Antarctica: animals living on the icy continent. Shame will save the world Antarctica who lives there
CHISINAU, July 16 – Sputnik. The polar explorer told Sputnik Moldova about the harsh life in permafrost, the dangers South Pole and friendship with penguins, as well as how not to go crazy while in harsh conditions and confined spaces.
—Who do they take as polar explorers?
— Anyone can come to the HR department of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute. If there is a need for this specialist, he is added to the reserve, and when the time comes, he is sent to Antarctica.
At the station, a person is observed as he settles in. After wintering, they decide whether it is suitable for long-term work in polar stations and subsequent expeditions.
— What are the features and difficulties of your work?
— Remoteness and psychological stress. We see what others don’t see and we can’t really talk about it. I signed a non-disclosure agreement. This is not related to human activity, that’s all I can say.
— What is the polar station and how many people work there?
— About 20 people work there. These are several houses.
— What kind of work are you doing there?
“We are exploring the upper layers of the atmosphere, the core of the earth, ice. The largest study is Lake Vostok. We took samples of water that is 70 million years old. Our other task is to dive to the bottom of the lake. And the most important thing is to make a device that would go through a well, sink to the bottom of the lake and carry out the given programs.
— What difficulties does a person who is accustomed to a civilized way of life experience?
— Remoteness and isolation from the mainland affect human psychology. But then you get used to it. As for everyday life, we get water from the glacier. We eat the same foods as on earth, only frozen.
— What is the most difficult thing in the life of a polar explorer? You are in a confined space for a long time, where even interpersonal relationships can become a huge problem.
“It’s like being on a submarine, which at least can float, but here it’s cooler - there’s no escape.” During all three winterings, we never had any conflicts. We live as one family. It is very difficult to return back to earthly life. You feel like an outcast, but there you are at home.
— What are your temperatures there? Are there critical ones?
— Critical cases are only at Vostok station. This is our highest station. Temperatures here reach -90 degrees. The average temperature at the coastal station in winter reaches -50, in summer +10. In December, January and February we have summer there.
- How do you go outside? How you keep warm, what you dress in. Do you need to dress in three layers of clothing?
— It all depends on the station. For security reasons, we are not allowed to go out alone. The Progress station is one thing, where it’s 50 meters from house to house, and another is the Mirny station, where it’s one kilometer. It is forbidden to go out there even if there is a suspicion of a “Storm 1” situation; people walk together, holding hands. During "Storm 2" - leaving the house is absolutely prohibited.
There is a strong wind of prohibitive speed and snow, called "angelica". In such weather it is forbidden to move even between houses.
— How do you withstand the long polar night?
— It’s very difficult to spend several months without sunlight. The body goes crazy. I want to sleep all the time. When the polar day begins - this is from December to January: the sun does not set, it leans towards the horizon and immediately rises - it is not easier either. The body also begins to go crazy. That is, this territory is not at all suitable for human life.
- How do you have fun?
— Bathhouse and fishing. We borrow a huge motorized drill from the hydrologists, drill through three-meter ice, lower our fishing rods into it and relax, while the penguins are nearby, stealing our fish.
— What or who is missing most from the expedition?
- Women. Not a single woman has ever been with us. This Bad sign, means to be in trouble.
— It turns out that polar explorers have no personal life. Do you have any desire to quit this activity?
- Once you go, it’s impossible to quit. Only foreigners can start families. After wintering, they are sent on vacation to resorts, where families can also fly.
— Is it true that you named one of the islands in honor of the musical group Bi-2?
— According to international maritime law, a person who finds himself in neutral waters has the right not only to name, but also to appropriate any object that he finds there. This happiness smiled on me, and I gave a pleasant gift to this group, because the soloists are my friends.
— You recently returned from an expedition. How long does it take to adapt to earthly life?
- If there are people who love you and are waiting for you, then very quickly. If these people are not there, it will never pass.
Antarctica is a continent with harsh climatic conditions. Temperatures across most of the continent never rise above freezing, and the entire continent is covered in ice. However, the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica is one of the most amazing ecosystems on Earth and is home to many incredible creatures.
Most animals are migratory, since the climate of the continent is too difficult for permanent residence and wintering.
