12-05-2025
Wairoa soldier returns from once-in-a-lifetime Antarctica mission
During this season, two ships were unloaded.
'The first ship took us approximately seven days to unload and commence re-loading all the old containers that are required to return to New Zealand and the United States.
'Then Royal New Zealand Navy ship HMNZS Aotearoa was in port to conduct a bulk refuel to the base,' he said.
Driving nine-speed Rd Ranger Cascadia freightliners with 40-foot trailers across gravel roads and snow was all part of the job.
A former student at Wairoa Primary School, St Joseph's Intermediate, and Napier Boys' High School, Jane called the Antarctic deployment a 'once-in-a-lifetime experience'.
'To have the opportunity to experience life on the ice allows people who have never been here, me included, to be exposed to and understand some of life's most outrageous climate conditions and how people down here adapt to live with it as a day-to-day normal occurrence,' he said.
The most challenging part was adjusting to 24 hours of daylight.
'When you wake up in the morning prior to shift, it's daylight. When you are getting ready for bed, it's daylight,' Jane said.
'The body clock gets pretty weird with getting into a routine, but mentally you have to tell yourself that it is time for bed, otherwise you find yourself still wide awake late at night despite knowing that you are up early for a shift the next morning.'
Jane said what stood out most was the dedication of those who work on the ice.
'I admire the commitment of everyone down here to be able to spend months away from family, loved ones, and home to ensure whatever job they are in is accomplished.'
