Christchurch

Punting (boating) on the Avon River in Christchurch.
I can't think of a better place for the USAP to drop us off than Christchurch, NZ. If you get dropped off anywhere from October to late February, it was one of the greenest places around. It is a smaller city so you won't necessarily get swept up in the bustle. The people are friendly. It doesn't hurt that the US dollar does reasonably well so we can make our savings go a little farther too. I love it. I'd love to live here for a season.


Kids playing in the park.
There are tons of outdoor activities near by. It seems to be enough of a urban center that there are good jobs. For ultimate, they have a couple university teams and a club team. Their available field space seems infinite compared to either Pittsburgh or Denver. Don't get me wrong. There is plenty here that people could probably improve on - I just don't know what it is. I know if you get a few blocks out of city center, the greenery disappears and it quickly looks like a suburban strip mall followed by a car dealer followed by a chain store followed by . . . However, I spent most of my time near the city center so I'll just keep my rose colored glasses on. Also, if you keep going farther out of town, it quickly turns into beautiful green pastures and farm land.


The Curator's House restaurant near the Botanical Gardens (what a view!)
Most of my days here have involved eating a big breakfast at the hotel, running a few errands, going for a run, wandering aimlessly until I find other ice people and then being corralled into whatever plans they have. I struggle with the lack of anything to do, but I'm slowly getting used to it. I suppose it is the definition of R&R and how I'll stop being so freaking tired.


Flowers!
By complete chance, my first official meal off the ice was the same as my last meal before going to the ice - Sala Sala sushi. On my way to the ice, Katie, Jon, and D'Sousa took me. On the way out, William T. took me. That man has missed sushi more than anyone on the Ice except maybe B-Nelson. These pictures were for B-Nelson to show him what he had to look forward to, but I didn't get them up in time. He has been here for two days now so I'm assuming that he already got his fix. Last night, we went to a brew pub of sorts. Good, good stuff (yes Katie, the food was good too!).


Sala Sala sushi.
Between jaunts in Christchurch, I've gone hiking twice (blogs coming on those). Between the hikes, I get more gear from the CDC and shift my stuff around. My bag is still too heavy, but I'm getting closer to where it needs to be. I just want to take everything and I can't. It is a learning process.


William T. enjoying being off the Ice and now on his way back to Boulder, CO.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

I left on a jet plane, I don't know when I'll be back again. On Thursday, the 16th of October, I wove goodbye to Antarctica. I checked my bags in that morning, said goodbye to people all day and was on the flight that evening. Writing this almost two weeks later, I can't remember most of that day. I think it was spent giving stuff away, reorganizing my room, and saying goodbye. I do remember that I didn't get a deli sandwich to take with me on the plane and that was sad.


My last look before boarding the plane.
Shuttle Bob is the man. He was supervising some one's first trip drive out to Pegasus Airfield in a Delta and commandeered a spot in the cab for me with them. Normally, you have to ride in the back and just bounce along without being able to easily see outside. Sitting shotgun, you get to see everything. On the way out, I saw one of the largest fata morganas that I have ever seen. Thanks, Bob!


An almost empty C-17.
When I came to Antarctica, the plane was full with almost 125 people. There were more seats and all the seats down both sides were filled (comparison picture). On the way back, the plane was almost empty. It was weird. There were four McMurdo winterovers, maybe eight Kiwi winterovers, and then 20 grantees who were already on their way home. I can't imagine what coming down for such a short time is like.


Watching out the window.


The mountains
The flight out was very similar to the flight in. Everyone gets up as soon as they can and walks around. They settle into music and reading. They look out the three port holes for one last look at Antarctica. The best views were early on in the flight when we were crossing the mountain ranges. In the second half of the flight, it was all clouds, water, or flat ice. People chose a different activity to pass the time - sleep.


Sleeping on the floor of the plane.
Having the extra space to spread out and sleep on the plane was great. I tossed my big red on the floor and zonked out for at least a couple hours to make up for the sleep I missed the night before. Some of the air crew, who are used to the long flight, rolled out beds for themselves. They had air mattresses and sleeping bags already to go. Great stuff. Sometime during the flight, a lot of people stripped out of their ECW so that they would be properly dressed for the weather when they got to CHC. I didn't remove all of mine because the floor where I was sleeping was cold and so was the seat where I was by the back door of the plane (thanks for the tip though, Atlas).


