Saturday, September 30, 2006
Making Midrats
This past week a Yooper asked if I was interested in helping to make pasties for a midrat meal this Friday night. That sentence needs a little explaining.The Yooper that I'm talking about is David. I can't remember when I exactly met him, but since I found out he's from the UP (Upper Peninsula of Michigan) I've been calling him a Yooper... cause that's what they're called! He calls me Cheesehead, and we're always teasing each other in the halls.
Pasties (pronounced paa-stees) are a meat and vegetable filling in a pie crust which is then folded like a calzone. David (aka Yooper, aka Schieds... a work nickname) was telling me that two of his friends make hundreds of pasties every day for their restaurant in the UP. I've only had them a few times, but that's more than anyone else on station. I guess that makes me the first-choice for pastie-making around here.
The midrat meal is the meal served at midnight for all night workers. There is usually one cook and one dining attendant during Win-Fly midrats. Starting sometime in the next two weeks there will be two cooks and five or six DA's, I think. Last night, Todd the midrat DA was off, so it was a good thing I showed up or the pasties wouldn't have gotten made.
Welcome to Yooper Night!
We mixed up the ground beef, sausage, diced potatoes, carrots, and onions. Here are photos of the Yooper (aka David), the fillings, and me!
Our pasties crust was handmade by Christina the baker.
Mandy and Stacy cooking up a surprise in the kitchen. They weren't involved in the making of the pasties, but I had to snap a photo anyways.
Pasties in the oven!
Quality Control, as Susan called it.
The cooks!
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Housing Fun Day
Our department tries to have a Fun Day once a month or so to keep up morale. Since Win-Fly is coming to an end and chances to get a vehicle or two will be few and far between, we got to go on a little adventure today. There were three different parts to our tour. Our "tour guide" Erik Richards works for NASA and was able to take us to 2 different NASA research centers. And in between visiting both of those centers, we were also given permission to visit Arrival Heights, a research station where both McMurdo and Scott Base have centers.PART I
In one of the vans on the way up the hill.
At Ra-Sat (short for Radar-Satellite), a NASA research site - commonly known as the Golf Ball. The view was amazing!
PART II
At Arrival Heights, an ASPC (Antarctic Specially Protected Area) which you need special permission to visit (unless you work there, of course). In the first photo you can see Bec, the science tech who works there. She is explaining what all the machines behind her study.
Views of the Erebus Ice Tongue (the shiny part on the right). In front of it (through the middle of the photo) are Razorback Island, Inaccessible Island, and tiny Tent Island. This photo was taken at Arrival Heights, a research center near McMurdo Station in Antarctica.
Walking down the snow drift in front of the kiwi research center at Arrival Heights.
A Dobson Spectrophotometer made in 1923 and still used today in the New Zealand research center at Arrival Heights. It measures the thickness of the Ozone Layer. Right now there is a large hole in the ozone over the whole of Antarctica. On average, the ozone layer is 5 mm thick, but over Antarctica it is only an average of 1.5 mm thick!
A sea of red parkas as we group together before we take off from Arrival Heights.
PART III
View of Scott Base, the New Zealand station
Sastrugi near Scott Base
White Island
Black Island - in the distance
Pressure Ridges - click on this link and scroll down to learn what they are
A Guy With Moves
You wouldn't write a blog entry about a guy who didn't have moves, right? My favorite Antarctic website turns 4!! I was lucky enough to be contacted by this guy before I even showed up at McMurdo, and he has been a wonderful friend to have for the last 6 weeks. He gave me my first Erebus Crystal... only found two places in the whole world. Next week Thursday is definitely going to be my saddest day of the week because Phil's leaving and I won't see him until the end of January. Don't worry, Phil... your return date is already marked on my calendar.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
The Fridge at AGE
This is my friend Rhoda, and you can hear Lenny in the background. They have been so incredibly friendly and supportive of me and the two new lead DA's. And apparently they've been really bored because they made this video before shoveling out their drifted door at Air Ground Equipment where they work.Sunday, September 24, 2006
What I've Been Up To
It’s been awhile since I’ve put up a quality post. I thought tonight I would just throw a random entry together about many different goings-on at McMurdo. I’m still luggage-less, and today makes 42 days it’s been missing. Other than that… things are great! I’ve been busy…Lockout Pager
This week I’ve had the privilege of carrying the Lockout Pager (I say that sarcastically). If anyone gets locked out of their room, they call the Firehouse who pages the Lockout Pager. Since I had it this week, I was responsible for calling in to the Firehouse to find out who was locked out, what room, and where they would be waiting. Luckily, I only had 6 pages all week. One of my co-workers locked himself out but knew where I was so he just came to find me, and one of the cooks, who lives down the hall from me, locked himself out but just knocked on my door since I was home.
Sunday Run
Yesterday, I enjoyed my first Saturday off since I arrived here. As janitors, we usually work Monday through Saturday from 7:30am-5:30pm. However, a lot of garbage is created on Saturday nights since most of the base has Sunday off, so every week two janitors volunteer for Sunday Run, which I did this week. I had Saturday off in return for working Sunday. Sunday Run consists of going through all the dorms to collect trash from the recycling centers and bathrooms, cleaning Highway One in the main building (including sweeping/mopping floors and cleaning bathrooms), and cleaning the bars that were open Saturday night. It can be started anytime after midnight Sunday morning and has to be finished by 5:30pm (with the exception of Highway One which needs to be ready by brunch at 10:30 and the Coffeehouse because it opens in the afternoon on Sunday). It usually only takes 4 hours or so and after you finish, you have the rest of the day free. If you plan it right, it’s kind of like having two days off in a row. Erin and I split the run so we could complete it on our own time. I wanted to do mine right away at night since I’m a night owl anyways, and Erin likes to get up super early and get it done. I went to a couple of parties last night (sober of course), and then started the run at 1:30pm. I collected trash in half of the dorms, cleaned the bathrooms on Highway One, and then went to Southern Exposure (the smoking bar) to clean it up. I went back to Highway One to pick up the Wet Floor signs I had left out, and I ran into Erin who was just starting to sweep and mop the floors. I headed to bed and chatted with my roommate before she went to work at 6am. I woke up at noon (like I usually do on Sundays anyways) and went to brunch and then had the rest of the day free!!!
