauling? Phil was measureably stronger in this test as well, so clearly all that hauling of pulks has beefed him up a bit. Phil has two gears (on or off) and is mostly "on", so we called him the Duracell bunny. It looks as if all that energy expenditure has done something interesting and should give some useful results for his scientific project.

Dr Frank Golden dips Amy's finger in cold water

Ruth is subjected to the "null zone" one more time

Unfortunately, we have had one very disappointing experience to add to the expedition. Emerging from the Spinnaker building at Portsmouth University to leave in our hired van, we found that the back window had been smashed and two rucksacks stolen. One was mine and one Amy's. Although I lost my camera equipment and the film in it, all the other exposed film was with me and the remainder of the contents were mostly (extremely smelly) clothing and cold weather gear. Most of this is replaceable. However, Amy lost the scientific samples of lichen that she had collected in Antarctica as well as her notes and many personal documents. We can only hope that these items, useless to anyone else, will be ditched or handed in soon but it seems unlikely.
The soft-toy penguin that I bought for Freman College was, alas, stolen. I will have to see of it is possible to find a replacement in England but will it really count?

Final Preparations

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2007-11-02T19:25:47+00:00

Everything was unpacked and carefully checked before repacking. Nothing missing to our relief and although it all weighs rather a lot it seems that we are all set to go tomorrow, Saturday 3rd of November.
It seems very probable that I will not be able to update this blog while I am away, so to follow all the developments go to:
www.fuchsfoundation.org
and use the expedition tracker to follow our every move!

Portsmouth again

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2007-11-01T19:24:21+00:00

We have spent two days in Portsmouth being put through the familiar round of gruelling tests before we go. This took the best part of Wednesday and Thursday (31st and 1st). If you haven't seen it already; there is a film on Youtube that was made when we did our "practice" in June. It gives the flavour of what we were put through:
Portsmouth testing
I returned to Royston for a last evening meal with my children. I finished the final packing, which has provided me with a huge load of gear to manage for tomorrow’s journey to a last gathering in Hampshire.

Ruth and Amy on way to the airport.

Royal Geographical Society

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2007-10-26T18:27:03+01:00

The great "official" launch of the expedition was on Wednesday 24th October. We started the day with a tour of the House of Commons. I met up with Chris Henstock, one of the Trustees, outside the Houses of Parliament. After gradually gathering the rest of the party (with some extra excitement from Amy and Dave!) we had a brilliant tour with a very entertaining guide. Perhaps it was her background as a Swedish National which made her view on our own political history so sardonic and amusing? We had some splendid stories and it was a great experience. Everyone was getting geared up for the official state-opening of Parliament, so there was a lot of activity.
I was totally stunned by Westminster Hall. What an incredible history this single room has had. The awesome Hammer Beam Roof took my breath away. Tom Levitt, our sponsoring MP was charming and the place was heaving with activity. The only shame was that the House of Commons was sitting so we did not get to see it. However, we did get to see the ceremony that goes with the start of business, with the procession of the Speaker and his party through the central octagon. (The bit you often see on TV).

After lunch with my family just off Oxford Street, I set off back to the Houses of Parliament for the second round. This was a meeting with Jim Knight, the Schools Minister, and a photo opportunity for all in Westminster Hall again. Everyone in the party was there, including Richard Wyllie and his "minder" Rob Collister. This was my first time meeting Rob and it was the first time that we have all been gathered together since Norway.

In the evening we had the reception at the Royal Geographical Society. A nice introduction from Tom Heap was followed by a fascinating outline of the TransAntarctic Expedition itself from Peter Fuchs. Lloyd Peck then gave a terrific (and very funny) outline of the Science going on in Antarctica now; liberally peppering the story with brilliant references to one of my all-time-favourite movies from 1951: "The Thing"!
We were all called up on stage and promptly put on the spot by Tom Heap with a few questions. I wish that I had known it was coming, but I did what I could.
The reception was very busy with a constant flow of people keen to talk. It was wonderful to speak to so many friendly and enthusiastic people and some, of course, had great stories to tell themselves. It was a long late journey back to Royston but a very successful evening.

