-27.5C (-17.3F)
wind chil: -35.8C (-32.5F)
Wind: 6 knots
I FINALLY made it! I finally walked to the other side of the station and traveled those few yards to the actual South Pole! It became one of those things that was just outside the door, but you never made time for. I am constantly gazing out the window at the Pole and the brilliant world before me, so I can’t believe that it’s taken this long. Also, I needed to find someone who wasn’t working when I was to follow me and take pictures. The main thought that plagued me is if, knock-on-wood, something were to happen to me again and I had to leave the Pole immediately I still wouldn’t have the pictures that said it all. The picture that said I stood at exactly 90 degrees South, the point about which the Earth rotates, and that it was a long, damn hard road to get here.
95 years ago on Dec 14, Roald Amundsen and his party arrived at 90 degrees South, the first person/s to stand at the geographic South Pole. It’s amazing to think about what it must have been like to achieve that goal at this very location, alone, and without any back-up support. I thought it was hard enough to get here with all of our modern technologies.
I receive many inquisitions on what day-to-day life is like on this bitter cold continent. What is it like in when it’s THAT cold? Do you always have to walk outside completely covered up? Would you get frostbite instantly if you didn’t? Actually, I’ve seen a few people walk to the bathroom from their Jamesway in shorts and a T-shirt. At first I thought my brother, Erik, had followed me here since he is always walking around in the snow in shorts and sandals. I’m unable to do that. You can be outside for VERY short periods of time with exposed skin, but it’s a quick cold jog to the bathroom and not really worth it to me (besides, I now have a very comfortable pee can). I can walk outside to the other buildings in Summer Camp (gym, lounge, and bathroom) with only my insulated sweat pants, heavy bunny boots, T-shirt, fleece, hat, sunglasses, and gloves. I don’t necessarily need my ECW pants or jacket for short distances. Anything longer than 20 yards or so I need to gear up completely. I absolutely cannot go outside without sunglasses or gloves. 
I’m still amazed that my Jamesway room keeps me as warm as it does since I can see the daylight through the weakening seams of the military canvas. Each Jamesway is heated by a diesel fuel furnace and I’m able to sleep comfortably in only shorts and tank top. Donya, my sister-in-law, did the most thoughtful and loving thing for me before I left. She and Brother Erik both took a day off of work to meet me in Denver while I was going through orientation. Donya had painstakingly put together a photo book/diary for me. I hadn’t had the time or energy to take any pictures with me to keep me company. She included several extra photos with the book. I’ve now taped all those photos to the canvas that hangs over my bed along with all the cards of encouragement I’ve received. I had to do something to cover up where the previous occupants wrote “105 days in the hole,” “it’s a harsh continent,” and so-and-so “was here and was miserable.” They certainly weren’t encouraging words on my first day.
I spend most of my time in the main station. My Jamesway is extremely comfortable to sleep in and do a little reading, but not much else. The Summer Camp exercise room has old equipment and then you’d have to travel outside after you get all sweaty working out. I haven’t spent any time in the Summer Camp lounge although it is just cheesy and hole-in-the-wall enough for me to love and is a great place to meet friends. There is a toga party in a few days in the lounge. I just hope we don’t lose anyone in the snow with their pale skin and white toga’s. I think I’ll find some blue or flowered sheets for my toga.
Anyway, as I was saying . . . main station. The main station is situated right next to The Dome, or the old station. The Dome is exactly that, a dome that was placed directly on top of the snow and ice without a floor. It essentially was built to protect against the wind and therefore cut out some of the cold. The Dome once covered other buildings offering protection such as the galley, living quarters, and scientific operations. As technology advanced, so did the need for a South Pole modernization project and hence the new station which is still under construction. Early pictures of the Dome show it sitting directly on top of the snow. Now, the snow has drifted around it in such quantities that it looks as if it was built below ground and the entrance is continually dug out. The Dome is now used as storage and all of the buildings inside have been torn down. The Dome will eventually be dismantled as well.