The Botanical Gardens in Christchurch.
I've already rambled about my first moments in Christchurch. Terrible smells. Great smells. Peace. Not so quiet. The next few days were glorious. I spent so many hours just strolling through the park. Great stuff. Hopefully, it will be the first of many steps to getting rid of the dark bags that seem to have been permanently under my eyes at McMurdo. However, that might have just been how pale I was. Either way, walking around in the sun will fix that too.


I'm tired. Time to go home.

The Joy of Giving, The Joy of Leaving.

As most of you know, I had to leave Antarctica on short notice. I thought I was going to pack all of Thursday and then fly out Friday at 2pm. Unfortunately, someone broke their leg and needed to be medivac'd out sooner. Therefore, I found out on 4pm Wednesday that I'd have fly the next day at 6pm. That left me one night to get everything done.

Over the year, you transform your room to make it more comfortable. You have to undo all those transformations. You have to clean the entire room. You have to return anything that was lent to you. You have to lend your own stuff out that you don't want to take with you, but want back. You have to find good homes for the stuff that you just can't justify taking off the ice. You need to decide what goes in skua (i.e. goodwill) and what will go to a specific friend. Lots of stuff goes out to friends, but you need to find those friends to give them stuff. It is a wonderfully chaotic time. When I was trying to do my room cleaning, Brian and Katie were doing the smart thing of just having a yard sale in their room for friends to come take stuff.

Obviously, I'm not on the ice anymore, so I got everything packed. I think one of my main beneficiaries of stuff was Bamma. She is either a pack rat or all of our tastes line up. I don't care which. I'm just glad she took so much from me. Thanks, Bamma! Having to rush didn't allow me to process that I was leaving the Ice or say goodbye to everyone. I've been figuring that out as I go. It has been interesting.


Seeing Bamma's face explains the joy of giving.

New Zealand

As I stepped off the plane, the first smell that greeted me was fuel. I can't believe that I flew 2,500 miles and the first smell that I came in contact with is fuel. It is just like I didn't leave McMurdo, except that the air felt heavy. Wet. The air felt that way as the plane got closer and closer to landing (though I never smelled the Earth as some people say can happen).

After a short bus ride to the main airport terminal, we walked through sliding glass doors and towards the duty free shops on our way to clear customs. Unfortunately, the very first shop we encountered was a perfume shop. As those of you who know me well may remember, I don't like perfume. Even in the shopping mall stores, it assaults my sense of smell and I avoid it. Imagine coming into contact with those same smells after a year without almost any smells. I just held my breath, tucked, and ran.

As we approached the always long customs lines, I started to worry. I was in most of my ECW (Extreme Cold Weather) gear and the airport was warm. I was going to overheat and get grumpy standing in line. I was too tired to just take some of it off. A customs agent saved the day when he saw all of us coming and directed us towards a line that he was opening just for us. Kiwis (New Zealanders) are good folk. They might do this for all flights, but in my short time here they always seems to take the extra step.

After clearing customs, I took my cart and headed over to the CDC to return my ECW gear. Along the way, the walk was lined with these small white flowers which were absolutely overpowering. I was intoxicated by the smell. I was so happy to slowly amble over there. Once there, we just dumped our gear in a pile and then were allowed to get on to our awaiting shuttle.

Everyone except me, went to the Hotel So, the most expensive option Raytheon will pay for. I went for the Windsor, a quiet B&B near the Botanical Gardens. It was a pleasantly cool spring night. Everyone was already in bed. It was quiet again. I got my gear inside and just went to the park across the street to touch and walk in the grass. I was only there a short time, but the feeling is still tingling inside me this morning. It was the same way when I first saw the sun.