Final Assembly

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2007-10-19T18:16:13+01:00

So... One last blast; with a final Senior School Assembly. An almost direct re-run of the assembly a year earlier, in which I appeared wearing Steve's borrowed kit. Today I strode on in all my own gear. Ludicrously hot of course, so, after a brief introduction, I unloaded the outer layers to the sound of "The Stripper". (Thank you Ms Choudhury for turning it on!). This seemed to put everyone in a good mood.
It was nice to finally present Lucy Hewson with a small prize for designing my Sledging Pennant. I was able to run throught the process that had brought me to this point and to thank everyone for their support. I was also able to outline the sequence of events that will take place over the time running up to Christmas. You can see these in the timetable section of this site. I can't believe that I'm finally going either!
Thank you to everyone who wished me well and signed a card.

I spent a little time setting up a display board that I hope will carry copies of the bulletins and give a little info about where I have gone.

All set for a great adventure? Lots of last-minute stuff to do still.

Antarctic Lecture and Auction

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2007-10-12T23:02:11+01:00

I spent the hours between the end of the College day and 7.00 pm trying to get everything ready for Peter's lecture and for the auction that would follow it. Richard arrived to film the event and I had him buying lettuces (for the Giant Snails) to get change for the float; followed by a stint folding programmes.

Peter Fuchs arrived and we got him as close to the Arden Room as possible and found a suitable chair from which he could deliver his lecture. Although I had sold a few tickets in advance, it would have been very poor if more had not come. In the end we had a good-sized audience of about 50 who sat utterly involved in Peter's excellent account of the coldest, windiest, highest, driest desert on the planet.

The interval was a great opportunity to chat and a glass of wine steadied my nerves sufficiently for the auction. The bidding was quite fierce at times and although a couple of items didn't sell, nearly everything did and a good sum was raised.

In the end, thanks to the enormous goodwill and enthusiasm of everyone who helped and came along, an event that I had lost sleep over turned out to be great fun.

A visit to Peter Fuchs

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2007-10-07T21:24:46+01:00

Today we all made our way to Peter and Ann Fuchs' home in Leicestershire. There was more kit business from Steve and we tried on the Muckluck boots that will be the basic boot we move around in when we don't need to wear crampons. They are much more substantial and well-insulated than I thought they would be and seem impressively warm. I also picked up a huge green rucksack (provided by Cotswold Outdoors, who are one of our sponsors). This should be the bag in which I get all this gear to South America.

Ann provided us with a magnificent lunch and then we got to examine Sir Vivian's original Antarctic kit. It was quite an eerie experience to be zipped into Sir Vivian's own sleeping bag and to know that this had been his on the crossing of Antarctica. The sleeping bag was an absolute monster in size and weight and Phil did his best to make sure that I couldn't get out of it without help! The older gear all seems warm and we thought that the inner silk gloves were wonderfully comfortable. However, we also agreed that the modern kit is much better in terms of its bulk and weight. Peter read us a few extracts from the original expedition log and gave us a taste of the conditions to be faced.
We moved to another room to watch some of the film of the expedition as shot by George Lowe. It was moving to see Sir Vivian in the same hat and sweater that I had just held in my hands. The same patches on the seams of his hat clearly visible. The film gave a taste of the huge preparation that went into this enterprise. It was also interesting to hear Sir Vivian talk about the many things that were just not known about the weather, geography and geology of the interior of the continent and which could only be uncovered by serious scientific study of the sort that the TAE was to undertake.

Richard and his colleague, Wendy, came to film the afternoon and much fun was had faking arrivals and departures for the camera while we tried to keep track of Fiji's valient resistance to the South Africans in the World Cup.

Ann will be bringing Peter down to Freman College to give his talk on Antarctica on Thursday evening. Richard is coming to film it too. I just hope I can succeed in attracting an audience.

Ralph Sadleir School

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2007-10-04T23:03:46+01:00

Today, I made a visit to the other main feeder Middle School in Puckeridge. I made a big effort to "re-vamp" my talk and improve it but I think that the consequence was that I was a little longer than planned. The pupils are keen and interested and seemed to find it engaging. I still feel that a talk like this cries out for questions and answers, however, I'm going to have much more to say when I have actually completed the trip and then we can probably have much more substantial talks and lots of new pictures.

