I know it's been awhile but it's been busy... I'll try to get us caught up a little by starting with a
trip I made mention of earlier. Holly and I have had the good fortune to make a couple of friends who are able to get us out of town and exploring the area as part of their job. 2 weekends ago we traveled via snow machine across the sea ice of McMurdo Sound out to see the Barne glacier, a Weddell seal colony, an Adelie penguin rookery and one of Ernest Shackelton’s huts from the Nimbus expedition.





Earlier that week I completed the Skidoo training required for anyone traveling over the sea ice on snow machines and so we were able to take turns driving as we made our way pulling a sled with 2 jerry cans of fuel, survival bags for everyone (sleeping bags, tents, food, stove and fuel). Each also brought snacks, a thermos of tea or soup, extra warm layers, extra wind layers, ski goggles and sunglasses and a variety of gloves, hats, balaclavas and neck gaitors. Oh, and cameras!



Our first stop was at the terminal end of the Barne Glacier where the blue ice towered overhead dwarfing us as we stood before it, gazing upward questioning its age, wondering how far it would fall if a chunk broke loose, moving to catch the sun just right and illuminate columns of faded turquoise.

From there we traveled past Turks Head to a sheltered natural ‘nursery’ for Weddell Seals. We walked over sun-warped snow with ripples of reflection contrasting with the heat absorbing black rock formations nearby. Pools of ice trapped perfectly round air bubbles that
invite inspection on hands and knees. Before we crested a small rise we heard the sounds of seals echoing and bouncing off the ice and rock, then we saw them: females with their young lounging and laying as only a seal can do. Rolling one way then raising a flipper to scratch, yawning and opening one eye, then maybe the other. Waves of water would move as holes in the ice filled with a seal as she popped out onto the ice. Curious young were scooting and moving across the snow, clumsy and slow.

Then we continued to Cape Royd’s where Ernest Shackleton’s hut from the 1907 Nimbus expedition still stands with canned goods lining the shelves with the perfection of the obsessive compulsive, wool socks hang on the line waiting for their wearers return, sleeping bags ready for a nights rest. It’s hard to imagine that 100 years ago this hut held several men and their gear for a journey to the South Pole.






Crates stenciled ‘British Antarctic Expedition’ are mounted to the walls as shelves holding supplies, a photo, a half-burned candle, an empty bottle, vitamins and medicine. Leather boots stand in the dim corner; a wool coat hangs from a brass hook on the wall, a heavy black wood stove stands waiting for a fire.








A short walk away is the Adelie penguin rookery where crowds of penguins are nesting and protecting the egg sheltered between their feet, warmed by their belly. The area smells a bit like fish when the wind blows just right. It was a mild evening and the sun was setting, we could see a few rogue penguins in the distance walking or sliding on their bellies to open water; they looked rather small and lonely against all of that white…




Well, that's a start but I have more to share and will try to do so more often, really!


ali

It's Wednesday night and I am here at the hanger working the night shift. That really just means that I come in around 5:30pm when everyone else should be heading home and I stay until the night flight and my short list of Things to Do is complete. So far I've been back and in bed between 11pm and 1:30 am but I think that will change depending on the workload. Back home we are restricted to flying during the day and have "Pumpkin" time 1/2 hour after sunset. Here the sun never sets and so they can schedule flights anytime so there are usually a couple of flights each night.

This week I was able to go to the Sunday night lecture on Wedell seals. While sipping tea and nibbling chocolate sent from home I listened to a presentation by a PhD from Montana State University studying the population near Razorback Island not too far from here. With decades of data collected they are interested in identifying a rise or drop in population and consider the seals a 'canary in the mine' when and if climate or conditions change.

Since most activities happen during the evening and I am now working then, my days are filled with activities of my own: the gym, playing a guitar checked out from gear issue, hiking or skiing (when the weather cooperates), reading, ceramics, and enjoying a long lunch with friends. I must admit I am looking forward to the weekend and time spent out on a little adventure with friends-- I will let you know more after Sunday!

At this moment I feel so fortunate to be here, sitting in our cozy dorm room sipping hot miso sent by a loving friend, nibbling cheese (brought from Christchurch because we thought we would not have any) and crackers (picked up at science supply because they are just slightly out of date) with the quiet burbling of the borrowed humidifier puffing away and the sounds of Holley’s banjo surrounding it all.

Life here is pretty simple and there is a drive to create your own entertainment and develop new friendships. Tonight I attended a yoga session in the chapel and, while breathing and sinking deeper into poses, my gaze was held by stained glass windows (complete with a penguin and the shape of the Antarctic continent) facing out to receive the endless light across McMurdo Sound.

It was another blustery cold day with variable flying conditions. Each day the schedule is filled with many flights in and out and around the various field camps. Some days we can fly, other days we cannot- those days are spent gathering, moving, and labeling cargo getting ready for the next day because it will be twice as busy! Unless the clouds and fog set in again and the wind blows the snow sideways…












When groups come down to Helo-Ops (Helicopter Operations) they bring everything they would like to fly and tag each item with a weight, destination, and group number. There are many categories of cargo: DNF (Do Not Freeze), CF (Can Freeze), KF (Keep Frozen) as well as Priority 1 (food, fuel and shelter), 2 (science equipment) and 3 (other). It’s important that we know the weights and volume of cargo so we can determine the best method of transport to the field, fuel accordingly for the destination, and maintain a safe operation. Also, it’s imperative that when a group is flown in that they have their P1 (food, fuel, and shelter) with them so they are not left without. We use several large colorful carts to separate gear of one group from another and each cart can be easily hitched to a 6-wheeler for transport to the helicopter.

External cargo is moved by hooking the load directly to the belly of the helicopter. Back home we usually use a 100-foot long line and so there is a bit more distance between you and the hovering helicopter. We prepare for the hook-up by donning a balaclava, goggles, a hat, and a headset used to communicate with the pilot. We stand firmly with the load to our left and face the aircraft while the helicopter approaches into the wind and descends to meet the ring which we are presenting with an up stretched hand. In no time at all, the load is hooked and departing to its destination. The pilot then releases the load with a push of a button once it is safely set on the ground.

A couple of interesting missions that were flown this week included catching Emperor Penguins for the Penguin Ranch (used by a science group that studies penguins) and flying divers and photographers for the series ‘Life’ from the producers of Planet Earth and the BBC. They are setting up a time-lapse camera to capture the growth of soft coral at New Harbor.

This past Saturday night we had a Halloween Party in the big gym that was graciously decorated by volunteers. I went as a fairy princess and my friend went as a Girl Scout. The winner of the scariest costume was a woman dressed as Sarah Palin! Saturday nights are also those when we are up late and able to see the sun come as close to setting as it does. Most evenings we are pulling the window covering down and the curtains closed as we prepare for 'night' by creating our own darkness and blocking out the sun.

Sundays are our day off and are usually started by sleeping in (just a little) followed by Sunday Brunch complete with hot waffles and pancakes, a variety of fruit and cheeses, toasted bagels and lox, coffee and tea, juices, fresh baked goods, custom omelets… and socializing. Afternoons are for getting outside to explore the nearby trails, which are starting to open up as the weather improves. A few folks tried out the skate skiing this past weekend and I went for a short hike with a friend up a nearby ridgeline but soon enough the bitter cold winds were too strong to make it enjoyable and we were forced to another route that was less exposed.

Later!

ali