My Lightish Gear

The Cumbrian

Section Hiker
All of the met men at Halley were electronics engineers. As they said, it was a lot easier to train electronics engineers to take meteorological readings than it was to teach meteorologists electronic engineering.
 

cathyjc

Thru 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 :)

This was 1979 - not sure females got to go then at all ? I was a research scientist - biological
sciences Not that I would have been selected anyhoos- annoying not to even get a chance
 

Heltrekker

Section 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.

Had the same thing, BAS came to our Geology Dept on a recruitment drive, gave an excellent talk, asked anyone interested to come to the front and leave details, but no females. The reason they gave was all the guides were ex-marines and you might have to share a tent if the weather got bad and you got stuck out in the field - really?!. I'm pleased to say that some years later, one of my class mates did eventually get out there after finishing her PhD in Geophysics.
 

RobH

Ultralighter
As an ex-marine who was involved in the recovery of the BAS team in the South Atlantic and an ex Arctic Survival Instructor I can confirm that these situations do arise. Good to see our efforts appreciated @Heltrekker.
 

cathyjc

Thru Hiker
As an ex-marine who was involved in the recovery of the BAS team in the South Atlantic and an ex Arctic Survival Instructor I can confirm that these situations do arise. Good to see our efforts appreciated @Heltrekker.

Yes, but sharing a tent shouldn’t be a problem as undressing in such circumstances won’t happen and I’d expect both parties to “behave”

I understood the problem was to do with providing female loos and showers at base ?
 

Heltrekker

Section Hiker
As an ex-marine who was involved in the recovery of the BAS team in the South Atlantic and an ex Arctic Survival Instructor I can confirm that these situations do arise. Good to see our efforts appreciated @Heltrekker.

I'm sure I would have heartily appreciated being rescued, what peed me off at the time was the blatant insinuation that us voluptuous young girly geology undergrads wouldn't be able to keep our sex starved hands off you studly handsome forces types (who incidentally do a fine job keeping the rock knockers out of trouble, by all accounts). Definitely no danger of guides being molested, as my family will testify having seen the zombie like Homer Simpson state I slip into when confronted by a ripe and juicy granite
 

cathyjc

Thru Hiker
I'm sure I would have heartily appreciated being rescued, what peed me off at the time was the blatant insinuation that us voluptuous young girly geology undergrads wouldn't be able to keep our sex starved hands off you studly handsome forces types (who incidentally do a fine job keeping the rock knockers out of trouble, by all accounts). Definitely no danger of guides being molested, as my family will testify having seen the zombie like Homer Simpson state I slip into when confronted by a ripe and juicy granite
Absolutely
 

Bmblbzzz

Thru Hiker
I enjoyed this video. And I'd second the point about hand washing/sanitising, "This is nothing to do with Covid, this is what we all should have been doing before eating anyway".
 

turkeyphant

Section Hiker
All of the met men at Halley were electronics engineers. As they said, it was a lot easier to train electronics engineers to take meteorological readings than it was to teach meteorologists electronic engineering.
Same situation at Signy in the 60s.

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Backpacking food has come a long way since:

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Bmblbzzz

Thru Hiker
I enjoyed this video. And I'd second the point about hand washing/sanitising, "This is nothing to do with Covid, this is what we all should have been doing before eating anyway".
Though having said that – hand sanitiser might kill 99.9% of bacteria and a similar percentage of viruses, but it does relatively little to get your hands actually clean. As in, remove mud, grease and other dirt. Soap and water is far better at that.
 
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