At the same time, many species are found only in Antarctica (animals that live only in one area are called endemic) and have managed to perfectly adapt to the harsh environment. Since Antarctica was only discovered 200 years ago, native species are not accustomed to human society, which leads to one of the most surprising things about Antarctica's wildlife: they find people as interesting as they are to people. For visitors, this means that most animals can be approached without them running away, and for researchers, it means an opportunity to better study Antarctica's fauna. However, it is necessary to take into account the fact that the Antarctic treaties prohibit touching wild animals!
In this article, we have compiled a list with brief description and photos of some famous representatives of the fauna of the coldest continent on the planet - Antarctica.
Mammals
Whales
Whales are one of the most mysterious and amazing creatures on Earth. The blue whale is the largest animal to ever live on the planet, weighing over 100 tons, easily outweighing the heaviest dinosaurs. Even a “regular” whale is enormous in size and is considered a truly impressive creation of nature. Whales are huge but elusive mammals and difficult to study. They are very intelligent, with complex social lives and complete freedom movement.
Whales belong to the order of mammals called, along with dolphins and porpoises. They are the same mammals as people, dogs, cats, elephants and others. That is, they cannot be called fish. Whales breathe air and therefore must rise to the surface at regular intervals to take a breath. They give birth to live young, which stay with their mother for a year and feed on her milk. Whales are warm-blooded and have a skeleton similar to that of a human (albeit highly modified).
The whales of Antarctica are all whales that spend at least part of the time of the year near the coast of the continent. These include:
- Blue whale ( Average length an adult male is 25 m, a female is 26.2 m. The average body weight of an adult is 100 - 120 tons);
- Southern right whale (Average length 20 m and weight 96 tons);
- (Body length 18 m, weight - 80 tons);
- (Length from 18 to 27 m, weight 40-70 t);
- Sperm whale (Average length 17 m, average weight 35 tons);
- Humpback whale (Average length 14 m, weight 30 tons);
- (Length - 9 m, weight - 7 t);
- Killer whale (body length from 8.7 to 10 m, weight up to 8 tons).
Kerguelen fur seal
The Kerguelen fur seal belongs to the family known as eared seals (Otariidae), which includes fur seals and sea lions.
By appearance and manner, these mammals resemble a large dog. They are able to pull their rear flippers under their body and lift their weight with their front flippers, making them much more flexible on land than other pinnipeds.
Males reach a mass of 200 kg and are 4 times larger than females. They are limited primarily to the sub-Antarctic islands, with 95% of the population on South Georgia Island.
Leopard seal
Called the leopard seal because of the spots on its body, it is one of the largest predators in Antarctica. The weight of males is up to 300 kg, and females - 260-500 kg. The body length of males varies between 2.8-3.3 m, and females 2.9-3.8 m.
The diet of leopard seals is very varied. They can eat any animal they can kill. The diet consists of fish, squid, penguins, birds and seal pups.
Leopard seals are not skilled divers compared to other marine mammals. The longest dive does not last more than 15 minutes, so the animals stay close to open water rather than diving long distances under continuous ice. They are capable of swimming at speeds of up to 40 km/hour.
Crabeater seal
Crabeater seals are believed to be the continent's most abundant large mammal. Adults weigh 200-300 kg and have a body length of about 2.6 m. Sexual dimorphism in these seals is not pronounced. These are fairly solitary animals, but can lie in small groups, which creates the impression of a social family. Real bonding is possible between mothers and their babies.
They do not eat crabs, despite their name. Their diet consists of 95% Antarctic krill, the rest being squid and fish. They are well adapted for catching krill thanks to their teeth, which form a sieve to catch prey from the water.
Because crabeater seals feed primarily on krill, they do not need to dive deeply or for long periods of time. A typical dive to a depth of 20-30 m lasts about 11 minutes, however they have been recorded at a depth of 430 m.
Weddell seal
Weddell seals are mammals that live on ice. The weight of adult individuals varies between 400-450 kg, and the body length is 2.9 m (for males) and 3.3 m (for females).
They feed mainly on fish, as well as squid and invertebrates in much smaller quantities. Weddell seals are excellent divers, capable of diving to depths of 600 meters and spending up to 82 minutes underwater.
It is quite difficult to estimate the population size of these animals, since they live near the Arctic Circle and on drifting ice.
