Full transcript
0:01[WIND HOWLING].
0:16♪ ♪
0:23NARRATOR: ANTARCTICA.
0:28IT'S THE LEAST EXPLORED,
0:30LEAST UNDERSTOOD CONTINENT ON EARTH.
0:41IN WINTER, THE SUN NEVER RISES.
0:45IN SUMMER, IT NEVER SETS.
0:485.4 MILLION SQUARE MILES OF FROZEN DESERT,
0:52HOME TO THE DRIEST PLACE ON EARTH.
0:57AVERAGE WINTER TEMPERATURE: 20 TO 90 BELOW.
1:02BARELY ANYTHING CAN SURVIVE HERE;
1:06NO NATIVE PEOPLE OR LAND MAMMALS,
1:09NOT EVEN A SINGLE TREE.
1:13BUT IN SPITE OF THE WORST CONDITIONS ON EARTH,
1:16HUMANITY IS WORKING TO SCRATCH OUT A PRESENCE.
1:19[CHOPPER].
1:23HEFF: OH, LOOK AT THAT.
1:25DANNY UHLMANN: WOW!
1:26HEFF: THAT IS ONE MOTHER OF A BLOODY, UH, CREVASSE.
1:29DR. OHNEISER: NOW, WE ADVANCE ONWARDS INTO NOTHING.
1:32IT'S JUST ICE SHELF AND HORIZON NOW.
1:35CAPTAIN WALKER: WE'RE ABOUT TO HIT SOME ICE.
1:36NAVIGATOR: BRACE FOR SHOCK.
1:41NARRATOR: THE WORLD'S TOP SCIENTISTS.
1:44DR. FRIEDLAENDER: THEY'RE REALLY CRYPTIC.
1:45TOTALLY DESIGNED FOR LIVING IN THE SEA ICE.
1:47NARRATOR: AND THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO KEEP THEM ALIVE.
1:50TOM ARNOLD: OH, WE'RE JUST ABOUT TO ENTER INTO
1:52THE SHEAR ZONE HERE.
1:54NARRATOR: JOIN FORCES TO BATTLE CONDITIONS THAT
1:56THREATEN HUMAN LIFE.
1:58TOM ARNOLD: VISIBILITY'S DOWN TO 20 METERS.
2:01NARRATOR: THE COLDEST TEMPERATURE EVER RECORDED:
2:05135.8 DEGREES BELOW ZERO.
2:10AND THE STRONGEST EVER SUSTAINED WIND:
2:13199 MILES PER HOUR.
2:17[GUSTING WIND]
2:26ALL IN THE NAME OF RESEARCH...
2:28ROB TEASDALE: HOLD ON!
2:30NARRATOR: THAT COULD CHANGE THE WORLD.
2:32DR. OHNEISER: AH!
2:33DR. BEJDER: WE'RE IN SOME PRETTY THICK ICE HERE.
2:36FRED: I CAN'T SEE (BLEEP) ANYMORE.
2:39CAPTAIN WALKER: HEY, WHAT JUST HAPPENED?
2:41SOMETHING, I JUST HIT SOMETHING.
2:42[ALARM].
2:44MAN: WE'VE GOT AN ALARM.
2:45SEND SOMEBODY TO INVESTIGATE IT.
2:46MAN: WANT TO PUT THE PROPULSION MOTOR IN NEUTRAL?
2:48SEAN: THAT LOOKS (BLEEP) STEEP.
2:51BLOODY HELL.
2:52[INAUDIBLE].
2:54NARRATOR: ANTARCTICA IS THE LAST GREAT MYSTERY ON EARTH.
3:07♪ ♪
3:12IN THIS FROZEN WASTELAND, AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PLANET,
3:19IT TAKES A MASSIVE EFFORT JUST TO SURVIVE.
3:25THERE ARE OVER 70 BASES.
3:27BUILT BY 30 COUNTRIES.
3:31AND SPREAD ACROSS THE CONTINENT.
3:33AT THE MOUTH OF MCMURDO SOUND,
3:35IN THE HEART OF THE ROSS SEA REGION,
3:38IS SCOTT BASE, NEW ZEALAND'S PERMANENT RESEARCH OUTPOST.
3:43TRUDIE: HEY GUYS, WELCOME TO SCOTT BASE.
3:46PETER MCCARTHY: GET YOUR GEAR OFF.
3:47GET COMFORTABLE.
3:48NARRATOR: HERE SCIENTISTS ARE HOUSED, FED,
3:50AND PROTECTED FROM THE ELEMENTS BY A NETWORK OF
3:54GREEN BUILDINGS, LINKED BY WEATHERPROOF TUNNELS,
3:59AND IT'S ALL COORDINATED BY SCOTT BASE LEADERSHIP.
4:03PETER MCCARTHY: RIGHT NOW AT SCOTT BASE THIS IS
4:05THE BUSY SEASON.
4:07IT STARTS IN OCTOBER AND GOES RIGHT ALL THE
4:08WAY THROUGH TO FEBRUARY.
4:10SO, THAT'S FIVE MONTHS WE'RE PRETTY MUCH PEAKING.
4:12IN TOTAL WITH HAVE ABOUT 330 PEOPLE GOING SOUTH.
4:15SO IT'S PRETTY CRAZY.
4:16IT TAKES, YOU KNOW, OVER 200 PEOPLE TO SUPPORT,
4:18YOU KNOW, 90 SCIENTISTS.
4:22ROB TEASDALE: GET THAT ONE OVER UP ON TOP.
4:24DR. OHNEISER: I CAN HELP YOU TIE THAT STUFF DOWN.
4:27NARRATOR: TODAY, THE ROSS ICE SHELF TEAM IS LEAVING
4:30ON ONE OF THE MOST AMBITIOUS EXPEDITIONS IN
4:32THE HISTORY OF SCOTT BASE.
4:34CHRISTINA: WE'RE PACKING UP.
4:35ALL OF OUR SCIENCE CARGO IS READY TO GO.
4:38NARRATOR: TEN SCIENTISTS, AND TWO SURVIVAL EXPERTS,
4:41ARE GOING 220 MILES SOUTH TO A FLOATING MASS OF ICE ATTACHED
4:46TO THE CONTINENT, WHERE NO ONE HAS LIKELY EVER SET FOOT.
4:50DR. OHNEISER: THE ROSS ICE SHELF IS THE LARGEST LUMP OF
4:52FLOATING ICE IN THE WORLD.
4:53IT'S THE SIZE OF FRANCE AND ACTUALLY WE'VE GOT ONE
4:56MEASUREMENT THAT'S EVER BEEN MADE IN THE 1970'S.
5:00THAT'S IT, AND THE REST OF IT'S A MYSTERY.
5:03SO LITTLE IS KNOWN.
5:04THE SURFACE OF PLUTO HAS MUCH BETTER IMAGERY THAN
5:07WHAT'S BENEATH THE ROSS ICE SHELF.
5:09IT'S A LOT OF NEW STUFF THAT WE'RE GONNA DISCOVER.
5:12NARRATOR: DR. CHRISTIAN OHNEISER AND HIS TEAM ARE
5:14HOPING TO LEARN HOW THE ICE SHELF REACTED TO CLIMATE
5:17SHIFTS IN THE DISTANT PAST, SO THEY CAN TRY TO PREDICT HOW
5:20FAST IT MIGHT MELT AS THE CLIMATE CHANGES IN THE FUTURE.
5:24DR. OHNEISER: THE ROSS ICE SHELF HOLDS BACK A PIECE
5:26OF ICE SHEET THAT'S THREATENED.
5:28IF IT FALLS APART AND IT MELTS.
5:35EVEN THOUGH IT'S FAR AWAY, THE IMPACT WOULD BE SOMEWHERE
5:39IN THE ORDER OF SIX, SEVEN METERS OF SEA LEVEL.
5:42BUT, I'D BE WORRIED ABOUT 10 CENTIMETERS THAT'S ALREADY
5:44ENOUGH TO IMPACT LOW-LYING AREAS LIKE WHERE
5:47I COME FROM SOUTH DUNEDIN.
5:49YOU CAN WRITE OFF WHOLE NEIGHBORHOODS THERE.
5:51SIX METERS OF COURSE YOU'RE WIPING OUT EVERYTHING.
5:55TOM ARNOLD: WE'VE GOT FIRE EXTINGUISHERS IN ALL VEHICLES.
5:57ROB TEASDALE: I'LL JUST GO AND DOUBLE CHECK THAT
5:59THEY'RE IN THERE.