After a short night of sleep, I got up at 7am. (Yes, I did try to sleep in but couldn't.) I headed for a short walk at the gardens before check in. I move slowly or everyone else moves quickly. I'm not sure. Over the winter, life certainly moved at a slower pace, but I didn't realize it was that slow. I can barely remember to walk on the left side of the street or even to look for cars when crossing. At McMurdo, there really isn't a side of the street and everyone drives slow. Keep checking your news report for an American tourist getting sideswiped by a car in Christchurch. Cause: admiring the flowers in a daze.

It's 9am. I'm heading back to bed and then I'm heading out to the gardens again. I'm going to lay there for hours.

Getting out

As I get ready to leave in less than ten hours, two scenes keep coming back to me from the movie Shawshank Redemption.


RED (Morgan Freeman): Believe what you want. These walls are funny. First you hate 'em, then you get used to 'em. After long enough, you get so you depend on 'em. That's "institutionalized."

RED: [Brooks]'s been here fifty years. This place is all he knows. In here, he's an important man, an educated man. A librarian.

I've been at McMurdo Base for just over a year. I certainly have more liberties than any prison, but life has taken on a certain stable rhythm, especially over the winter. As I get ready to head to Christchurch, NZ in a few hours, I just keep thinking about how overwhelming the independence may be. About a month ago, a chef asked me what I wanted him to cook for dinner. I had trouble answering him because it had been so long since I had that choice presented to me. Everyday, I'll be presented with choices that I didn't have down here. I'm kind of awe struck thinking about the possibilities.

Also overwhelming, but in a better way, will be the attack on my other senses. I am going to sense more colors, smells, and sounds that I have had in a year. Our main colors are black and white. Our main smells are dinner, your own body odor, and fuel. The sounds are nothing compared to what a city will present. I'm looking forward to like burying my nose in the petals of an orange lily or digging my toes into the grass. I've heard that you can smell Earth before the plane even lands.

It is GO time

Someone got hurt today. We are going to medivac him out tomorrow. Therefore, the Friday flight is now a Thursday flight. I'm frantically packing and heading out to . . . . .well, to who knows where. Christchurch, NZ for a couple days and then up to hike the Abel Tasman track. I'll be in touch soon.

Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Six Hundred Minutes

Mt. Discovery behind the Chapel of the Snows.
Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand
Six Hundred Minutes
How Do You Measure
A Year In The Life?

October 12th was my one (leap) year anniversary of being down on the Ice. It passed just like any other day. I'm leaving on Friday. That too will pass with no celebration. While the community I have learned to love over the past six months has been dismantled, a new one has formed. Old friends are reuniting. New friendships are forming. This place marches on even as each of its winter stewards leaves. I believe that after my flight goes there will still be thirty people left from winter.


Sunset on October 8, 9pm
I've been fortunate enough to be given a little extra time to pack. My Thursday flight was delayed so I now leave on Friday. It doesn't feel like enough. I'm not sure it will ever be enough. This place and the relationships I have here have become home. I'm not ready to head away from them. On the other hand, it is also time to go.


Sunset on October 13th at 12am.
I'm busy behind measure getting ready to go. Some of that is packing. A lot of that is slack time with friends. There is no way I can spend enough time with each of the friends that has just come back down to the ice. I guess I'll just have to see them back in the United States. It will be weird to see them back there. It feels like they just went off to college and are just now coming back to the hometown so I need to catch up. They have done so much while I have remained here.


Mt. Erebus.
Those are the spare thoughts for the day. As I get busier, my time on the internet is dwindling. I'll try to get another update on soon.


Clair, who may grump at me for putting this picture up, and that is why it is up.

The Transition

This isn't going to be about the transition from winter to Winfly to mainbody seasons. It is going to be about the transitions from Ross Island to sea ice. We use two roads to take vehicles off the land and on to the sea ice. The first one at Scott Base is usable all year. The second one at McMurdo, the VXE-6 transition, can only be used before the ice melts.


A tidal crack at Cape Evans.
The sea ice naturally freezes each year. After that happens, fleet operations uses heavy machinery to make the surface suitable for driving wheeled and tracked vehicles. Unfortunately, tidal forces are always effecting the sea ice which causes tidal cracks to form. In the warmer parts of the summer, melting and pock marks caused by uneven melting weaken the sea ice. It is like the Pennsylvania Turnpike, always in need of repair.