Southern elephant seal
Southern elephant seals are the largest of all seals and show marked sexual dimorphism. The weight of males varies in the range of 1500-3700 kg, and females - 350-800 kg. The body length of males is 4.5-5.8 m, and females - 2.8 m.
The diet consists mainly of squid, but fish is also present (about 75% squid and up to 25% fish). Males tend to travel further south in pursuit of their prey.
Southern elephant seals are impressive divers, diving to depths of 300-500 m for 20-30 minutes. They are found throughout Antarctica, all the way to the deep south.
Birds
Flying
Antarctic tern
The Antarctic tern is a typical representative of the tern family. It is a small bird 31-38 cm long, weighing 95-120 g, and with a wingspan of 66-77 cm. Its beak is usually dark red or blackish. The plumage is mostly light gray or white, with a black “cap” on the head. The tips of the wings of this tern are grayish-black.
They feed on fish and krill, especially when in Antarctica. Terns spot their prey from the air and then dive into the water after it.
Antarctic Blue-eyed Cormorant
The Antarctic blue-eyed cormorant is the only member of the cormorant family that is found in Antarctica. They live along the South Antilles Ridge and the Antarctic Peninsula, going deeper to the south. These cormorants are characterized by bright eye color and an orange-yellow growth at the base of the bill, which becomes especially large and colorful during the breeding season. Body weight is 1.8-3.5 kg, with males slightly heavier than females. The body length varies from 68 to 76 cm, and the wingspan is about 1.1 m.
They feed primarily on fish, often forming a "trap" of tens or hundreds of birds that repeatedly dive into the water and help each other catch fish. These cormorants are capable of diving to depths of up to 116 m. When swimming, they press their wings tightly to their body and use their webbed feet.
Snowy Plover
The white plover is one of two species of the genus Chionidae. She prefers a terrestrial lifestyle. When walking, it nods its head like a dove. Body weight varies from 460 to 780 g, body length is 34-41 cm, and wingspan is 75-80 cm.
Pintado
The Cape Dove belongs to the shearwater family. Its weight is up to 430 g, body length is 39 cm, and its wingspan reaches 86 cm. The color of the feathers of this bird is black and white.
The Cape bluegill feeds on krill, fish, squid, carrion and ship waste, if available. They usually catch prey on the surface of the water, but sometimes dive shallowly.
Snow petrel
Snow petrels are white birds with black bills and eyes. They are the size of a pigeon and are perhaps the most beautiful of all Antarctic birds. The body length is 30-40 cm, the wingspan is 75-95 cm, and the weight is 240-460 g.
They feed mainly on krill and must always be close to the sea to have access to food. They are found along the coast of Antarctica, and are known to nest far inland (up to 325 km from the coast), in mountains that jut out above the surrounding ice.
wandering albatross
The wandering albatross is the bird with the longest wingspan (3.1 to 3.5 m). This bird can make long flights of 10-20 days, over a distance of up to 10,000 km, using barely more energy than when sitting on the nest.
Average weight ranges from 5.9 to 12.7 kg, males are approximately 20% heavier than females. Body length varies from 107 to 135 cm.
The diet is based on fish, squid and crustaceans. The bird hunts at night on the surface of the water or by diving shallowly. Wandering albatrosses follow boats and vessels of any type where food is dropped. This is especially true for fishing vessels that throw fish waste overboard.
South polar skua
The South Pole Skua is a fairly large bird. Males average weight 900-1600g and they tend to be slightly smaller and lighter than females. Average length: 50-55 cm, and wingspan 130-140 cm. They nest in continental Antarctica and breed far to the south. These birds have been recorded at the South Pole.
They feed primarily on fish and krill, although penguin eggs, chicks and carrion may also be included in the diet, depending on the habitat. South polar skuas have been observed stealing fish from other bird species.
Southern giant petrel
The southern giant petrel is a bird of prey from the petrel family. Their weight is 5 kg and their body length is 87 cm. The wingspan varies from 180 to 205 cm.
The diet consists of dead seal and penguin carcasses, carrion, squid, krill, crustaceans, and waste from ships or fishing boats.
Most often, these birds are found on the Antarctic and subantarctic islands. They nest in open ground on the Falkland Islands.
Flightless
Emperor penguin
Emperor penguins are the largest penguins in the world, with an average weight of about 30 kg (but can reach 40 kg), and a height of 1.15 m. Males and females have similar colors and body sizes. The back and head are black, the belly is white, the chest is pale yellow, and there are bright yellow spots in the ear area. Like all penguins, they are wingless, with a streamlined body and wings flattened into flippers for their marine habitat.