6:01NARRATOR: TOM IS IN CHARGE TEAM SAFETY,
6:03AND HE HAS TO LEAD THEM SOUTH ACROSS OVER 200 MILES
6:07OF ROUGH ICE, INCLUDING A KNOWN AREA OF DEADLY CRACKS
6:10CALLED THE SHEAR ZONE.
6:12TOM ARNOLD: THE SHEAR ZONE, MASSIVE CREVASSING OUT THERE.
6:15THEY ARE HUGE.
6:16PRETTY HUMBLING SIGHT.
6:18NOBODY IS TO LEAVE A VEHICLE DURING THAT TIME WE
6:21GO THROUGH THAT AREA.
6:22SOME OF THE CREVASSES IN THE SHEAR ZONE CAN BE
6:24FIVE, SIX, SEVEN METERS WIDE AND PROBABLY 30, 40 METERS DEEP.
6:30SO IT REALLY GIVES YOU THAT PERSPECTIVE THAT WE'RE QUITE A
6:33SMALL FISH IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS AND
6:35MOTHER NATURE REALLY HAS CONTROL HERE.
6:37THREE IN THE BACK, ONE IN THE FRONT!
6:39YOU'RE GOOD TO GO.
6:41KNOWING THAT IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE
6:43THAT EVERYBODY CAN GET BACK TO SCOTT BASE SAFELY
6:45IS A HUGE, HUGE DEAL.
6:47ROB TEASDALE: LET'S ROLL.
7:00NARRATOR: TO SURVIVE THE JOURNEY,
7:02THE TEAM IS RELYING ON SPECIALIZED VEHICLES,
7:04CALLED HÄGGLUNDS.
7:06GREG: THESE HÄGGLUNDS, PRETTY TOUGH.
7:08THEY'RE TRACK VEHICLES.
7:10THEY SHARE SIMILARITIES WITH TANKS.
7:11THEY'RE REALLY WELL SUITED FOR WHAT WE NEED THEM TO DO.
7:17DR. OHNEISER: I'M LOOKING AT THIS WHITE EXPANSE OF NOTHING,
7:19AND IT'S A BIT CREEPY.
7:21WE'VE SPENT SO MUCH ENERGY AND TIME.
7:23MONTHS OF PLANNING AND BUILDING A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.
7:25BUT, NOW WHAT HAPPENS?
7:27NO ONE'S EVER DONE THIS BEFORE.
7:29IT'S EXPLORATION.
7:30IT'S GONNA BE INTERESTING.
7:32FROM THIS POINT ON WE'VE GOT FOUR HOURS BEFORE WE GET INTO
7:34THE SHEAR ZONE, AND THEN VERY GINGERLY MAKE OUR WAY THROUGH,
7:37UM, WHAT'S ESSENTIALLY A MINEFIELD OF CREVASSES.
7:52BARBARA: ANTARCTICA, WE'RE HERE, WE HAVE ARRIVED.
7:54NARRATOR: SCOTT BASE CAN ONLY HOUSE 85 PEOPLE AT A TIME.
7:58SO, PROJECTS ARE CONSTANTLY CYCLING THROUGH.
8:01THERE ARE MORE THAN 90 MISSIONS SCHEDULED THIS SEASON.
8:06NONE OF THEM MORE CHALLENGING THAN THIS ONE.
8:09DANNY UHLMANN: HEY, GRAHAM.
8:10DR. HILL: DANNY!
8:12DANNY UHLMANN: DO WE HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED?
8:13ALL THE CABLES AND COILS AND SKIS?
8:16DR. HILL: THEY'RE ALL OUT THERE.
8:17DANNY UHLMANN: GOOD.
8:18NARRATOR: THE MT. EREBUS TEAM IS STUDYING ANTARCTICA'S
8:21MOST ACTIVE VOLCANO,
8:23CHOPPERING TO 132 DIFFERENT SITES TO PLANT
8:25INSTRUMENTS THAT'LL CREATE A COMPOSITE IMAGE OF
8:28ITS INNER WORKINGS.
8:29DR. HILL: OOO, THOSE ARE STINKY.
8:31NARRATOR: TODAY, THEY'RE GEARING UP TO FLY
8:33NEAR ITS SUMMIT.
8:34DANNY UHLMANN: GETTING DRESSED TO GO ABOUT 11,000 FEET.
8:38SO, IT COULD BE MINUS 20 UP THERE AND IT'S A RULE THAT WE
8:42ALWAYS HAVE TO WEAR THIS BIG PUFFY JACKET IN
8:44THE HELICOPTER IN CASE IT CRASHES.
8:47DR. HILL: ANOTHER DAY.
8:49DOUBLE LAYERS FOR COMFORT AND EXTRA WARMTH.
8:51NARRATOR: DR. GRAHAM HILL IS A LEAD SCIENTIST
8:54FOR THE PROJECT.
8:55DR. HILL: WE'RE MEASURING THE ELECTRIC FIELD AND THE
8:57MAGNETIC FIELD OF THE VOLCANO AT A SERIES OF POINTS,
9:01WHICH WE THEN COMBINE AND DO EFFECTIVELY A
9:04CAT SCAN OF THE SUBSURFACE.
9:06SO, IF WE CAN GET A COULD GET A GOOD UNDERSTANDING
9:09OF WHAT THE STRUCTURE IS, WE HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING
9:11OF WHAT SIGNALS THEY MIGHT GENERATE WHEN
9:14THEY'RE GOING TO ERUPT.
9:16WE'LL BE HEADING OUT.
9:17DR. HILL: AND WE CAN APPLY WHAT WE LEARN ABOUT HOW
9:19THIS VOLCANO WORKS TO OTHER VOLCANOES ELSEWHERE
9:23IN THE WORLD.
9:24BECAUSE QUITE A LOT OF PEOPLE LIVE NEAR VOLCANIC CENTERS.
9:27SO, IF THEY ERUPT, THAT COULD JUST WIPE OUT
9:29THE SURROUNDING AREA.
9:30VOLCANOES HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON HUMAN LIFE.
9:34DANNY UHLMANN: LET'S GET OVER THERE.
9:37DR. HILL: TIME TO GO TO WORK.
9:40DANNY UHLMANN: ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE.
9:42NARRATOR: DANNY ISN'T A SCIENTIST.
9:44HE'S A WORLD CLASS MOUNTAINEER.
9:46AND IT'S HIS JOB IS TO KEEP THE TEAM ALIVE ON
9:48THE SIDE OF THE VOLCANO.
9:50DANNY UHLMANN: LET'S GO.
9:52I LOVE DOING MY JOB.
9:53I GET TO TAKE PEOPLE ON ALL THESE FANTASTIC ADVENTURES,
9:56BUT YOU'RE NOT IN CONTROL OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
9:58EITHER YOU'RE SAFE AND YOU COME HOME,
10:00OR YOU SCREW UP AND YOU DON'T COME HOME.
10:03RADIO: INDIA DELTA ECHO MAC CENTER, ROGER.
10:11NARRATOR: THIS IS HEFF.
10:13HEFF FLIES THE CHOPPER.
10:16MT. EREBUS IS JUST MORE THAN 20 MILES AWAY AND
10:20HE HAS TO NAVIGATE UNPREDICTABLE WINDS.
10:23HEFF: BIT OF A BREEZE UP HERE.
10:2420 KNOTS MAYBE.
10:26DANNY UHLMANN: PRETTY GOOD.
10:28NARRATOR: HE ALSO HAS TO FIND A SAFE PLACE TO LAND.
10:32AND THE WHOLE MOUNTAIN IS COVERED IN CREVASSES.
10:40DANNY UHLMANN: BASICALLY, A CREVASSE IS LIKE AN OPENING
10:42IN THE GLACIER LIKE THIS.
10:44THERE'S A LOT OF ACTION IN THIS AREA,
10:45A LOT OF MOVEMENT IN THE GLACIER.
10:50HEFF: OH, LOOK AT THAT.
10:51DANNY UHLMANN: WOW.
10:52HEFF: THAT IS ONE MOTHER OF A BLOODY CREVASSE.
10:55DANNY UHLMANN: SOMETIMES YOU CAN SEE RIGHT INTO THEM
10:59AND YOU GO, "YUP, THAT'S A CREVASSE.
11:01I'M NOT GOING TO LAND IN THAT BIG, GAPING HOLE."
11:05BUT OFTEN, IT CAN BE HIDDEN UNDERNEATH A SNOW BRIDGE.
11:11FROM THE HELICOPTER THEY COULD BE ANY OLD SIZE, YOU KNOW?
