Tuesday, October 31, 2006

McMurdo Science

On Sunday they had an open tour of the Crary Science Lab. I spoke to elementary teachers who are here from Germany, New Zealand, and US about their involvement with the Andrill project and their goals of bringing their experience and education back to their students. (www.andrill.org/iceberg) I then found out about the monitoring of the active volcano Mt. Erebus and saw several videos of its mini explosions. In the marine lab, I watched divers coming in from a dive after collecting several different species of mollusks & invertebrates. One researcher is studying a species of fish that is also found off the coast of New Zealand. The fish are different in Antarctica as it has adapted to have a type of anti-freeze in its system.

All of this science geeky stuff was enough to distract me from the realities of getting to the Pole. They keep giving us warnings about the altitude and how funky and off we will feel once we get there. First, because of the density of the air, the very low 2-3% humidity, the faster rotation of the earth at that point, and the elevation, it will physically feel as if you're at an elevation of 11,000 ft. They warn us of how tired we will be, gasping for breath and needing take several rests while walking off the plane. There are researchers here from Mayo Clinic studying elevation sickness and several of us have signed up to participate. Besides being very tired and wanting to sleep all the time, the cold is significantly different than at balmy McMurdo as the -90F wind chill hits you hard in the face as you deplane. On top of adapting to all of this, I'm nervous about also being thrown into our 10 hour days (60+ hour work weeks) the day after we land. We are currently scheduled to leave tomorrow evening. To combat elevation sickness, they are constantly pushing us to drink copious amounts of water and eat plenty of carbs once we get there. The tricky part is not to load up on too much water before the LC-30 plane ride as all they have for a bathroom is a little curtain and a small bucket with a funnel and hose. I'm very eager to get acclimated and into a routine.

Sunday, October 29, 2006

Mortality




McMurdo Station
(8F, -26F wind chill)

Yesterday I took the day off from the kitchen and was able to watch the World Series live and take a long nap. It felt like I was at home. Leah, Michelle, Francie, and I then hiked up to Observation Hill (Ob Hill). To me it felt more like a small mountain as it was very steep, rocky terrain and quite a challenge in large, clumsy bunny boots. The effort was well worth it as the scenery was magnificent! There was an amazing view of the active volcano, Mt. Erebus, as it billowed out smoke. It was so beautifully quiet and serene!!! It was amazing to think that I will never be at that same spot again in my life and how few people have ever been there. I will never hike up that hill again and stand there overlooking the amazing Antarctic mountain range. Standing there in the quiet, on the top of the bottom of the world, really puts perspective on our mortality on Earth and how we are only here for such a brief moment in time. It makes you think. How am I going to leave this place better? How am I going to be remembered? Right now I'll be remembered as the crazy girl who went to cook at the bottom of the world - which is fine by me.

It definitely feels like college life here at McMurdo. I don't say that with much fondness as I feel a little old and grown out of those days. Because of the college-like feel, I find I'm isolating myself and seeking out as much solitude as possible. Last night there was a huge Halloween party. Since most people don't work on Sunday's, there were several pre-parties in the rooms. It sounded like a lot of fun, but my heart wasn't in it. My roommate and I took advantage of the empty lounges and made popcorn and watched a DVD. Along with most colleges, there tends to be several cliques and groups. The general support staff seem more separated from the science guys (Beakers). I'm eager to get to the Pole where the population is smaller and it seems everything will be more community-like and cohesive. On the flip side, the college life at McMurdo also brings good things that I won't get at Pole, like live TV, longer & frequent showers, more laundry, private bathroom, & more opportunity for solitude.

Antarctica has a weekly newspaper publication which is very informative about life on the Ice at all three research stations: Pole, McMurdo, & Palmer. This week they talk about the ozone hole as well as how the delay in getting people to the Pole is affecting McMurdo. The population here is now at 1125 and the station is only designed to support 1100. Check it out at http://antarcticsun.usap.gov/. They also talk review a new book out about the 50 year history of science and exploration on The Ice.

I had lunch with the Deputy Director in Charge of Antarctic Operations for the National Science Foundation. He came to Antarctica 20 years ago as a general assistant (the guys who do general carpentry work) and now is going to the Pole is liaison with the Beakers and see what all the NSF money is paying for. This year is the 50 year anniversary of the first flight to the South Pole which took place on Oct 31, 1956. They are planning several anniversary celebrations commemorating the event and were trying to coordinate a flight to be at the exact same time as the original flight. The weather is getting warmer at Pole (-51C, -59.8F) (wind chill: -70.1C, -94.3F). Remember it has to be -50C in order for the hercs to land there. If the weather holds, I'm scheduled to leave on Tuesday. For the latest up-to-the-minute weather at the Pole go to: http://www.southpole.usap.gov/.

Friday, October 27, 2006

Neighbors


Scott base is the Kiwi (New Zealand) research facilities located just 1.5 miles from McMurdo. We can hike there anytime we want, but aren't supposed to be in their facilities unless invited. Every Thursday is American night when they invite everyone from McMurdo over to hang out at their bar. So last night many of us took the shuttle over to visit the neighbors. With only 150 Kiwis living there during their summer season, we came close to doubling their population. It was a fun evening as I met several more people from McMurdo and Poleys that I hadn't run into, yet. I was also able to get rid of some of my Kiwi money buying the NZ beer Tui.

I met Megan who is here from U of Nebraska filming the Andrill project for education in elementary schools. She showed part of her footage and it was amazing! She had interviewed kids from a New York City elementary school regarding how they would overcome the obstacles of the Adrill project. They had just pulled their first core and she also showed us footage of that. I like keeping educated on the science that is going on here as it keeps me focused on what I'm supporting by working here. If you're curious about the Andrill project and the amazing technology and multi-country efforts check out http://www.andrill.org/. You can also find more information on the school kids’ project.