BINGO Ball Picker
Wednesday afternoon, I was asked if I could call BINGO that night at Gallagher's. I agreed to help out, but when I got there another guy was already to call. So I was the ball picker, which required little to no talent... but it was still fun. We picked 6 different kinds of BINGO, ending with Blackout. We played 8 States, which means the eight numbers around the free space, among other varieties. Before each round, I played Vanna White and held up a blown-up demonstration card to show what kind of BINGO we were playing. Cards cost $5, and prizes include gift certificates to places back in New Zealand and other things like Body Butter, a box of chocolates, or a travel towel and locks. The prize for winning Blackout is always $200! Not a bad deal. I was so good at picking numbers, that the caller asked me to do it again in two weeks. It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it.
Being a Stretcher Bearer for a Mass Casualty Incident (MCI)
Earlier this season, we were asked to consider volunteering for the Mass Casualty Incident Crew. I received an email this week informing me that I would be a stretcher bearer and training would start on Friday afternoon. We have to have training in the event that something goes wrong with the first few flights of Mainbody which start arriving the beginning of October. It’s a terrible thing to think could happen, but I guess it’s better to be prepared. The entire Medical department for the MCI gathered to go over basics of how things would run and how we set up if we get called into action. The group was made up of communications (who go along with the doctors and radio in updates), medical auxiliary (who do splints and random medical things), recorders (I’m not quite sure what they do), and stretcher bearers (my job). We broke up into our job groups, and I quickly realized that besides one of the co-lead stretcher bearers, I was the only female in the group. That’s probably because I have huge muscles and workout all the time. Kidding. We reviewed how to set up a stretcher and the stands they sit on, and we also learned how to strap the victim onto a backboard and how to carry them on a stretcher. Four people at a time carry the victim using wooden handles at each corner of the stretcher. It works kind of like a car in that the person in the front left position gives the directions. We all had to take turns as the “driver,” and it went really well. We will receive more training after the rest of the summer contract employees arrive and can fully prepare for an MCI (the winter-overs that are still here will all be leaving by mid-October). After we finished with training for the afternoon, I ran into the two lead stretcher bearers just before dinner, and they told me how great it was to see that I was doing it since there aren’t very many female stretcher bearers.
Hut Guide
A few weeks ago, I signed up to be a Hut Tour Guide. Last week, we had training which consisted mostly of learning the rules. There is only one hut in walking distance from McMurdo – Discovery Hut, the one I’ve shown in photos. We must sign out a key which is recorded with the National Science Foundation, and we are only allowed to take eight people at a time. There are two other huts that we will be trained to give tours to: Scott’s Hut at Cape Evans and Shackleton’s Hut at Cape Royds. In all likeliness, we won’t ever get to give a tour of Shackleton’s Hut. The only way to access it is by helicopter. Getting to Cape Evans, however, is not that difficult. Next Sunday, there is a recreation trip to the Cape that winter-overs have first priority to take. Two Deltas with 18 passengers on each will go out for four hours or so. Tami, our trainer, asked if I would be interested in going along as a Hut Guide Trainee!! I am so excited, so this week I will have to spend some time absorbing information.
Craft Show
This afternoon there was a craft show in the Galley for anyone who wanted to set up tables to sell their artwork. It was amazing to see the talent coming from this community. There were many knit items: shawls, scarves, hats, mittens. One of the guys in my dorm has been making jewelry for over 30 years. He had some beautiful pieces of art. Quite a few people had photos for sale. Two people had paintings for sale. Phil was selling scrimshaw art for a friend who's not here this season. Our laundry lady, Barb, was selling dolls that you could have made to look like you wearing ECW. Two people were selling different types of zipper pulls (makes it easier to grasp with your thick gloves on). And Antz was selling DVDs of his time-lapse photography, which I of course purchased. There will be another craft show during Mainbody, which I've heard is double or more what we saw today.
Commonly Heard Sayings at McMurdo
Drink Water.Antarctica is the driest continent on Earth. I live in a desert full of snow and ice. Very strange but true. So everyone reminds you to drink water. We're issued Nalgene water bottles along with all of our cold weather gear. Staying hydrated is extremely relevant to staying healthy here on the Ice.
It’s a harsh continent.
Whenever someone even remotely complains about the weather or the cold or the food or the management or the ceramics room hours... someone will say, "It's a harsh continent." It's similar to when, as a kid, you would say "That's not fair" to your mom, who in return would answer: "Life's not fair." Get used to it.
Where’s your storage unit?
This one is my favorite because it's so true. I've found myself asking people where they're from and when some of them look at me with a blank stare, I'll change the question to "Where's your storage unit?" This seems to be easier for most people to answer.
The first time you come down, it’s for the adventure. The second time is for the money. The third time is because you don’t fit in anywhere else.
Of all the people I've met so far, this saying is mostly true. There are a few people who return their third year for the money only, but a lot of people that have come down for three or more seasons are now in a lifestyle. A lifestyle that's hard to give up... six months of work and six months of play and 400 other close friends who can relate to you.
Safety is no accident. Or anything else safety-related.
Safety, safety, safety. Every single day you will hear the word safety mentioned. Without fail. There is a big sign "Safety is No Accident" hanging above the Galley, where everyone eats. When we first arrived, someone had taped a smaller banner on the bottom of the sign that said, "Resistance is futile."
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Take a Tour of My Dorm!!
The first movie is 3 minutes long and will take you through the downstairs. The second clip is of the lounge on the second floor.Pinsetting at McMurdo Lanes
Cosmic bowling on Thursday nights at McMurdo Lanes. Me, Kris, and Ana Bell were visiting our friends Richard and Mykle pinsetting. It is one of the oldest manual pinsetting machines left in the world, from what I have heard. The guys sit on platforms above the pins and talk about music.The boys talk about music a lot.
Friday, September 22, 2006
The Wind... Just Starting to Die Down
After work, Jesse, Erin, and I went out to the McMurdo sign to snap some photos. I had to make videos of the wind because it was so strong. At one point, we really had to hold on to the sign to keep from blowing off the little cliff there!!Condition 2 Weather
This is what a Condition 2 looks like. I wish I would have gotten video when it was worse than this.Ana Bell, Erin, and I went outside to see how the Condition 2 storm was progressing. The door I peeked my head out of came back and slammed me in the arm. The winds were so powerful!!!