11:13DR. HILL: YEAH, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
11:15SOME PEOPLE WOULD THINK THAT WE'RE A LITTLE BIT CRAZY TO
11:17COME TO ANTARCTICA AND FLY AROUND ON A CREVASSE-FILLED
11:20VOLCANO THAT IS ERUPTING.
11:22YOU CAN SEE WE'RE KINDA OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT
11:23ICE STREAM THERE.
11:25HEFF: YEAH.
11:26DR. HILL: WHEN YOU TELL PEOPLE THESE KIND OF THINGS
11:28BACK HOME THEY DO LOOK AT YOU A BIT ODD.
11:30"WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?"
11:31IT'S JUST ONE OF THE REALITIES OF ACTUALLY DOING THE WORK.
11:35HEFF: ALL RIGHT, ONE MILE.
11:37START LOOKIN.
11:38DANNY UHLMANN: WE'LL JUST FIND THE NICEST LOOKING SPOT.
11:40HEFF: RIGHT IN FRONT OF US.
11:41DR. HILL: THAT'S GREAT HEFF.
11:43BUT WE'RE WORKING WITH EXCELLENT PILOTS,
11:45SOME OF THE BEST IN THE WORLD.
11:46WE'VE GOT TOTAL FAITH IN THE GUYS WE'RE FLYING WITH.
11:49HEFF: ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET DOWN TO THE, UM, BUSINESS END.
11:56RIGHT-O, I'M JUST GONNA COME IN THERE.
11:59GRAVITY'S TAKING HOLD.
12:06NARRATOR: THEY'VE LANDED,
12:08BUT THEY'RE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET.
12:11JUST THIS YEAR, A VETERAN PILOT FROM AN AUSSIE BASE
12:14LANDED ON WHAT APPEARED TO BE SAFE GROUND.
12:17NEWS ANCHOR: HE WAS DELIVERING FUEL TO A DEPOT
12:18ON THE WEST ICE SHELF.
12:20AFTER GETTING OUT OF HIS HELICOPTER,
12:22HE FELL INTO A DEEP CREVASSE.
12:24THEY MANAGED TO RETRIEVE HIM FROM A DEPTH OF ABOUT
12:2620 METERS, BUT HE DIED OF HIS INJURIES.
12:29[HELICOPTER BLADES SPINNING].
12:32NARRATOR: IT'S DANNY'S JOB TO CHECK FOR CREVASSES,
12:34LIKE THAT ONE WHILE THE PILOT KEEPS THE ROTOR SPINNING
12:37TO TAKE OFF QUICKLY IF THE SNOW CAVES IN.
12:40HEFF: ALRIGHT, I WOULD SAY JUMP OUT THERE.
12:52[HELICOPTER BLADES SPINNING].
12:58DANNY UHLMANN: ARE THE PROBES IN THE POD THERE?
12:59HEFF: IT'S IN YOUR POD, YEP.
13:01DANNY UHLMANN: OKAY.
13:02NARRATOR: THE MT. EREBUS TEAM'S
13:04CHOPPER IS STILL POWERED,
13:06SO IT CAN LIFT OFF IF A CREVASSE OPENS UP BENEATH THEM.
13:08DANNY UHLMANN: I'LL JUST GO HAVE A LITTLE POKE.
13:11NARRATOR: AND ITS DANNY'S JOB TO TEST FOR HARD-PACKED SNOW,
13:14AND AVOID HIDDEN HOLES.
13:16DANNY UHLMANN: THERE'S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT WE'RE ON
13:18TERRAIN THAT HAS CREVASSES UNDERNEATH THAT WE CAN'T SEE.
13:21IT IS A PRETTY HEAVY RESPONSIBILITY;
13:25I'VE HAD VERY CLOSE FRIENDS DIE IN CREVASSE FALLS
13:30IN SITUATIONS JUST LIKE WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH HERE.
13:33SO, FOR ME, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S VERY REAL.
13:38OKAY.
13:41NARRATOR: HE'S WEARING SKIS TO SPREAD OUT HIS WEIGHT,
13:44BUT EVEN SO, EVERY STEP IS TREACHEROUS.
13:49IT'S KIND OF LIKE THIS...
13:55WALKING BETWEEN TWO SKYSCRAPERS,
14:00AT LEAST THE WALKER CAN SEE THE DROP,
14:04SEE THE WIRE STRAIGHT AHEAD.
14:08CRAZY AS IT MIGHT BE, IF HE PUTS ONE FOOT IN FRONT
14:11OF THE OTHER, HE'LL MAKE IT SAFELY ACROSS,
14:15AND AVOID A 1300-FOOT DROP.
14:24DANNY COULD BE OVER A SIMILAR DROP AND
14:27HE CAN'T EVEN SEE THE WIRE.
14:34DANNY UHLMANN: I'M JUST GONNA POKE AROUND A BIT.
14:46I HAVE TO POKE AROUND AND REALLY HAVE A
14:47GOOD INSPECTION OF THE SITE.
14:50KINDA FEELING THE SNOW FOR THE CONSISTENCY,
14:52AND THE SNOW DEPTH.
14:59♪ ♪
15:06HEFF: AH-HAA, WE MADE IT!
15:10DANNY UHLMANN: OPEN THIS.
15:11HEY, GUYS.
15:12I THINK IT LOOKS GOOD TO GET OUT.
15:13IT'S A NICE ACCUMULATION ZONE SO THERE'S LOTS OF SNOW HERE
15:16AND IT'S A NICE COMPRESSION AREA AS WELL.
15:17SO, I THINK, AS LONG WE KEEP IT NICE AND TIGHT,
15:19WE SHOULD BE FINE.
15:20YOU JUST HAVE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FAITH.
15:22NOW, I KINDA BLESS THE AREA.
15:24THIS AREA IS SAFE AND PEOPLE CAN GET OUT AND START WORKING.
15:36NARRATOR: GRAHAM AND HIS TEAM ARE ON THE CLOCK.
15:38THEY HAVE TO BURY FOUR SENSORS IN
15:40FOUR DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS,
15:42AND RUN HUNDREDS OF FEET OF CABLE BACK TO A CENTRAL
15:45COMPUTER AND THE CHOPPER WILL BE BACK FOR THEM
15:48IN TWO HOURS.
15:50DR. HILL: FINGERS ARE GETTING A BIT CHILLY TRYING
15:51TO DO THIS HERE IN THE WIND.
15:55MICHAL: BUT I THINK I HAVE DRANK TOO MUCH WATER.
15:59DANNY UHLMANN: WOW MAN, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU WERE HYDRATED.
16:01GOOD JOB.
16:02NARRATOR: IN ANTARCTICA, NOTHING GETS LEFT BEHIND:
16:05NOT EVEN URINE.
16:07IN AN EFFORT TO PRESERVE THE MOST PRISTINE ENVIRONMENT
16:09ON THE PLANET, ALL HUMAN WASTE IS BROUGHT BACK TO SCOTT BASE.
16:16[TOILET FLUSH].
16:21AND EVERY BIT OF IT ENDS UP HERE.
16:27PAUL BOWERING: AFTER THIS COMES OUT,
16:29YOU KNOW A WOMAN WILL NEVER LOOK AT ME AGAIN, DON'T YOU?
16:32NARRATOR: PAUL IS IN CHARGE OF THE WATER TREATMENT CENTER,
16:34BETTER KNOWN AS THE POO PLANT.
16:39PAUL BOWERING: BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH INFLUENT AT THE MOMENT.
16:41IT'S KIND OF EASIER ON THE SYSTEM JUST TO DO
16:43SOME MANUAL STUFF.
16:47OUR INFLUENT COMES IN THROUGH THE MAIN SEWER PIPE
16:49AND THROUGH THE BRUSH SCREEN.
16:51THE BRUSH SCREEN TAKES OUT SOLID STUFF AND
16:53THAT GOES INTO A BAG.
16:55SO, THIS IS WHAT WE END UP WITH OUT
16:57OF THE SLUDGE PROCESS.
16:59IT'S ALMOST LIKE BEEF JERKY LOOKING THING.
17:02WOULDN'T SELL IT IN YOUR LOCAL STORE,
17:03BUT THAT'S A LOT OF BEEF JERKY.
17:07NARRATOR: THE WASTE BECOMES SCOTT BASE'S PRIMARY EXPORT.
17:11PAUL BOWERING: THERE'S ONE, GOOD TO GO.
17:12NARRATOR: EVERYTHING THAT CAN'T BE RECYCLED IS
17:14SENT BACK TO NEW ZEALAND.
17:19IT'S PART OF A GLOBAL EFFORT TO MINIMIZE IMPACT ON
17:23THE FROZEN CONTINENT, A GOAL OF A TREATY SIGNED
17:26BY 53 NATIONS.
