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/.