The danger of tidal cracks.
To strengthen the sea ice, we spray down the transition with thousands of gallons of fresh water which seals cracks and smoothes the existing ice. We use fresh water because the impurities in the sea water make for weaker bonds. An estimated one millions gallons of water is required to build a stable transition from land to sea and even then big cracks are likely to form. For the sake of comparison, in one week where we were building the transition we used 325,000 gallons (about 403 gal/person). In Winfly three times as many people and weren't building the transition, we only used 26,000 gallons (83 gal/person).


My preferred type of transition.
After eight days of delays, the first flight of mainbody finally made it in yesterday afternoon. It took out 28 very happy winterovers. The flight for 7am this morning was twenty-five minutes away before it boomeranged, giving its passengers an extra four hours in the plane. The second afternoon flight didn't even take off which has left a few more winterovers wishing they were somewhere else.

Ice

209 ice machine.
Yes, we do have ice machines in Antarctica. We have one in every dorm and a few in the galley.

The plane is finally coming in today. The second invasion is about to begin.

The Waiting Game

Our fourth canceled flight.
Mainbody (summer) was supposed to start on Monday with the arrival of a hundred plus people on the first flight. After that, we'd keep getting flights every other day until the 17th. Our population wouldl jump to 600 in the first week and then plateau off near 1,000. Instead, not a single plane has arrived. We are playing the waiting game.

The people in Christchurch are generally loving the delays because they get paid extra per diem money every day that they are there. Some people make more on per diem than they do while working if they are frugal. For the folks on the first flight, it can be hard because they have to get up every day before 5am to find out if they are flying. However, the second and third flights don't have to wake up. They get to play each day until that first flight gets out. It is a great chance to explore a new place on the company dollar.

The flip side is that some people here thought they were leaving the ice on Monday. The first extra day on the ice was fine. They still get paid and got to wrap up loose ends. The second day they really thought they were out of here because the plane took off. Unfortunately, it boomeranged because as it approached the weather got terrible. The people on the flight had a five hour flight turn into nine hours. Some of the people here got pretty demoralized. I can't imagine the third and fourth delays have improved their mood. Interestingly enough, the snow has cleared and it looks like a nice day outside, but I don't have to fly through it. Back to waiting . . . .

Antarctic Moments, Part II, Cape Evans Flagging Trip

Scott's Hut
Last week started out rough. I just couldn't get into any kind of flow. I wasn't being too productive at work. I was being too social. I was missing work outs. Nothing was working. Things weren't bad, but they also weren't good. That changed on Friday when I went back out to flag the Cape Evans route that I had deflagged seven months ago.


The main room of Scott's Hut.


The 1916 Ross Sea Party losses on a bed post in Scott's Hut. The bottom one is Shack? because he did not make it across Antarctica as planned (instead we have the story of the Endurance).
After a short snow machine safety course, we took a pisten bully and two snow machines out to Scott's Hut at Cape Evans. I'm always awed to think about the explorers who spent so much time in these huts. The Antarctica that I am experiencing is very different from what they experienced. They probably didn't even have cookie day on Wednesday!!


A bike in Scott's Hut.


Penguin eggs in Scott's Hut - the missing link between fish and birds
There was a team here over the summer and winter restoring hut artifacts. I think one of the pieces they returned since I was last here was a box of penguin eggs. I believe they were fetched from Cape Crozier in the journey recounted in the Worst Journey in the World.


Icebergs in the Ross Sea off Cape Evans


The 300 foot Barnes glacier, Cape Evans, and our ride home.
On the way out to the hut, I got to drive a snow machine. It was great because I got to drive for a while instead of stopping every 150 feet to drill a hole and put in a flag. Unfortunately, that meant I also just had to ride in the pisten bully for the first part of the ride back. At first, it seemed like a good idea to warm up, but it got boring in a hurry. Riding on top of the pisten bully is the way to go. Ask Dave.


Dave B tosses flags out from the pisten bully to the hole drillers.