17:29PAUL BOWERING: YOU CAN'T JUST HAVE THE WASTE FROM PEOPLE AND
17:31EVERYTHING HAPPENING HERE JUST DISAPPEARING INTO THE OCEAN.
17:35IT'S, UH, IT'S GOTTA BE TREATED.
17:36IT'S GOTTA, WE GOTTA LOOK AFTER.
17:43NARRATOR: JUST LIKE THE CONTINENT ITSELF,
17:45THE SURROUNDING OCEAN IS CAREFULLY PROTECTED.
17:48WILDLIFE MIGRATES TO THESE WATERS EVERY YEAR,
17:51AND PERHAPS NO FEEDING GROUND IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN
17:54ONE OFF THE COAST OF THE ANTARCTIC PENINSULA.
17:57THE NORTHERNMOST TIP OF THE MAINLAND.
18:03TED: DO YOU SEE ANY PARTICULAR SITES OF CONCENTRATION?
18:05DR. FRIEDLAENDER: BACK IN HERE, IF IT'S CALM,
18:08THIS IS WHERE THOSE ANIMALS WILL BE SLEEPING.
18:09TED: OH NICE.
18:11NARRATOR: DR. ARI FRIEDLAENDER IS ONE OF THE
18:13PREEMINENT SCIENTISTS AND CONSERVATIONISTS IN HIS FIELD.
18:16DR. FRIEDLAENDER: SO THERE'S SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT
18:18THE THREE OR FOUR AREAS RIGHT IN HERE,
18:19THAT THERE'S ALWAYS WHALES.
18:21NARRATOR: HIS GOAL IS TO STUDY HUMPBACK AND MINKE WHALES,
18:25TO FIND OUT HOW THEIR ECOSYSTEM RESPONDS TO A
18:27CHANGING CLIMATE.
18:29DR. FRIEDLAENDER: THIS IS SORT OF RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE
18:31OF THAT FEEDING SEASON.
18:32SO, FILL IN THAT GAP OF WHAT THESE ANIMALS ARE DOING
18:34AT THIS TIME OF YEAR IS GONNA BE PRETTY AWESOME.
18:40WE'RE TRYING TO MEASURE THE UNDERWATER BEHAVIOR AND
18:43MOVEMENTS OF THE WHALES, GET AN ESTIMATE OF THEIR SIZE,
18:46AND WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WHALES NEED
18:48TO SURVIVE AND THE AMOUNT OF FOOD THAT THEY EAT.
18:50IF YOU DON'T EAT ENOUGH, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO REPRODUCE,
18:53AND IF YOU DON'T REPRODUCE, IT'S A VERY QUICK PROCESS INTO
18:56YOUR POPULATION NOT GROWING.
18:58TED: WE JUST LEFT DECEPTION ISLAND.
19:00WE'LL EASILY GET INTO THE GERLACHE STRAITS,
19:03IN THE MOUTH OF THE HARARAH CHANNEL BY DAWN.
19:05DR. FRIEDLAENDER: PERFECT.
19:06TED: IF THE WHALES ARE LOOKING GOOD, YOU CAN BE OUT WORKING.
19:08DR. FRIEDLAENDER: COOL.
19:10THIS IS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE HAVE MADE HUGE CHANGES
19:12IN THE ENVIRONMENT.
19:15OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS, THE WINTER AIR HAS RAISED
19:18BY ABOUT FIVE DEGREES CELSIUS.
19:20THE SEA ICE OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS,
19:22ON THIS PART OF THE PENINSULA, HAS DECREASED IN THE NUMBER OF
19:25DAYS THAT ARE ICE COVERED.
19:29THERE'S A HUGE STANDING STOCK OF KRILL HERE,
19:32AND THAT'S WHAT THEY NEED TO FEED ON.
19:34BUT THE WARMING THAT'S OCCURRED HERE,
19:36IF THAT AFFECTS THE WAY THE KRILL ARE DISTRIBUTED,
19:38IT COULD MEAN SOMETHING PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.
19:43NARRATOR: MORE THAN 4 BILLION PEOPLE RELY ON SEAFOOD
19:46AS A STAPLE.
19:47AND THE FISH WE EAT, EAT SMALLER FISH,
19:50WHICH EAT SMALLER FISH, IN SOME CASES,
19:53ALL THE WAY DOWN THE CHAIN TO THIS: KRILL.
19:58AS SEA ICE RECEDES, THE ALGAE THEY EAT GOES WITH IT.
20:02AND IF KRILL DISAPPEARS,
20:04SO DOES THE WHALE'S FOOD SUPPLY,
20:06AND A BIG PART OF OUR OWN.
20:10DR. FRIEDLAENDER: WE'VE GOT THE DRONES AND THE SUCTION CUP TAGS.
20:13DR. BEJDER: SEE IF THEY SURVIVED THE TRIP.
20:15DR. FRIEDLAENDER: WE HAVE A SMALL UAV,
20:16A LITTLE QUADCOPTER WITH A CAMERA ON IT.
20:19WHEN WE FLY THAT OVER THE WHALE,
20:20WE CAN GET A VERY PRECISE ESTIMATE OF THE
20:22SIZE OF THAT ANIMAL.
20:24DR. BEJDER: SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO FIRE THE
20:25MOTORS UP WITHOUT THE PROPS.
20:27MAKE SURE THAT'S ALL RUNNING.
20:29DR. FRIEDLAENDER: THE OTHER THING THAT WE DO IS
20:31DEPLOYING SUCTION CUP TAGS.
20:32THESE TAGS ARE BASICALLY LIKE A SMARTPHONE.
20:35THEY RECORD THE ANGLE OF THE WHALE,
20:37WHETHER IT'S ROLLED OVER ON ITS SIDE,
20:39THE HEADING OF THE WHALE, THE DEPTH,
20:41AND THE SPEED OF THE WHALE AND IT DOES
20:43THAT HUNDREDS OF TIMES A SECOND.
20:45IT ALSO RECORDS VIDEO, WHICH IS AWESOME BECAUSE WE CAN THEN,
20:48SORT OF, CORROBORATE THE THINGS THAT THE SENSORS ARE
20:50TELLING US WITH WHAT WE ACTUALLY SEE THE WHALE DOING.
20:52IT'S GOT TWO 720P CAMERAS IN THERE.
20:55WE CAN GET ABOUT NINE HOURS OF CONTINUOUS DATA.
20:58AND ALL OF THAT PACKAGED TOGETHER GIVES US
21:01A REALLY PRECISE, UH, ESTIMATE OF THE HEALTH OF
21:03THE ANIMALS DOWN HERE.
21:05DR. BEJDER: TAGS, DATA, UAV DATA COMBINED IS GOING
21:08TO BE OPENING NEW WORLDS REALLY.
21:09SO, LET'S GO FIND SOME WHALES!
21:10DR. FRIEDLAENDER: YEAH, LET'S DO IT!
21:24♪ ♪
21:35ROB TEASDALE: OKAY TEAM, THIS MARKS THE SHEAR ZONE.
21:38SO, COME IN NICE AND CLOSE BEHIND US.
21:40DR. OHNEISER: OKAY, THANK YOU.
21:42NARRATOR: THE ROSS ICE SHELF TEAM HAS TRAVELED ABOUT
21:4430 MILES, AND THEY'RE FACING THE MOST DANGEROUS
21:47PART OF THEIR TRAVERSE.
21:50TOM ARNOLD: OH, WE'RE JUST ABOUT TO ENTER INTO
21:52THE SHEAR ZONE HERE.
21:54WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S CAPABLE,
21:56SHOULD THE WORST POSSIBLE CASE HAPPEN.
21:58NARRATOR: THE SHEAR ZONE LOOKS LIKE A SAFE
22:00PATCH OF SNOW, BUT LIKE MT. EREBUS IT'S FULL
22:05OF HIDDEN CREVASSES.
22:06ROB TEASDALE: FIRST FLAT NOT AS BENIGN AS IT LOOKS.
22:08THERE'S A LOT GOING ON.
22:10ON ONE SIDE, WE'VE GOT SORT OF THE MCMURDO, UM, ICE SHELF.
22:15AND THE OTHER IS THE ROSS ICE SHELF.
22:18IT'S WHERE TWO LARGE, KIND OF ICE MASSES ARE COMING
22:21TOGETHER, MUCH LIKE A RIVER COMES TOGETHER.
22:25AND THE REASON IT'S CALLED A SHEAR ZONE IS BECAUSE
22:27THERE'S KIND OF A SHEARING EFFECT BETWEEN THE TWO.