I have started to get e-mails from students at Edwinstree who obviously think that I have gone already! Lots of questions about huskies and penguins. I feel a bit of a fraud, knowing that I certainly wont see the former and am unlikely to see the latter (except, possibly, in Chile).

Teacher's TV

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2007-09-21T23:00:42+01:00

Richard Wyllie of Brook Lapping arrived for an afternoon at Freman College, filming me with a small group of Sixth Form students and getting background film of the College "in action". It was a strange experience to see this group of four so uncharacteristically subdued but this was probably due to the hardship of sex linkage and dihybrid inheritance, rather than the trauma of being filmed.
More background film was shot back at home in an atmosphere of total chaos as we were packing up to take my daughter to London tomorrow, where she starts her first term studying English Literature. Much hilarity followed when I pretended to drive up to the house and "arrive" home.
At first my family were adamant that they would NOT be seen on film or interviewed but eventually they relented and allowed a bit of unscripted chat in preparation for Helen's big day. Helen even agreed to speak to Richard about what it was like to see her Dad disappearing off to Antarctica and gave her interview surrounded by half-filled suitcases.
I wonder how much of this will make it into the final programmes?

Sorry you didn't get filmed this time; Year 10 and especially Year 11. Come along to the auction and get yourself on film there!

Edwinstree School

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2007-09-07T23:38:04+01:00

This morning I gave an assembly to the pupils of our principal feeder Middle School next door. In this one, I tried to describe my year and explained what I had been doing (and why) since I spoke to them in January. Once again I had a wonderfully attentive audience, but I was struck by how much I would have liked to spend more time with them, particularly answering the questions that the children are itching to ask.

Royston Rotary Club

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2007-09-04T23:32:15+01:00

Up to Royston Golf club this evening for a splendid meal and an interested and attentive audience. For all my nerves, I found that once I got up to speak, I relaxed and enjoyed telling these nice people all about the strange path that has led me to this point. There were many engaging questions and lots of encouragement. At the end of it all I was given a very welcome cheque for the funds.
After all my fears, I had a really enjoyable evening. I'm really looking forward to a return visit after the expedition.

Norway Training

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2007-08-27T22:40:50+01:00

From the 10th to the 17th of August we spent a week carrying out our final (and major) training for the expedition. We made our way to Newcastle to catch the ferry to Bergen during the morning. Everyone but me made their way there together in the minibus. I stayed here in Royston to see my son on his return from a three-week rugby tour of South America with his school. As is ever the way with these things, a delayed flight from Santiago meant that the boys did not arrive back in Cambridge until after midnight. Even so, it was great to gossip and see all the photos before a brief two and a half hours in bed, then up to catch the first train out of Royston for an early arrival in Newcastle. The journey was smooth and painless until my arrival in the City. Here some unhelpful directions from an official in the Metro ticket office, sent me on a huge round trip on the railway and a long hot walk along the North Shields shore before I finally caught up with the others in the queue for the ferry. We were also joined by Jim Franks and Richard Wyllie from Brook Lapping again.

We were able to use the 24 hours on the boat to carry out the final preparations and discussions before we leave for Punta Arenas in Chile on the 3rd November. In addition, we were accompanied by a team of two film-makers from Brook Lapping; a company that is filming the expedition for the channel; Teacher’s TV. The scrutiny and interviews gave us a chance to reflect on the long sequence of events that has brought us all to this stage.

The team arrive in Bergen

As well as the 24hours on the boat in each direction, we had about four or five hours drive and a long hike to the Austerdalsbreen Glacier. Here we camped on the ice for two days, learning how to cope with the rather uncomfortable conditions (although much warmer than anything we will experience in Antarctica)!

Four wise monkeys deep in conversation on the way to the Glacier

We were able to trial methods of moving around safely on the ice and the scientific experiments that we will carry out while we are away. We also had to test the communications systems that we will use to send reports back daily from Antarctica and to communicate with teachers and pupils at our schools while we are away. After a fair number of teething problems in the difficult situation on the glacier, we managed to make the systems work satisfactorily and we believe that it will actually be easier in Antarctica.

