red, white, and black

I have been adjusting into my life in Auckland. I picked up Storey from the airport on Wednesday morning. I had had a stressful drive down there in Kirrin's car on the opposite side of the car and road than I'm used to. It takes awhile to adjust to that again, and driving a manual, and trying to read directions by myself the whole way there! Storey and I nearly missed out connection there, but I found him just before he went to find a bus out of the city. He was an excellent navigator on the way back! We even found a park to stretch out legs at on the way back!

Yesterday we went to Brown Bay Beach to put some color back in our skin after 5 months in Antarctica. I used sunscreen and still, somehow, ended up a brilliant shade of red at the end of the day.

There were plenty of birds around and we joked about watching them as they flew over so we could dodge the bird poop. Unfortunately, my new sandal didn't fair so well. I went to put on my shoe and found a nice white splotch in the middle of it.

To top off the colorful day, I got home and took off my new black sandals to find that since they had gotten wet, they turned my feet black; and it doesn't wash off.

Besides the quirky colors that marked the day, I had a lovely time enjoying the warm water and sunshine at the beach! I like vacation!

eyes on the skies

Ironically, today the weather looks miserable outside. We've got blowing snow and low visibility next to yesterday's brilliant clear day that never turned stormy; well, it was a touch windy, but a plane could have landed. I say 'ironic' because the C-17 is in the air today to pick us up. I'm having a hard time packing up the few things into my carry-on bag or take the sheets off my bed because I don't quite believe it will actually land.

However, I will prepare for the 1230 transport time to my plane and hope we get off the ground at about 1530, or so. The ride out to Pegasus airfield is about 1 hour long and skirts around the edge of the temporary sea ice on the Ross Permanent Ice Shelf.

If we transport for this flight, I sure hope the plane doesn't boomerang back to Christchurch, because then we'd have to head all the way back into town and do our goodbyes another day!

But, I'm sure there is a weather window the observers have spotted in the next few hours, and my next post will be from New Zealand.

vessel is here

The vessel resupply ship arrived yesterday. There are 636 pieces to be unloaded and 550 retro containers will head back to the States next week.

It's strange seeing such a large ship at our pier. It's great to have all the personnel who have come in especially for this ship working rather than sitting around tying up our computer kiosk and leaving a mess in our lounge.

Along with the vessel comes weather. It never fails, when the ship makes it into town, the weather gets cold, windy, and white. It snowed last night. It's beginning to feel a lot like Antarctica down here again!

interpersonal relationships

Throw a heap of adventure-seeking people from all over North America and the World together and you'll come up with some unlikely relationships. It is amazing and fascinating to sit across the table from someone entirely different from myself and find out what motivates them and keeps them going. There is an amazing amount of appreciation I have for such a diverse group of friends and acquaintances who are bound by a common traveling mentality.

However, I have realized over the past couple months how inherent selfishness is to the way we relate to others. In fact, I have had more than one person tell me that I need to relate to other people in such a way that is beneficial to myself. I suppose I have a desire to protect myself and desire my own happiness, but something in me pushes against such a self-indulgent attitude.

I disagree with that understanding of relating to one another. It seems to me that the healthiest relationships are those that have a good balance of give-and-take; when each party is concerned with the welfare and livelihood of their friend. I know my self-image is a hindrance, but I have tried to live with an "others first" motto in life. Sometimes I even have to be pushed away or be put out with the realization that the world is bigger than me and it probably means someone else gets a break, or a bonus in life.

Most people probably don't even realize their self-centered attitudes are affecting others. But, consider the ridiculous lawsuits: a child falls off a playground slide and the manufacturer is to blame, a woman burns herself with hot coffee and the restaurant is at fault, or someone physically assaults a coworker and the company takes the blame for a indecent working environment. Are these really scapegoats for our own accidents or actions? Or what of our society pumped full of junk and litter of all sorts in our stores and on our curbs. Cheap toys, ridiculous inventions, and trinkets of all types are a waste of time, labor, and resources; yet, the spoiled wealthy of the world feel that such junk is necessity for their happiness.

America is full of selfish individuals out to get, get, get. The question is no longer, "what can I give to others," it has matriculated into an ugly issue of "what will I get out of this." I guess I wish that people would consider the thoughts feelings and needs of other people who might be affected by the decisions they make or the words they say. Is that a selfish request?