Our snow machines in front of the seal hole and McMurdo.
I think the trip back to town took almost five hours, but it was a blast once I got out of the pisten bully. I warmed right up because I was hopping on and off the snow machine so much. After that, it was just nice to see the scenery. I'm not sure I'll see that area again before I leave. I'm starting to say my goodbyes.


A Weddell Seal.
I think my favorite goodbye of the day was also a hello. For the first time since February, I saw something other than a human alive. I saw a seal near town and we were fortunate enough that researchers were able to take us a little closer and my zoom lens was able to get me the rest of the way there. Another Antarctic moment was complete.


For mom.

Antarctic Moments, Part I, Grand Slam

Our work camp, McMurdo base
This place can be tough. You work long hours. You spend most of your time indoors in a work camp. You may or may not enjoy your job. You might not like the food. If you are lucky, you only have one roommate. You could have up to five. There are a lot of things that could make this place difficult, but we keep coming down. I keep saying I'm enjoying myself. I could be lying to myself, but I like to think the positive moments in between just make it all worth it.


Ross Island winter grand slam trail map
A few weeks ago, Dave B took me out on what was supposed to be a short hike. Instead, we turned it into a grand slam of all McMurdo's winter recreational routes. I haven't done that since my marathon training ended in January.


Me on the way to Castle Rock (photo by Dave Barud)


Castle Rock and Dave B.
I was a little concerned if I'd be able to handle the hike. I'd been feeling more tired than not recently and just didn't think I had it in me. We started out slow and just figured we would play it by ear. We also took plenty of breaks to keep my old man legs moving. The one place that we stopped was a warming hut on the way out to Castle Rock. It doesn't have a source of heat, but it does get you out of the wind. Based on the amount of snow in there, I wouldn't want to have to rely on it too long to stay warm.


Inside the red apple warming hut.


Overlooking the Dellbridge Islands.
There isn't too much to stay about the hike itself. We walked. It was a beautiful day. It got cold when the sun set. The end of the hike was definitely a slog. I was tired. I wanted a warm meal. However, none of those can carry the emotion of overlooking the Dellbridge Islands to the north, looking into the great expanse of nothing to the south, or sitting on top of Ob Hill at the end of a good day. Those who have done long hikes know what I'm talking about. Those who don't, I don't think I have the right words to invoke the right feelings.


The great nothing to the south.


Sunset.
There is a peace of mind that comes to me when I am outdoors here. I can't achieve the same feeling with friends over chai, while working out, or even while tucking myself into bed. I'm not sure what it is about this place, but I think the beauty is part of why people keep coming up. The rest is probably the community. At least, those will be my reasons.


Enjoying a day well spent (photo by Dave B).

Condition One Again

Yesterday was a great day. I went out on an amazing trip out to Cape Evans to flag the route. It was a great trip and I'll have a bunch of pictures of it up soon. However, today is amazing in a different way. It just turned Condition One (wind speed greater than 55 knots and visibility less than 100 feet) out. This picture was taken as I was unloading computers just before it got really miserable.


Unloading computers just before it turned Condition One.
Hopefully, the weather will clear by this evening so I can still head out for my A-Frame trip. I'm also going to go out on a limb and say that my Keen's aren't going to cut it today, but I have them on so far.


Photographs don't do the weather justice. Martin's video here does.

Hiking again.

On the trail to Castle Rock.
I haven't been posting as many pictures recently. I haven't been out hiking as much. I also haven't been taking as many pictures. I wouldn't say I'm quite over it, but familiarity does breed contempt and I have been looking at the same scenery for a year now. However, that attitude seems to stay in town. When I do get out, I'm quickly reminded of how beautiful this place is.


Linda overlooking the Ross Sea from Castle Rock.
One of my favorite things now is to go out with a FNG for a hike. They eat up anything about this place. It is the same energy and enthusiasm that I used to have. It is refreshing to see and it sparks something inside of me. Again, I'm not over Antarctica, but when I'm so tired it can be tough.


