Eddie Does Ice: The Ledingham's Experience

I had intended to write this report shortly after returning from the trip, but life interfered and it is only now, a month later, that I've found the desire to put pen to paper again. Sorry.

Preparation

Ledingham's Depot is a fuel dump and geographical survey shelter located 150km west of Mawson Station. The site is no longer active, but most years the crew at Mawson make an effort to get out there and check on the facilities (er, "facilities". You'll see.).

Back in the real world 150km isn't that big a deal. Two hours on a highway, sure why not.

It's a little more complicated down here...

Six expeditioners
Two Hagglunds
Five days
700L of Aviation Turbine Kerosene (Hagg food)
Four tubs of supplies (people food)
180L drinking water
Two camp-stoves and 10L of fuel
Two polar pyramid tents
Four tubs of 24 man/meal ration packs for emergency use
Two satellite phones
Various other tools and equipment

Our preparations started in July, and ran through until mid-September. We participated in a first aid refresher, comms refresher (sat phones and HF radio), practiced pitching our tents and organising the five layers of sleeping equipment that we might have to use.

But the biggest trick down here simply staying warm, or staying safe. It's finding a bloody weather window that is suits the work requirement. The Bureau of Meteorology started forecasting for our trip on the 8th of September. It wasn't until the 21st that were able to expect two consecutive days of reasonable weather. I mean, all we're looking for is two days without gale-force winds... Mawson is a bastard.

To reiterate for emphasis, for a period of two weeks we did not have two days in a row with winds averaging less than 70km/hr. This is the usual weather in my home. Blargh.

But it was the worth the wait - Team Met pulled through with typical proficiency and produced five days of glorious weather for our adventures.

For your gratification, here is a list of my own personal equipment that I took for the trip:

Canada goose outer jacket (pockets contain a head torch, hand-held GPS, hand-held VHF radio, spare batteries, sun-glasses, neck gaiter, balaclava, woolen inner gloves)
Beannie
Insulation jumper layer 1
Insulation jumper layer 2
4x pairs of thermals
8x pairs of wool socks (my feet get cold :( and I need dry pairs)
Enormous winter Sorrel boots
Lighter summer Baffin boots
My normal gloves, new gloves, spare gloves, even more gloves (cold hands are the worst)
Carrhart bib'n'brace
Goggles
Camera, GoPro, spare batteries, chargers, polarising filter
Full survival pack (outlined elsewhere)
Personal food
Emergency clothing spares
Spare boot-liners
A book :)
Micro-spikes, ice axe
... I'm sure there are over things I've forgotten. I may amend this list as it becomes necessary.