After months of expectation, I am finally here! It still feels almost too overwhelming, and the first few days are a bit of a haze. I have to get used to a completely new level of organization for a relatively small station to function efficiently with so many people during the summer campaign. On day 1 we are briefed to various security procedures. There are very strict measures related to recycling the water. Only “Cadum” is allowed in the showers (transparent no-soap-no-dye-no-perfume-neutral-pH hypoallergenic gel…), no shampoo or conditioner (i.e. nothing that could have the faintest wisp of exotic scent…), nothing except water in the sinks, and special sinks and conduits for getting rid of anything else.
Virtually everything is sorted, compacted and recycled, since all the waste from the station is carried back to the coast via the raid, and then over to either Australia or Europe via boats. Organic waste becomes compost in a “digester”, a big metal bin with gigantic wheels and bacteria, churning leftovers continuously and giving off a wonderful smell. Meals are well timed, and no late arrivals are admitted! Daily jobs are handed out to the technicians every morning in the workshop, between 8:00 and 8:30; everyone then dispatches to their respective tasks. It is at these meetings that we hear about any planned flights and personnel arrivals, as well as any delays in travel arrangements because of weather. We even share the daily route of the explorer Mike Horn on satellite maps; he is trying to cross the earth from pole to pole via Antarctica, using a snow-kite and sledge whilst on the white continent. He had initially planned to stop at Concordia, but strong winds carry him off course and he heads straight for the coast and Dumont D’Urville station instead.
One man is responsible for cleaning all the common spaces, but everyone else must cover shifts for either tidying and cleaning the cafeteria and living room after breakfast, or cleaning the dishes for the other 2 meals. I get my first turn for breakfast shift early on, and discover that moving chairs can be an intense workout when you haven’t acclimatized to the equivalent of 3800m of altitude yet! We also get skidoo lessons before we are allowed to use them, as there are various procedures to ensure that they don’t run out of batteries very quickly because of the cold temperatures. There are general meetings after lunch on Saturdays, in both French and Italian, to remind everyone about all the rules. New people who have arrived the previous week must also present themselves briefly. Each of these meetings then comes to an end with a fire drill in the “chaussette”, a plastic conduit which is deployed like a chute on the outside of the station. Landing outside feet first in a t-shirt, by -30°C, is chilling to say the least…but the ride is fun!
http://www.institut-polaire.fr/ipev/infrastructures/les-bases/concordia/
https://www.comnap.aq/Members/PNRA/SitePages/Home.aspx
http://www.mikehorn.com/pole-2-pole/
75 Degrees South 