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Antarctica has been a source of mystery for centuries, with brave explorers traveling from far and wide to take in the wonder.
But one adventurer now transports his followers to the other side of the world every day through videos about his life at the South Pole.
TikToker Matty Jordan (@mattykjordan) shares stories of battling blizzards and meeting penguins after working in Antarctica for over five years.
He currently lives at the Scott Base – named after the first Briton to reach the South Pole wedged on the very tip of Ross Island.
Life here is far from easy, with the continent plunged into complete darkness for half of the year, with powerful snowstorms and even volcanic eruptions.
Matty Jordan (pictured) shares stories of battling blizzards on Antarctica’s Ross Island
He lives on the Scott Base, named after the first Briton to ever reach the South Pole. This base is one of more than 80 stations across the continent operated by more than 30 countries
But Matty remains “humiliated” by his work at the Scott Redevelopment Project, suggesting he wouldn’t have it any other way.
He even met former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern who visited the base to better understand what research is going on there.
“Every time I go to Antarctica I am humbled and reminded why I love my job and why I do what I do,” he said in an Instagram post.
New Zealand’s Scott Base is one of more than 80 stations across Antarctica operated by more than 30 countries.
It is 838 miles (1,350 km) from the South Pole, located next to the active volcano Mount Erebus, and usually hosts about 86 people at a time.
To get here, Matty takes a five to eight hour flight from Christchurch in New Zealand, after which the plane lands on thick ice.
‘The plane lands on an ice rink and then we drive about 45 minutes to get to the station. The station is built on volcanic rock and anchored in permafrost,” he said.
“Scott Base is right next to the ocean, but for much of the year the ocean is frozen and we have sea ice where the ocean is.”
For all its harshness, the -31°F (-35°C) environment continues to amaze Matty as he shares new discoveries with nearly 400,000 followers.
Last Tuesday, Matty Ross filmed Island’s first blizzard of the year, with wind gusts reaching 80 mph (70 knots).
When the temperature drops below -76°F and -94°F, Matty and his team always stay indoors
This Tuesday, Matty filmed Ross Island’s first blizzard of the year, with wind gusts of up to 80 mph
This was marked as a ‘weather condition 1’ – the most extreme classification for Antarctic weather that he had never experienced before.
His team usually operates in “condition 3,” which refers to warmer temperatures, good visibility and little wind.
When the temperature drops below -60°C and -70°C (-76°F and -94°F), they always stick inside.
“Such a strong wind makes the buildings rattle,” he said as he filmed the commotion.
“The windows are completely covered in snow and we will have to dig out some exterior doors once the snow has cleared to make sure the exits are clear.
“The wind makes the most intense noises. Whooshing, screaming, crying.’
Less than three days later, another blizzard hit, bringing more tremors between winds peaking at 71 mph (62 knots).
Both events occurred within a twilight period — a six-month state of darkness for much of Antarctica.
For Scott Base, this is currently a ‘nautical twilight’, meaning the sun is between 6° and 12° below the horizon.
As a result, Ross Island is now pitch dark all day every day in the middle of winter.
While some may find this quite terrifying, Matty actually finds it “therapeutic” to watch from the safety of his base.
The adventurer had never seen snow until he was 19, and the novelty hasn’t worn off yet.
Matty had never seen snow until he was 19 and the novelty hasn’t worn off yet
If it’s -58°F, Matty suggests everyone should wear about five thick layers of clothing
He said, “What surprised me with the two blizzards we’ve had this week is how quickly they come and go. Each lasted less than 24 hours and we went from ambient temperatures of about -30°C to -8°C (-22°F to 17.6°F).
“This usually indicates the arrival of another storm, which is exactly what has been predicted.”
For anyone dreaming of visiting the South Pole, Matty offers plenty of tips that can be the perfect survival guide.
Leaving food and drinks outside is a big no-no, as Matty shows that it can freeze all over before you even take a bite.
Everyone should also wear about three layers of thick clothing if it is -45.4°F (-43°C), or five if it drops below -58°F (-50°C).
This includes a special jacket for extremely cold weather, two layers of gloves, a hat, boots and even goggles.
He wrote: ‘Many people have asked if we have big coats to keep us warm, but the most effective thing you can do to prepare for cold weather is to put on really good layers.
“The thermal base layer is probably the layer you want to get right. We wear merino wool undergarments.’
In another post, he added, “Antarctica is out of this world.”