My friends at the bar said that I needed to drink more because I was talking science and wanted to leave the bar to see the geeky science lecture. I had to do a double take because it sounded like my sister was talking to me.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

ClubMed


I'm still at the McMurdo research station. The scheduled flights to the South Pole were cancelled again today as the weather still isn't cooperating. (-57.6C, -71.7F) (wind chill: -75.8C, -104.4F) They've set a limit of -50C for the flights to land and I'm on the 4th flight out.

The first 48 hours here at McMurdo were really long for me. It felt as if I had been here for weeks. Now that I've had some time to recover, I finally felt 100% today and I took advantage of it. It now feels as if I've relocated to a retirement community. I was booked solid with activities. After helping out in the kitchen for a few hours and attending a sanitation lecture, several of us went for a short hike, then I went to yoga, and finally attended a science lecture on the guys who study the B15 iceberg that was in the news last year. At McMurdo (aka Mac Town) there are so many activities and facilities that besides putting on 30lbs of gear to take a hike, you wouldn't notice anything different from any other small town in the US. They have several bars, a bowling alley, craft shop, ceramic hut, workout gyms and aerobic facilities, and cross country skiing.

The Poleys (people going to the South Pole) are putting a strain on Mac Town's resources. There are an extra 200 people or so hanging out here waiting to get out. People are having to sleep 6 to a room and the people working here seemed annoyed that we are taking up there space. I'm fortunate that I'm rooming with only one other fellow Poley.

We are encouraged to work in our areas while we are waiting. After all, they aren't paying us to go to yoga. I helped out in the kitchen today and it was great to get my feet wet. I haven't been in a production kitchen for a long time so my confidence was lacking. Today it was restored a little bit as everything starting coming back to me. Most of us Poleys are trying to eat as much fresheys (fresh fruit & veg) as possible because they become very rare as the season progresses. I'm constantly eating salads, bananas, and drinking fresh milk. We'll only have powdered milk at the Pole.

I'll try to post pictures soon.

Cheers, Steph

Beginnings

Transport plane taking off on the ice runway at McMurdo.

View of McMurdo. Scott's Hut is in the foreground.


The following are a few emails I sent out prior to starting this blog. For those who hadn't recieved them, I wanted to copy them here to update everyone with my adventure so far.

Oct 23, 2006 Monday
Friends & Family!!!
I'm in Antarctica! Can you believe?!! This is totally crazy!
We were debriefed and screened and loaded onto the USAF C-17 cargo plane starting at 6am this morning from the Antarctic Center in NZ. I have some really great pictures! After a very long 6 hour flight, we arrived at McMurdo around 3pm only to go to another briefing. My first impression of The Ice after stepping off the plane was how it looked so similar to any number of ice fishing spots in NoDak. Another guy from NoDak said the same thing and it was hard not to look around for the tip-ups (ice fishing poles).
It was a warm 5F above when we landed, but I've had a crude awakening since then. Trying to lug around 75lbs of luggage with huge layers of ECW gear up a steep hill against a very cold wind was really exhausting!
The word is we will be here in McMurdo for a few days. There weather hasn't been cooperating at the Pole and no planes have gotten in or out yet this Spring. I can imagine how those Winter-over people at the Pole who are eager to get home must feel.
It has to warm up to -50C (-58F) in order for the plane to land (yes, that's warming up to NEGATIVE 58F). The LC-30 has landed in much colder conditions, but with the crosswinds and air density, this is the limit they've set. Right now it is -59.9C (-75.1F) with a wind chill of -77.7C (-107.9F)! They are behind schedule getting planes and supplies to the Pole. There are 3 planes to go before mine is scheduled to leave. We are supposed to go on Thur, Oct 26, but my guess is it will be later than that. I heard talk tonight that they've scheduled a smaller plane to try and get in there tomorrow with a small amount of supplies and people. The talk was because of the conditions they are going to have to fly so high that the passengers will need oxygen.
It's beautiful landscape with these ugly, old military buildings plopped in the middle. McMurdo looks like an old mining town. We will keep busy while here helping out for a few hours in the kitchen, get caught up on HR paperwork, and go hiking. It's like camp or college. I'm lucky that I'm housed in a dorm right across the way from the main building where all the computers, offices, and galley is located. It's so close that I don't have to gear all up to get there, I only need the ECW jacket.
I found out that the kitchen staff at Pole gets a shower every other day instead of twice a week! I also found out that a "2-minute shower" means simply no continuous running water for 2 minutes but you can take as long as you want. They just want you to start and stop your shower as you soap up.
I'm going to try and get a blog to post pictures and so you all don't have to read these long emails. Until that happens, go to http://www.usap.gov/ and click on South Pole Station web cam for the latest weather conditions.
Cheers!
Steph

Oct 21, 2006 Saturday
Friends & Family,
It's 11:28am, Sat Oct 21 which makes it about 4:30pm on Friday in Chicago & NoDak.
I landed in Christchurch about an hour ago and am getting settled. All the people are wonderful! I am going to have an amazing group to work with in the galley. There are many more women than I thought. Most of us in this group are all first-timers and are at the Pole. It's very comforting to finally talk to others who have been and are going through the same mental and emotional stuff as I am just to come here! It's wonderful to meet so many people from all over the US and we all have very interesting stories on how we got here. I'm also excited that I'm at the Pole as it's definitely the more interesting and exciting place to be (compared to McMurdo.)
We go and get issued our ECW (extreme cold weather) gear tomorrow and then try to fly to McMurdo Station on Monday, Oct 23. (I say try as it all depends on the weather.)
Just wanted to let everyone know I was safe and very tired.
Cheers!
Steph