Ana Bell and I are hard at work. We were scrubbing kickboards on the busiest hallway in McMurdo, Highway One, using these brilliant homemade (as many things are here) scooters.
Thought I'd see the scooter's perspective.
Walking On Wind-Packed Snow
I was trying to capture the sound of walking on 10 feet of wind-packed snow, but I think you mostly just hear the wind. At the end of the clip, you'll see Hut Point... our destination.A Little Late... Video From My Flight to Antarctica!
I finally had some time to sit down and figure out the video thing. Hopefully I'll get most of my videos up tonight and tomorrow! Stay tuned!I'm panning the whole of the plane from my seat on the C-17. First you can see the large squares that are all strapped and chained down. That is the cargo we brought down with us. Then you can see the Air National Guard who flew down for 45 minutes to unload the plane and take off again. Last you'll see the rest of the plane and all the passengers.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
My 100th TOILET in Antarctica!!!
Yesterday I scrubbed my 100th toilet in Antarctica during a dorm opening. Luckily, Ana Bell and I volunteered to clean bathrooms so I picked up 4 in the men's and 6 in the women's. Ana Bell had her camera, so we snapped a couple of photos to document the momentous occasion.
I'm linking to a blog entry written by Phil Jacobsen from www.philjacobsen.com. He wrote this at the beginning of July, deep in the heart of winter.
Condition 2 Today!
We had high hopes for today's Condition 2 storm to become a Condition 1, but in the end it just stayed a very blustery Condition 2. At lunch, there was talk that a Condition 1 storm would be called between 1pm and 2pm. Just after lunch I scrubbed the kickboards on Hwy 1 (the main hallway in the main building) with 2 other janitors. We spent the two hours scrubbing and every once in awhile running out to check on the storm. At our 3 o'clock break, our boss came around to tell us that since nobody else was working on station except for the kitchen, we could have the rest of the afternoon off.The Condition 2 warning on the ticker at the intersection of Highway 1 and Highway 2 (the main hallways in the main building).
Me with no ECW on in a Condition 2 storm!
Me and Ana Bell on our scooters scrubbing kickboards in Highway 1. I have never had so many people ask me if I wanted a push! Work was pretty fun today!
This a close-up of me on my scooter scrubbing dirt off the kickboards!
Jim, one of my co-workers, wearing this strange Army face mask thing he skua-ed. He's taking his dinner with him home in case a Condition 1 is called. We're not allowed to leave a building when it's Condition 1.
I finally put on my ECW gear and went outside for another photo op!
Me holding onto the McMurdo Station sign so I don't blow away in a powerful gust of wind!
Look, Mom!! I'm wearing my goggles today!!
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
How's the ice?
I got two personal emails today from two people who do NOT know each other. And they were both titled, "How's the ice?" Crazy coincidence!! Thanks for emailing, Devon and Babs!!Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Seen On a T-Shirt in McMurdo:
"Below the 40th latitude there is no law. Below the 50th no God. Below the 60th no common sense. And below the 70th no intelligence whatsoever. -Antarctica-"The first two lines come from a sailor's maxim. I think that quote can be credited to Kim Stanley Robinson.
We are at latitude -77.85 and longitude 166.72 and the saying is true...
Guest Blog by Susan Munroe
I call Susan my very first Ice friend. We met as we arrived at the airport in Denver for our orientation and training. We chatted about both being new and both being leads, and I remember thinking to myself how lucky I was to have met her immediately after stepping off the plane. She is a native of New Hampshire where she studied creative writing (I believe) and spent much of the last year traveling in New Zealand.
Three weeks into my Antarctic experience found me feeling every one of the umpteen-thousand miles between the people I care about and me. I work in the galley as a dining attendant (read: glorified dishwasher), a job with few perks and little time in which to enjoy and appreciate the wonders of the continent. Morale, for this chiquita, was low. It is, therefore, with great pleasure that I re-learn to look on the bright side, and present:
Recent Events That Have Helped Me To Remember Why It's Exciting To Live In Freaking Antarctica
#1 - Driving in Condition 2 weather!
*Condition 2: "weather conditions when any one or all of these conditions exist - wind speed is greater than 48 knots (55mph), temperature is below -75 F (-59C), visibility is less than 1/4 mile" (condition 3 is the designation for normal weather; condition 1 is the most extreme).
My first night working as a shuttle driver, transporting drunken souls the mile or so between McMurdo and the Scott Base for the weekly "American Night" over on the Kiwi side of the island. I'm from NH. I know how to drive in snow, wind, sleet, hail, rain, fog, ice, deer, moose...but an Antarctic condition two storm proved to be a whole new game. Gusting winds buffeted the van as I attempted to navigate the narrow pass over the hill. Snow flew past horizontally, steadily lowering the visibility from perhaps 100 feet, 50 feet, 20 feet... Forward movement was measured in inches as I first tried to follow the reflective road markers, my high beams picking them up at odd moments through the curtain of snow. When those vanished I dropped my headlights and followed the tire treads on the road directly ahead of my front left tire. And in the moments when the wind blocked even my view of the hood of the van, I sat on the brake and marveled along with my passengers. THIS is Antarctica.
It's gone condition two twice more since then. The wind has woken me, shaking my corner, ocean-view room, screaming through the plumbing, hiding and revealing buildings less than 50 feet away from me as I walk to work, my legs blown sideways each time I lift one to take another step forward. If my face wasn't shielded by goggles, balaclava, and the hood of big red, you'd be able to see the maniacal grin. Roll on Condition 1!!
#2 - Flagging Field Trip!
