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The view from the cockpit of the US Air Force C-17 Globemaster over Antarctica - Source: ONE News -
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Today I flew to Antarctica.
Not an everyday sentence. I for one have certainly never been able
to say it before, but at 7am this morning TVNZ cameraman Dan
O'Sullivan and I left our respective houses in suburban
Christchurch for what is probably the most extreme and almost
undoubtedly the most southern environment in which either of us
will ever stand. Over the next week and a half, we'll have some
new, unique and exciting adventures, but getting here has been an
experience in itself.
Dan and I were actually scheduled to fly down yesterday morning.
We'd kitted out in all the ritzy bits and pieces, the posh padded
jackets and the polarised goggles, but after it was delayed twice
for weather reasons, our flight was completely postponed for 24
hours.
That made for another uncomfortable night's sleep, and another
early start, until this morning (After another delay) we cleared
New Zealand customs, and climbed aboard a US Air Force C-17
Globemaster.
The planes are designed for cargo rather than comfort. My mum asked
me last night what movie they'd be showing onboard& in reality
all you can stare at are boxes of shrink-wrapped cargo. Instead of
handing out earphones, they hand out ear plugs. It's a bizarre
experience& there are no windows, no air hostesses, and if they
lose cabin pressure, you have to put a plastic bag over your head
in order to breathe (I always thought it was the other way
around!).
Scattered through the plane's webbed seats were a mixture of Kiwis
and Americans. Scientists, logistics managers, pilots&
different people, all padded and gloved up, headed to McMurdo and
Scott Base. It costs US $140,000 to fly the aircraft there and
back, but the Americans fly twice a week. Without co-operation
between the Antarctic programs, there's no way Antarctica New
Zealand could afford to fly that often.
It took almost five hours in the end. I made friends with a US
scientist on one side, and a US Air Force pilot on the other. Dan
spent most of his time working through the not terribly nutritious
provided lunch. We saw land just once, briefly allowed in the
cockpit as the bewildering mass of the Southern continent
emerged.
It was incredible.
Jack will be blogging regularly for tvnz.co.nz about his
experience in Antarctica as well as filing stories for the ONE News
6pm bulletin.
