Ice Coffee: the history of human activity in Antarctica

The history of human activity in Antarctica

157_Libertarians_on_ice 09/10/2024

157_Libertarians_on_ice 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. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/32988442

155_TAE_and_IGY_foreshadowing 03/10/2024

155_TAE_and_IGY_foreshadowing 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. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/30305978

154_Macquarie_Island_catch_up 12/17/2023

154_Macquarie_Island_catch_up Several years of Macquarie Island winters receive attention as I chill out under a Casuarina after several fraught months. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/29112248

153_A_furtive_summiting_And_The_Frontier_Below 12/15/2023

153_A_furtive_summiting_And_The_Frontier_Below 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." /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/29101788

152_Vodka_in_a_Vegemite_Jar 12/01/2023

152_Vodka_in_a_Vegemite_Jar 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 preparation for and during the traverse in compelling prose that keeps one eye on the immediacy of the narrative and another on the forty year perspective 2023 affords on his time in the back of a Kharkovchanka. Introduced to Trevor by Jeff Wilson, who recounts his own Antarctic tale in episode 151, I spent an afternoon with the Hamleys after reading a galley proof copy of the manuscript. I listened intently as Trevor mapped the overall arc of the story he recounted in his text as well as the story of bringing that text together. Fortunately I remembered to press record on the Zoom H4N, so you get to listen intently, too. I am proud to bring "Vodka in a Vegemite Jar" to the attention of "Ice Coffee" listeners and I encourage them to head to to see what's on offer for $30 plus postage. My copy arrived in the mail today and I'm over the moon to see the finished product in its colour illustrated glory. That's going straight to the pool room. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/28876943

151_Jeff_Wilson_interview 11/27/2023

151_Jeff_Wilson_interview 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. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/28799693

150_Shepherds_of_Heard_Island 11/20/2023

150_Shepherds_of_Heard_Island 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. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/28716068

149_Heard_Island_Appendices 11/09/2023

149_Heard_Island_Appendices 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. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/28563473

148_The_Hope_Bay_Hype 08/12/2023

148_The_Hope_Bay_Hype 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. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/27734136

147_Dr_Hillary_Sebeny 05/20/2023

147_Dr_Hillary_Sebeny 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. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/26897355

146 An interview with Professor Nash, another with Marsh, and an important update about the series 04/01/2023

146 An interview with Professor Nash, another with Marsh, and an important update about the series Professor Meredith Nash spent two years studying and reporting on the culture within the Australian Antarctic Division. Their findings, released late in 2022, may prove a turning point in the history of Australia's presence in Antarctica. Professor Nash spoke to me about their research and their experiences in Antarctica as part of the inaugural Homeward Bound voyage. Michael Marshall knows more about the flat Earth movement than anyone who doesn't believe the Earth is flat, and many of those who do, too. Marsh spoke to me about how Antarctica fits into the history of and the models put forward by flat Earth adherents. Finally, an important update about the past and the future of "Ice Coffee." /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/26401806

145_Josh_Jensen_Hercules_Maintainer 03/13/2023

145_Josh_Jensen_Hercules_Maintainer Josh Jensen spent an austral summer keeping LC-130 Ski Hercules operational out of McMurdo. I spoke to him about the challenges that throws up and found out the days of boiling a pot of oil over the stove and pouring it into the sump ended with the last big roundy engines to depart the continent in the 1970s. Cheers to Josh for putting aside time to discuss the confluence of my two of my favourite things: Antarctica and aviation. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/26208525

144_Russia_has_re-entered_the_chat 03/12/2023

144_Russia_has_re-entered_the_chat Some historical and political context for the Russian return south in Soviet Union form. Bolsheviks: form soviets and roll out. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/26200236

143_Samantha_Hodder_This_Is_Our_Time 02/01/2023

143_Samantha_Hodder_This_Is_Our_Time I haven't interviewed other Antarctic podcasters because that would make for dull content. "Do you press record? Wow! I do, too! Hey, how good is Audacity? Antarctica's cold, huh?" This episode I interview Samantha Hodder about her Antarctic podcast because the stories told in her series, "This Is Our Time," lie so far outside those recounted in my series that there's a lot to discuss beyond the bones of the medium. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/25796211

142_Port_Martin_on_the_continent_and_on_fire 02/01/2023

142_Port_Martin_on_the_continent_and_on_fire Paul Emile-Victor's charges are ashore and charging. But wait, there's more. Call now and get this free base fire valued at over five buildings. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/25792434

141_France_returns_south 01/08/2023

141_France_returns_south Port Martin. Port Au Francaise. Port Malloy. Port Jean d'Arc. You'd think the French would switch up it with some cognac or cointreau. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/25534002

140_Dave_Donnelly_and_really_big_whales 01/06/2023

140_Dave_Donnelly_and_really_big_whales If 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. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/25529139

