140_Dave_Donnelly_and_really_big_whales
Ice Coffee: the history of human activity in Antarctica
Release Date: 01/06/2023
157_Libertarians_on_ice
Ice Coffee: the history of human activity in Antarctica
Coming back at yer, six months late and barely on topic, episode 157 addresses the increasingly loud and dunderheaded online chatter about escaping society and trying to establish society, only with more ice and surprise cannibalism. Libertarians probably don't listen to my output, but any that do can dig a well, actually, and throw themselves down it before getting in touch to try to correct me on where I got their politics, reading preferences, and predictions about their Antarctic ventures wrong.
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155_TAE_and_IGY_foreshadowing
Ice Coffee: the history of human activity in Antarctica
You don't just throw a Trans-Antarctic Expedition or an International Geophysical Year together. These things take planning. Here's some background on the planners and introductions to some of the doers.
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154_Macquarie_Island_catch_up
Ice Coffee: the history of human activity in Antarctica
Several years of Macquarie Island winters receive attention as I chill out under a Casuarina after several fraught months.
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153_A_furtive_summiting_And_The_Frontier_Below
Ice Coffee: the history of human activity in Antarctica
I give voice to another almost but not quite lost snippet from "Big Dead Place" and I give the microphone to Adam Fitzgerald who voices the introduction to Jeff Maynard's new book, "The Frontier Below."
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152_Vodka_in_a_Vegemite_Jar
Ice Coffee: the history of human activity in Antarctica
In 1983 Australian glaciologist Trevor Hamley joined a Soviet traverse from the Russian coastal station, Mirny, to Dome Charlie, high atop the Antarctic plateau. Bouncing about in the back of a T-55 tank converted into a living quarters/galley/dining space/lab, recording locations on audio cassette tape, wielding a hammer, and ignoring the ideological and political drivers of the cold war in the name of survival, camaraderie, and science, Trevor experienced Antarctica in a unique context at a unique point in history. His book, "Vodka in a Vegemite Jar" recounts his experiences during the...
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151_Jeff_Wilson_interview
Ice Coffee: the history of human activity in Antarctica
Australian Antarctic Division alumnus, Jeff Wilson, recounts his experiences at Australian stations and in the Ross Sea. Road trip with our eldest. Good company at Anglesea. Good food. Good audio. One of the best days 2023 offered up.
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150_Shepherds_of_Heard_Island
Ice Coffee: the history of human activity in Antarctica
The ANARE presence at Heard Island runs to 1955 and switches focus to continental Antarctica. The Island taught Australians to work on glaciers and to run dog teams, saw John Bechervaise cut his Antarctic teeth and lead the first ascent of Big Ben, and claimed the lives of two winterers. "Ice Coffee" leaves Heard Island alone for a bit having documented its reputation as a very difficult place to operate boats, keep sheep, and traverse safely. Don't think Heard Island counts as proper Antarctic? Head to 53 deg S and say that.
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149_Heard_Island_Appendices
Ice Coffee: the history of human activity in Antarctica
ANARE occupation at Heard Island ran short but intense, and sometimes in tents. In addition to large quantities of wind and sleet the island provided a training ground for Antarctic travelers and their dogs. Challenging maritime approaches led to innovative approaches by maritime challengers, and everyone got home safely, this episode.
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148_The_Hope_Bay_Hype
Ice Coffee: the history of human activity in Antarctica
Argentina and Britain needle each other over what huts go where around the Antarctica Peninsula and notes of protest change hands at a fevered pace. Hot heads at low temperatures lead to a low ebb in high latitudes camaraderie ashore at Hope Bayhia Esperanza. And Chile was there, too.
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147_Dr_Hillary_Sebeny
Ice Coffee: the history of human activity in Antarctica
Yet another amazing interview through which to inform you and by which to relieve myself of the burden to write and record a chronological narrative episode this month. "Ice Coffee": where me goofing off and being lazy still results in audio gold.
info_outlineIf you set an AI process in motion to build a hard as nails nineteenth century seadog you'd likely arrive at Dave Donnelly in ninety-nine percent of your iterations. Dave looks and moves through the world as though he just stepped out of the pages of a Joseph Conrad book.
Have a listen to episode 140 to understand why I value Dave's company and regularly seek out his insights into whale biology.