I read a book this summer that turns this around in an eloquent and thought provoking way: I have two things to say to that, he said. First, none of us can avoid being contaminated by the world’s evils; it’s all a matter of what attitude you take towards them. And second, you always talk about the effect of ‘these people’ on you. Have you ever thought about your effect on them?” -- Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi --

big balloons

New Year is nearly here and our LDB (Long Duration Balloon) facility has been letting off enormous balloons to celebrate. Actually, they launched three of these monstrous white pillows the size of football fields with nearly no weather or launching problems, to conduct a great amount of scientific research up in the sky. If you are interested in their projects, or tracking the progress around the continent, you may access that information by clicking here: Long Duration Balloon Projects in Antarctica.

amazing sunday

Today is an amazing day. It’s such a great day because I’m wearing capris in Antarctica and I’m not even cold outside! It’s also a great day because it’s my first Sunday off in a long time where I can have Sunday morning brunch with unlimited fresh fruit, and Belgian waffles and everything breakfasty that I could possibly want! It’s a great day because I was able to go to the Chapel and sing Joy to the World to celebrate Joy on the third Sunday of Advent; I love to sing! It’s a great day because my favorite mountain range, The Royal Society, is out so brilliantly it forces me to believe in some Creator far greater than I, who squished and squeezed the earth together to form such a tremendous natural skyline. It’s a great day because I slept 10 hours, feel refreshed, and had a casual morning over coffee and tea with Lucas; my best Antarctic friend. It’s a great day because God has been good to me and I can feel Him; his love, beauty, life, grace, joy, and creation moving around me in the beautiful people, places, and scenes.

Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.” This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain. Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire. -- Hebrews 12:25-29 --

a strange today

I was so happy to be able to talk with my friend, Erin, yesterday. I love my friends down here, but being able to communicate with people who love me back home is fantastic! I was also happy to get some mail today in the form of Christmas greetings and a couple of pictures and a wonderful package from Linda! Since it's my second year down here, I thought people would forget the peculiarity of the location, but the mail is a great reminder that people back home still remember me! So, thanks to those who drop me e-mails, letters, postcards, and packages. It puts a massive smile across my face when I hear from you!

The last two days have been a bit strange. I had a dentist appointment for a tooth that has been bothering me yesterday. If any of you know me, you know I don't entirely enjoy being in the dentist chair, but I've offered the dental industry some job security over the past few years. Nothing is really wrong with it, and it seems that some muscles in my neck that have cramped up may be causing the discomfort. He did say that the tooth in question appears to have gone through a war zone. This was my first trip into McMurdo General Hospital though and it was interesting to see how they operate under limited Antarctic conditions. Our dentist, Fleet, is familiar with the Western Washington area and even knows my dentist's father!

This afternoon, I woke up quite early at noon when the fire alarm went off in my building. So, I put on my slippers first, and then traded those for my bare feet in my boots. I pulled on my fuzzy bathrobe, yanked my external hard drive out of the drawer and pulled the big red parka over it all to walk downstairs for 10 minutes until everything was cleared to return to my room. I've felt pretty good all day, but things seemed to tangle themselves up with our flight schedule and complicate work, and when I put my belt on, one of the loops broke, so I have a little sewing project for tonight!

On the up side of things, it was a whopping 34F today! This is warmer than most of my friends and family back home who live in the northern states, or southern provinces. No complaints there. And, after I leave work in an hour, I'll be off for two days to transition to a day shift schedule. No more nights! I also received my holiday schedule and the way Christmas and New Years fit into the week means we get extra days off for the holiday.

december one office fun

After our midnight meal, I came back to work on December 1 to Christmas tunes and an office of festive cheer. The eclectic mix of decorations that is stored in our cargo bay the other 11 months of the year was pulled down and, in the absence of any other good work to be done, we strung up garland, tossed beads over our fake palm tree, and bestowed a wreath over our model LC-130.

Dave was our leader in sorting and arranging the decorations around our work space. He appreciates the Christmas season for all the memories associated with family and friends. He's been in the department a few years and knows where things hang. He also has a grand collection of Christmas music which will, no doubt, be played every day he is on shift from now until Christmas, and perhaps beyond!

Amanda had no problem putting on some holiday cheer. She made the comment that our office looked like a Walgreens Christmas; with such a mish-mash of flashy, multi-colored, gaudy decorations arranged in a ridiculous fashion; simply because we have them.