Just across the entrance to the Dome is a large, tall, silver, un-insulated, cylindrical structure attached to the main station. This structure is called “the beer can” and has a very scary and unreliable freight elevator and several flights of stairs. You can take these stairs into the main station and it’s a favorite exercise activity for some to run the stairs of the beer can. The beer can is a remnant of
I still can’t get over the fact that the inside of the main station looks like something directly out of 2001 Space Odyssey. Then again, this entire area looks and feels as if we are on the moon. I am certain that they will use all of the information gained here about how to successfully populate a space station or the moon. I pack a bag every night and drag it with me to the main station to have everything I need for the day: gym clothes, work clothes, books, etc. They activity coordinator does an excellent job making certain there is something going on every evening of the week. Monday is board game night and Charleston Dance lessons, Tuesday SciFi movie night and basketball, Wednesday documentary film and volleyball, Thursday swing and salsa dance lessons, Friday basketball and dodge ball, Saturday bingo, and Sunday is most everyone’s day off so everything is going on. I sometimes take part in the board games on Monday, Tuesday I work late, Wednesday is my day off but the evening is full of meetings and training. I then go to Thursday swing/salsa lessons and bingo. Every week we receive tapes of the pervious week’s NFL games in which one game is shown on Saturday afternoons.
All of these activities are taught or organized by volunteers. For example, swing/salsa lessons are taught by Andy Martinez our station manager. Bingo on Saturdays is the craziest bingo I’ve ever experienced! My boss, JB paints his face and slips into a crazy bingo caller mode and the crowd heckles and cajoles him.
If you want, you can come and visit me for approximately 3 hours through an adventure/tourism group called Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions. It will cost you just over $30,000 and being this is a government building you’ll need to get special permission for a tour, but I can run our and meet you. We had our first tourists yesterday and all of us wanted to run out and take pictures of them. A father/son duo from Austria had gone to the North Pole last year. Usually the tourists come inside for coffee and shop at our little store.
I have volunteered for the trauma team since I thought my experience having EMT training, being a CRP instructor, my comfort around medical procedures, and working in various hospitals around Chicago would come in handy. I’ve come to discover that my experience is much more in need than I expected. For a community with a population of 250, there are only 20 people who have volunteered on the trauma team and very few of them have any medical experience. The worst fears of anyone is an incident involving multiple victims in which case, all hands are needed despite experience. (The worst case scenario they envision here is an incident with one of the LC-130 landing/take-offs.) They teach safe transport to medical as the best method to treat any patient since the weather is our worst enemy. Without knowing my background, I was asked by Dr. Bruce and Dr. Jay, the doctors at the South Pole who took care of me while I was sick, to join the medical response team consisting of only themselves and 3 others. It’s very interesting how things come full circle. They asked me to be on the team after our long conversations of when I was sick. We are equipped to handle 2 major traumas concurrently, but both doctors would still need assistance. If major traumas were accompanying by minor ones, the doctors would quickly become overwhelmed and really need assistance. I’m currently spending my Wednesday evenings learning how to assist the docs and set up the medical ward as well as cold weather first responder tactics with the trauma team. I’m issued a radio in order to hear emergency calls while sleeping.
Life outside of the main station is also very interesting and exciting. They’ve now set up a Frisbee golf course outside and a rugby game usually breaks out once a week on the ice. There are skis and boots to check out in order to use a cross-country ski route. I’m eager to try cross-country skiing, but I hear it is a very difficult cardio run and I’m trying to get my endurance up first. Although it hasn’t snowed here in hundreds of years, snow removal is a constant job. All the snow that is here has just stayed here since before the Roman Empire and just continually blows around burying things. They’ve made a giant pile in front of the station that has now been converted into a sledding hill. Some dinning trays have been smuggled in from McMurdo and are now used a sleds.