22:31SO IT'S QUITE AN ACTIVE AREA.
22:33INTERESTING SPOT.
22:35TOM ARNOLD: THE SHEAR ZONE IS AN INTIMIDATING AREA:
22:38AROUND ABOUT SIX OR SO KILOMETERS THAT HAVE A NUMBER
22:41OF SIGNIFICANTLY LARGE CREVASSES IN THEM.
22:45WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A ROUTE THROUGH THERE.
22:47WE REALLY REDUCE THAT SPEED DOWN EVEN FURTHER SO THAT
22:50WE'RE A 100% SURE OF WHAT WE'RE DRIVING ON IS
22:52GOOD TO DRIVE ACROSS.
22:53ROB TEASDALE: JUST KEEP A LITTLE EXTRA FOLLOWING DISTANCE.
22:57DR. OHNEISER: HOW FAR DO YOU WANT, 50 METERS, 100?
22:58ROB TEASDALE: UH, MAYBE 50 METERS.
23:00WE'RE JUST GONNA BE GOING A LITTLE BIT SLOWER
23:01THROUGH HERE, AND IF WE STOP, YOU SHOULD TOO.
23:06TOM ARNOLD: WE'RE JUST GONNA GET ALL OUR GEAR PREPARED
23:07FOR A CREVASSE RESCUE.
23:09ROB TEASDALE: PROCEED WITH CAUTION, FINGERS CROSSED.
23:13NARRATOR: CROSSING THE SHEAR ZONE SHOULD TAKE A FEW HOURS.
23:15BUT TOM AND ROB HAVE BEEN PREPARING FOR IT FOR WEEKS.
23:21ROB TEASDALE: SO, THIS IS THE RADAR BOOM FOR OUR PB 100.
23:25WE WILL BE FITTING A GPR UNIT, GROUND PENETRATING RADAR,
23:30AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE ON THE MONITOR WHEN WE'RE
23:33APPROACHING CREVASSES AND THAT'LL ENABLE US
23:38TO NOT DRIVE INTO THEM.
23:41STATE OF THE ART TECHNOLOGY.
23:44REAL KEY PIECE OF THIS WHOLE PROJECT FOR THIS YEAR
23:48AND GOING INTO THE FUTURE AS WELL.
23:50SO, JUST GOTTA GET IT UP AND RUNNING.
23:55NARRATOR: THE BOOM STRETCHES 24 FEET AHEAD,
23:57AND CONNECTS TO A SCREEN THAT SHOWS ICE COMPOSITION
24:00UP TO 49 FEET DEEP.
24:02BENDS IN THE LINES INDICATE EMPTY SPACE UNDER THE SNOW.
24:06TOM ARNOLD: SOME OF THE CREVASSES THROUGH HERE WOULD
24:08LITERALLY SWALLOW THIS WHOLE VEHICLE, AND PROBABLY THE,
24:10UH, TWO TRAILERS BEHIND IT.
24:12UM, SO, IF WE HADN'T LOOKED AT THE RADAR IMAGERY,
24:15AND WE ACTUALLY JUST CARRIED ON, DROPPED INTO A CREVASSE,
24:18IT WOULD PROBABLY BE ALL OVER.
24:22ROB TEASDALE: OKAY TEAM, WE'RE JUST GOING TO HEAD OFF
24:24SLOWLY AIMING FOR ABOUT 12K AN HOUR.
24:28DR. OHNEISER: ROGER FROM H1.
24:32ANDREW: ROGER ON THAT FROM H2.
24:38ROB TEASDALE: WE GOT SOME UM BLACK FLAGS
24:41COMING UP HERE, TOM.
24:42SHOULD BE SEEING SOMETHING FAIRLY SHORTLY I'D SAY.
24:47DR. OHNEISER: IT'S KINDA CREEPY, YA KNOW?
24:49SO, EACH ONE OF THESE WOODEN STAKES HERE REPRESENTS
24:51A KNOWN CREVASSE.
24:53RIGHT NOW, WE'VE GOT ONE FIVE METERS THAT WAY
24:55AND ONE SIX METERS THAT WAY.
24:59LAURINE VAN HAASTREECHT: YEAH, THOSE BLACK FLAGS ARE A LITTLE
25:02BIT FREAKY WHEN YOU SEE THEM RIGHT BY WHERE YOU ARE.
25:06JUST ALONG THE WHOLE ROAD AND THE CREVASSE AREA YOU SEE
25:09BLACK FLAGS EVERYWHERE.
25:11BLACK FLAGS MEAN, WELL, "DEATH" OR DON'T GO THERE SO
25:14THAT'S A BIT NERVE-WRACKING.
25:16DR. OHNEISER: IT IS A BIT SPOOKY, YEAH, WHEN YOU KNOW,
25:18YOU KNOW YOU'RE WALKING THROUGH THE ALLIGATOR PIT.
25:25TOM ARNOLD: YEAH, WE BELIEVE THIS TO BE PROBABLY
25:27THE MOST DANGEROUS AREA.
25:29ROB TEASDALE: HEY GUYS, WE'RE ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH.
25:33UMM, YOU CAN SEE HOW THIS FLAG LINE'S KINDA
25:36NO LONGER STRAIGHT, SORT OF INDICATIVE OF HOW MUCH
25:39THIS ROAD'S MOVING.
25:41DR. OHNEISER: YEAH, ROGER THAT.
25:43THAT'S CRAZY, WOW.
25:48THERE'S SO MANY CREVASSES HERE.
25:52WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANY DEATHS BEFORE WE EVEN
25:54GET THE SCIENCE DONE.
25:56NARRATOR: THE LARGEST CREVASSES EVER MEASURED ON THE
25:59ROSS ICE SHELF ARE ALMOST 350 FEET ACROSS AND
26:02500 FEET DEEP.
26:05AND SINCE THE WHOLE ICE SHELF IS FLOATING,
26:07THE CRACKS IN IT ARE CONSTANTLY MOVING.
26:11ROB TEASDALE: COUPLE MORE BLACK FLAGS COMING UP.
26:13THEY LOOK LIKE REASONABLY NEW BLACK FLAGS.
26:15TOM ARNOLD: THERE'S SOMETHING COMING IN NOW
26:17PRETTY HIGH ACTUALLY.
26:20THE BOOM IS ABOUT 7.5 METERS LONG AND IT GIVES US AROUND
26:23ABOUT 3 TO 6 SECONDS OF STOPPING DISTANCE ONCE
26:26WE SEE SOMETHING COME UP ON THE SCREEN.
26:28BIG, BIG VOID GOING DOWN;
26:30SOMETHING TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT.
26:33STOP THERE, STOP!
26:37DR. OHNEISER: WELL, HE'S ACTUALLY STOPPED NOW.
26:39ROB TEASDALE: WE JUST STOPPED OVER A CRACK.
26:43OBVIOUS VOID UNDERNEATH.
26:57TOM ARNOLD: DEEP VOID UNDERNEATH,
26:58BUT THE SURFACE IS PRETTY BRIDGED RIGHT ACROSS.
27:02STOP THERE, STOP!
27:04DR. OHNEISER: WELL, HE'S ACTUALLY STOPPED NOW.
27:06NARRATOR: THE ROSS ICE SHELF TEAM IS IN THE SHEAR ZONE,
27:09AN AREA LITTERED WITH DEADLY CRACKS IN THE ICE,
27:12AND THE LEAD VEHICLE IS RIGHT ON TOP OF ONE.
27:16TOM ARNOLD: WE JUST STOPPED OVER A CRACK.
27:18OBVIOUS VOID UNDERNEATH.
27:21THREE, FOUR METERS STRETCH.
27:26BRIDGES BASICALLY HIDING THE CREVASSES,
27:29SO THEY'VE GIVEN YOU A FALSE IDEA OF WHAT'S BENEATH THERE.
27:32SO, DRIVING ALONG YOU CAN'T ACTUALLY SEE THAT THERE'S
27:35A CREVASSE DOWN THERE.
27:36[GRUNTS].
27:38ROB, I'LL RUN IT ROUND YOUR SIDE AND THEN YOU CAN
27:40CLIP ON AS WELL.
27:41JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE GOT EVERYTHING WE NEED.
27:43HARNESSES ARE FITTING CORRECTLY,
27:44ALL THE BUCKLES AND LOOPS ARE DONE UP AS THEY SHOULD BE.
27:48UH, WE'VE WELL AND TRULY OPENED THIS UP.
28:00THAT'S ALL THAT SNOW BRIDGE THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
28:04YOU CAN'T QUITE SEE THE BOTTOM BUT IT GOES DOWN
28:08AT LEAST 30 METERS.
