The first Antarctic winter in tents: The Joint Services Expedition to Brabant Island (Part 3)

• Published in: Journal of The Royal Naval Medical Service
• Main Author: Oakley, E. H. N.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: BMJ 1987
• Subjects: General Medicine; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Pyramid; Brabant; Brabant Island; Antarc*
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jrnms-73-43; https://syndication.highwire.org/content/doi/10.1136/jrnms-73-43

Summary The final part of the account of this expedition describes experience and assessments of shelters, clothing, methods of travel, etc. Although the team lived throughout the winter in tents, a cardboard hut proved invaluable and easy to transport by air. The most robust design of tent was the Antarctic Pyramid, but this was not portable and proved cold in its lower regions. Lightweight dome tents were used for travelling, but needed protection from winds greater than 60 knots. Many different garments were taken. Although most were worn continuously for periods of three to nine months without their (or the underlying body) being washed, most performed very well. No subjective difference was observed between synthetic and natural fibre underwear in the face of these conditions. Foot and hand wear were less satisfactory. Insulation between body and ground was found to be very important in tents. Travel was largely achieved using ski-mountaineering techniques wearing rucsacs, and towing individual sledges (pulks). These enabled a lightweight, mobile and relatively cheap expedition, and should be considered for similar work in the future.