The main mode of transportation around the Pole is snowmobile. They have several old ski-doos (the kind with only one ski in front which are now outlawed in the US) which pull these crazy sleds to haul people and equipment back and forth from a work site. There are 2 cargo vans, a few pickup trucks, and 4 cranes.
Work outside the station is just as busy as work inside. There are multiple construction projects going on such as Ice Cube, a new telescope (more on these things later), and finishing the new station. Work is conducted around the clock. The crews who work the swing shift (2 pm-midnight) are called “swingers” and social activities are set up for them around 2 and 3 am and as well as at 9 am for the night shifters. So if you ever have trouble sleeping there is always something going on.
There is no wildlife at the South Pole. All of the penguins and seals are around the coast with many colonies near McMurdo. A few weeks ago several penguins decided to take a walk along the ski-way at McMurdo and had to be ushered off in order for the planes to depart and land. Although I wasn’t there, I’ve been able to get some pictures from people who were. You can find several more pictures of the penguins on the photo book link. I like the ones where they are walking near the LC-130’s. Humans definitely seem to be the ones out of place.
I’ve painted a bright, cozy, and wonderful life here at the bottom of the Earth, but in reality it is still a very harsh continent and life isn’t easy. Although cold, on most days the weather is an extremely bright, clear blue sky. I’m still amazed every day at how bright and beautiful and clean the world is here. I recently overheard a conversation of someone expressing how they miss dirt. I began thinking about how I miss colors -- the bright greens and red or trees and flowers. Living in a world of white, I'm certain everything will seem brighter to me when I leave.
We have had several reporters traveling to the Pole recently. One reporter and photographer was from MSNBC. I've added the link to his blog. He was only at Pole one day, but he goes into more detail on day-to-day operations in Antarctica in general. He has run an excellent series of stories with details of things that I just don't have time to tell you. He called the food excellent at Pole (and he was here on the day when only Francie and I were cooking). There was also another reporter/photographer from the Chicago Tribune which will run a series of stories about life at Pole in February.
Enjoy!
wind chil: -35.8C (-32.5F)
Wind: 6 knots
I FINALLY made it! I finally walked to the other side of the station and traveled those few yards to the actual South Pole! It became one of those things that was just outside the door, but you never made time for. I am constantly gazing out the window at the Pole and the brilliant world before me, so I can’t believe that it’s taken this long. Also, I needed to find someone who wasn’t working when I was to follow me and take pictures. The main thought that plagued me is if, knock-on-wood, something were to happen to me again and I had to leave the Pole immediately I still wouldn’t have the pictures that said it all. The picture that said I stood at exactly 90 degrees South, the point about which the Earth rotates, and that it was a long, damn hard road to get here.
95 years ago on Dec 14, Roald Amundsen and his party arrived at 90 degrees South, the first person/s to stand at the geographic South Pole. It’s amazing to think about what it must have been like to achieve that goal at this very location, alone, and without any back-up support. I thought it was hard enough to get here with all of our modern technologies.
I receive many inquisitions on what day-to-day life is like on this bitter cold continent. What is it like in when it’s THAT cold? Do you always have to walk outside completely covered up? Would you get frostbite instantly if you didn’t? Actually, I’ve seen a few people walk to the bathroom from their Jamesway in shorts and a T-shirt. At first I thought my brother, Erik, had followed me here since he is always walking around in the snow in shorts and sandals. I’m unable to do that. You can be outside for VERY short periods of time with exposed skin, but it’s a quick cold jog to the bathroom and not really worth it to me (besides, I now have a very comfortable pee can). I can walk outside to the other buildings in Summer Camp (gym, lounge, and bathroom) with only my insulated sweat pants, heavy bunny boots, T-shirt, fleece, hat, sunglasses, and gloves. I don’t necessarily need my ECW pants or jacket for short distances. Anything longer than 20 yards or so I need to gear up completely. I absolutely cannot go outside without sunglasses or gloves. 