Its diet consists mainly of fish, but may also include crustaceans and cephalopods. When hunting, these birds can remain underwater for up to 18 minutes and dive to a depth of 535 m. It has several adaptations for this, including unusually structured hemoglobin, hard bones and the ability to reduce metabolism.
The emperor penguin nests in cold environments. The species has adapted in several ways to counteract heat loss: its feathers provide 80-90% insulation, and it has a layer of subcutaneous fat that reaches 3 cm in thickness; the downy undercoat, in combination with the plumage, plays a decisive role in keeping the bird warm; The process of preening the feathers is vital in providing insulation and in keeping the plumage oily and water-repellent.
King Penguin
The king penguin is the second largest penguin species after the emperor. Height ranges from 70 to 100 cm, and weight from 9.3 to 18 kg. Males are slightly larger than females. The plumage of king penguins is much brighter than that of their close relative the emperor, but is otherwise similar.
King penguins eat small fish and squid. They can dive to depths of 100 m, but have also been seen at depths of over 300 m. Fish makes up 80-100% of their diet, except during the winter months of the year.
King penguins breed on the subantarctic islands, in the northern regions of Antarctica, as well as on Tierra del Fuego, the Falkland Islands and other temperate islands.
Subantarctic penguin
Subantarctic penguin, also known as the gentoo penguin. It is easily recognized by the broad white stripe running across the top of its head and its striking orange-red beak. This species has pale webbed feet, and a fairly long tail - the most prominent of all penguins.
The gentoo penguin reaches a height of 51 to 90 cm, making them the third largest penguin species, after the two giant species: emperor and king penguins. Males have a maximum weight of about 8.5 kg, just before molting, and a minimum weight of about 4.9 kg, before mating. In females, the weight ranges from 4.5 to 8.2 kg. This species is the fastest underwater, reaching speeds of up to 36 km/h. They are perfectly adapted to very harsh climatic conditions.
Subantarctic penguins feed mainly on crustaceans, with fish making up only about 15% of the diet.
Other animals
Antarctic krill
Antarctic krill are a member of the order Euphausiaceae, distributed in the Antarctic waters of the Southern Ocean. It is a small crustacean that lives in large groups, sometimes reaching densities of 10,000-30,000 individuals per cubic meter. Krill feed on phytoplankton. It grows to a length of 6 cm, weighs up to 2 g, and can live for about six years. Krill are one of the key species in the Antarctic ecosystem and, in terms of biomass, probably the most abundant animal species on the planet (about 500 million tons, corresponding to 300-400 trillion individuals).
Belgica antarctica
Belgica antarctica is the Latin name of the only species of flightless insect endemic to Antarctica. Its length is 2-6 mm.
This insect has a black color, thanks to which it is able to absorb heat for survival. It can also adapt to changes in salinity and pH, and survive without oxygen for 2-4 weeks. At temperatures below - 15 ° C, Belgica antarctica dies.
In January 1820, a Russian expedition led by Thaddeus Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev discovered Antarctica, the existence of which had previously only been speculated. Today we have collected for you interesting and little known facts about the most remote southern continent- the highest, driest, windiest, sparsely populated and coldest place on earth.
1. At one time, it was impossible to work in Antarctica for those who had not had their wisdom teeth and appendix removed. Due to the fact that surgical operations were not performed at Antarctic stations, to work here it was necessary to first part with these parts of the body, even if they were completely healthy.
3. Like many countries, Antarctica has its own Internet domain - .aq
4. 53 million years ago, it was so warm in Antarctica that palm trees grew on its shores, and the air temperature rose above 20 degrees Celsius.
5. In December 2013, Metallica gave a concert in Antarctica, thus becoming the first band in the world to perform on all continents. In order not to disturb the local fauna, the concert was held under a special protective dome, and the audience listened to the music through headphones.
6. From 1960 to 1972, the first nuclear power plant in Antarctica operated at McMurdo Station, the largest settlement and research center owned by the United States.
7. Antarctica has its own fire station. It belongs to the McMurdo station, and it employs real professional firefighters.
