Antarctica 2022 Report Day #5: Big Wind, Rowdy Zodiac Rides, & Wind Blown Powder

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Report from November 11, 2022

On our fifth ski day in Antarctica, we had ripping winds and cloudy skies.

From the boat, we could see a gully with wind-blown snow in it that looked soft and fun.

We climbed up near the ridgeline, transitioned, and skied down into that windblown snow and it was pretty great.

Guide Brendan Burns ripping down. image: snowbrains

We climbed back up and the wind was increasing…

We were getting blasted pretty good and it was beginning to feel a touch outside my guiding comfort zone.

We skied down in skittery, hard snow on the steeper part, then found soft snow on the lower angle ramp back to the shoreline.

The fun was fun!

The wind was intense and the boat crew was using their Zodiacs to hold off sea ice and an iceberg from closing off our landing site.

It was at the edge of the Zodiac’s operating zone as well…

Zodiacs holding back sea ice and an iceberg. image: snowbrains

My rope team and I went in for lunch and decided not to go back out to the mountain in the afternoon.

It was the right call.

The wind blew as high as 68mph – hurricane force – in the afternoon and the Expedition Leader had to call all groups to come back to the boat immediately.

Andrew McLean drenched after a windy Zodiac ride. image: snowbrains

We enjoyed some downtime and good food on the boat and got some rest.

Unfortunately, the next day was crazy windy as well and we weren’t able to ski as the ocean was wild and beyond the threshold for Zodiac operations.

We were able to get out to Half Moon Island in the South Shetland Islands and check out a Chinstrap Penguin colony though 🙂

The White Party, as per usual, was savage…