The weather down at Palmer Station is what you might consider a bit chilly! It is not the brutal cold that the other two American stations on the continent get where temperatures can often drop below zero degrees Fahrenheit, but it is cold enough to require some extra clothing that an Alabama boy would not have in his possession. That is where the Extreme Cold Weather (ECW) gear comes in handy.
When we got to Punta Arenas, Chile, we were brought to our hotels and told that we had appointments to get our ECW clothing the next day. I went to the warehouse and had already told them the sizes of the clothing that I would be needing, so there was a duffle bag waiting for me. This duffle bag had the clothing that I will use for my stay at Palmer Station. I tried everything on, just to make sure that the sizes were correct, and then started to think about extra items that I might need.
Our group is often out in the boats around Palmer Station and so I wanted to make sure that I had clothes which would be appropriate for those times. A rule that we have down here is that no one should be out in a boat in cotton. This is because once cotton gets wet, it stays wet. Wet clothing down here will make you lose heat much faster, and thus make you colder much quicker.
Because of that, I wanted to make sure that I had some extra poly-pro long underwear. This is a thin layer that pulls the moisture away from the body so that the body stays dry. I also wanted to make sure that I had gloves (wool, rubber, and leather) and mittens (gortex and wool) for my hands that would keep them dry as well as warm. I also received a fleece jacket and fleece pants. On top of all of that, I also got some vinyl overalls that I have used in previous seasons while dive-tending and they do a good job at keeping the water out. This year, I also received some Gortex overalls (like a snowmobile suit) that repel water as well as the wind and are a little more comfortable and insulated than the vinyl ones. They also gave me some fleece hats that cover my ears so I keep my head and ears toasty.
Well, the only things left that needed to stay dry as well as warm were my feet. I was issued two different types of boots. I have my Sorels that are heavily insulated (as well as just plain heavy) and are good for hiking around and being in the aquarium building. These are somewhat protective from water, but the seaboots that I was issued are completely waterproof (and steel toed). Those features are a main reason why they are the preferred choice when dive-tending. You only need to drop a SCUBA tank on your toe one time in order to realize that steel toed boots are well worth having.
Since I will also be diving, I wanted to make sure I had everything that I would need for both during the dives as well as before and after when we are in the boat heading out to or returning from dive sites. My hands get cold when I am diving (actually, my hands always seem to be a bit colder than everyone else's) and so I wanted to get an extra few pairs of poly-pro gloves. They are very thin and don't look like they would provide much warmth, but when they are part of several other layers, they are very good at warming as well as wicking away any moisture from the skin and keeping us dry.
I also got a few extra pairs of wool tube socks that I will wear while diving to try and keep my toes nice and happy. We do not go to most of our dive sites fully suited up and ready to dive. We put the last gear (weight belt, BC and tank, mask, fins, and gloves) on once we get to the site and so we must travel to the sites and have the risk of getting cold before we dive (NOT a good thing). In order to stay as warm as possible on the way out to the dive sites (and sometimes on the way back to station from them), we wear mittens and fleece lined hats that keep our ears warm. One problem we have now encountered is that the ideal mittens for these trips are no longer part of the gear that is issued to participants in the program. We had to round up all of the mittens that they had last year in order for everyone to have a pair, but this year we had some stored for us on station and they were waiting for us once we got down here to Palmer.
Ok, that covers trips out in the boat as well as diving, but that doesn't include the lab work. No matter how much I try, I can?t convince Dr. Amsler that I should just be able to dive and be out in the boat (at least not if I want another degree), so I have a whole lot of work that needs to get done on station.
The temperature inside the buildings is most likely just like the one you are experiencing right now reading this, about 70 degrees F, so I usually wear t-shirts and jeans around the lab. However, there is the aquarium building that does not have heaters and is usually open to the outside, so it is pretty chilly in there. This is where all of the feeding bioassays take place, so I will be spending a good amount of time in there once we get some sea stars to feed. Because of this, I also wanted to get some work clothes. They already were going to issue me a flannel shirt, but I wanted another so I now have two flannel shirts (in very nice looking "lumberjack plaid"). I also got a down vest that is very comfortable to wear and warm as well.
I wanted to get some special pants this season as well. The other two seasons, I have usually worn my jeans in the aquarium room and usually spill something on them or just make them grimy. This year, I got a pair of Carhartt work pants as well as some insulated work overalls. I am looking forward to wearing the overalls because they look like they will be nice and warm and make my trips to the aquarium building that much nicer.
The final item that was issued to me, and the one that is probably the most important item of them all is the water bottle! It is very easy to become dehydrated down here and not realize it. That is why the water bottle is so important, so we can constantly replenish our fluids out in the field. Also, it is the one piece of issue gear that I get to keep after the season is over, so it is my souvenir of the ECW gear.
Well, that is about everything that I get issued each time I come down here to Palmer Station. Because of all of the gear I have told you about, I stay very comfortable most of the time. I guess it is about time for me to get back to work. If any of you have questions about anything I said, want to know more, or just have a comment to make, please post your question and it will be answered.