I must admit that our workspace hasn't improved much with the additional "decoration." But, it's not a particularly pleasant space to occupy anyway. It's dusty, sterile, eclectic, windowless, and unfashionable; but that's nearly entirely due to the fact that we sit in Antarctica. Our palm tree and travel posters are, perhaps, the biggest morale boosters in our department; aside from any postcards, letters, and packages that show up on my desk and in my name!

melting permafrost

It's the time of year when the sun's power becomes overwhelming our Antarctica island, and the ground begins to thaw, and refreeze, and then thaw some more. Ross Island consists of three volcanic peaks; Mount Byrd (out of sight, out of mind), Mount Terror (visible from Scott Base), and the ever-present Mount Erebus (the most active, continually steaming, and occasional lava-bomb-shooting peak). While the island is host to a few glaciers and good deal of snow pack, the summer months, the radiant solar heat produces a good deal of snow melt; even though the temperatures have not warmed up to the freezing mark.

On my way to my dorm the other day, I took note of the dirt and ash on the ground. It is wet right now; which is a relief, as the dust becomes excessive and a nuisance in January. Wet also means it is not frozen on the top any longer. But, not too far under the surfaces is a lot of permafrost-laden ground.

At night, even though we are experiencing 24 hours of daylight, it still cools off. Right now, it is still chilling out enough to freeze the streams and puddles that form during the day. Sometimes we see fun ice formations; but most of the time, I think people overlook what is happening right under their feet.

Tonight I was walking out of my building and came across a ice coated puddle. Normally, I like to see things untouched; in their pure form here. But, like a 9 year old, bent on testing the waters, I tested my weight to the flimsy skim of ice. It didn't take much to crack through the puddle and watch dirty water seep through the fissures I created. I continued to break the little puddles all the way up to my work center. Sometimes it crashes through. Other times, it's a bit like stepping on a Christmas ornament and hearing a thousand tinkling glassy sounds under my feet!

low visibility

We have had a lot of stormy weather this year. There have been a good number of low-visibility days where we can’t see more than 10 miles across the sea. Tonight, I wandered down to the Chapel to look at the mountains and I realized that I often expect to see evidence of God like I expect to see the mountains off in the distance down here. Sometimes I can’t see them at all and at other times they are only partially exposed and I can’t see how grand they truly stand. But, I know they are there and when the conditions are right, I witness one of the most spectacular views in all Creation!

There is beauty in the clouds, too. Having faith in something means that you believe it even when you can’t see it. It’s knowing that something is there; but just out of sight. Even when I have low visibility on life, I know God is still charting my course and directing my steps. It just takes more faith on my part to see myself to the next clear day.

ups and downs of snow

The frozen continent is warming up. Last night it was like Christmas mornings are supposed to be in the States. The wet big snowflakes were gently falling in the windless sky and the weather was warm; at least, not intolerably cold! Town is white and clean-looking again; not dirt-ridden.

The snow moving in and falling was beautiful until it became the instigator of our C-17 cancellation from Christchurch. If you haven't gathered this yet, a C-17 flight coming in means: packages, fresh fruit and vegetables, new faces, or a smaller town population (depending whether you want to see people coming or going), and a lack of extra processing of flight delays and changes at work. So for a girl who is still waiting on a couple birthday packages that have been late and sitting in New Zealand since mid-October, those flights are something to put a smile on my face; when they make it to McMurdo.

But, back on the bright side, I got a special gift this morning that actually came from giving someone a gift. A friend of mine lost his hat a few days ago and was on his way to a field camp this morning for a few weeks. I figured he should have something to keep his ears and head cold out on the flat white of Antarctica, so in my abundant downtime at work last night, I crocheted him a new hat. Although, I have a few other projects I'm working on right now, it really did not take me very long and I felt like it would serve a good purpose. So, this morning, he was hurriedly packing his bag in the hallway when I came out of breakfast, so I threw the hat in his bag too, and got an incredulous smile when I told him it was for him. I guess, it was a lesson in giving something from the heart. I didn't expect anything back; well, maybe a general 'thanks.' I just wanted to do something nice and I was rewarded with a grin from ear to ear and abundant thank yous and by watching him sport the new head accessory like it was already a permanent fixture! To me my gift was a small one, but I saw a heap of rewards. If only we always got to see that joy from our little insights, compliments, conversations, and even the tangible gifts we give. They can act as the accessories we decorate everyday lives with!

condition 1

You know something is going on when you find the following message in your inbox:

From: Williams, Andrew (Drew)
Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2007 3:21 AM
To: McQuiston, Samantha; Grass, Megan; Skews, Geoff
Subject: FW: WEEK THREE MENU 11-8 THROUGH 11-14

THE MENU BEGINNING THURSDAY. THERE WILL BE CHANGES DUE TO THE LACK OF FRESHIES.
SO SORRY. DREW

It's the weather. We haven't seen a C-17 flight from Christchurch for over a week; and therefore, no freshies and we haven't seen package mail since October 17!