8. Despite the extreme conditions, 1,150 species of fungi have been discovered in Antarctica. They adapt well to extremely low temperatures and extended periods of freezing and thawing.
9. Technically, all 24 time zones are present in Antarctica, since their boundaries converge at one point at both poles.
10. There are no polar bears in Antarctica. To look at them, you will have to go to the North Pole or, for example, to Canada.
11. There is a bar in Antarctica - the southernmost bar on the planet. And it is located at the Akademik Vernadsky station, which belongs to Ukraine.
12. Most low temperature temperature ever recorded on earth - minus 89.2 degrees Celsius - was recorded in Antarctica at the Russian Vostok station on July 21, 1983.
13. Antarctica is the fifth largest continent in the world. Its territory is 14 million square meters. km.
14. 99% of Antarctica is covered with ice. The continent's ice sheet is often called an ice sheet.
15. The average ice thickness of Antarctica is 1.6 km. Antarctica contains approximately 70% of the world's reserves fresh water on the ground.
16. The Transantarctic Mountains run across the entire continent and divide it into western and eastern parts. This ridge is one of the longest in the world - its length is 3500 km.
17. The existence of the continent of Antarctica was unknown until its discovery in 1820. Before this it was assumed that it was just a group of islands.
18. On December 14, 1911, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen became the first person to reach the South Pole and plant his nation's flag there. He also became the first person to visit both geographic poles of the planet.
19. As a result of secret negotiations, on December 1, 1959, 12 countries concluded the Antarctic Treaty, providing for the demilitarization of the Antarctic area and its use for exclusively peaceful purposes. Today, more than 50 countries are parties to the Treaty.
20. On January 7, 1978, Argentinean Emilio Marcos Palma was born - the first person in history to be born in Antarctica. It is believed that this event was a planned action by the Argentine government, which specifically sent a pregnant woman to the Esperanza station in order to subsequently claim rights to part of the territory of Antarctica.
Continuation of the series of articles about the expedition to Antarctica. Read about the start of the expedition in the article, read detailed information about the participants in the experiment in the article, read the material about the first days of the experiment and also in the plot of the article.The best thing about who Englishman Robert Swan is was said by his little son Barney, who lives in Australia and rarely sees his father. “My dad is a scavenger in Antarctica,” Barney replies when asked what his father, the first person on Earth to conquer both poles of the planet, actually does. For example, from the Russian polar base Bellingshausen several years ago, his father removed one and a half thousand tons of iron debris that had gone into the ice in the vicinity of the station since 1968. When the last garbage container left for Uruguay, where the rusty iron was recycled, the penguins returned to the shore in front of the Bellingshausen. Robert Swan says they haven't been here since the polar explorers arrived...
It is with this photo of the returned penguin colony that he begins to tell his story. He does this in a large white tent - kettle, sleeping bag, table lamp - and the wind whips behind its canopy. The wind on the Antarctic island of King George is such that polar explorers from their bases did not even go to work today. Robert Swan lives in this wind for two weeks on the top of a hill in a light tent - and without even a single cigarette... He lives with “Charlie”. "Charlie" is a windmill, not the largest in the world. He also has a solar battery, it is nameless. In the middle of the experiment, the wind from the bay broke the Charlie's blade, the batteries had to be scraped out from under the snow... But Robert Swan did not freeze and die, as skeptics predicted. He demonstrated the water heated by “Charlie”: “I made coffee from it and even washed my hair once!”, small light bulbs shone on the ceiling of the tent, the heater kept the temperature sufficient to not freeze at night, and the crazy Englishman proudly beat himself on the chest: "I did it!" So Robert Swan also became the first person on Earth who lived in Antarctica using renewable energy sources...
If Barney were now asked why his father did this, the correct answer would be: “He was saving Antarctica!”
Antarctica has the face of death
He is already an old polar explorer, this Swan. He has been walking on the icy land and in its waters for a long time - ever since he read a book in childhood about the tragic expedition of another Englishman, Scott, and then spent 20 years preparing to reach the South Pole in his footsteps. Only 150 thousand people have set foot on this land - from pioneers, madmen, polar explorers, whalers, to tourists in sunglasses and with cameras, who have been landing on these wild shores in ships over the last decade. Robert Swan, who has been coming here for a long time, says Antarctica is melting. Global warming on the sixth continent more noticeable than anywhere else on Earth. The temperature there increased by 5 degrees.
