If the Australian Antarctic program is anything to go by - it isn't just a question of looking for a "non-specialist" job... If the experience of my dive instructor is anything to go by..
He spent a season in antarctica as the base carpenter and standby diver... so it seems everyone has two roles.. primary and secondary...
That may vary of course at a (relatively) huge concern like the USA's South pole facility!
I'd say google is your friend looking at that option!!!
That would make sense, I've been watching this page and the links for opportunities (it appears Raytheon does the hiring for support services.) I've never seen anything that doesn't really require skills. Not that I don't have skills, but probably nothing that would be of use there. Guess I'll check again when I finish my "specialist" training.
Or have enough cash to take one of those cruises. I'll check out the prices during the low season too, and see if I could get it to work out.
Edit: This page does state they hire bakers, dining attendants, janitors etc.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by camping
The price looks good. Thanks Sam! Has anyone actually tried their service? Do you recommend it?
Yes they are very good, several friends have used them for this trip and other trips that they offer. Not certain about the Lasik analogy seems more akin to a Rolls Royce is a nice way to motor but a Chevrolet will get you there all the same. Just different degrees of comfort.
Yes they are very good, several friends have used them for this trip and other trips that they offer. Not certain about the Lasik analogy seems more akin to a Rolls Royce is a nice way to motor but a Chevrolet will get you there all the same. Just different degrees of comfort.
The GAP Adventures boat was the ill fated MV Explorer.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by birdstrike
The GAP Adventures boat was the ill fated MV Explorer.
The vessel was formerly known as the MS Lindblad Explorer and the MS Society Explorer. The Explorer was the first cruise ship designed specifically to sail the icy waters of the Antarctic Ocean, and the first to sink there when she struck an unidentified submerged object on November 23, 2007, reported to be ice, which caused a 10 by 4 inch (25 × 10 cm) gash in the hull.
So it was the fault of GAP that the ship struck a submerged object? Since it was originally commissioned and operated by the Swedish explorer Lars-Eric Lindblad maybe we should blame him for a design defect. Right......makes about as much sense as describing it as the "ill fated". Oh well
So it was the fault of GAP that the ship struck a submerged object? Since it was originally commissioned and operated by the Swedish explorer Lars-Eric Lindblad maybe we should blame him for a design defect. Right......makes about as much sense as describing it as the "ill fated". Oh well
We'll never know, of course. Lindblad sold the ship and moved on, for reasons of their own.
I'd say that "Ill fated" is a perfect description of any ship that sinks.
Quote:
The Explorer was designed, like most ships, with compartments which could be sealed off by watertight doors; the ship would not sink if holed and one compartment flooded, but was not safe if more compartments were flooded, either by a gash spanning compartments or imperfect sealing between compartments. GAP reported that there was a crack in addition to the hole, but it is not clear if it spanned compartments[32].
In an article published on 8 December 2007 experts consider that the Explorer was "perfect for ice navigation", and consider that the explanation of the sinking "doesn't add up" and that "essential pieces of the story are missing"
I have nothing against GAP. I was aware of the sinking when it happened, but only tied it to GAP when I was researching low cost options on behalf of the OP.
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As for "ill fated" considering she was launched in 1969 seemed to have a rather long career for an "ill fated" vessel. The Titanic might be considered ill fated, in this case maybe just a bit of bad luck?
And considering she lies at a depth of over 3000 feet I doubt those "experts" will ever know what happened here. Only natural that "essential pieces of the story are missing" duh.
I did think though, I'm not a scientist (yet), but they have got to need more menial positions like custodians and such. Have any idea how to get a job like that? Something that doesn't require much experience... I would love be down there for a few months.
On a lark a year or so ago I looked into this very thing. Funny, all those jobs are supplied by Raytheon, a large DOD contractor.
While digging through the government grants website a year or two ago I saw something where the government would send artists down there, 12-13 of them I think. All you had to do was have a couple decent-sized exhibits to qualify and produce something resembling art. Might be an option.
I encourage caution - a onetime prominent lower-cost supplier of Antarctic travel based in Canada struck an unidentified financial object and went down, taking many dollars down with it.
__________________ Lend a hand up with Kiva; far more than a hand out.
Depending on your sense of adventure, one other option is hitching a ride with the Chilean Navy. A quick Google brings up rumors but few details, but I do have a couple of good friends that successfully got a ride for $US50/day for a 30 day trip (this was late 90s). It's more of a bribe than an actual 'ticket'. The photos of him diving off an iceberg are amazing! (He somehow managed to get one of the crew to lend him a dry suit and go scuba diving... great stories!) This site mentions the hitching option: http://freespace.virgin.net/p.hazlett/66deg/travel.html
As for getting there for free via a job, my wife's cousin is now there for his fourth (southern) summer. He started as a trash collector and has moved his way up to toxic clean up crew - no previous waste (or scientific) experience!
yup i just booked the antartica tour with gap and they are super excited about the new m/s explorer ship. they even have a blog while the ship is being outfitted, etc,
for me, the best time to fly / cruise, etc is right after a big disaster. everyone is hyperaware and won't let it happen again. another plus is no single supplement charge.....
another plus is no single supplement charge.....