Spent an entire day away from work, away from town, and miles away from reality. Fifteen miles north of my current reality, to be exact. In a Hagglund, a Pisten Bully, and two snowmobiles, ten eager souls and I drove and rode out onto the sea ice, along the edge of Ross Island to Cape Evans. THIS is what I came here for: an impossible to duplicate experience in an extreme, beautiful and unique environment. If I hadn't been absolutely stupid with excitement, I could have wept with wonder. Memories of the day have the delicate sense of a dream about them: more feeling than fact. Our mission was to plant tall, bamboo flags into the sea ice, marking the safe route for vehicles traveling to the cape. The lead vehicle laid down the line, and the rest of us took turns following behind, drilling into the bright blue ice with electrical and hand-driven augers, then setting the flags against the wind. I drove the Hagglund (a giant orange bisected Swedish military vehicle)! I drove the snowmobiles! I stood on Antarctic ice and walked across a pressure ridge; I worked next to the Erebus Ice Tongue and within sight of the Barnes Glacier. I gazed up at the sun, low in the sky, watching as it illuminated the snow blowing off of the islands and cast pink shadows on the Royal Discovery Range on the other side of the Sound. I felt the minus 20something air chew through my gloves, and experienced the once in a lifetime opportunity to feel the (significantly colder) wind on my bare skin as I dropped my drawers and peed faster than I've ever peed before. At the end of the day, the sun didn't set: it melted. It softened, losing its spherical form and oozing across and into the seam where the ice meets the sky. The sun's blood is red and yellow; I watched it spread from the snowmobile, sitting backwards, leaning against my friend Andre's back as he drove, speeding over the frozen water on our way back home.
#3 - The aurora australis
The Southern Lights! As the nights get shorter, the opportunities to witness these natural phenomena become fewer. One night last week, however, they were visible from town, bright enough to overcome the building lights. I stood with a friend, Brennan, on the back staircase of his dorm, and stared at the pale green wisps of...light? cloud? energy? fairy dust? They resemble all of those, but are in fact something quite different. They dance. The music is far beyond our sense of rhythm; they seem to drift, disappear and reform in irregular patterns and intervals, but nothing this smooth, this beautiful, can be the product of an entirely random, senseless universe.
This. This is where I live. How lucky can one girl be?
Monday, September 18, 2006
Introducing Guest Blogger Numero Uno... Laura Ebel
I had this amazing idea to start recruiting Guest Bloggers for my site so you could learn a little bit more about life on the Ice. So I spread the word and sent out an email to see if some of my contacts would be interested in writing for me. I gave them a list of questions to answer or the option to write an article of their choice. Many positive responses came back so you can look forward to "meeting" some of the different characters of McMurdo.My first response was by Laura Ebel, a cargo handler from Michigan. We flew in on the first flight together and have partied together a few times since. So put your hands together and give a warm welcome to my first Guest Blogger... Miss LAURA EBEL!!!
1. What is your name and how old are you?
Laura Ebel and I turned 22 on the 21st of August/ First day of official work in Mactown
2. Where are you from/where is your storage unit?
East Tawas Michigan. What what!
3. What do you do when you are not working at McMurdo?
Attend school and bartend..as little work as possible.
4. How did you end up in Antarctica?
My daddy. I was crying on the phone about not having any money for school and he was like "why dont you come here and money up?" And in the heat of the moment I said ok. So here I am for a third time trying to make money for school.
5. How many seasons have you done? And what jobs have you had? Why do you keep coming back?
third season, I was a janitor my first and a cargo handler for my second and third. MONEY!
6. What do you do for fun on the Ice?
I like to party. lol. play basketball, workout and hike the trails. My favorite hike is hut point ridge. I also mess around in the ceramic room, needless to say I am not to good at it. Also I have a outdoors bike that I like to take down to scott base, the ride down the hill gets me so high on adrenaline but then I have to walk my bike back up the hill because I cant seem to ride back up.
7. What is your favorite memory from down here?
so many, one was standing outside with my dad durning my first season at winfly and there was no wind, so I un-zipped my red parka and said "wow" looked around "what a NICE day!" It was -30f but the sun was shinning and no wind.
8. What is your least favorite part about working in Antarctica?
Routine, routine, same thing over and over.
9. What is your favorite part about working here?
Cool people I meet and the scenary that leaves you speachless. Knowing I am here supporting cutting edge science that is not done anywhere else in the world.
10. How many toilets do you think I will have cleaned by the time I leave here?
gosh, I know that you will clean the same toilets so are you asking how many different toilets or a totall of toilets throughout the season? thousands of them!! umm in 201-203's there is a totall of 8 toilets in each dorm. so lets say you clean 201 that is 8 times umm... about 157 days is uhhh 1256 just for an 8 toilet dorm. so well over 1000 toilets. Dont know what work center you clean but I know B140 has 3 toilets and 1 urinal and the heavey shop has 3 toilets and 2 urinals...ramble, ramble.
She's included this photo of loading a C-17, a major part of working in Cargo:
Weather Conditions
There are 3 weather conditions at McMurdo. Condition 3 is our most common condition, and it means that wind speed is less than or equal to 48 knots, visibility is greater than 1/4 mile, and windchill temperature is greater than -75°F. All must be true to be considered Condition 3. And we are almost always in Condition 3.BUT... today we were in Condition 2 for a couple of hours!! Condition 2 is observed when any one of the following is true: wind speed is greater than 48 knots but less than or equal to 55 knots, or visibility is greater than 100 feet but less than or equal to 1/4 mile, or windchill temperature is greater than -100°F but less than or equal to -75°F. It was so windy that it took me quite a bit longer to walk from building to building.
Now Condition 1 is what the whole base is hoping for. Condition 1 is observed when any one of the following is true: wind speed is greater than 55 knots, or visibility is less than or equal to 100 feet, or windchill temperature is less than or equal to -100°F. If Condition 1 is called while we are at work, we have to immediately report to our supervisor and work is called off until Condition 2 is called. CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO to sample a Condition 1 at McMurdo Station. There have been a few Condition 1's called since I've been here, but they are always on the sea ice or at the runways.
There are a few different ways in which we are told what Condition we are currently in. Most of the dorms have an electronic ticker at the main entrance/exit that tells you only what condition we are in. We can also check the TV or internet. And if you're lucky (or unlucky) enough to have a pager, you get text messages that tell you if conditions change.
Questions from Aunt Jo in Wisconsin
My Aunt Retta passed these questions on to me from my Aunt Jo as her computer is on the fritz. I'll paraphrase the questions.Q: What kind of stars, if any, do you see?
A: We see the stars of the Southern Hemisphere when it's clear out. I haven't actually seen many stars from here but I think you can see the Southern Cross.
Q: Tell more about the clouds and sky.