Now, picture waddling outside, bundled up like a massive red penguin with marshmallow-like layers of warm clothing. You have a small hatch in your hood which lets enough shocking cold air in that you wish wasn't there. Snowflakes get in your eyes and cloud your vision, and icicles run off your cheeks. Your entire face begins to look like a frosted birthday cake. The wind echos over head as it rips through the air and you can also hear it whip and flap against the cold weather gear you have on. Snow snakes slither along the ground, wrap around your feet, and occasionally flare up off the dirt and snow. The only noise you hear beyond the wind gusts is the crunching of snow under your insulated boots and the insulated consistent steady air you breath in and out through your parka. Wind blows so hard, your legs are shifted involuntarily in the air before they step down. At times it feels like you are doing the moon walk against the gusts. It's then, that you look out of the small window in your parka, wish you had goggles, but can't see a thing anyway. Then, you keep walking in hopes of find a door and a place to shed layers.

We had a Condition 1 storm in town two days ago. We had an advanced warning at work and our department exited our building in search of the galley right as they called the Condition 1 storm. The walk down the hill and between buildings was more adventurous than usual. I am happy it's not usually like that; but thrilled to be out in some Antarctic weather conditions!

The first picture is the sun during our Condition 1 storm. The second is of our condition scroll right after my cold walk.

the flight schedule

P005R: that's Laura's flight number. It would be the fifth (005) LC-130 return (R) mission to the South Pole (P). Unfortunately, this flight has had some significant setbacks. The first day, November 3, they were canceled due to weather at the Pole. Day two was a Sunday and therefore a no-fly day.

Day three started with a cancellation of the C-17 flight from Christchurch. Then a mechanical delay on the Pole flight. Then it flew and made it to the Pole, but couldn't land due to weather and had to boomerang back. Two other flights that day came back to McMurdo and couldn't land here, either, so they had a free night's stay at the Italian-run Mario Zuchelli Station at Terra Nova Bay (good scenery, great food, and fantastic Italian wine).

Day four, Tuesday, the C-17 was cancelled again in New Zealand and after a multitude of delays, so were the Pole flights.

Tomorrow we hope to send some flights down again. Weather has been bizarre. It's fun to have a variety of cloud patterns fly through the area, but not when it prevents my sister from arriving here, too! I've woken up nearly every "day" while I'm sleeping to find out what the flight status is. I have also been adjusting my plans for meeting Laura between finding her on the Ice Runway while she's transferring planes, or arranging to have an evening to spend with her on Station depending how soon they have her fly North on a C-17. I still can't wait to catch a glimpse of Laura sometime soon!

wild and windy weather

Laura is due to come out of the South Pole today. This will be a more beautiful sight than the gorgeous pictures I'm posting on this entry! She's been in Antarctica since the beginning of October 2006 and is anxious to finish out her contract. The last time I saw her was in February, so I am hoping she hops off a LC-130 around 15:30 this afternoon!

The weather at the South Pole has been very poor for flights the last few days and I hope that her plane takes off from McMurdo this morning! The weather report we get in Air Services labels the odds for weather at the South Pole as "marginal." On a scale of "below minimums" in red to "above minimums" in green, it falls in the cautioned yellow category.

Speaking of weather, the McMurdo weather has deteriorated quickly. The air temperature has been -20F which can be cold, but tolerable. However, add in the wind, and we are at a brutal -55F which will keep even the most hearty outdoor workers inside for awhile. I picked up a piece of cardboard on my way back to work from lunch, and I nearly turned myself into a kite.

