Antarctica

The storm simulator

 The Hagglund

Putting the Hagglund through its paces.

Blue penquins, which are the smallest penquins.

Sunday, January 17^th.

Had breakfast with Richard, Pam and Lori. Then I met up with Heather, Marie and Medi and we went for a walk downtown to see more of the rebuilding of Christchurch. Then they all went back to get ready for their flights. I had seen a pamphlet about the Antarctic Centre and decided to check it out. I went to the public bus depot and bought a two day pass. I took the bus out to the centre. This place is advertised as “The closest you'll get to Antarctica without mounting your own expedition”. Turns out several British Empire expeditions to Antarctica left from New Zealand including Scott and Shackelton.

They had a number of fun activities. The first I did was experiencing a storm. I was provided boots and a coat (to go along with my shorts) and entered a room with snow on the ground. We stood there while we listened about an approaching storm, the lights dimmed the wind picked up to 50 kph, and the temperature went down to -20 with the wind chill. It was an interesting simulation, felt like standing at Yonge and Finch in Toronto in February.

Next I boarded a ride in a Hagglund. This is a Swedish made all terrain vehicle that is used in Antarctica. We drove around a course they had designed where they demonstrated that it could climb 45 degree inclines, traverse 35 degree hills and when we drove into a 3 metre deep pond, which should have been over the roof, it floats.

Then there were two short 4D movies. 3D plus movement in the seats. The first was part of the animated Happy Feet movie and the other was called the Antarctic Voyage. In both the seats shook, wind blew around your feet and water sprayed in your face!

They have a colony of 17 orphaned, injured, and maimed blue penguins. I watched a really interesting feeding demonstration by the keeper who told us about the birds and their injuries. All of them were brought here because they could not survive in the wild. They have a blind one, one with one foot, another with a broken flipper, an old one with arthritis and one who is afraid of the water because it was attacked twice and now will not enter the water even in this safe environment. The keeper walks over to it and feeds it on the land.

Plus there were lots of displays about the explorers, the environment, the modern scientists who are there and the future of the continent. Well worth the visit.

When I came out it was drizzling again and I took the bus back to the city centre, bought a few supplies and returned to the hotel to enjoy a quiet evening.