Carolyn demonstrates the finer points of moving safely while roped together

We also learned and practised techniques for rescuing one another in the event of a fall into a crevasse. Hopefully, these are techniques that we will never need to use but we have to know how! All of this was carried out under the instructions of our two experienced Antarctic veterans, Carolyn Bailey and Carl Alvey, who will be supporting our work and looking after our welfare on the Union Glacier and in the Ellsworth Mountains of Antarctica. It was really good to meet up with Carolyn and to find out how we would all get on. I think that we were all pretty nervous to meet with each other and anxious to make a good impression on one another. I think that Carolyn will be a great asset to the expedition and particularly sympathetic and experienced in the problems of being female in that sort of environment. I also feel happy to know that if, by some awful chance, something goes wrong out there then we will have Steve back in the UK and fully able to intervene and arrange help.

Steve Bull was there to oversee the training and to make sure that the Film team were supported. Richard seemed to work very hard and I was very amused to put my head out of the tent on the last morning on the ice and see him setting up his tripod for "the camp wakes up" bit. Richard is expected to fly out onto the ice with us and record the early stages of the expedition. We may also be asked to record video diaries of our experiences.
The journey back to Bergen was pretty tedious at times but the sights of spectacular waterfalls, fjords, mountains and those long, long tunnels formed a reasonably engaging background to lots of chat and funny stories.

Yes, I really did photograph this on the drive back to Bergen!

On the boat the evening was enlivened by a fairly rough old squall. By the time we got to Dinner, two members of the team (Carl and Carolyn) were already hors de combat. The rest of us made a brave start but, one-by-one succumbed to the violent motion of the boat. The funniest thing was watching Amy watching the expression on Steve's face as he gradually changed colour and had to leave the restaurant. I wasn't far behind him, having to abandon all hope of a dessert and the last of a rather nice red wine! Some of the others toughed it out magnificently but we all felt that Phil had cheated by taking anti-sickness pills. Fortunately, we all seemed bright and well for breakfast but the storm meant that we were three hours late arriving in Newcastle.

Finally I returned to my family late on Friday after a very poor train journey marred by cancellations, delays and overcrowding.
Up at 5.00 am to drive to Cornwall!
I worked out that in 10 days I had spent only two nights in the same bed and that was on the glacier! Time for a good rest and lots of surfing.

Planning

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2006-04-27T20:56:31+01:00

Claire arranged for us all to meet up at the Babraham Insitute where she works. It was a major first step in finding out just what is involved in all this. There is a rather fetching photo of the six teachers and Steve that now adorns the front "page" of Steve's own website. Bull Precision Expeditions. Examining the maps and seeing the area where the four will be going was fascinating. The scale of the Antarctic continent is hard to grasp. We talk about the Ellsworth mountains as if they were the South Downs. They're more like the Alps! Zoe and I just have to look on and enjoy the planning but set our sights on the next expedition.

A shock

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2006-08-27T20:46:09+01:00

We met up to discuss and finalise details of training for the coming year at the Babraham Institute, where Claire was once again our host. Part of the meeting was the passing on of two signed documents. One of these is a participation agreement which seemed (to me) to be uncontroversial. The principal aim seemed to me to be reassurance that everyone involved would do their best to make a success of the expedition and stipulated certain commitments on all sides. It would be wrong of me to go into details and it is also difficult for me to understand the reasons, but Claire has decided to withdraw from the expedition. This means that either Zoe or I will be chosen to replace her.

Bless the experts

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2007-07-24T20:51:47+01:00

Amy and I were able to spend the morning (and a fair stretch of the afternoon) with two of B.A.S.s finest. Sandra McInnes and Pete Convey spared no effort in sharing their expertise and advice. A session in the herbarium, where Pete showed us the sort of materials that we might hope to find, got us both very excited. (Bizarre, I know, but enthusiasm is infectious!). Pete was also able to show us pictures of landscapes in the Pensacola and Shackleton ranges that were a reasonable match to the sort of terrain that we should find in the Ellsworths.
Although it is clearly not going to be easy, it is also clear that we should certainly find something. The huge collection of materials were an extraordinary testament to Pete Convey's collecting skills. Equally, Sandra seems able to find tardigrades in dust anywhere on the planet and we were introduced to great pictures of the usual suspects. I can hardly wait to see what we can find.

Boots!

