My Lightish Gear

Fossil Bluff

Thru Hiker
Nice video Seamus is Petra a working dog, SARDA?

I was once a SARDA England handler. I left MR because I moved work as a professional SAR specialist elsewhere. So, I teach Petra air scenting search skills. She has located casualties for me in other roles where I attend in a safety capacity. But on a day to day basis she leaps on rocks and poses while I take photographs of her.

She is very patient with me and a lovely, agile, talented dog... :)

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SteG

Thru Hiker
I was part of lowland sar here on Anglesey for a couple of years, first team in wales, we worked with SARDA on a couple of occasions and I had the pleasure of watching a demo from a man and wife team from Denbigh working their dogs over difficult terrain. One was an air scent dog, the other a trail dog. I was very impressed how they all worked together. Good on you mate
 

Fossil Bluff

Thru Hiker
I was part of lowland sar here on Anglesey for a couple of years, first team in wales, we worked with SARDA on a couple of occasions and I had the pleasure of watching a demo from a man and wife team from Denbigh working their dogs over difficult terrain. One was an air scent dog, the other a trail dog. I was very impressed how they all worked together. Good on you mate

The most beautiful ‘dog’ time of my life was when I was with the British Antarctic Survey. I was in Antarctica from late 91 to 94 - We had the last sledge dogs of Antarctica - when we came out in 1994 they also left - The last ever dogs on the continent, ever. They had to be removed by international treaty.

I took this photo in the Antarctic winter of 1992 while sledging on a climbing trip.

The Admirals
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SteG

Thru Hiker
The most beautiful ‘dog’ time of my life was when I was with the British Antarctic Survey. I was in Antarctica from late 91 to 94 - We had the last sledge dogs of Antarctica - when we came out in 1994 they also left - The last ever dogs on the continent, ever. They had to be removed by international treaty.

I took this photo in the Antarctic winter of 1992 while sledging on a climbing trip.

The Admirals
View attachment 26311
Really interesting, must have been a great experience. Lovely dogs.ps what camera were you using? Rollie?
 

Fossil Bluff

Thru Hiker
Really interesting, must have been a great experience. Lovely dogs.ps what camera were you using? Rollie?

I wish it was a Rollie...

It was an Olympus OM1 - a very popular camera down there at that time. Fully manual and one small battery. Mostly we used Kodachrome 64 slide film but we had two dark rooms on the base, so we would do a lot of B&W. There is actually a scratch on that negative, I can see it crossing my skis - any moist air on the film plate could freeze and then scratch the film as you 'wound on'....

Blimey, I had forgotten all that :D
 

SteG

Thru Hiker
I wish it was a Rollie...

It was an Olympus OM1 - a very popular camera down there at that time. Fully manual and one small battery. Mostly we used Kodachrome 64 slide film but we had two dark rooms on the base, so we would do a lot of B&W. There is actually a scratch on that negative, I can see it crossing my skis - any moist air on the film plate could freeze and then scratch the film as you 'wound on'....

Blimey, I had forgotten all that :D
Yes om1 is a good camera. My mate has one that is still going. Great experience, I would of loved to be a part of that type of adventure/work.
 

Fossil Bluff

Thru Hiker
Yes om1 is a good camera. My mate has one that is still going. Great experience, I would of loved to be a part of that type of adventure/work.

I always wanted the OM4Ti - but then electronic took over and the modern wave of F series Nikon, Canon and Minolta came in... You could knock nails in the floor with and OM1 :D
 

The Cumbrian

Section Hiker
The most beautiful ‘dog’ time of my life was when I was with the British Antarctic Survey. I was in Antarctica from late 91 to 94 - We had the last sledge dogs of Antarctica - when we came out in 1994 they also left - The last ever dogs on the continent, ever. They had to be removed by international treaty.

I took this photo in the Antarctic winter of 1992 while sledging on a climbing trip.

The Admirals
View attachment 26311

Great pic.
I was at Halley for the summer of 94 - 95, and a guy came over from wintering at Rothera to do some work. He'd been a dog handler, and said that he wouldn't fancy overwintering without dogs, as they gave some structure and companionship through the long, dark days.
 

Fossil Bluff

Thru Hiker
Great pic.
I was at Halley for the summer of 94 - 95, and a guy came over from wintering at Rothera to do some work. He'd been a dog handler, and said that he wouldn't fancy overwintering without dogs, as they gave some structure and companionship through the long, dark days.

I know the very man - He was our Genny Mech - looks like Nana Mouskouri on a good day, or Cat Stevens on a bad one :D

Nigel and I ‘lived’ and wintered together. I remember the Halley 5 project starting as H4 was getting crushed by the ice and the other 3 were disappearing off the edge of the Brunt Ice Shelf :D

The summer of 94 was a bad one for Halley - there was a dispute by the winterers ...
 

The Cumbrian

Section Hiker
That's the lad. He turned up with long hair and a beard, and after a few days gave himself a skinhead and a shave. I've never seen such an abrupt transformation
 

Fossil Bluff

Thru Hiker
I considered joining Antarctic survey when I finished Uni. To be told don’t bother “they don’t take females”. An experience I’d have loved.

Some pre-requisites at the time (to be a winterer) were that:

1) You were male
2) Physically fit
3) Under the age of 32 yrs

We had quite a few summer scientists who were female, and at Signy they were trialing 2 x female staff over the winter.

Obviously none of that applies now. How things have changed :)
 

OwenM

Thru Hiker
Thought about it when I came out of the Army, but I was too old at 33.
Went to South Georgia breifly and the Falklands but was a bit to busy to enjoy the place.
 

The Cumbrian

Section Hiker
Some pre-requisites at the time (to be a winterer) were that:

1) You were male
2) Physically fit
3) Under the age of 32 yrs

We had quite a few summer scientists who were female, and at Signy they were trialing 2 x female staff over the winter.

Obviously none of that applies now. How things have changed :)

One of the female winterers from Signy joined us at Halley for the summer. She was an oceanographer, but took over as radio operator because (in her own words) she had a strong technological background.
 

Fossil Bluff

Thru Hiker
One of the female winterers from Signy joined us at Halley for the summer. She was an oceanographer, but took over as radio operator because (in her own words) she had a strong technological background.

I was the Communications Manager at Rothera - myself and the Meteorologist would cover for each other during winter field trips because we had both had an electronics background.
 
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