28:09SO YEAH, I'M JUST GOING TO PROBE THIS SIDE HERE, ROB,
28:12AND SEE HOW THAT LOOKS FOR A SLIGHTLY BETTER CROSSING.
28:15ROB TEASDALE: YUP.
28:20TOM ARNOLD: VOIDED, I'VE GOT THROUGH THERE.
28:26LOOKS GOOD.
28:32YEAH, SO THE CRACK IS STILL HERE BUT IT'S ONLY MAYBE,
28:3415 OR SO CENTIMETERS WIDE.
28:36SO, IT IS OBVIOUSLY NARROWING AS WE GO.
28:43YEAH, THAT'S LOOKING REAL GOOD.
28:44FROM HERE, THROUGH HERE WOULD BE SWEET.
28:55WE'LL BE ABLE TO BRING THEM THROUGH THIS WAY.
28:57ROB TEASDALE: LET'S JUST WATCH THEM COME ACROSS AND
28:59GET THEM TO PARK UP BEFORE THIS NEXT POST HERE.
29:02TOM ARNOLD: YEAH.
29:03ROB TEASDALE: AND ONCE THEY STOP, THEN WE'LL GO.
29:09ALRIGHT GUYS, WE'RE JUST GOING TO HEAD OFF SLOWLY.
29:12YOU CAN SEE THE TWO LINES THAT TOM MADE OVER
29:17BY THE FLAGS OVER THERE.
29:19THAT'S GOING TO BE WHERE YOU GUYS ARE GONNA CROSS.
29:22DR. OHNEISER: ROGER, THANK YOU.
29:32IT IS ACTUALLY QUITE SCARY DOING THIS.
29:34I'M VERY NERVOUS DRIVING,
29:36YOU CAN FALL DOWN INTO A DEEP HOLE,
29:37AND YOU PROBABLY WILL DIE.
29:39IT HAPPENS, IT'S HAPPENED BEFORE IN ANTARCTICA.
29:41BUT WE CAN'T TURN BACK,
29:43AND WE'VE SPENT SO MUCH TIME PLANNING.
29:45YOU JUST HAVE TO GET THROUGH THAT.
29:47I MEAN THAT'S WHAT TOM AND ROB ARE THERE FOR.
29:49TOM ARNOLD: YOU'RE GOING TO COME IN A LITTLE
29:51BIT RIGHT NOW, ROB.
29:52ROB TEASDALE: BRING IT OVER TOWARDS ME A LITTLE BIT, PLEASE.
29:58AND STOP.
30:08TOM ARNOLD: CLEAR!
30:10WOO!
30:11ROB TEASDALE: WE'RE ALIVE!
30:13TOM ARNOLD: WELL DONE.
30:14ROB TEASDALE: WE SHOULD BE GOOD TO GO.
30:16TOM ARNOLD: LET'S GET SOME KILOMETERS UNDER THE BELT.
30:20NARRATOR: THE TEAM IS SAFELY ACROSS.
30:23BUT NOW, SCOTT BASE COMMS IS MONITORING A STORM
30:26HEADING UP FROM THE SOUTH POLE.
30:30MAJOR MCCOLL: H4 THIS IS SCOTT BASE.
30:35TOM ARNOLD: SCOTT BASE, SCOTT BASE, P-B ZERO ONE.
30:39MAJOR MCCOLL: THE WEATHER IS THE DETERMINING FACTOR HERE
30:42SHOWING AT THE MOMENT 40 KNOTS OF WIND POSSIBLY
30:46GUSTING TO UP TO 55 KNOTS.
30:48BAD CONDITIONS THEIR VISIBILITY WILL DROP.
30:50SNOW GONNA PASS THROUGH THE AREA.
30:54QUITE HEAVY SNOW.
30:56TOM ARNOLD: ROGER.
30:57DEFINITELY A RELIEF TO GET THROUGH THE SHEAR ZONE.
31:00BUT WHERE WE'RE DRIVING TO IS PRETTY MUCH DIRECTLY SOUTH
31:02WHICH IS WHERE THE STORM SYSTEM'S GONNA COME IN FROM.
31:05I GUESS YOU'RE ALWAYS HOPING IT'S NOT GOING TO BE
31:07AS BAD AS IT'S FORECASTED.
31:08IT MIGHT BLOW OUT, AND WE'LL HAVE FINE, GOOD,
31:10REASONABLY GOOD WEATHER.
31:12BUT, YEARS' WORTH OF PLANNING GONE INTO THESE EVENTS,
31:14SO GETTING MOVING AND SEEING HOW IT GOES IS
31:18KIND OF PART OF, PART OF HOW IT HAS TO
31:20WORK DOWN IN ANTARCTICA.
31:21DR. OHNEISER: ROB AND TOM HAVE GUIDED US THROUGH.
31:24NOW WE ADVANCE ONWARD INTO NOTHING.
31:26WOW, IT'S CRAZY.
31:30IT'S JUST ICE SHELF AND HORIZON NOW.
31:44DANNY UHLMANN: YEAH, I'M READY MAN.
31:46MICHAL: 3 DEGREES TO THE LEFT OF THIS LITTLE CLOUD.
31:49DANNY UHLMANN: OKAY, I'M GOING.
31:52I THINK WE HAVE TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE MINIMAL
31:55WITH THE STOPPING, OR ELSE WE'RE GONNA GET IN TROUBLE.
31:57DR. HILL: START DIGGING!
31:59NARRATOR: THE MT. EREBUS TEAM BURIES INSTRUMENTS ON
32:01A NORTH-SOUTH AND EAST-WEST AXIS TO MEASURE
32:05THE NATURALLY OCCURRING ELECTRIC AND MAGNETIC FIELDS
32:08THAT ARE CONSTANTLY PASSING THROUGH EARTH'S SURFACE.
32:15DANNY UHLMANN: AM I GOING IN A STRAIGHT LINE?
32:18THAT'S ALWAYS THE QUESTION.
32:22NARRATOR: THE CURRENTS MOVE THROUGH DIFFERENT LAYERS OF
32:24THE EARTH AT VARYING SPEEDS,
32:26AND A CENTRAL COMPUTER RECORDS THOSE DIFFERENCES.
32:29THEIR GOAL IS TO COLLECT DATA ACROSS 132 DIFFERENT SITES,
32:33AND COMBINE THEM TO CREATE A PICTURE OF THE
32:35VOLCANO'S INNER STRUCTURE AND MAGMA FLOW.
32:38DR. HILL: THIS LITTLE BOX IS THE BRAINS OF THE
32:40OPERATION OUT HERE AND IS BASICALLY A REALLY,
32:44REALLY FANCY DATA COLLECTOR.
32:48NARRATOR: AND ALL OF IT HAS TO HAPPEN BEFORE
32:49THE CHOPPER COMES BACK FOR THEM.
32:52DR. HILL: IT TAKES US ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF
32:53TO PUT ONE INTO THE GROUND.
32:55OR IF IT'S A SITE WHERE IT'S NOT SNOW THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO
33:00DIG, IT'S GLACIAL ICE; IT CAN TAKE SIX, SEVEN HOURS.
33:06SO, YOU HAVE TO REALIZE THINGS ARE GOING TO TAKE LONGER
33:10THAN THEY WOULD PRETTY MUCH ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.
33:14GOT ABOUT AN HOUR OF SLEEP IN THE LAST 36 HOURS,
33:16BUT THAT'S A GOOD HOLE.
33:20[DIGGING].
33:32DR. FRIEDLAENDER: SO NICK, LET'S JUST HAVE YOU RIGHT IN
33:34THAT SPOT THERE IS GOOD.
33:35NICK: YEAH, I FEEL GOOD UP HERE.
33:37DR. FRIEDLAENDER: AND THEN WE'LL TRY AND DO IT OFF OF
33:38WHICHEVER SIDE, UH, THE ANIMAL GIVES US.
33:41NARRATOR: ARI IS IN A SMALL INFLATABLE BOAT,
33:44LOOKING FOR A 66,000-POUND HUMPBACK WHALE.
33:47DR. FRIEDLAENDER: THE FREQUENCY IS 151.333.
33:51NARRATOR: AND HE HAS TO GET CLOSE ENOUGH TO ATTACH A
33:53SUCTION MOUNT TO IT WITH A 23-FOOT METAL POLE.
33:57DR. FRIEDLAENDER: WE'RE IN WILHELMINA BAY, UH, ONE OF
33:59THE LOCATIONS THAT WE'VE WORKED IN FOR A LONG TIME,
34:02AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND DEPLOY ONE OF THE VIDEO
34:04RECORDING MULTI-SENSOR TAGS ON A HUMPBACK.