I’m still amazed that my Jamesway room keeps me as warm as it does since I can see the daylight through the weakening seams of the military canvas. Each Jamesway is heated by a diesel fuel furnace and I’m able to sleep comfortably in only shorts and tank top. Donya, my sister-in-law, did the most thoughtful and loving thing for me before I left. She and Brother Erik both took a day off of work to meet me in Denver while I was going through orientation. Donya had painstakingly put together a photo book/diary for me. I hadn’t had the time or energy to take any pictures with me to keep me company. She included several extra photos with the book. I’ve now taped all those photos to the canvas that hangs over my bed along with all the cards of encouragement I’ve received. I had to do something to cover up where the previous occupants wrote “105 days in the hole,” “it’s a harsh continent,” and so-and-so “was here and was miserable.” They certainly weren’t encouraging words on my first day.
I spend most of my time in the main station. My Jamesway is extremely comfortable to sleep in and do a little reading, but not much else. The Summer Camp exercise room has old equipment and then you’d have to travel outside after you get all sweaty working out. I haven’t spent any time in the Summer Camp lounge although it is just cheesy and hole-in-the-wall enough for me to love and is a great place to meet friends. There is a toga party in a few days in the lounge. I just hope we don’t lose anyone in the snow with their pale skin and white toga’s. I think I’ll find some blue or flowered sheets for my toga.
Anyway, as I was saying . . . main station. The main station is situated right next to The Dome, or the old station. The Dome is exactly that, a dome that was placed directly on top of the snow and ice without a floor. It essentially was built to protect against the wind and therefore cut out some of the cold. The Dome once covered other buildings offering protection such as the galley, living quarters, and scientific operations. As technology advanced, so did the need for a South Pole modernization project and hence the new station which is still under construction. Early pictures of the Dome show it sitting directly on top of the snow. Now, the snow has drifted around it in such quantities that it looks as if it was built below ground and the entrance is continually dug out. The Dome is now used as storage and all of the buildings inside have been torn down. The Dome will eventually be dismantled as well.
Just across the entrance to the Dome is a large, tall, silver, un-insulated, cylindrical structure attached to the main station. This structure is called “the beer can” and has a very scary and unreliable freight elevator and several flights of stairs. You can take these stairs into the main station and it’s a favorite exercise activity for some to run the stairs of the beer can. The beer can is a remnant of
I still can’t get over the fact that the inside of the main station looks like something directly out of 2001 Space Odyssey. Then again, this entire area looks and feels as if we are on the moon. I am certain that they will use all of the information gained here about how to successfully populate a space station or the moon. I pack a bag every night and drag it with me to the main station to have everything I need for the day: gym clothes, work clothes, books, etc. They activity coordinator does an excellent job making certain there is something going on every evening of the week. Monday is board game night and Charleston Dance lessons, Tuesday SciFi movie night and basketball, Wednesday documentary film and volleyball, Thursday swing and salsa dance lessons, Friday basketball and dodge ball, Saturday bingo, and Sunday is most everyone’s day off so everything is going on. I sometimes take part in the board games on Monday, Tuesday I work late, Wednesday is my day off but the evening is full of meetings and training. I then go to Thursday swing/salsa lessons and bingo. Every week we receive tapes of the pervious week’s NFL games in which one game is shown on Saturday afternoons.
All of these activities are taught or organized by volunteers. For example, swing/salsa lessons are taught by Andy Martinez our station manager. Bingo on Saturdays is the craziest bingo I’ve ever experienced! My boss, JB paints his face and slips into a crazy bingo caller mode and the crowd heckles and cajoles him.
