Page 33 - 2008 NZ Subantarctic Islands

journals, clothing, foodstuffs in tins, sledges, lanterns, and other

necessary equipment.

International Antarctic Center

Today, there is another place to learn about Antarctica: the

International Antarctic Center. It is a shared facility among the
New Zealanders, the US, and the Italians. Among other things, the

Center has a wonderful experience to share with visitors—a
sojourn in the Antarctic Storm Room. Upon entering this large

space and after having donned your loaned thick overcoat, you
see that you are walking on real snow and that it feels pretty
chilly. However, the announcer soon tells you to prepare for a

simulated Ross Sea Base blizzard where the wind will howl
deafeningly and the temperature will drop precipitately. Sure

enough, it doesn’t take long before you cannot hear anyone
standing right next to you at your ear and you can watch the

Mercury drop in the large thermometer over the escape door.
Wind speed is also calculated for you so that you know that

though the temperature drops on to 15 below, with wind chill, the
actual feeling of cold approaches 35 below. Just as you are
beginning to wonder if they have forgotten that folks are in this

area, the wind begins to slow, the sound lowers, and the
temperature rises back to a merely chilly 32 degrees. It feels really

good to leave that experience behind but you gain greater respect
for the men and women who have braved Antarctic explorations
and who work on the continent today. In a rather ghoulish aside,

the announcer told us that if we ventured outside at the Russian
Vostok base in winter wearing only regular clothing, we would be

dead in less than a minute because our lungs would freeze and
our blood turn to jelly. Brrrr!

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