The crazy weather afforded us some beautiful semi-cloudy sunset skies. Kaska and I caught up on all our work this evening early and gave ourselves a short trip to snap some unobstructed photos of the sun. It was so cold we could barely keep the windows open in the van we drove. The last photo is against Black Island. This island (30 miles away) is located in the best place for our satellite dish. It is pointed at 2-3 degrees, skimming across the earth's surface to a satellite that hovers over the equator and gives us 24 hour communication with the outside world.

small town tour

The sun has reflected beautiful alpenglow all over town lately as we head down to our midnight lunch at the galley. I've collected a group of pictures around McMurdo Station to give you an idea of where I live.

The first picture is of three of our finest dorm buildings. We are assigned rooms determined by our housing "points." The number of points you have is reflected by the job you hold and they accumulate from year to year. Right now, I still fall in the lower end of the housing point spectrum. I do not live in any of these dorms. In total, there are 13 dorm buildings on station. I live in Building 155 where each room holds four people. Our building has its' benefits: the internet kiosk, the galley, store and some other station offices. The second picture is a photo of the galley-side of my dorm building. I caught the steam coming from the kitchen that appeared as fire from the vents.

The next picture is of our medical building. We all hope to avoid this place, but it serves a purpose here: to treat The Crud (our name for anything cold or flu-like), to provide limited dental and physical treatment to those of us who require it, and to stabilize patients who need to be on a medevac flight. Working in Air Services, I hope I don't see anyone who I know (well, anyone at all) on our flights with red medevac tags. It has happened a few times already this season, and I'm not anxious for any others! In such a tight community, every one's heart falls when the news hits the rumor mill.

The last building is the SSC, or Science Support Center. FSTP (Field Safety Training Program) works out of this building. The support things like Happy Camp and Sea Ice Training so we have the skills and knowledge to take care of ourselves outside, and also support Search and Rescue for the continent. This building is the most modern looking and people often call it the "eyebrow" building because of it's fancy eyebrow-looking architecture over the front door.

These are only a few of many structures in our little town; the best looking in the low blazing sun.

icy night

Our department has gone to 24 hour operations this week. So, the past two days a group of us has been transitioning from a day schedule to a night schedule. It's a strange concept; completely upheaving the body clock and showing up for work at 1800 (6pm) on Monday evening. My shifts will be five 12 hour days. It's a bit easier to do such a strange schedule in Antarctica in the summer when it's light no matter what time you find yourself out and about!

One of the benefits to staying out late is being awake for the fading sunsets and sunrises. We have passed the last official sunset, but that doesn't mean the sun still doesn't occasionally tuck behind the mountains, or peak out on the sparkling sea ice.

While transitioning, those of us who were moving to the new schedule tended to congregate with one another during the mealtimes. Our conversation focused on sleep schedules, transitioning techniques, how and what to eat, and tips for staying bright eyed and bushy tailed. To get us started and kick off another fun and exciting season of flight and cargo movement, our department hosted a party on Saturday evening. The picture is of our cargo bay; cleaned out and set up for our social event of the evening.

Last evening, while staying awake until 8am, we watched a storm move in. Town was eerily calm and slightly snowy most of the night, so Chris and I took a short walk to make snow angels on the Chalet deck. By the time we fashioned our heavenly bodies in the snow and turned to go, the wind began ripping through town. After settling back inside, Condition 2 was announced and we could hardly see the ground outside the window at times!

cold, light, comfort

I hate the cold. I do not like the pain of my toes going numb, or the non-feeling of my finger growing stiff. But, I love being in Antarctica again. Typically, I do not waste any time walking from building to building, but this year; about once every two days, I slow down the pace, carefully breath in a full breath of crisp, dry, freezing, cold air, let the breeze sneak down my neck, and remember what a luxury it is to feel and see the elements in Antarctica. This photo is a negative of some ice crystals that were forming on the window of our gerbil (cardio) gym.

The sky barely arrived at dark after I set foot here, and tonight is the last official sunset. I am transitioning to the night shift and able to see the continual light on the horizon. I never get tired of seeing the light and the mountains, the weather conditions and the vastness of the Ross Sea.

Our buildings are radiating enough heat to allow icicles to form off the rooftops. This photo is from my dorm lounge, past our communications building and across the temporary sea ice shelf to Mount Discovery and the faded sunset. While town interrupts the view of the mountains, it's a nice place to watch the colors only five steps down the hall from my room.

My favorite place to spend time and warm my soul is the Coffee House. This little conglomeration of janesways is my comfortable place on station. Here I sit, right now, with my ethernet connection, communicating with people at home, and enjoying our dry milk coffee creations and an occasional glass of wine.