south pole (npx)

I arrived yesterday. Not too many flight delays. On the flight there, I was in a cargo seat in a ski-equipped LC-130 Hercules. Didn't feel nearly as cold as I thought it would. -41C/-42F ambient, not much wind. Today is warmer, but windier so -38C/-36F ambient but -57C/-70F with wind chill.
So far no altitude troubles. actual elevation 9310’, but the lower barometric pressure at the poles makes it feel physiologically like to 10,500’.

We are on the polar plateau, ice 2 miles thick. Nothing much to see except flat white. The sun is going around in the sky and doesn’t set.

OH! I saw a penguin yesterday, my first one. I figured I wouldn’t get to see any because there are none in the interior, but there happened to be a lone emperor out near the ice runway as we were leaving McMurdo.

toga party

my flight to the pole was delayed by a day, possibly more. others have been waiting for 10 days to leave, living out of their carry-on bag only. a psnap support group has started for "polies still not at pole". last night there was a toga party for those who are napy (not at pole yet). idea being they need to do laundry but have nothing to wear while laundering except a sheet. i've not had the same problem, i only bag-dragged yesterday, but went out of solidarity. i have to start getting to know my new co-workers. leaving the mcmurdites will be sad, but going to pole is exciting and i will have a new (temporary) community there.

bye ross

here's a picture from my walk the other evening around cape armitage from the kiwi base back to american base. looking at observation hill on the mcmurdo peninsula of ross island. And an aerial shot of ross island and mcmurdo sound.

i fly to new zealand today for a week of cat training before going to the pole. i'm to be a lion tamer there. well actually i'm learning to drive forklifts, loaders with buckets, etc for my supply job at pole. i'll be back at mcmurdo in a week for a couple days, then weather permitting i'll board a herc heading south... to the pole.

mcm workplace portraits

these were taken this year by my buddy, chuck.

cool pix. stylized a bit--things don't look quite so slick here.


this is the break room at my work center (bfc)


movie side of the coffee house

the divers' locker

polar plunge

oooh, saturday i got to go out as a dive tender. watch the big drill drill the holes, move fish huts over them, help the divers get their gear on and off and in and out of the ice holes. we had two holes, one at cape evans wall, other at little razor back island (a big rock in middle of the ice).

at the end i got to jump in (without a dive suit). 28 degree plunge. invigorating to say the least.

also saw seals. live ones this time. one was lounging around, others were popping up in their breathing holes. very cute. weddells, i think.

btw, temp yesterday was -24 ambient, -54 with wind chill. my ear hurts, not sure if it's from getting wind burned/frostnip out on my walk to scott base or from sleeping on it funny last night.

mcm vs npx

McMurdo will seem like Club Med after being at the South Pole.

Temps at pole this week have been -85 F, but at least pole doesn't have the winds that McM does. I just learned that even though actual altitude at pole is 9,300 feet, the low barometric pressure at the pole means that physiologically it will feel more like being at 11,000 feet. If there's a low pressure system, it could feel like 12,500', and that's just the air pressure, not taking into account the compromised body functions (eg breathing) due to the extreme cold. I just might try diamox.

And the living…
right now i'm still living in a dorm. regular building. the women's bathroom is just down the hall. when i get to the pole, the bathroom facilities are in a separate building, so i'll have to get all dressed in extreme cold weather gear just to get there from my room, which will be a much smaller space than where i am now. i think i will have a pee bottle for middle of the night, which i cannot leave on the floor or it will freeze overnight. must put liquids on a higher shelves where it is warmer, along with boots for the next day so they are not frozen.

water is not as much of an issue here at mcm--they desalinate the sea water--but at the pole, water is much more scarce--it all has to be melted from the deep ice plateau and pumped up. so they limit showers at pole to only two 2-minute showers per week. that's what i know for now. will see when i get there in a month.

Population difference will be about 200 vs 1100. There's not much of a view at the pole. I'll miss the mountains. and no wildlife either. oh well. hope to see penguins here before I head south.

snow cave wedding

last night, went to a great party. there was the mock wedding in the snow cave at the kiwi base, then we had dehydrated meals for the reception (with champagne), and an after party. i found a dress in a costume box because it was formal wear. as we were leaving, i tried to push my co-worker, zach into a snowdrift and had instant karma and fell over myself. we were cracking up so hard. and i had a pack on which caused me to roll down hill a little. the people waiting for us in the car thought we were crazy. when i finally got in the car, i continued laughing the whole way home. good times.

tomorrow starts the summer season with flights coming in all week bringing people (population will swell from 384 to 1100 in a couple weeks), mail and fresh fruit & veggies.