Everything Antarctica

This is the second episode we’ve done on recreation, with this one focussing on outdoor recreation as opposed to last week’s episode on indoor recreation. Outdoor recreation is tied very closely to the weather conditions on the day, and as a result is more difficult to plan than an indoor activity. Some of the key activities include hiking, walking, biking, cross country and downhill skiing, spotting wildlife, trips to historic huts, hagglund adventures to interesting sights, visits to nearby research stations, photography and much more. Listen in this week to discover how we keep ourselves entertained. We hope you enjoy the episode!

In this weeks episode of the Everything Antarctica Podcast, Matty and Jonny talk about some of the indoor recreational opportunities that exist for people living and working in Antarctica. Most people have recreational activities that they enjoy doing, but sometimes the weather means that these activities are restricted to inside. Fitness is covered with items like a gym and a climbing wall, and our brains are covered with things like reading and board games with friends. People often think that there isn’t much to do inside, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Given that people spend extended time away from family and friends, it’s important to have activities for them to do to keep them in a good mindset. We also talk about some of the events that are organised by the community like mini golf and other make shift fun times like escape rooms. Activities vary between summer and winter, but there is no shortage of fun.

Following on from our episode on Antarctic clothing, in this weeks episode, we talk about the. Survival training that we do when we get to the ice. This allows us to take those clothing layers and experiment with them in a safe environment, with professionals supervising. It’s not that easy to just turn up in Antarctica, and instantly expect to know how to cope with the extreme weather conditions. Understanding this, everyone who deploys to Antarctica undergoes a level of training to understand how to survive in the world’s least hospitable environment. Beyond clothing, we also talk about signing out, carrying a survival bag, spare clothes, a radio, and anything else we might need to stay safe. We also touch on the overnight camping adventure we get to go on, and how we go about sleeping in tents and how we stay warm during the night!

This week, we answer a few listener questions that have come through from Social Media! We appreciate the engagement as it gives us some fresh ideas for things to make episodes about!

The most common question I get asked is "How did you get your job in Antarctica?" This is a question that deserves a full episode, so we cover this question only at a very high level. We will do a more in-depth episode about how to get a job in Antarctica shortly!

Next, Jonny answers the question "How do you produce power in Antarctica?" Being an electrician who has an intimate knowledge about the subject, he discusses all things required to keep the lights on.

We also touch on how much we interact with other research stations from different countries.

One of the most common questions is "How do you cope with being away from family and friends for so long?" so Jonny and Matty discuss some of the strategies for dealing with isolation away from loved ones. This leads to a discussion about communications and how we stay in touch with loved ones.

We hope you enjoy the episode and like the format for these. There are countless questions we could answer so if you've got one, please let us know what it is so we can answer it!

On this weeks episode, Matty and Jonny talk about cold weather clothing. Some of the most common questions we get are “How do you keep yourself warm in such cold temperatures?” Generally the answer is a really good layering system and good clothes. We go into detail about what we would wear and how we would keep warm at different times of the year in different temps. Keeping warm is different for everyone, with individuals wearing different types of clothing- what works for someone, won’t necessarily work for someone else.

In this episode, Matty and Jonny discuss photography in Antarctica. This week we delve into what it takes to capture images in the cold and unforgiving climate of the great southern continent. We discuss some of the gear we use, what we like to shoot and some of the things which make it more complicated than just going outside to take a photo in other parts of the world. We both also created a system that allows us to take multi day Timelapse’s and we discuss that during this episode. There will be something to learn for everyone, especially if you are heading to Antarctica!

In this episode, Matty and Jonny discuss the seasons in Antarctica. Being in the southern hemisphere, the seasons are opposite to what those in the northern hemisphere are used to. We start with a discussion about what the physical environment is like at the start of summer. We follow this through the the autumn / fall transition period in February, March and April before discussing what it’s like in winter. We then discuss the second transition period in August, September and October before we’re back that the start of summer again.

