Venturing out on his first exploration trip to the unknown and frosty continental terrains of Antarctica was for young Somerset West matriculant James Pringle, an unimaginable and life-changing experience that will forever be embedded in his memory.
The intensity of the build-up to the moment flying to, the icy enigma conjured up a bag of mixed emotions says James, alternating between being overwhelming emotions, followed by a huge sense of relief with the eventual touchdown.
“Stepping out towards the snow was an amazing experience, seeing a vast expanse of nothing but everything all at the same time. To sum it up: it was breathtaking,” James describes this mind-blowing moment of arrival.
He undertook the trip in December last year with the MatricsInAntarctica exploration team under the guidance of explorer, Riaan Manser.
The trip’s itinerary included a range of activities. A highlight for James was very the installation of the solar panels. He elaborates: “The setting up of the solar panels was one of the most enjoyable experiences for me due to the interest I have always held with regards to technology and engineering.”
Besides filling their days in Antarctica with various activities the group’s stay included visits to and sightseeing of the most magnificent Antarctic wonders.
In answer to which visit one of these natural wonders stood out above the rest, he says it was most definitely the unique and spectacular ice caves, and the exhilaration of them on all fours exploring the icy passages and tunnels. “The ice caves were the most gorgeous structures, just waves of blue ice surrounding us as we all crawled through,” he says.
As someone with an avid interest in conservation, the unique conservation measures implemented in this region of the world was another enlightening part of the trip, especially observing the stringent measures in place to preserve the natural, undisturbed state of the region.
Overall, says James, who embarked on the trip with an eagerness to learn more about global conservation efforts and challenges, says the trip has expanded his knowledge on these issues and given him a fresh new perspective.
“The entire experience really opened my eyes towards sustainability and many of the other contestants taught me many behaviours that I could implement in order to live a much more environmentally sustainable life,” he says.
On a personal development front this expedition trip has been metamorphic on so many levels and additionally planted the seed for him to someday return in a position to make a tangible difference.
“It has shown me a completely new side of our world and has opened my eyes even more to the beauty that the nature around us holds. It has also given me a new drive to succeed in my future goals and hopefully make a trip back to Antarctica one day to work with the scientific team there,” he shares more details on the overall impact of the trip.
“It was an amazing experience that was surely once in a lifetime. Many friends were made, and many experiences shared,” he sums up this awesome opportunity to visit Antarctica.
In conclusion he appeals to more people to join in on the fight to conserve the natural world. “I encourage everyone to do their part for this planet so that future generations may very well hope to experience the same thing I did.”
The Journey of James and his fellow explorers aired on Carte Blanche this past Sunday on February 11. Other youth aspiring to follow in James’ footprints can read more about the initiative at www.matricsinantarctica.co.za