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2007-07-08T21:50:23+01:00

Today involved a long drive up to Nottingham. Unfortunately, a stretch of the A52 was out of action for some serious roadworks and so I was a frustrating few minutes late reaching the Cotswold Outdoors store there.
Here we were all finally kitted out with the magnificent Scarpa 8000 boots that we will need in Antarctica. The boots are designed in several interlocking layers and with a snow valance just below the knee. They need to be able to take crampons and ski bindings and will be essential when we head up into the mountains. These boots are a staggering £550, although Cotswold are giving us an impressive reduction as part of their sponsorship of the expedition. They will cost each of us £390. However, returning with all my toes is a big priority and I don't think you can put a price on your health in such a dangerous environment.

Teacher's TV were on hand to film us being fitted for the boots and to interview each of us who were there. Amy, who had already been fitted successfully in Harrogate, was absent for a Metallica concert!
We retired to Phil's old local for a drink and some experimentation with the communications gear that we will use on the ice to link up with our schools in the UK. We also had some serious discussion about the make-up of the team that will go to Antarctica. It now seems that Teacher's TV are keen to go with us to Norway in August and may even come out for the first few days to Patriot Hills; our first stop on the Antarctic continent. Steve believes that he can better look after our interests and safety from the UK, rather than coming with us for the whole duration of the expedition. He has found a couple of superbly qualified people, one of whom might replace him as leader.
We all felt a considerable tension about this change of plan. On the one hand, his arguments about the need for the change seemed very sound. On the other hand, we like and trust Steve and have confidence in his and Carl's abilities, as a well-balanced team, to look after us in this extreme environment. We would all need to develop, very quickly, a similar confidence in whoever took over. We only have the trip to Norway to achieve this. More about this in the future, I'm sure!
I managed to get back to Hertfordshire by about 5.00 pm. and brood on all the developments of the day.

Isle of Wight

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2007-04-07T20:43:13+01:00

A really enjoyable five days spent walking around the island. Mark and I managed to get on well but he is a hard taskmaster. So keen was he to get back early on Thursday, that he marched me along three enormous days of about twenty miles each. However, although cold and sometimes dull and windy, we did not have a drop of rain.

Food and suitable camping places were the main concerns. On the morning of the third day, Mark was getting very anxious about the lack of food, indeed he had been reduced to eating dry Bran Flakes for elevenses. I was aiming for a village where I felt sure there must be a shop. In fact we arrived (with perfect timing) at the "Wight Mouse" Inn and had one of the best lunches ever. There is nothing like a walk of several miles to make you feel that you're eating the best Steak pie ever made. This revitalised us for the completion of a very long day (Nine til Seven).
We woke up on the last morning with ice all over the tent, but stayed pretty snug all the same. I can't begrudge Mark his wish to get back quickly as he is now hard at work at GCSE revision.

Edwinstree Talks

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2007-07-03T20:37:37+01:00

I have just given a couple of one-hour sessions to groups of Year 7 students at the next-door Middle School. I told them all about the recent training and gear and showed them some suitable pictures. They asked lots of questions and were great audiences. We also had a go trying on the clothing. Only at the very end of the last session did I get asked the question that I had been expecting: "How do you go to the toilet?"
I said little except to point out that we couldn't leave anything in Antarctica. They're expressions of horror were very gratifying.
Sometimes it is better not to give too much detail!

Portsmouth

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2007-06-03T20:28:07+01:00

To Portsmouth for the first round of extensive physiological testing that will form the backbone of Phil's project.

A close eye kept on the old bald bloke

I think that the pictures explain the nature of these two gruelling but fascinating days more eloquently than mere words can ever do;
Here they are.
I was relieved to find that my fitness is good and that there were no peculiarities of physiology to worry about. However, there were some oddities with the CIVD (cold-induced vascular dilation) test. That's the one with the middle finger in the icy water. Phil's trace showed indication of possible cold-injury in the past. Perhaps the consequence of his history as a rower? This means (apparently) that he can make a good living as a fish-filleter if the teaching becomes too much of a drag! Mine showed a very odd shutdown to blood flow for the entire 20 minutes, but we think that this was possibly an artefact of the testing. We will have to wait to find out if this represents anything real.
I think that the twenty years I have on the other three have not taken too great a toll on me yet.
We will be tested again just before we leave (end of October) and within a day or two of returning to the UK to see if anything about us has been changed by the experience of camping on the ice for a month.
During a lull in testing, Phil, Steve and Ruth managed to make a great little film about the Antarctic kit that we will be wearing and Amy's David has turned the footage into a great little instructional video. You need to see this too: Antarctic Kit.