Welcome to the trailer of the Everything Antarctica Podcast.

The "Everything Antarctica" podcast was born out of an idea to share as many stories about Antarctica as possible.

There is currently no good forum for people to share their Antarctic experiences with others, and we think they all have an incredible story to tell.

During the heroic age of exploration, many explorers wrote journals or kept diaries of their adventures, but the art of recording one's experiences is slowly disappearing. The goal of the podcast is to share and record as many stories as possible while the opportunity still exists.

The idea came about when two experienced Antarcticans and good mates realised that talking to people about Antarctica is important. We sit around talking about Antarctica anyway, so why not bring others into the conversation and share some stories? We thought others would enjoy the insights into a part of the world that, so few people get to experience.

The podcast's hosts Matty Jordan and Jonny Harrison, have a combined experience of three Antarctic winters, 13 trips to Antarctica and over 1,200 days "on ice." Our photos and stories have been shared in international news outlets and media in more than 20 countries, and we've been featured in every major news outlet in New Zealand.

We've spoken to tens of thousands of Antarcticans and have heard so many stories that we think other should hear as well.

The podcast is broken down into several different episode styles. Some episodes are just us talking about our own experiences, while others will include special guests who will discuss their area(s) of expertise. No matter the episode type, the Everything Antarctica podcast will educate and inspire everyone who listens.

We hope you will leave every episode with more knowledge, inspiration, and ultimately a desire to protect this precious part of our planet. Antarctica holds a lot of information about Earth's past and future, so please join us as we share information about the planet's least understood continent.

The podcast is open to all guests. If you've been to Antarctica and you have a story to share, please reach out to us and we will try to organise a time for you to come on the show and talk to us!

We really hope you enjoy it!

Matty and Jonny

In this episode, Matty and Jonny discuss Antarctica, starting from the very start.

What is it?

Where is it?

What's its history?

How big is it?

How cold is it?

What's there?

What type of animals live there?

This episode is meant to be an introduction to the topic, assuming that listeners have no idea about Antarctica at all. It's a very brief introduction to the continent at the bottom of the planet. Hopefully, you learn something from this episode, as it forms the foundation of things to come in future episodes.

In this first full-length episode, you'll get to know about the hosts of the Everything Antarctica Podcast.

Matty Jordan is a project manager with extensive experience in the design, management, and delivery of highly complex and logistically challenging projects in Antarctica. He visited Antarctica for the first time over a decade ago and has now had 8 trips to the frozen continent. Since 2017, he has worked full-time for New Zealand’s Antarctic program. A veteran of eight Antarctic expeditions and over 400 days on ice, he has been dubbed by the media as “Antarctica’s biggest influencer.” His TikTok, Instagram and YouTube videos have been watched over half a billion times.

He is a Board Director for the US based Antarctican Society, a past Co-Chair of the Canterbury Branch of the New Zealand Antarctic Society, and is actively involved with the local and international Antarctic Community. Originally from Perth, Western Australia, he now lives in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Jonny Harrison first made it to the ice for the 2016/17 season as summer electrician at Scott Base. Building on his passion for photography, Jonny continued to sharpen his skills through his time on the ice. He was appointed to the Winter Leader role for both the 2018 and 2019 seasons which saw him leading a small team in one of the most challenging environments on the planet.

From taking photos in the depths of winter at temperatures as low as -70c, through to the warmth of summer, Jonny has braved the elements to see so much of what there is to see on the ice.

Having spent over 800 days in Antarctica, Jonny knows exactly what it takes to live and work down south. The tech expert of the duo, Jonny spearheads the audio and video recording and editing for the podcast.

While Jonny is not directly involved with an Antarctic program these days, his images and videos are still regularly used in traditional media and other articles to showcase the beauty of Antarctica. Now living in Twizel, New Zealand, Jonny regularly commutes to Christchurch for the recording of the podcast.