Many kilometers of icebergs that broke off from the continent and stand in the straits. Penguins who are dying because the ice is receding, and with it the sub-ice krill, and they have nothing to eat... Robert Swan, a resident of foggy London, for some reason cares.
When I walked to the South Pole 22 years ago, I saw the true face of Antarctica. It was the face of death. I begged her, like children pray, to let me go. She let go. Then I promised to protect her. Now he is thinking of saving her with the help of "Charlie", a harmless windmill that provides energy and does not pollute anything around...
"Charlie" and the Olympics
A fanatic with burning eyes, faded under the ozone hole of the South Pole. A strict Englishman who travels around his native London on a bicycle so as not to burn excess gasoline. A scavenger in Antarctica who decided to devote one life to ensuring that six billion people reduce their consumption of coal, oil and gas and the temperature on the planet stops rising and the ice in Antarctica stops melting... This Swan, whose hand I shook British Queen, now he won’t calm down. When the experiment was completed and the expedition returned to the mainland, he did not fly home to London or to his son in Australia - a couple of days later he landed in Hong Kong to talk about melting icebergs there. The next weekend he was already in Russia, with whom he is very friendly, and not only because of our polar station Bellingshausen, but also because of the Russian doctor who went to the pole with him and then baptized his son. In St. Petersburg, one of the 22 cities in the world through which the Olympic torch relay passes, Swan, at the invitation of his expedition sponsor, the Coca-Cola company, ran his 200 meters with a burning torch. In Russia, he also told his story.
A story about how even the smallest and craziest step is worth taking if you do it for what you love.
From October 29 to November 8, 2016, the First Antarctic Entrepreneurship Summit was held in Antarctica. Its participants met and talked with the administrator of the Bellingshausen polar station, Sergei Mikhailovich Nikitin.
Sergei Mikhailovich Nikitin
Administrator of the Bellingshausen polar station. In 1979 he graduated from Leningrad medical school. For many years he worked as an anesthesiologist-resuscitator. He has 8 winters and 11 expeditions to Antarctica. The first expedition took place in 1987.
Who are polar explorers?
The polar explorer profession does not exist. According to our legislation, a person working in the polar regions is not a polar explorer. Such people simply receive certain benefits due to their working conditions.
I don't know what a polar explorer is. According to the staffing schedule, diesel engineers, mechanics, electricians, and cooks work at the station.
There will still be many scientists in the summer. They collect information in various areas: meteorology, geology, satellite information reception. Now we have German ornithologists working here. Big pedants - strictly control the breeding areas of birds.
Who is in charge of all this?
Administration. More precisely, the administrator of the polar station. Officially, the position is called administrator, not chief. But usually everyone says “boss.”
I don't think this is a calling. An administrator at the station is a necessity.
The station was founded in 1968 and named after Thaddeus Bellingshausen This can be anyone who has some experience working in the polar regions, especially at remote stations. There is such a thing as hard-to-reach stations. These include, for example, our stations in Antarctica.
Where do they train to become polar explorers?
There is an Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, founded back in 1920. But they don’t teach anyone there. The institute simply selects people of certain qualifications to work at polar stations.
A person with a diploma as a cook or mechanic comes to the human resources department of the institute and says that he wants to work at the station. If there is a need for this specialist, he is added to the reserve, and when the time comes, he is sent to Antarctica.
To the newcomers at the station Special attention. Let's see how a person settles in. After wintering, the station chief writes whether he is suitable for work in the conditions of polar stations and subsequent expeditions.
How did your journey to Antarctica begin?
I'm not a lyricist. I didn’t dream about Antarctica, but I really wanted to get here, as I had heard many stories about it from friends and acquaintances.
IN Soviet time it was impossible to visit Antarctica as a tourist. That's why I went to work as a doctor (by training I am an anesthesiologist-resuscitator).
In 1985, the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute recommended me to participate in the expedition. Two years later I found myself in Antarctica for the first time.
I ended up at the Progress Soviet Antarctic station under construction. Now this is the most technologically advanced Russian base, and then it was literally put together from cardboard boxes. Just a three by four plank house. You open the door, and you are already in Antarctica.
It was tough. They told us: “Guys, are you going to spend the winter or do you want to go home?” We stayed.