Amy has also created a great little film about four of these tests which you can see here: Portsmouth Film

Buttermere and a change of fortune

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2006-10-09T16:19:21+01:00

The weekend in Buttermere has been wet but worthwhile. Not only have we learnt to put up the tents and use the stoves but we have had a great walk in an area that I think is the most beautiful in the country.
However, the most extraordinary thing of all is that I will indeed be going to Antarctica. In trying to explain my new idea for a Science project to replace the one that I felt had been "thrust upon me", I was really anxious to convince Steve and Richard that I could do this effectively. I also realised again how desperately I wanted the chance to go.
Having been chosen to replace Claire, I now feel that I can redouble my efforts to raise the funds and get the local children and press as involved as possible. I feel for Zoe, because I think that it is psychologically tougher for her now, being the only reserve, and if she wanted the place as much as I did then she will be very disappointed.

Not the whole banana

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2006-04-24T16:13:53+01:00

A phone call has been followed by a letter confirming that I have been made one of the two reserves for the expedition. Zoe Strong and I have the promise of a trip to the Arctic in 2008 or 2009 as our reward for waiting in the wings.
It's still marvellous of course, but I do have a feeling of slight frustration. In particular, I think that fundraising will be tougher with such an uncertain outcome and it will be harder to "sell" to the children.

Utterly done-in

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2006-04-13T15:36:46+01:00

The three days in Derbyshire were pretty exhausting but also great fun. Meeting the other candidates on the shortlist was a salutary experience. They are nearly all much younger, terrifyingly well-qualified and fearsomely adventurous. Ruth (surely an absolute certainty for selection) has recently cycled the length of Africa!!
Fortunately all nine shortlisted candidates were very friendly and it has been an absolute delight to meet the many others involved in the selection process, including Peter Fuchs, Sir Vivian's son. Presentations, walks and interviews followed over the evening and following day. A final meal in a local pub was a treat but what happened next was something that I really should have seen coming. Perhaps I had an inkling, because I was sufficiently cautious not to drink too much, but Phil and Ruth had their rucksacks packed and ready when we were all rudely awakened at a little after midnight. I had certainly had less than an hour of sleep and it turned out that that was all that I was going to get over a span of about 40 hours. A "rescue" on Kinder Scout in the misty darkness was followed by a game and presentations, breakfast to be prepared (it was our turn) and another long walk with many other delightful people (including Mike Sharp of A.L.E., the company that will fly the team to Antarctica). Finally, as we arrived back at the House in the early afternoon (believing that we can finally rest), Steve announced that we had to go on and do several more miles over the moors. Several of the party began to express total horror. I said "Give us a reason why we might need to do this." So Steve said, "You've been walking all day and have come to the spot where you planned to put up your tent, but a ferocious wind is blowing and you've got to walk several more miles to find a suitable sheltered site." Unfortunately, the absolute plausibility of such a situation made me see that you just HAD to accept that this wasn't mere capricious sadism on Steve's part! So off we went again, after a little over half-an-hour Steve announced that we had indeed come to the end of the selection process and could turn back (thank you!).
We had to tidy and clean the hut and I had a half-hour of interrupted sleep before attempting the drive home. In the end I was the last to leave and I certainly felt the strain of the previous three days, but it had been a great experience.

More Training

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2007-05-28T15:26:44+01:00

A weekend in the Peak District staying in a Camping Barn at Abney. A wonderful peaceful setting in a remote spot.

On the Saturday morning we tried on all the PHD kit and, apart from a few minor adjustments to be made, I was very impressed with the quality and warmth of the gear. This was followed by a long drive up to Harrogate to select the correct size of footwear. Although the Cotswold Company have given us a 20% discount, which is very useful, Scarpa had failed to send the boots requested and so much of our trying on of the footwear was on examples that we will not be wearing. However, it did give us an idea of what will be needed and a good working relationship was struck up with the manager of the Harrogate shop. He will bring suitable samples to us in Nottingham in a few weeks for a definitive boot fitting.