139_Interview_with_Professor_McCahey_regarding_sexism_in_Antarctica 01/03/2023

139_Interview_with_Professor_McCahey_regarding_sexism_in_Antarctica Professor Daniella McCahey of Texas Tech discusses sexism at Antarctic stations. * Except by HamiltonSuites, who should lie on their left side, raise their right knee to their chest, lubricate this episode and stick it up their arse. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/25488804

138_Ice_Breakers 01/02/2023

138_Ice_Breakers Ice'll kill ya' That's what I said Ice'll kill ya' And then you'll be dead /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/25478124

137_Interviews_about_an_air_crash_long_distance_Antarctic_engagement_and_a_ripper_of_a_new_book_about_Sir_Hubert_Wilkins 08/03/2022

137_Interviews_about_an_air_crash_long_distance_Antarctic_engagement_and_a_ripper_of_a_new_book_about_Sir_Hubert_Wilkins Thomas Walkington speaks about the wreck of the Pegasus and his time on the ice as part of VXE-6. Jim Butler showers praise on me and my output after discussing how he engages with Antarctica from half a world away. Jeff Maynard maps how he chose what to include and what to leave out of his most recent book about Sir Hubert Wilkins. Strap your ears in, folks. This is a big 'un. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/23945343

136_Post_war_post_war_whaling 07/05/2022

136_Post_war_post_war_whaling I wasn't expecting the Greek shipping magnate. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/23632712

135_NBSAE_part_2 06/02/2022

135_NBSAE_part_2 Three members of the NBSAE drown in an accident on the barrier edge. Every other member of the NBSAE does their bit in making the project one of the most productive and smooth running examples of its type and of its time. Besides kicking off or sustaining the high latitudes careers of several scientist with extremely long Ice Coffee legs the glaciology, geology and meteorology carried out during the two winters and three summers spent at Maudheim gave the footing for and set a high bar for subsequent scientific projects coming down the IGY pike. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/23303255

134_NBSAE_Part_1 05/22/2022

134_NBSAE_Part_1 John Giaever storms it in as a high latitudes can-do-mo-fo with an international team of scientists. No matter how many committees got involved and put their bureaucratic handbrake on the NBSAE, the residents of Maudheim got south and got on with their data gathering and trail prep. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/23187878

133_Would_anyone_like_some_ham 04/14/2022

133_Would_anyone_like_some_ham The role of ham radio operators in keeping Antarcticans sane through the long dark is given some attention. Additional audio of Vivian Fuchs speaking to Donald Milner at the BBC was made available by Thomas Henderson of Graceful Willow Productions and with the permission of Jules Madey () The music closing out this episode is "Can you hear me: part 1" composed by Wally Gunn (http://www.wallygunn.com/) and performed by Passepartout Duo (https://passepartoutduo.com/). /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/22790789

132_Chile 04/02/2022

132_Chile A brief and patchy history of Chile as context for the nation's expeditions southward in the twentieth century. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/22656614

131_Straya_too 02/09/2022

131_Straya_too Heard and Macquarrie Islands: tragedy, rockets, sheep, and ham. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/22075253

130_Straya 12/12/2021

130_Straya The first Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition gets moving. Led my Campbell, informed by Mawson, and ignoring any potential input from Davis, the first foryas didn't kick all the committee proposed goals but a start is a start. Heard Island. Macquarrie Island. The last Antarctic outing of the Wyatt Earp. The first Antarctic outing of LST 3501, which was almost also the last. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/21454736

129_FIDS_1947-8 09/07/2021

129_FIDS_1947-8 A mixed bag of achievements and tragedy for the 1948 FIDS. New faces with big Antarctic careers ahead of them show up in the narrative. If you are working through the series in order and don't usually listen to episodes immediately after they're released I urge you to give this one an early play as there's an important message about pies near the end that's only relevant for the weeks immediately after I hit the "Publish" button. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/20389217

128_Argentina 08/18/2021

128_Argentina Where the history of other nations involved in the Antarctic land grab received plenty of attention in the series to date, Argentina only received mention as being close to the Antarctic Peninsula. I've sought to redress that in this episode. Thanks to Jim for test piloting the new audio settings. Hope I don't blow anyone's speakers with unexpected volume. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/20187230

127_Crime_in_Antarctica 07/31/2021

127_Crime_in_Antarctica While theft is rare in circumstances where most needs and wants are catered to by management other crimes occur in Antarctica with surprisingly monotonous regularity, given the small numbers of people in the far south at any given moment. Other podcasts have dedicated episodes to the matter but that doesn't mean I shouldn't cover it too, so I did. The Australian Antarctic Division recently announced it was decreasing alcohol allowances and banning home-brew. In part the change was geared to make women feel safer on base. It doesn't deal with the root cause of that problem but if it helps bring about positive change then that's something. We already tried doing nothing and it didn't work. /episode/index/show/worldslaziestbusker/id/19988036

Ice Coffee: the history of human activity in Antarctica

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