Related News
Living in isolation tests Antarctic adventurers
Source: Agencies |
January 6, 2010, Wednesday
|
Online Edition
Online Edition
LIVING in freezing isolation in Antarctica is a test of endurance for even the toughest of adventurers with veterans to the South Pole convinced that a sense of humour is a key tool for survival.
Despite passing psychological assessments, for some people the hardest part of an expedition to one of the world's most inhospitable environments comes on the day that their ship sails out of view, leaving them stranded on ice.
When early Antarctic explorers like Robert Scott, Ernest Shackleton and Douglas Mawson led their expeditions to the South Pole about a century ago, psychological testing was not a part of the selection process.
These days, however, in addition to technical competence there is a strong emphasis on mental and physical prowess when vetting candidates to work on the ice such as during an annual programme to conserve the huts of Mawson and his team.
"When you get closer to Antarctic a lot of people are very aware they've left a hell of a lot behind and when they land at the station and the ship sails away that's an important moment," Rob Easther, expedition manager for the Mawson's Huts Foundation, told Reuters at Cape Denison.
Cape Denison is 2,473 kms (1,537 miles) south of the Australian island state of Tasmania and is officially the windiest place on earth at sea level, where the highest recorded gusts reach 300 kms an hour.
Easther has over 20 years experience with the Australian Antarctic Division living and working on various Australian Antarctic stations and was awarded the Antarctic Medal for his services.
But he tends to rely on gut instinct when selecting candidates to travel on the Mawson's Huts Foundation Expedition, an annual six-week working programme to conserve the base of Australia's most famous polar explorer, Mawson, and his team, set up during their 1911-14 expedition to Cape Denison.
"I put a lot of store into people's personal qualities as against their technical abilities. If I had two people of equal technical ability, I'd go for the personal quality," Easther said.
Easther, who was once sent to an Antarctic station to sort out a mutiny, says people need a sense of humour, self-motivation, and can't take themselves too seriously.
"It's a simple thing, but it's not always there," he said.
PERSONAL SKILLS
Dr. Chris Henderson, one of the 10 members of this year's expedition, is a veteran of working in remote Australian outposts and prisons.
He says there's a fine line between becoming totally overwhelmed by the interpersonal conflicts that arise and to being completely blase to them, so retaining a sense of humour is vital to survival in isolation.
"Everyone goes through periods of self doubt, isolation and alienation, happiness and popularity. They're just normal on a trip like this. It's how you handle it -- for me sometimes I go all quiet, other times I talk a lot," Henderson told Reuters.
Subject to passing a rigorous medical examination, the final part of the selection process for the Mawson's Huts Foundation 2009/10 expedition was a weekend workshop in Tasmania.
This covered topics like the team's various roles and coping with Tasmania's colder climate while the candidates' interaction was discreetly observed.
"I tend to steer away from people who are too egotistical, I think a certain level of humility is good," Easther said.
Henderson believes maintaining contact with the outside world helps to cope with harsh isolation.
"I think it's important to have some sort of contact with home or the outside world. It brings a sense of reality into things," Henderson said.
Despite passing psychological assessments, for some people the hardest part of an expedition to one of the world's most inhospitable environments comes on the day that their ship sails out of view, leaving them stranded on ice.
When early Antarctic explorers like Robert Scott, Ernest Shackleton and Douglas Mawson led their expeditions to the South Pole about a century ago, psychological testing was not a part of the selection process.
These days, however, in addition to technical competence there is a strong emphasis on mental and physical prowess when vetting candidates to work on the ice such as during an annual programme to conserve the huts of Mawson and his team.
"When you get closer to Antarctic a lot of people are very aware they've left a hell of a lot behind and when they land at the station and the ship sails away that's an important moment," Rob Easther, expedition manager for the Mawson's Huts Foundation, told Reuters at Cape Denison.
Cape Denison is 2,473 kms (1,537 miles) south of the Australian island state of Tasmania and is officially the windiest place on earth at sea level, where the highest recorded gusts reach 300 kms an hour.
Easther has over 20 years experience with the Australian Antarctic Division living and working on various Australian Antarctic stations and was awarded the Antarctic Medal for his services.
But he tends to rely on gut instinct when selecting candidates to travel on the Mawson's Huts Foundation Expedition, an annual six-week working programme to conserve the base of Australia's most famous polar explorer, Mawson, and his team, set up during their 1911-14 expedition to Cape Denison.
"I put a lot of store into people's personal qualities as against their technical abilities. If I had two people of equal technical ability, I'd go for the personal quality," Easther said.
Easther, who was once sent to an Antarctic station to sort out a mutiny, says people need a sense of humour, self-motivation, and can't take themselves too seriously.
"It's a simple thing, but it's not always there," he said.
PERSONAL SKILLS
Dr. Chris Henderson, one of the 10 members of this year's expedition, is a veteran of working in remote Australian outposts and prisons.
He says there's a fine line between becoming totally overwhelmed by the interpersonal conflicts that arise and to being completely blase to them, so retaining a sense of humour is vital to survival in isolation.
"Everyone goes through periods of self doubt, isolation and alienation, happiness and popularity. They're just normal on a trip like this. It's how you handle it -- for me sometimes I go all quiet, other times I talk a lot," Henderson told Reuters.
Subject to passing a rigorous medical examination, the final part of the selection process for the Mawson's Huts Foundation 2009/10 expedition was a weekend workshop in Tasmania.
This covered topics like the team's various roles and coping with Tasmania's colder climate while the candidates' interaction was discreetly observed.
"I tend to steer away from people who are too egotistical, I think a certain level of humility is good," Easther said.
Henderson believes maintaining contact with the outside world helps to cope with harsh isolation.
"I think it's important to have some sort of contact with home or the outside world. It brings a sense of reality into things," Henderson said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