34:07SO LET'S SEE IF WE CAN SEE IF THAT WHALE IS STILL THERE.
34:14THE WHALES COME THERE BECAUSE THE KRILL IS THERE.
34:16WHEN THEY'RE DONE FEEDING,
34:18THEY'LL BASICALLY TAKE A NAP AT THE SURFACE.
34:21ESSENTIALLY LOOK LIKE A LOG.
34:23FOR US, IT'S A GREAT PLACE BECAUSE THE WHALES BEHAVE IN A
34:26WAY THAT ALLOWS US TO APPROACH THEM TO PUT OUR TAGS ON.
34:32I THINK I SEE SOMETHING OVER THERE.
34:34THERE WE GO, RIGHT OUT IN FRONT OF US.
34:37OFF OUR BOW.
34:41IF THAT GUY LOOKS LIKE HE STOPS AND LOGS FOR A WHILE,
34:44WE'LL, UH, GO UP AND APPROACH HIM.
34:47FIRST APPROACH, ALWAYS THE BEST.
34:49I'M GOING TO COME EITHER FROM FIVE OR SEVEN O'CLOCK
34:51AND JUST TRY AND GET THE TAG ON AS HIGH UP AS POSSIBLE.
34:54IS THAT COOL?
34:55NICK: YUP.
34:56DR. FRIEDLAENDER: ALL RIGHT.
34:57AND JUST STAY, WHICHEVER WAY WE'RE GOING,
34:59JUST KIND OF STAY ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE.
35:01IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ZODIAC.
35:10WE'RE BASICALLY PREPPED UP.
35:12WE'RE GONNA GO SNEAK UP ON THIS GUY.
35:13GO REAL SLOW.
35:15THE KEY IS TO NOT WAKE THEM UP AS WE APPROACH
35:17AND NOT HAVE THEM RESPOND TO US.
35:19SO, IF WE CAN GET UP TO IT BY THE TIME IT'S STILL LOGGING,
35:22WE SHOULD BE GOOD.
35:24YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE FULL EXTENSION FOR THIS GUY.
35:26NICK: YEP.
35:33DR. FRIEDLAENDER: WHEN WE'RE APPROACHING THESE WHALES IT'S
35:35DEFINITELY A HIGH-RISK KINDA SITUATION.
35:39IF ITS FLUKE HIT THE ZODIAC,
35:41IT WOULD FLIP US OVER WITHOUT MUCH TROUBLE.
35:45YOU PROBABLY HAVE FIVE OR SIX MINUTES IN THAT WATER AT THE
35:48MOST BEFORE HYPOTHERMIA WOULD SET IN AND
35:52IT WOULD BE GAME OVER.
35:54[BOAT ENGINE].
35:59(BLEEP), HE'S GONNA HEAR IT.
36:03NOW IT'S GONNA DIVE, (BLEEP).
36:05IF THE WHALE RESPONDS TO WHAT YOU'RE DOING,
36:07ITS GENERAL RESPONSE IS GOING TO BE TO DIVE.
36:12THERE HE GOES.
36:15SOMETIMES WE LOSE TRACK OF THE WHALE AND WE HAVE
36:18NO WAY OF FINDING IT.
36:20YOU MIGHT SEE A FOOTPRINT IN THE WATER FROM
36:22WHERE IT KINDA KICKED AWAY, UH, BUT IT'S LIKE ONE AND DONE.
36:27THIS SUCKS.
36:38DR. FRIEDLAENDER: I DID SEE A WHALE.
36:39I DON'T SEE A LOGGING WHALE NOW.
36:43I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE ONE WAS THAT WENT DOWN HERE.
36:50NARRATOR: ARI AND HIS TEAM WERE CLOSE TO DEPLOYING
36:52A SUCTION TAG, BUT THE WHALE THEY WERE
36:54CHASING WENT UNDERWATER.
36:56DR. FRIEDLAENDER: IS THAT A LOGGING WHALE OUT THERE?
36:58CAN'T TELL.
37:01NO, IT'S NOT.
37:02THESE ANIMALS MOVE OVER BIG DISTANCES VERY QUICKLY.
37:06THEY'RE A REAL PAIN TO WORK WITH BECAUSE THEY'RE
37:07DIFFICULT TO FIND.
37:10DO YOU GUYS WANT TO GET THE DRONE IN THE AIR?
37:12DR. BEJDER: THIS WOULDN'T BE A BAD SPOT.
37:14DR. FRIEDLAENDER: YEAH.
37:15NARRATOR: ARI'S UAV SPECIALIST, LARS,
37:17PILOTS A DRONE THAT CAN GIVE THEM A BIRD'S EYE VIEW TO HELP
37:20FIND A WHALE, AND GIVE THEM MORE INFORMATION
37:23ABOUT IT WHEN THEY DO.
37:25DR. BEJDER: WE CAN USE THIS FOOTAGE TO LOOK AT
37:27BODY SIZE OF THESE WHALES.
37:30TYPICALLY, WE USUALLY FLY THEM IN WARMER CLIMATES.
37:34THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE BEEN IN ANTARCTICA FLYING IN
37:37THESE COLDER CONDITIONS.
37:46IS THE MOTOR WORKING ALRIGHT?
37:48FRED: YEAH, IT SEEMS TO BE FINE.
37:50DR. BEJDER: GOOD.
37:51HOW'S YOUR FEED AT THIS DISTANCE?
37:53FRED: IT'S GOOD.
37:59DR. BEJDER: WHAT'S THAT?
38:01FRED: THERE IT IS.
38:03[WHALE NOISE].
38:05DR. BEJDER: OH NICE, YEAH, THAT'S GOOD.
38:09DR. FRIEDLAENDER: OH, HE'S GOT A BUDDY,
38:10THAT'S WHY HE'S KIND OF FIRED UP!
38:13DR. BEJDER: WE'LL TAKE ONE OF OUR VESSELS WITHIN
38:14THE FRAME WITH THE WHALE.
38:16THAT ALLOWS US TO SCALE THE SIZE OF THE WHALE TO THE BOAT
38:20AND THAT WILL ALLOW US TO GET US TO GET AS DIRECT
38:22MEASUREMENTS OF HOW BIG THE WHALE IS.
38:25[DRONE BUZZ].
38:26NICELY DONE.
38:30DR. FRIEDLAENDER: SWEET.
38:32SO NICK, IT'LL BE NO DIFFERENT IF THE ANIMAL
38:34IS NOT, UM, LOGGING.
38:37NICK: OKAY.
38:38DR. FRIEDLAENDER: ALRIGHT, WE'LL APPROACH AS SLOW AS WE
38:40CAN AND STILL BE MAKING UP SPEED ON IT.
38:41NICK: SURE.
38:43[WHALE NOISE].
38:46DR. FRIEDLAENDER: WHEN WE'RE APPROACHING A WHALE,
38:48HUMAN SAFETY IS THE FIRST CONCERN.
38:51THE THING YOU DON'T WANT TO DO WHEN YOU'RE
38:53APPROACHING THESE ANIMALS IS STARTLE IT.
38:56ANYWHERE YOU CAN PUT IT KIND OF IN THE TERRITORY.
38:58NICK: ARE YOU GONNA?
38:59DR. FRIEDLAENDER: I'M GONNA SWING AROUND, DON'T WORRY.
39:01IT'S GONNA BE ON OUR PORT SIDE.
39:02NICK: OKAY, SO WE'LL STILL GOING PORT.
39:03DR. FRIEDLAENDER: IF SOMEONE ELSE WANTS TO TAKE THE TILLER,
39:05I'LL TAG.
39:06NICK: OKAY.
39:08DR. FRIEDLAENDER: I GOTCHA.
39:10RADIO: HUGH, GO AHEAD.
39:23♪ ♪
39:33DR. FRIEDLAENDER: NICE, SWEET!
39:36CREW: NICE, DUDE.
39:38DR. FRIEDLAENDER: WE'RE HAPPY,
39:40BUT THE WORK IS DEFINITELY NOT OVER.
39:42THE SUCTION CUP TAGS ARCHIVE ALL THE DATA ON THEM
39:44SO WE HAVE TO RETRIEVE THAT TAG TO GET ANYTHING BACK.
39:50[WHALE NOISE].
39:52OH, LOOK, SWEET.
39:53THERE'S THE TAG!
39:55AWESOME.
39:59I THINK THESE ANIMALS HAVE A LOT MORE GOING ON THAN WE
40:01UNDERSTAND OR THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO
40:03BE ABLE TO COMPREHEND.
