Terms and Jargon
Bay ice - smooth sea ice formed in the sheltered waters of an antarctic bay.
Bukta - a bay that is used to off load the people and supplies.
Ice shelf - the floating extension of the ice sheets that have formed on land from thousands or millions of years of snowfall
Nunatak - An isolated peak of bedrock that sticks above the surface of an ice sheet. They are the peaks of hills and mountains standing above the ice sheet, which flows around them.
Sastrugi - Irregular ridges of snow on a small scale that lie parallel to the direction of the wind. They form on the leeside of any object that is left outside.
White-out - A weather condition in which the horizon cannot be identified and there are no shadows. The clouds in the sky and the white snow on the ground blend together. White out conditions are potentially dangerous because it is difficult to find a point of reference and it is very easy to walk over a cliff or fall down a crevasse in such conditions.
Wind-chill - A way of describing the temperature that takes into consideration the effect of the wind speed in the temperature reported. Wind makes any temperature feel colder and wind chill factor is a way of expressing how cold the wind might make the temperature feel.
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Crawlies/snow snakes - Blowing snow at ground level that snakes along.
The ice - A common nickname for Antarctica. Being in Antarctica is referred to as being "On The Ice"
The Field - Anywhere not on a base. Scientists in particular like to talk about being "out in the field" - it makes them sound more rugged and heroic.
Geos - geographers
Kaksakkie - a miniature black bag. Used to collect rubbish, contamined snow and ja....
The link – where the main sections of the base join together/the changing room/the Internet connection.
The lolly – the frozen water that has formed at the pipe where the grey water exits from the sewage plant.
Metkassie – the meteorologist
Pampoenskoene – the big orange boots that we wear outside.
Potchkassie – the Cosmic Ray Engineer
Skivvy - menial work of all kinds.
Smelly – the snow smelter.
The smelly line – the pipe that carries the water from the smelter to the base.
Throw smelly – the act of putting snow into the smelter.
Snow bath - you dig a hole in the shape of a bath and then somebody lies in it while you bury them. Usually happens to you on your birthday.
Windpompers - the engineers working on the wind turbine.
The Zombie Army – take-over personal who are hung-over.