Marc Ankenbauer's ten year quest to swim in every lake in Waterton and Glacier National Parks for charity
Life is filled with moments which you know can’t be lived again. When you know that you’ve been living something special. And, now you are leaving that special moment, never to return. That’s life. It happens. It makes us appreciate how precious and fleeting life is. What is the phrase? “The only constant is change”. Today I’m … [Continue reading]
Looking out the side window of the Twin Otter we finally get a glimpse of the South Pole. There is a sprawl of buildings and supplies that surround the main station. A perfectly straight track from the South Pole Traverse extends from the station into oblivion to where it originated. The pilot puts the plane down like he’s done it a … [Continue reading]
Before 1911 no human had ever been to the South Pole. While it is still pretty rare, I flew there in three hours on a C130. The Amundsen Scott South Pole Station is the only permanent outpost of humanity for about 50,000 square miles. Flat ice, 10,000 feet thick expands away from the station for what is essentially forever. In … [Continue reading]
As we sat in the Twin Otter awaiting our depature to AGO 2 the time seemed to creep along. There seemed to be a hesitation that we normal don’t have. As we heard a loud banging resinate through the plane, we became even more inquisitive. Then the pilot popped his head in and told us that the they had to smack the skis with a 6x6 … [Continue reading]
Thus begins the adventure of the AGO. AGO stands for Automatic Geophysical Observatory. In functional terms they are 8’x16’ insulated boxes in five scientifically significant spots around the Eastern Antarctic Plateau. Think of them as small Antarctic single wide trailers. They have to be the most remote livable … [Continue reading]
As I write this I'm sitting inside the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. In the morning I will be heading out to the first of our deep field AGO camps with my science group. A week ago we left McMurdo Research Station to go to the South Pole. That morning we hopped on another classically huge Antarctica vehicle and drove out to the Sea … [Continue reading]
So, it is 11pm and I’m scheduled to fly to the South Pole on a C130 in the morning. Pretty CRAZY statement, huh? Never saw that one coming. This means though, that I will be leaving McMurdo Research Station. I’ve enjoyed McMurdo a lot. It was overwhelming at first but I’ve settled in and really like its rhythm. I’ve interacted with … [Continue reading]
McMurdo Research Station is on the very tip of Hut Point Peninsula on Ross Island. It’s just off the coast of mainland Antarctica, but it’s attached to it by the Ross Ice Sheet. So, I think if you are attached to a continent by a huge ice field, than you are part of the continent. I’m sure some purists would disagree. But hey, I’m not a … [Continue reading]
Hello all, I left the U.S. on the 18th of October and flew from Missoula to Salt Lake, Los Angeles, Sydney, Christchurch NZ and eventually to McMurdo Research Station on Ross Island off the coast of Antarctica. It is spring in New Zealand, so the mountains were still covered in snow as we flew overhead. Christchurch is the home base of … [Continue reading]
I didn't want to mention it till it was final, but... I've accepted a job in Antarctica this winter. I will be the field coodinator for a research project that travels to the far reaches of the continent. I'll be one of a four person crew that gets dropped off at remote, high altitude camps on the Antarctic … [Continue reading]
Hi my name is Marc Ankenbauer and I jump into freezing cold lakes for charity. I'd like to personally thank you very much for visiting my website, Glacier Explorer. My Story For the last 10+ years I've been attempting to be the first person ever to jump into all of the 168 named lakes in the … [Read More...]