If you want, you can come and visit me for approximately 3 hours through an adventure/tourism group called Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions. It will cost you just over $30,000 and being this is a government building you’ll need to get special permission for a tour, but I can run our and meet you. We had our first tourists yesterday and all of us wanted to run out and take pictures of them. A father/son duo from Austria had gone to the North Pole last year. Usually the tourists come inside for coffee and shop at our little store.I have volunteered for the trauma team since I thought my experience having EMT training, being a CRP instructor, my comfort around medical procedures, and working in various hospitals around Chicago would come in handy. I’ve come to discover that my experience is much more in need than I expected. For a community with a population of 250, there are only 20 people who have volunteered on the trauma team and very few of them have any medical experience. The worst fears of anyone is an incident involving multiple victims in which case, all hands are needed despite experience. (The worst case scenario they envision here is an incident with one of the LC-130 landing/take-offs.) They teach safe transport to medical as the best method to treat any patient since the weather is our worst enemy. Without knowing my background, I was asked by Dr. Bruce and Dr. Jay, the doctors at the South Pole who took care of me while I was sick, to join the medical response team consisting of only themselves and 3 others. It’s very interesting how things come full circle. They asked me to be on the team after our long conversations of when I was sick. We are equipped to handle 2 major traumas concurrently, but both doctors would still need assistance. If major traumas were accompanying by minor ones, the doctors would quickly become overwhelmed and really need assistance. I’m currently spending my Wednesday evenings learning how to assist the docs and set up the medical ward as well as cold weather first responder tactics with the trauma team. I’m issued a radio in order to hear emergency calls while sleeping.
Life outside of the main station is also very interesting and exciting. They’ve now set up a Frisbee golf course outside and a rugby game usually breaks out once a week on the ice. There are skis and boots to check out in order to use a cross-country ski route. I’m eager to try cross-country skiing, but I hear it is a very difficult cardio run and I’m trying to get my endurance up first. Although it hasn’t snowed here in hundreds of years, snow removal is a constant job. All the snow that is here has just stayed here since before the Roman Empire and just continually blows around burying things. They’ve made a giant pile in front of the station that has now been converted into a sledding hill. Some dinning trays have been smuggled in from McMurdo and are now used a sleds.
The main mode of transportation around the Pole is snowmobile. They have several old ski-doos (the kind with only one ski in front which are now outlawed in the US) which pull these crazy sleds to haul people and equipment back and forth from a work site. There are 2 cargo vans, a few pickup trucks, and 4 cranes.
Work outside the station is just as busy as work inside. There are multiple construction projects going on such as Ice Cube, a new telescope (more on these things later), and finishing the new station. Work is conducted around the clock. The crews who work the swing shift (2 pm-midnight) are called “swingers” and social activities are set up for them around 2 and 3 am and as well as at 9 am for the night shifters. So if you ever have trouble sleeping there is always something going on.
There is no wildlife at the South Pole. All of the penguins and seals are around the coast with many colonies near McMurdo. A few weeks ago several penguins decided to take a walk along the ski-way at McMurdo and had to be ushered off in order for the planes to depart and land. Although I wasn’t there, I’ve been able to get some pictures from people who were. You can find several more pictures of the penguins on the photo book link. I like the ones where they are walking near the LC-130’s. Humans definitely seem to be the ones out of place.
I’ve painted a bright, cozy, and wonderful life here at the bottom of the Earth, but in reality it is still a very harsh continent and life isn’t easy. Although cold, on most days the weather is an extremely bright, clear blue sky. I’m still amazed every day at how bright and beautiful and clean the world is here. I recently overheard a conversation of someone expressing how they miss dirt. I began thinking about how I miss colors -- the bright greens and red or trees and flowers. Living in a world of white, I'm certain everything will seem brighter to me when I leave.
We have had several reporters traveling to the Pole recently. One reporter and photographer was from MSNBC. I've added the link to his blog. He was only at Pole one day, but he goes into more detail on day-to-day operations in Antarctica in general. He has run an excellent series of stories with details of things that I just don't have time to tell you. He called the food excellent at Pole (and he was here on the day when only Francie and I were cooking). There was also another reporter/photographer from the Chicago Tribune which will run a series of stories about life at Pole in February.
Enjoy!
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