How long would you go for?

[NancyHFord]

I'd have to agree...just the chance to go. I'd go in a heartbeat. I'm still working on my application. I'm hoping to go before I get too old to dream. <G>

[Greg F]

30 months seems like a very very long time to be in antarctica without a break. I'd probably just go for a year, the first time.

[Maria.]

Originally Posted by Paul

OK, so you've been offered a job in Antarctica - dream job, fabulous location, the longer you're there the more you experience.

But really - if it was a "go for this long or never go at all" situation, what is the longest time you would choose to go to Antarctica for? bearing in mind it's a "there and back" trip - no visits home in the meantime.

For as long as they would have me. Sure I could keep in touch back home through use of videos etc.

[john smith]

what's the world record? double that and that's how long i'd work there.

but really. does anyone know how long the world record is?

[Pirates Armada]

I thought a person was only allowed to be down there like six months at a time. I do recall someone saying they have been there a total of three years all together though? I tried looking it up and nothing....this site is like an antarctic bible though so i might have missed it.

[john smith]

hmm. what's the point of limiting how long you can stay?

to try to make sure no one colonizes?

what does the guy who has been there 3 years do?

[Pirates Armada]

It's kinda like that cabin fever syndrome, i guess if your not the kind of person who can deal with such a different type of enviornment then the acclimation can be difficult so they limit it. Don't know what the guy did...

[Paul Ward]

Originally Posted by Pirates Armada

It's kinda like that cabin fever syndrome

That's it eaxctly. It's just not good for the individual to be in Antarctica for too long. As most people don't want to go down for too long and the change over of base personnel happens to this timetable, it wouldn't be good for the base dynamic to have someone who had been there for years and years.

There are many people who go to the American bases - especially McMurdo for just 6 months as there is a very high population (relatively) for an Antarctic base, so I guess lots of short-term people don't upset the dynamic too much.

Other bases have people who are summer-only in when the winter ends and out when it starts - about 2-6 months depending on where the base is. There are winterers (winterovers) who spend a winter and least one, more likely two summers or people do two winters and two or three summers. Time is counted by the seasons rather than being specified by months.

As for who has spent the longest the "World Record" as John says, the longest I'm aware of is three years which several people have done, there's a thread about it here:

http://www.coolantarctica.com/Vforum...hread.php?t=39

I did read once about a sealer in the 1800's who spent around 27 years on the sub-Antarctic MacQuarie Island - think that's unlikely to be broken!

(Pirates - unfortunately the main site search and forum search are separate, so you have to do one on each to look through the whole site )

[Pirates Armada]

I knew that (searching)

[40BelowJoe]

I'd go for at least 18 months, I'm tough and used to the cold and I'm a loner anyway so antarctica would not be socially any different than here. Even though I love the cold, I know that when I'm down there I would find a new definition Of freezing!

I'd look forward to the challenge and the fellowship with other kindred spirits, as I'm sure that it is only a unique type of person who would even consider going there, especially just for work!

I have personal and selfish reasons for wanting to go, that have little to do with the job at hand.

It would be great to go during the next IPY, The truth is science and engineering go hand in hand in such envirornments, as many PHD's find themselves fabricating alot of their equipment and testing apparatuses for type specific applications, do to the harsh climate, things are always breaking.

I'd love the opportunity to work alongside them.