A: Right now we are able to see the Southern Lights (aka Aurora Australis) on clear nights. I have yet to see them, but I guess last week they were visible.
Here are a couple photos taken of Auroras by a winter-over, Anthony Powell, in the McMurdo area:
Another neat Antarctica cloud/sky thing are the NACREOUS CLOUDS that appear at Win-Fly. We have yet to see them, and there's a chance we may not see them at all. But click on this sentence to see an amazing photo of them.
Q: How much day light now?
A: More and more every day. We finally had the sun shine on us about two weeks ago. Before that you had to walk out to Hut Point to see it. According to the weather department here at McMurdo, the sun rose at 7:11am this morning and set at 6:28pm. Tomorrow, they are predicting sunrise at 7:03am and sunset at 6:35pm. So sunrise is earlier every day and sunset is later every night.
Q: When you call your folks what time is it in Westby again? How do you make the calls? Satellite? How long can you talk? Who's paying the bill on it?
A: I am 17 hours ahead of Westby right now. I believe that will change with daylight savings time. I usually try to call the States on Sunday afternoons as it is the most compatible with my schedule and everyone back home. We have phones in our rooms here that we can use to dial out. I have to type in a three-digit code to get an outside line. Right now that's not so difficult to do, but when mainbody starts I've heard that it can be an hour wait to get an outside line. Once I get the outside line, I have to dial a 1-800 calling card number to call anywhere. The only cost of the phone call is the calling card minutes. We use commercial and government satellites for the phone and internet. The signal is sent to Washington state, so I'm basically making a domestic call. I think I pay something like 5 cents a minute. We are asked to keep our phone calls short, although right now it's really not a big deal.
Friday, September 15, 2006
From Jill O in NYC:
How many people are there? My friend Larisa Kimble from Colorado is there. Have you met her? Is that a really stupid question?There's only 400 of us so I could track her down. Is she working at McMurdo? Do you know what she does? I just checked online, and there is no phone number for her so she's probably not here yet.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
The Thing
Last night a group of DA's (Dining Attendants) gathered in the lounge of my dorm to watch John Carpenter's The Thing made in 1982. (There is an even older version filmed in black and white from 1951 by the same name.)
If you have seen this movie or decide to watch it, please do not believe anything you see here. There are no DA's on roller-skates. We do not have gun cabinets, nor do we have access to flame-throwers (that I know of). Our ECW gear does not include the sideways cowboy hat Kurt Russell wears. The movie is supposed to be scary, but as people living in Antarctica, we just can't help but laugh at this film. Check it out if you've got some time...
Sunday, September 10, 2006
BIO WASTE Party at Hut 10
Last night our department (Housing) hosted a party at Hut 10 (a building that anyone can reserve for get-togethers). Our theme was Bio-Waste, one of the things we separate from the rest of our trash. Bio-Waste includes anything with bodily fluids, needles, razors, etc. So you can just imagine what our decorations looked like!At first, it started out quiet with just people from our department there hanging out and snacking and dancing a bit.
Around 10pm, the party picked up and we were dancing!
We went to Southern Exposure, the smoking bar at McMurdo, for a couple of hours. We recruited some new party-goers. On the way out of the bar, we had a dance party in the coat room (the last photo in this next group of pics).
Then we headed back to Hut 10 for an afterbar. Between me and Anabell, a co-worker, we had tons of music to dance to!
And then there was clean-up the next day... and a lot of dishes!!
Friday, September 08, 2006
Radio Darts!
Tonight I was invited to play Radio Darts at Scott Base (the New Zealand base just down the road). A group of us met at Derelict Junction (the Bus Stop of McMurdo) and loaded into the shuttle van. We had two teams and the Scott Base had one team. Using the radio, all 3 of our teams here played against two Polie teams (from the South Pole - we are actually 800 miles from them). We played two games of 301, and my team (me, a NASA guy, and the winter Station Manager) won the second game! Whenever someone wins, the team on the other end of the radio has to cheer for them. So we received a big cheer from the Polies! The kiwis brought out an amazing cheese and fruit spread. I helped myself to plenty of grapes since I'm not sure when I'll see them again. We had a few drinks to end out the night and came back to McMurdo!Questions from Mikey!
Question 1: Is it better to wear boxers or briefs?A: Not sure, Mikey... I can consult some other resources if you really need this information! :)
Question 2: Is ice cream called 'icecream' or is it just called cream?
A: Good question! We have this wonderful thing called a Frosty Boy that makes us wonderful soft serve vanilla ice cream, and we have sprinkles and candy bar toppings to top it off! But we just say we're going to the Frosty Boy.
Question 3: Is there Spotted Cow (a Wisconsin beer) in Antartica? If not, how do you survive?
A: There is no Spotted Cow, but there are some terrific New Zealand beers here.
Question 4: Will the Cubs win the World Series?
A: I'm a Cubbies fan, but I'm gonna have to go with a no on this one... not that I've really been able to follow baseball much this season.
Another Set of Questions from Mom
Q: So what are the laundry facilities like down there?? Do you have to put money in the machines to make them work like we do up here?A: We have FREE laundry here at McMurdo! Each building has a laundry room. Our dorm houses 42 people, I believe, and we have 2 washers and 2 dryers. Laundry detergent is provided, but you have to use an extremely small amount as it will eat through your clothes if you use a large amount. I did buy Tide at the store to wash my precious clothes. For 15 washes worth of Tide, I paid $8.00. If you want it, you have to pay for it!
Before I arrived at McMurdo, I talked to numerous people who told me to bring 2 weeks worth of unmentionables and a few other clothes of my own. And for the most part, I wear the work clothes that were issued to me. I arrived with $350 worth of stuff I bought after my luggage was lost. I'm now filing a claim to be reimbursed for my luggage, and the total value is almost $2000. That just goes to show that you really can pack light and still survive in ANTARCTICA!!
Questions from Mark the Aussie in Melbourne
Question 1: Do most of the other people at the base work similar shifts to you? Do you see the same people at the same time or does everyone work at different times so you see them all eventually?A: Most people work the normal 7:30am-5:30pm shift. Some jobs require people to work 12-hour shifts, but then they get two days off a week. The firefighters work 24 hours on and then 24 hours off. The dining attendants work random shifts, and right now there are a few crews on night shifts (building the new ice runway).