Sunset from Hut Point.
Later this week, I'm getting to head out to Cape Evans to put in the flags for the route. I haven't truly been out of town since February. This trip is kind of a coincidence because my last boondoggle in the summer was deflagging the Cape Evans route. It should be a good trip. I'm really looking forward to it. This might be just what I need to put some pep back in my step. If that doesn't work, I'll just have to keep getting more sleep.


Me.

End of Winter Ceremony

Just before winter ended, we got together for an awards ceremony to commemorate ourselves, the 53rd winter-over crew. It was an unexpected event for me. They didn’t have it at the end of summer, so I didn’t know why they would have it at the end of winter. We filed into the galley in good spirits. Winter was coming to a close and most of us were looking forward to the end. We were awarded our certificate, Antarctic Service Medal, and thank you gift in order by the number of winters completed in Antarctica. I’d guess that half of the 125 people were on their fist winter. There were plenty of second timers, but then it quickly dropped off until we had just three people with eight winters, none with nine, and just one with ten full winters. I heard a number of the first years groan and wonder if they could do this nine more times. It is an amazing commitment to the program and lifestyle.

The service medal was a surprise. I feel that medals are for the service men and women of our country that put themselves in harms way. I couldn’t believe anything about this adventure would warrant an official medal. Someone else has disagreed since 1946-47 when the participants of the US Navy’s operation High Jump under Admiral Byrd received the medal (thought it wasn’t established until 1961 by Congress which I don’t completely understand). Of course, back then there was a lot more risk so it would be more justified. Currently, anyone who serves at an Antarctic research station or vessel and remains south of 60 degrees South for at least 30 days is eligible. No one from this past summer has received them yet because there is a five year waiting list. There are less winterovers so we get them while we are here.


The Antarctic Service Medal.
The front of the medal has a man who represents courage, devotion, and honor. His uniform is modeled on the one worn by Admiral Dufek who led the advance party to establish the first permanent station at the South Pole. The ribbon is made of up five-twelfths of black and dark blue bands to represent the five months of total darkness that we experience in the winter. The medal is complimented with a clasp that says “Wintered Over” for those who spent the dark night here.


A specially made recycling container for Thank You gifts.
The best part of the ceremony was probably the thank you gift that our station manager handed out – a piece of wood with ‘Thank You’ written on it. Traditionally, the company buys an article of clothing to commemorate each year’s winterovers. Unfortunately, that was cut from the budget this year which led to some resentment. In the days following the ceremony, that resentment was transformed into some entertainment.


Another way to reuse your Thank You gift.

Dealing with FNGs

Over the winter we had an international film festival held by Antz Powell. Stations from all over Antarctica submitted their films. Each submission had to be created in 48 hours and contain a few required items like a cardboard box, a FNG (f'n new guy), and a line about not getting the day off for Midwinter's Eve. I think my two favorite films were done by the same person, Dave B. I'm not sure if they were my favorite when I watched them, but they are definitely my favorite now while I participate in the social experiment that is winterovers interacting with new people.


Dave B's The Welcome.


Dave B's Winter Toast.

It has been a roller coast ride since August 1st. That is when my work load really started picking up again. I had to get a bunch of things ready for the new people. However, so did everyone on base so their computer usage went up which led to more things breaking and more for me to fix. Throw in staying up way too late to say goodbye to old friends and I was getting pretty exhausted.

Over the winter, I was one of a few people to be in a building by themselves. I mostly enjoyed it which might be indicative of some problems with me (just kidding, well mostly). Despite any reservations that I had about having other people working in my shop again, it has been great. I have people to talk to and bounce ideas off of. The returning guys were able to jump right in where they left off. They immediately shifted some of the workload off of my back and while I didn't feel a slow day for the first couple weeks, I've finally had a few and just in time. I'm tired. I'm excited about the new people, but if I don't take care of myself I just can't enjoy them. I think I need a few more naps.

Making Snow

Will makes snow at -40F. Joe just gets wet.
If you boil water and throw it into air that is cold enough it turns into a mostly gaseous state. I'm not sure how much is snow and how much is gas, but either way it is cool. Thanks to Dan Perry who told me about this trick. Thanks to Will, Moose, and Joe who made a video of it.