After our return from Harrogate, we were able to enjoy a monster barbecue in the beautiful garden of the Barn. Mike Sharpe of A.L.E. (the company flying us in to Patriot Hills) walked up with a friend to join us and in the course of the evening was persuaded by Phil to give an interview about Antarctic tourism. See it here.

The next day saw us scrambling about in the rain practising crevasse rescues (etc). Finally an interview with Steve, Carl and Richard and the writing of two cheques whose total value made me blanche! These are for the kit from PHD and Terra Nova.
We have only one day's grace and then we meet up again in Portsmouth on Tuesday.

Selection

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2006-03-10T15:22:54+00:00

Steve Bull of Bull Precision Expeditions called to tell me that I had been short-listed for the Antarctic expedition. I put the phone down in a state of astonishment and excitement. The letter that arrived a couple of days later got the blood racing too as it suddenly became a real possibility that I might get the chance to take part. Then the grim need to put together a proper case for the science project for the formal presentation hit home. There is a week following the end of term but it is full of a planned holiday with the children and the usual round of visits across a large family! Somehow I have to try to be well-prepared and rested.

Middle School Talks

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2007-01-20T15:12:04+00:00

I have recently given talks to our two major feeder Middle Schools.
On the 5th of January I spoke to the children at Edwinstree (next door) and on the 17th, last Wednesday, to the children at Ralph Sadleir in Puckeridge. I used a powerpoint slide show to talk through a little bit about the history of Antarctic exploration and to tell the children about what I will be doing in Antarctica and how I will get there. Steve's photos provided a nice backdrop to the story.
A short school assembly at both schools means that there was not time to answer questions but I am hoping that longer visits later in the year will give the children the chance to ask lots of questions. In both cases the rapt attention of the audience was something to witness. If only I could get that sort of attention in an ordinary Biology lesson!
I'm always amazed at the hold of Antarctica on children's imagination although, given my own fascination for so many years, I shouldn't really be surprised.

Balloons and Sponsored Walk

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2007-03-30T20:09:04+01:00

To my surprise, not a single card from any balloon has been returned by the deadline. I can only guess that the whole lot got taken out by some storm in the North Sea. The upside is that all the contributions can be put towards the Antarctic fund. On the other hand it's something of a downer for all the children who stumped up some money for the excitement of seeing a winner.

In spite of having sold the balloons fairly recently, the children at school seem even more enthusiastic about the sponsored walk around the Isle of Wight and virtually every member of staff has sponsored me really generously as well. If all the promised money is paid then I should raise about £500.

Balloons finally launched.

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2007-02-28T23:18:05+00:00

With a select team of willing helpers, we finally cast the labelled balloons to the skies. It was a shame that, in spite of our best efforts, we only managed to sell about 150 balloons. Launching from a fantastically muddy field in a strong wind was not ideal but it was fun. The colourful cloud vanished rapidly westwards, disappearing over the school at high speed.

I have calculated that I have made a profit, but it is a modest one. The cost of gas, tickets, balloons and prizes all means that there is a fair degree of "front loading" before a profit is made. I had been counting on selling at least 300 balloons but, alas, I will just have to be content with this and move on. On the other hand, a huge amount of fun has been had inhaling helium and talking in funny voices.

An Intriguing advert

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2006-02-19T17:30:00+00:00

This is what I found on the ASE website:

I called Steve Bull, whose company will be organising the selection process and carrying out the expedition. I have time to complete an application, but I can sense that it will certainly need to be good. The biggest difficulty is coming up with a Science project that can be carried out at 80 degrees South and that will be engaging enough to catch the imagination of the selection panel. Lichens are about the only thing that I can think of as I have just discovered that there is virtually nothing else alive this far south (and only two flowering plants in the whole of Antarctica, both confined to the Peninsula).

No Balloons

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2007-02-09T23:18:04+00:00

The Snowfall that has closed College for two days has also wiped out what I had hoped would be two very productive days of balloon sales. It might be wise to extend the launch yet again when we return after the half term?

Return to the Lakes

ian13@ntlworld.com — 2007-02-14T22:21:06+00:00

Painful lessons learned.