Question 2: Is there an attitude towards tourists or adventurers? Are there any at the base? Is anyone not working at the base welcome there?
A: The only tourists that come through McMurdo arrive by cruise ship, if they can get in through the ice. I think there are a few cruise ships, but they only come during the summer. There are a few people on private expeditions that may wander into town on occassion, but I'm pretty sure we're not supposed to associate with them. They are supposed to have permission to be here on the base.
Question 3: Do you have any responsibility to send out search parties if someone's in trouble?
A: When someone from the base goes off hiking, they must check out with the fire department and take a radio with them. If they are running late, and do not call in with the radio, an emergency response team is sent into action.
Question 4: What do you do when your not working? Is there much to do? TV? Gym? Bowling? Is that it?
A: There are so many things to do here. You can go out hiking, which I'm going to do with a couple friends tomorrow night. Tonight I went to Bingo at the non-smoking bar. Sunday night is lecture night presented by the scientists and artists that are here working. Two weeks ago, Anne Aghion presented her Emmy-winning (News and Documentary) Gacaca, about the trials in Rwanda following the genocide in 1994. Last week, a scientist gave a presentation about the seal research they are doing down here. This next week, Anne will show her second film about the trials in Rwanda. I've started learning to knit with a group that meets every Tuesday night called Stitch-N-______ (it rhymes, but this site is PG). A yoga class is taught 3 times a week. Two of my co-workers are starting to teach a Korean sword fighting class. And this is only Win-Fly. It will get even busier in October.
Question 5: How much freedom do you have to leave the immediate vicinity of the base and go off on your own? Are you allowed to use ski mobiles (or similar) to go off on adventures? Does the base organise any trips for the purpose of recreation?
A: We have a lot of freedom to do the planned routes. There are quite a few different ones, but you can't just go off on your own exploring. There are crevasses and other dangers around that you have to be aware of. My friend Susan was able to do a working boondoggle (trip) to flag a route to Cape Evans today. She's extremely lucky! I probably won't get that far off base, and she was only about 30 miles max. I think they were taking snowmobiles today, so that's the only way you get to take them... if a certified driver is driving them. This weekend there is a guided hike to Castle Rock put on by the Recreation Department.
Question 6: What is the actual purpose of the base? Science, I'm guessing but what? Give me run down on what you guys actually study.
A: At Scott Base (the New Zealand base just down the road), they have a sign in their bar that says: "Scott Base: a drinking base with a science problem." I'm not actually studying anything. Let's just make that clear! Right now we only have 3 different grantee teams here. One group is releasing weather balloons into the atmostphere to study it. Another scientist group will be studying the Weddell seals some miles north of us. The last group is made up of Anne Aghion and her crew. They have a grant for Artists and Writers.
Question 7: Are you homesick (your mum asked me to ask you that...just kidding!)? But seriously, does it worry you that you will be there until Febuary, that there is essentially no way to leave? Do you feel isolated? If so is there anything in particular you do to deal with that?
A: I am not homesick yet, and I really hope that I don't have to deal with it very much. I'm sure at some point I will get sick of eating with all of these people at the same time every day. And I will probably get antsy and want to drive a car somewhere far away. I'm here until February, but I can leave if I want to. We will start getting flights here again the beginning of October, and there are already a few new people that want to be on the flight going back to Christchurch. I can quit any time I want to after the beginning of October, but I won't. I'm here until February. I don't feel isolated yet because we've only been here 3 weeks as of tomorrow. There are still so many things I haven't done yet. I'll be interested to see if I'll feel isolated in another month or two.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Working in the Dishroom!
My friend John, a lead DA, was looking for a volunteer to work in the dishroom for tonight for only a couple hours. I volunteered right away! I got to wear this stunning apron (made from a shower curtain), and I got to run the dish hose! I had a blast, and told them I would come back whenever they needed me. They told me to be careful what I offer! The guy in the background of my photo is Jim, a co-worker.
My friend Susan snapped this photo of me washing dishes too! This gives you a good look at Bertha, the dishwasher to my left. She's a beauty!
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Tonight's Sunset
Questions from Kristi in Madison
Question 1: Does everyone know your business because it's such a small community? Are there privacy regulations?A: Yes, it seems like everyone is in your business around here, but right now there are only 400 people on base. If you tell one person a story while you are sitting at the public computers, at least one other person is listening who will go tell someone else. Rumors spread fast here at McMurdo. Before we left training in Denver, we were told that because we are using the USAP (United States Antarctic Program) network, we cannot expect privacy in regards to emails. We also cannot expect privacy on the phone because we are using the USAP's phone too. There's not a lot of privacy anywhere around here.
Question 2:If a woman gets pregnant, will they not let her be a winter-over? Have many babies been born in Antarctica?
A: You can't be pregnant and be working at McMurdo. They say that every year at least one winter-over female leaves pregnant, but of course she hides it so no one's supposed to know. There has been a baby born in Antarctica... at least one. Emilio Marcos Palma was the first baby born in Antarctica. His mother had been sent here by the Argentine government in order for Argentina to become the first country with a child born on the continent.
Question 3: Is there a pharmacy there? What kinds of health-care facilities do you have and have there ever been traumas/codes (high acuity patients or respiratory/cardiac failure)?
A: You truly are a health care professional, Kristi... I'm not even sure how to answer your question. Um, we have a hospital, McMurdo General Hospital. Don't let the name fool you... it's not like the soap opera of the same name. There are a few check-up rooms, a dentist room, a surgery/overnight patient room, and a physical therapy room. Add in a few offices and a couple bathrooms and of course... the janitor closet... and that's about it. There are some prescription medications kept on base if needed. One of the book links on the left (Ice Bound) will lead you to a book written by the doctor who found out she had breast cancer while she was wintering down here. There have been a few people that have died here. We joke that the only way to get something named after you down here is to die down here. Bad joke, I know. A guy named Chuck Gallagher died down here due to complications with pneumonia, dehydration, and fluid build-up in 1997. There's a non-smoking bar named after him now... Gallagher's.
Question 4: Are there weird restrictions from limited resources such as how long you can take a hot shower for or how much red meat you can eat? Do you store any food outside because it is a natural freezer (that's probably a "no" but I have to ask)?