I spent 13 months on Progress without going out into the world. Then everything ended well for everyone - they overwintered normally. But this was a real school of North and South, where the South turned out to be more dangerous than the North.
Then I returned and worked in medicine. But in the 1990s, life was such that it was impossible to support a family on a doctor’s salary. And I was bored on the mainland. After 11 years I returned to Antarctica. The only one from the previous lineup.
What kind of expedition are you currently on?
This is my eighth winter and eleventh expedition.
Expeditions are usually seasonal. They last from four to six months, depending on the amount of work planned to be carried out. Work is divided into seasonal and wintering.
When going to the station, people sign a contract (even full-time employees), and upon returning they quit or go on long leave until the next expedition.
There are people who fly in for a month to do some specific work. After all, the institute receives applications from a variety of organizations. For example, at the beginning of February next year we are expecting air surveyors. We are also waiting for technical specialists who will prepare the station equipment for operation. A paleobiologist and glaciologist (a glacier specialist who studies ice movements) will come to us.
What are your daily responsibilities?
The station manager is responsible for everything: from purchasing things necessary for life to scientific activities.
Eat general program for all specialists, which describes the mission, tasks and scope of work that each expedition participant is required to perform.
For example, there is a task - monitoring sea level. In the event of ice formation, we must set up poles, place instruments, and take down information. All this is described from start to finish.
The administrator is responsible for the execution of all scientific programs, and if some process is not going well, it’s up to me.
Do polar explorers have social benefits and privileges?
There are currently no benefits for polar explorers as such. There are simply rules regulating work in the Far North.
Three years ago, when the Polar Explorer's Day holiday was established, all employees of polar stations were equated with workers of the Far North. What does it mean?
Sergei Nikitin: “My pension is huge - 15,000 rubles” Take, for example, cities in the Arctic Circle. Their residents also work in difficult conditions, but at the same time enjoy all the benefits of civilization, come home, lie down in a warm bath, sleep with their wives, see their children.
For some reason, the gentlemen who are developing the laws decided that Antarctica, where the altitude is four kilometers, where there is hypoxia and -80 degrees, is Murmansk. I think this is unfair.
Previously, we had small privileges: the vacation was longer, the work experience was longer. All this was possible from the moment we crossed 50 degrees south latitude on the ship.
Currently, the minimum salary for a polar station employee is 60,000 rubles. Maximum - 150,000.
I'm already retired. My pension is huge - 15,000 rubles.
If you compare your work with office work, what are its features?
You can't fire a person at a polar station. It's very scary.
In Antarctica, everything that happened at the station is the station's problem. And everything happens. It's like a submarine. But submarines now go out for only a month (previously four), and there are special isolation wards for sailors or officers. Because even strong people have deviations.
“Bellingshausen” in this regard is a successful base, open to the outside world. It's scary at hard-to-reach stations. Illness and interpersonal disagreements can become a huge problem. The life of the entire station may be at risk.
The most important principle is not to teach others. If an adult feels that you are trying to change him, there will be a conflict. It’s better to think good about people here than bad.
The atmosphere at the station is immediately visible. When everything is good, the administrator has established relationships with everyone and between everyone, everyone walks around and smiles. You can sit in the company of a person and not notice him, and this is wonderful. When the situation is tense, people are excited, walk around warily, and look around.
How is life at the station?
Compared to that first Antarctica, where I ended up, life is now at a fairly high level. We have the Internet and television - what can I say.
But there is a serious katabatic wind here. Cold air, accelerating across the ice dome, where the temperature is -50 ° C, goes to the sea. As it accelerates, it heats up to about –30 °C. But this katabatic wind reaches a speed of 56 m/s, which is approximately 250 km/h. This is the most unpleasant natural phenomenon in Antarctica.
How do polar explorers relax at the station?
There is a saying: “Polar explorers are afraid of cold, hunger and work.” But this is more of a joke. We are not afraid of work. Sometimes we do it in emergency mode and in extreme conditions, because everyone wants to live.
Rest is a purely personal matter. All people are different. Some people like to read, others play sports.
We have a tennis table and a good gym where bodybuilding enthusiasts work on themselves. Sometimes we organize tennis tournaments. It can be a lot of fun.
We also try to celebrate birthdays and other holidays with joy. But without consequences.
What's missing most from the station?
When a normal person leaves somewhere for a long time, he only misses home.