I.A.C. Field Trip

As mentioned in the previous post, my Social Studies class went on a second field trip to the International Antarctica Centre last Thursday, coinciding with our field trip planning unit. The I.A.C. is located near Christchurch International Airport. The extra benefit was that after the scheduled presentation, we were allowed to enjoy the museum for free. (Never decline free service when living on a student budget).

Antarctica. Titles such as ‘The Lost Continent’, ‘The Forgotten Continent’, & ‘The Penguin Continent,’ come to the minds of average people. However, this southern most land mass is anything but deserted; it is bustling with human research activities and animal life. Like Greenland in the northern hemisphere, most of Antarctica is covered with snow & ice, as much as 3 kilometres high! If it were a person, it would have a massive brain freeze. Despite the extreme conditions, Antarctica is the driest place on Earth with very little snowfall. The lowest recorded temperature of –89.5 degrees Celsius was recorded here as well as the fastest wind speed of 320km/h. We were also told that if all the snow & ice melted, the Earth’s oceans would rise 196 feet!

Christchurch is one of the many ‘Gateways’ to Antarctica, providing flights for researchers and tourists. Oh yes, regular people like you & me can travel to this land of wonder and discovery. I was informed that a 2-week trip only costs about $20,000 US. Best to be a researcher because you get to travel for free.

Several international flights cruise over the baron continent because it’s faster to get to the other sides of the world. It would also be interesting because when making the Antarctic crossing, the plane would be flying upside down when observing it from space.

We were led to an upstairs conference room where an I.A.C. staff member welcomed us and gave a PowerPoint presentation on Antarctic history and his travels to the Earth’s 7^th continent. It was interesting to hear how one must live in order to survive in such extreme winter conditions. And let me tell you, it isn’t easy, especially if you go camping in tents.

Antarctica is governed through the International Antarctic Treaty, with emphasis placed on preservation and scientific research. Of course, countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Britain, Chile, and Argentina have made disputed land claims to several parts of the continent. Many research stations dot the Antarctic landscape and are operated by many Antarctic Treaty countries. New Zealand operates a station near Ross Island. There is a research station right on the South Pole where you can walk around the world several times before going inside to warm up. It must be interesting to work in a research station where all the walls are facing north.

During the presentation we got to meet a little New Zealand penguin. We weren’t allowed to touch it, just photograph or film its curious movements around the conference room.

Exploring the museum after the presentation was enjoyable with a large wealth of exhibits (pictures, videos, stuffed animals, baby penguins, previously used vehicles & equipment) to keep one’s mind in wonder. Like all museums, the last stop on the exhibits tour is the Gift Shop.

The two most interesting exhibits were the ice room where one can experience a dark, cold, and windy Antarctic storm (-17 degrees & 42km/h winds), and being taken for a ride in a tank treading vehicle. Overall, the I.A.C. is definitely a place worth checking out. If I take a teaching position in Christchurch, this would be one field trip destination on my mind.