A: There are not many restrictions on water and food. They just ask everyone to conserve as much as possible. Don't run the water while you're brushing your teeth. Only take as much food as you'll eat. At South Pole Station, about 800 miles from here, they have a 2 2-minute shower limit per week, I believe. About keeping food outside, I know there are warehouses that aren't heated. Nothing is kept out in plain sight.
Monday, September 04, 2006
My Mom Asks:
Question 1: In the pictures why did the others have those big glasses on and you didn't?A: I'm not wearing any goggles because I left mine at home. I was wearing my regular glasses until they got really iced over.
Question 2: How does your camera work to take those great pictures in the cold? Any troubles with it?
A: When it's this cold, my camera battery dies quickly. The screen is really slow when it's cold out too. The lens takes awhile to come in focus. I try to keep it in my inside pocket to keep it warm as much as possible.
Question 3: What's your favorite part of this adventure so far?
A: I LIVE IN ANTARCTICA!!!! Every day I walk to work, and I look around and remind myself that I am really here. And the people. The people are really really great. I learn something new about someone every day. Like today, one of the janitors and I were talking. She is 47 years old, a former archeologist, and a black belt in Korean sword fighting. Crazy!
Question 4: Do you get any news down there? From the internet I'm sure but do they have like a newspaper or something too?
A: Someone every day prints off a small sampling of news articles from the New York Times and puts the copies in the Galley for anyone to read during meals or breaks. During Mainbody (October-February), there will be a weekly or bi-monthly newspaper called the Antarctic Sun.
Question 5: What's the food like?
A: Right now, the food is pretty good. It's Win-Fly, so there are only 400 of us to cook for. When Mainbody starts, there will be 1100-1300 people to cook for and the food will not have a personal touch like it does now. There's usually two meat choices and a vegetarian choice for the entrees. There are vegetables and fruit (usually canned) and desserts and fresh bread. If you don't like what's being served, the sandwich bar is self-serve right now. There is milk (from powder), water, juices, coffee, and drinks similar to Kool-Aid. There is a Frosty Boy ice cream machine too that is usually available at lunch and dinner. I'll take some photos of meals and post them when I can.
Question 6: Are you taking your vitamins? (I'm still you're Mom, I get worry about those things.)
A: Well, I would be taking my vitamins if my luggage wouldn't have gotten lost. Please send me some, Mom!!
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Photos from My Second Week at McMurdo
These photos are from my second week at McMurdo Station in Antarctica. Tomorrow is the first day of my third week! Time is already flying by.I snapped a photo of Fleet Ops building the new Ice Runway. We flew in at Pegasus Field which was only open for the week of Win-Fly flights.
I was checking lounges in the dorms that are open (currenly we still have five dorms closed). One of the closed dorms will be opened this coming week, so I went in to check it out. As I was walking by the men's bathroom, I looked in to find a window had been opened and there was snow everywhere!! I snapped these photos and then volunteered to shovel (and sweep) it the next day before they turned on the heat.
Photo of a sunset. I didn't have the best angle, but the colors were amazing!
John, me, and Susan on American Night at Scott Base, the New Zealand base just a couple miles away.
At Discovery Hut, just 300m from McMurdo. The first photo is just of snow drifted along side the hut. The second photo is of a dead seal that Scott's party killed or found around 1913. The last pic is of Annabel, a friend of mine, who was adjusting her goggles to continue our short hike up to Hut Point today.
My first real sighting of sun in Antarctica! I've been here two weeks!!
Vince's Cross at Hut Point
Me covered in icicles
This is who I went out walking with today. Annabel on the left, Marissa in the middle, and that's me on the right with the gray balaclava on.
View of McMurdo with Discovery Hut in front taken from Hut Point.
Photos from Holly
I got these photos from Holly's site South Pole Dudes.
This was the plane we flew in on.
Me at the Coffeehouse
Strange Coincidence
Last night after going to a beach party at one of the bars, I came back to my dorm to hang out in the lounge. I ended up meeting a group of guys who are all down for their second year. I stayed up extremely late talking with them, and today we were all having dinner together when I put two and two together.I turned to Michael, who was dressed all in black (one of the reasons I figured it out), and asked if he had a webpage called "winter camp". Turns out I've had a link on my page for his page for months. He asked how I knew about it, and I said that one time I was doing a search online for Antarctic weblogs and came across his.
Of the four links I currently have posted on the left, I only "knew" Holly, the author of South Pole Dudes, before I left for Antarctica. And even then, I really only knew him through email (introduced by my friend Devon) and finally met him in Los Angeles on the way to New Zealand. Phil traced back how other people had linked to his webpage and found mine. He initiated email contact before I left the states. Now I've met Michael, and I've heard that Sandwich will be coming in October. I had no idea when I created those links that I would end up meeting them all. It's a wonderful, small world!
Questions from BG in Illinois
Question 1: How do you guys not melt your way through the ice?.. you don't (presumably) spend all your time in ECW gear, so the buildings must be reasonably warm. How warm is it inside the buildings?.. 60's 70's?.. I imagine it's kind of long sleeve t's or sweat shirts inside.A: I have learned so much about this place since I first arrived. We are actually living on an island called Ross Island. However, the island is surrounded by ice right now and we are right on the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf. The buildings are reasonably warm. I would say anywhere between 60 and 70 when the heat is working. Since we arrived, the heaters in my dorm have broken twice causing the temperature in my room to drop below 50 F. I almost always wear long-sleeve shirts and fleece jackets. The only exception is when I'm at the Coffeehouse or the bars where there are lots of people.
Question 2: Is there some kind of space shuttle like air/heat lock process to going outside? are the exterior walls and windows really thick?
A: There are always two doors to walk through in each building to get to the interior. It helps to keep the cold out. I'm not sure how thick the walls are. They don't seem thicker than normal, but I will see what I can find out about them.
Question 3: How cold are the toilets - do you need little toilet seat warmers?
A: Actually, the toilets are fairly warm. In some buildings, the toilets are built on platforms to keep them off the ground, I assume. I will do an entry on toilets later if you prefer.
Question 4: Could you be a snow machine?.. like if you spit a mouthful of water out, would it freeze before it hit the ground? can we get a movie of that?
