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What is the most significant thing that has happened to me on my visit to the ice?
I made my first SCUBA dive under the ice a couple of days ago. I know that
the diving will be one of the most important factors influencing the music
that I make here. Besides music, research diving is also at the center of my
professional expertise. I have been a Scientific Diving Instructor for
nearly 20 years; teaching for 15 of those years in the dive program at UC
Berkeley. Antarctica is certainly the ultimate dive destination for a
scientific diving. It's the place that requires the most preparation for
diving operations and is also a place where the payoffs are greatest, as man
is just beginning to learn about the undersea ecosystem here.
Rob Robbins, McMurdo Station's excellent diving coordinator, briefed me on
the safety procedures and diving practices of the Antarctic and then
escorted me beneath HUT 19, through the ice hole, and down into a fantastic
underwater seascape that was completely outside and beyond any previous
experience of my life.
I am still very high from that dive; it's going to take a while just to
process all the visual impressions. You can look forward to some underwater
images and more descriptive writing about this here in the future. I look
forward to having a few more dives go by when my sensorium (or whatever) can
apprehend all that new information in real time. Old visual cues don't apply
so readily under the ice here. The visibility can be up to 1000 feet. This
confuses your perceptions quite a bit. Odd to not really know how far away
or how large or small things are. And without my depth gauge, I would have
had no clues to my precise depth that I can yet understand.
I'm used to understanding most things in the diving environment - to have a
totally new ecosystem and so many organisms beyond any previous experience
is unprecedented. Usually I know the names of most of the organisms around
plus a lot of behavioral information and a thorough understanding of the
ecosystem.
Here I am completely starting from scratch...
So much to see and so much to learn. What a great opportunity.
This is all truly AMAZING to me and one of the greatest diving experiences I
have ever had. (and I have made 3000-3500 dives since I was 11 years old!)
After a few more dives, I will struggle with words some more and attempt to
write something better about all this for you all.
I LOVE THIS PLACE and I AM READY TO LOVE IT UNDERWATER THE MOST OF ALL.
My time here is really precious for me. For the support of many folks who
helped me to get under the ice here, I am very grateful. PARTICULAR THANK
YOUS TO: Lloyd Austin, Art DeVries, Guy Guthridge, Rob Robbins, Henry
Fastenau, Amber Mace, Janet Glaser, Rhanor Gillette, Fred Lieberman, Kay
Campitelli, Jane Stevens, Kim Stanley Robinson, Ben Hunt, and Kevin
Hoefling.
Now I am off to South Pole Station for the first weekend in December. Then
back to McMurdo for a week of diving. And then a week at the top of
Antarctica's 12,000'+ active volcano, Mount Erebus. More reports soon.
HK
Just Outside Town
Suiting Up
Set to Go
Dive Hole
Into the Water
Heading Down
OK!
Outside Dive Hut
HK & Rob
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