40:06HOLY (BLEEP), MAN.
40:10[CAMERA CLICKING].
40:16THESE ANIMALS GET AS CURIOUS ABOUT US AS WE DO ABOUT THEM.
40:20IT'S LOOKING AT YOU AND IT'S KIND OF WONDERING WHAT YOU'RE
40:22DOING THERE AND WE'RE ASKING THE SAME KIND OF QUESTIONS.
40:26LARS, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
40:28THIS IS THE FIRST-EVER FLIGHT IN THE ANTARCTIC, RIGHT?
40:30FOR THIS EQUIPMENT?
40:31DR. BEJDER: YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
40:33DR. FRIEDLAENDER: COULDN'T ASK FOR MORE EXCEPT FOR LARS TO
40:35BUY US A COUPLE OF DRINKS.
40:36DR. BEJDER: ONE BIG ONE.
40:38[TEAM LAUGHS].
40:50DR. HILL: OUT HERE, EVERY MINUTE COUNTS.
40:52WE'VE GOT TO REALLY BE EFFICIENT TO GET THE JOB DONE.
40:57NARRATOR: THE MT. EREBUS TEAM HAS INSTALLED
40:583 OUT OF THEIR 4 SENSORS,
41:00AND RUN WIRING BACK TO THE MAIN COMPUTER.
41:04DR. HILL: THIS WIND DIRECTION HAS DEFINITELY CHANGED.
41:06AND THAT CLOUD IS NOT GOOD, AT ALL.
41:13CAUSE THAT'S COMING UP OFF THE OPEN WATER ON THE OTHER SIDE.
41:17NARRATOR: BUT THE SAME STORM THAT'S BEEN THREATENING
41:19THE ROSS ICE SHELF TEAM IS INCREASING THE
41:22WINDS AT HIGH ALTITUDE.
41:23DR. HILL: HEY, DANNY, HAVE YOU NOTICED THE CHANGE IN WEATHER?
41:28THAT CLOUD COULD LEAD TO A CAMPING TRIP.
41:34IF THE WEATHER DESCENDS ON US WHEN THE HELICOPTER'S
41:36NOT AROUND, YOU HAVE YOUR SURVIVAL BAGS,
41:39WHICH HAVE TENTS AND SLEEPING BAGS,
41:42IN CASE YOU DON'T GET HOME THAT NIGHT.
41:45BUT YOU DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN.
41:47SCOTT BASE FROM GRAHAM.
41:49RADIO: GO AHEAD.
41:51DR. HILL: YEAH, IF YOU COULD GET HOLD OF SEAN,
41:53CAN YOU TELL HIM TO RUSH OUT TO GET US RIGHT NOW?
41:55RADIO: ROGER THAT.
41:59DR. HILL: AH, HOW YOU DOING, MICHAL?
42:04HEFF: HOW MANY MINUTES DO YOU THINK YOU'LL BE
42:05UNTIL YOU'RE DONE, GRAHAM.
42:07DR. HILL: UH, WE PROBABLY GOT ANOTHER SIX OR SEVEN MINUTES.
42:14THERE WE GO.
42:15IT'S WORKING NOW.
42:19HELICOPTER'S GETTING CLOSE.
42:22[HELICOPTER ROTORS].
42:25HEFF: ALRIGHT, WE ALL GOOD?
42:27DR. HILL: WE'RE GOOD.
42:29HEFF: OH YEAH!
42:47TOM ARNOLD: WE'LL JUST PULL 'ROUND TO THE RIGHT
42:49A COUPLE HUNDRED METERS AND, UH, SET UP.
42:52ROB TEASDALE: YEAH.
42:55I'LL PULL UP HERE GUYS, AND YOU CAN COME IN NICE
42:58AND CLOSE BEHIND US.
43:00DR. OHNEISER: ROGER!
43:03NARRATOR: THE ROSS ICE SHELF TEAM IS NOW 40 MILES
43:05SOUTH OF SCOTT BASE.
43:07AFTER A LONG DAY OF DRIVING,
43:09THEY HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO STOP AND REST.
43:12BUT SINCE THEY'RE THE FURTHEST TEAM SOUTH,
43:15THE WORST OF THE STORM COULD BE JUST A FEW HOURS AWAY.
43:18TOM ARNOLD: ALRIGHT, SO THIS IS GOING TO BE OUR
43:20HOME FOR THE NIGHT.
43:22SO, WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS ESTABLISH A CAMP.
43:25SO, LET'S SAY THIS IS OUR AREA HERE,
43:29PREVAILING WIND'S GONNA COME IN FROM HERE.
43:31I LIKE TO HAVE MY CAMP KIND OF IN A NICE, NEAT LINE, GOING.
43:35THAT MAKES SENSE?
43:39DR. OHNEISER: WE JUST WANT TO GET EVERYTHING UP AND GET
43:44INSIDE, AND GET OUT OF THE WIND, 'CAUSE IT'S COLD.
43:50DEFINITELY FEELS COLDER THAN AT SCOTT BASE.
43:52SCOTT BASE IS GONNA FEEL TROPICAL COMPARED
43:54TO THIS OUT HERE.
44:00NARRATOR: ONCE THE STORM HITS,
44:02THESE SCOTT POLAR TENTS WILL BE THEIR ONLY PROTECTION.
44:05DR. OHNEISER: HOME SWEET HOME!
44:08NARRATOR: THEY'RE NAMED AFTER ONE OF THE FIRST MEN
44:10EVER TO EXPLORE ANTARCTICA,
44:13ROBERT FALCON SCOTT.
44:16THE DESIGN HASN'T CHANGED MUCH SINCE HE USED THEM,
44:20AND HE WAS IN ONE JUST LIKE IT RIGHT HERE ON
44:22THE ROSS ICE SHELF.
44:25ACCORDING TO HIS FINAL MESSAGE: "HAD WE LIVED,"
44:29HE SAID, "I SHOULD HAVE HAD A TALE TO TELL OF THE
44:32HARDIHOOD, ENDURANCE AND COURAGE OF MY COMPANIONS,
44:37WHICH WOULD HAVE STIRRED THE HEART OF EVERY ENGLISHMAN."
44:40THAT MESSAGE WAS DISCOVERED AFTER HE
44:43AND THOSE COMPANIONS FROZE TO DEATH.
44:52DR. OHNEISER: IT'S SUDDENLY QUITE A BIT COLDER.
45:06♪ ♪
45:15DANNY UHLMANN: MT. EREBUS IS WEARING A NICE
45:17HIGH WIND-SPEED HAT, LOOKS LIKE A LITTLE NUCLEAR BOMB.
45:21DR. HILL: YUP, IT WAS ONE OF THOSE DAYS WHERE
45:24BAD WEATHER COMES IN OUT OF NOWHERE.
45:26AND, HALF HOUR LATER, GOTTEN REAL FLAT AND REAL DARK.
45:30AND TURN AROUND AND COME HOME.
45:34I THINK IT LOOKS WORSE NOW THAN IT DID WHEN WE
45:36WERE IN THE HELICOPTER.
45:38HERE'S THE OTHER TECHNICAL BAG.
45:40THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS THAT EVERYBODY'S SAFE AND
45:43EVERYBODY COMES HOME.
45:45IF THE HELICOPTER LEFT US, I'M PRETTY SURE WE WOULD
45:47HAVE BEEN USING OUR, UH, OUR SURVIVAL BAGS.
45:54TOMORROW, WE TRY AGAIN.
45:55AND HOPE FOR A BIT MORE SUNSHINE.
46:11♪ ♪
46:14MAJOR MCCOLL: I SEE THE WEATHER IS CHANGING.
46:19THIS IS DUE TO A, UM, A LOW-PRESSURE AREA STARTING IN
46:22THE ROSS SEA, AND IT'S DRAGGING SOME COLD AIR UP
46:24FROM THE SOUTH POLE.
46:26WITH THE LOW CLOUD COMING THROUGH INTO THE OPEN POSITION
46:29THERE'S A LOT MORE ENERGY IN THE WIND.
46:32THIS IS OUR BEST PROTECTION FOR OUT ON THE ROSS ICE SHELF.
46:36AND THEY'RE DRIVING STRAIGHT INTO IT.
46:51DR. OHNEISER: THE MAIN THING IS YOU JUST
46:53HAVE TO BE PATIENT.
46:55YOU CAN'T GUARANTEE THE WEATHER,
46:57BECAUSE IT'S NOT YOU THAT MAKES THE DECISIONS HERE,
47:00IT'S ANTARCTICA.