A: The next day it's super cold here, I will try the mouthful of water thing. I think it might work. This morning I brought my big water bottle with me to brunch to get some filtered water. There was a little bit of water left in the bottle, and about 1 minute after I left the dorm, it had frozen!
Question 5: Is there some kind of polar bear club extension chapter down there?.. would you join in if there was?
A: They call it the Polar Plunge here. I'm not sure if I'll do it or not. We'll see how the weather is that day! I'm sure I could be convinced!
Question 6: What time zone do you operate on?.. if sunsets and sunrises are rare or extended events, how do you regulate your internal body clock?
A: We are on New Zealand time. If you live in the US Central Time Zone just subtract 7 hours from your time but make it tomorrow. That's my time. When I call my friend Nora, she always asks how tomorrow is. Then she decides whether or not to get out of bed. About the internal body clock... I'm just going to work, and taking breaks, and everything is just normal. I have no issues yet with the daylight/nighttime. But by the end of October, we'll be in 24 hours of daylight. I'm not sure how I'll need to adjust to that.
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Omar the CMF from NYC asks:
Questions A: Do you use any money down there? or are all the amenitiescomplimentary (bowling, rock climbing, gyms, bars, clubs, etc.)
A: Yes, we use money. Meals, gyms, and rock climbing are free. Alcohol costs money and so does bowling ($2 per game/$1 for shoes). There are no clubs (as in dance clubs).
Questions B: Do you get to keep all the ECW gear? It all looks so cool and
could come in handy back in Wisconsin. That biege parka looks sweet! Can I get one?
A: I don't get to keep any of the ECW. Absolutely none of it. But I have bonded with my parka, so maybe I can offer a small amount of money to take her home for the summer. Yeah right.
Questions C: Do you think you will go all RED RUM crazy? Remember all work and no play....Do you feel isolated are you having fun?
A: No, I will not go RED RUM crazy. At least, I hope not. We are working 60 hour work weeks, so we still have time to play every night and one full day off a week. I am not feeling isolated at the moment at all. There are so many hikes and things to do around here. Plus I'm really getting used to not having a car available. That helps make this place seem a lot bigger than it actually is. People (me included) complain about having to go to the gym, and it's only two buildings away.
Questions D: Do you see any native flora or fauna? Or is the south pole a boring piece of ice with chucks of rocks?
A: First off, I am not technically living at the South Pole. It's about 800 miles from here. The Pole is just snow. Here at McMurdo we have snow, ice, and rocks. As for fauna, there are no animals around yet. We'll hopefully start seeing some penguins or seals once in awhile around the end of October or early November... if we're lucky.
Question E: What cool toys or tools do you get to play with "only in Antartica"?
A: So far, a dolly and snow shovel. So not much change from home! But I do get to ride around in big vans with huge snow tires every couple days.
Questions F: Are you exposed to the elements frequently? Do you walk outside alot or is it too cold to go out there? Are the buildings connected? are there unground tunnels? Is there a map you can share of where you are? (edited for content)
A: I walk to and from work every day which is only about a three minute walk. I am exposed to the elements as often as my job requires it. Some days I'm outside more than others. Thursday I was outside almost all day doing different projects that needed to get done. The buildings are not connected. There are no underground tunnels... that I know of!
Here's a map:
Click on the map, and then choose the "All Sizes" option above it. Then click Large to see the biggest version of this map. It was produced by the US CIA and was found at: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/islands_oceans_poles/antarctic_region_pol02.jpg
Question G: Why cant we ship you intoxicating liqour? Is non-re-sale-able beer ok?
A: They say no alcohol. But I've heard there's ways around it. Someone told me his dad sent him some liquor last year by labeling the package "mouthwash".
Questions H: In your lost luggage was anything priceless or un-replacable? Do you need another survival firestarter? I really think thats all you need out there to survive. It keeps you close to the pyro needs you and I have.
A: Yes, there were a few priceless things. Like my favorite sweatshirt from college and my Goonies (the movie) T-shirt. Of course, the firestarter you gave me is also priceless, but I'll survive without it.
Question I: I'm heading out to STL this Labor Day Weekend, can you express mail me a glacial snowball to hit Owais with?
A: Sorry, no mail in or out of this place until the beginning of October.
Questions J: What's it like living with your coworkers? Is the state of mind all work and no play?
A: It's kind of strange to all be living in the same town and working together, but you don't see everyone all day long. Some people don't even come to meals regularly. They will just take whatever food they want, and go eat in their rooms. People here definitely know how to play. I would say it's kind of like a summer AIESEC camp but in the winter and really really long.
Questions K: Any regrets? Would you do this again next season? Do you think your job qualifies for Dirty Jobs on Discovery Channel? I think it does.
A: I am almost positive I will be back next year. No regrets! NONE! I would say the janitors and the dining attendants have two of the dirtiest jobs on station. Scrubbing toilets and dirty dishes is bottom of the barrel down here.
Question L: How common is frostbite? You get it yet? How quickly does someone get it each season.
A: We have to attend an Outdoor Safety Lecture before we're allowed to hike off-station. They teach you about the warning signs for frostbite and hypothermia. I saw one of our janitors get frostnip last week. That was pretty cool. Frostnip is the beginning stage of frostbite, and her cheeks had bright white spots on them. We had only been outside about 8 minutes.
Question M: Whats the craziest thing you've heard, done or seen?
A: Heard= One time a guy went crazy down here over the winter and started throwing hammers at his co-workers. Done= Nothing too exciting yet. Thursday night I went over to Scott Base (the New Zealand base) for American night. And a couple nights ago I went out to Hut Point to get a view of town and to look for the Southern Lights. Seen= When we arrived here, and I walked off the C-17. It felt like we were on another planet. We were on this big white plain, and we were surrounded by mountains that were miles and miles away. It was AMAZING!!
More Questions from Eric
Eric asks:"Is anyone there from the south?"
A: Yes, and I was surprised too! There are a few people from Texas, New Mexico, and southern California that I have met so far. Most people are from Colorado, Alaska, and Washington. There are a few Minnesotans and a few Wisconsinites around too!
"Does anyone ever complain about the cold?"
A: Of course! We all complain about the cold. Mostly we complain about the wind. But the heater has not been working in my building twice already so my room has been less than 50 degrees a few nights. The wind is definitely the worst though!