Update on the Dome and Thanksgiving at the South Pole

     The "Dome" was built in the early 70's by Navy Seabees to replace the original South Pole Station (built in 1956-57) and has housed support personel and sciencetists since its inception until the early 2000's when the current station was built.  Some of the people currently stationed at the pole have stories about living/working in the dome.  It initially arrived in crates of precut aluminum pieces.  The dome measures app. 164 ft. in diameter and 52 ft. high and has to be dug out every summer from drifting snow.  It is somewhat difficult to see in the pic to the left but you can see how the snow "drifts" and piles up based on the snow behind the red tower.
In my earlier blog I mentioned the "food pull".  Since the new elevated Amundson-Scott station was completed the dome has been used a food storage area.  Probably the largest freezer in the world. I have talked about the "past expiration dates" on just about everything down here but it was also interesting to see on the different food containers the reccommended freezing temperatures.  I never saw any package that reccommended freezing temps 30-100 below 0.  Amazingly the stuff is not freezer burnt.

Within the past week they had the biggest food pull ever.  All the food from the dome was moved into one of the tunnels that lead to the dome.  Dismatling and removal of the dome begins this week in accordance to the Antarctic Treaty.  The treaty requires that a minimum of human footprints be left on the most remote and undeveloped continent of our planet.  Here are some pic of the empty dome.  A big difference from the pictures on the last blog.

    The "last food pull" from the dome took place right before Thanksgiving.  Here at the Pole the days tend to run into each other and you obviously can't tell the difference between the specific seasons.  Like... the christmas decorations going up, grocery specials on turkeys (etc.), buying Christmas trees.  Thanksgiving is always on the 4th Thursday of November-this year the 26th.  However at the South Pole rather than disrupt the work week we work Monday Friday and have 2 days off-Saturday and Sunday.  Saturday, the 28th would be our Thanksgiving. The chefs in the galley definitely try to make things special.  There are sign up sheets in the galley for which seating for dinner you would like, volunteers for peeling potatoes, making pies, doing dishes, wine steward, setting up tables.....  I signed up for peeling potatoes (love my real potatoes) and making pies.  However prior to signing up for the potato peeling I had to check out their potato peelers.  I am a little picky about my knifes and potato peeler.  At home I have a Cutco peeler-best one you could ever have. Beaver, one of the chefs in the kitchen provided me with my own high-end potato peeler. through.Lots of people showed up on Thursday evening to peel/cut up the potatoes (as well as beets, peppers) and we had it all done in less than an hour.   On Friday night instead of playing volleyball I made pies.  Lots of people showed up for this as well.  Our team made about 20 pumpkin pies.  Others were involved in wrapping brie in pastry, cutting up bread for stuffing, and making pecan pies.   Saturday was a lazy day although I did assist with napkin folding, setting up tables, and place settings.  The first dinner seating was at 4 PM, mine was for 6 PM with appetizers at 530.  Everything was great.  They even had a "fire" playing on the scroll, live music, candles on the tables, and Pepsi Max (not diet pepsi-caffine free but would do in a pinch).  Pics include Beaver, chef, enjoying his shrimp, Kristin loosening her belt, Cav., Kristen, Corey (firefighters).  The meal was incredible and for the first time here I felt I ate too much.  After the meal I spent the evening watching several movies.

Sunday the 29th was just as relaxing as Saturday-it was great to have 2 days off in a row.

   Since Thanksgiving it has been relatively quiet in the station and the clinic (except for emergency drills).  However I did have another medavac.  I accompanied  a patient back to McMurdo with O2 sats in the 60's.  Fortunately he never developed pulmonary edema and I got to spend app 24 hours in McMurdo with the chance to catch up with Susan, Mia, Caesar, Eric, the folks from the McMurdo clinic, and Reinhart.  Luckily on arriving back to McMurdo it did not take long for me to re acclimate to the altitude.  I got to sit in the flight deck again on the return C130 flight from McMurdo-it was really clear this time and I got to re-appreciate the vast magnitude of Antarctica.

Sinus problems at the SP

     Well it is Sunday again, my day off, but you never really have a day off.  Last week in regards to the clinic was essentially uneventful except for fire alarms going off, thankfully all false alarms.  Apparently some of the fire alarms are very easy to set off-like toast or hamburgers burning, carrying too much stuff and accidently hitting the alarm on the wall.  Once the fire alarms are set off they have to repressurize the sprinkler system and water is limited so I only got to take one shower last week instead of my usual two showers a week.  Let me tell you my hair doesn't do well showering only twice a week.  It gets pretty greasy.  The hat that Kathyrn and Trish gave me has been very useful.  More about showers-the hot water and pressure is great but you can't really enjoy it because you are only allowed 2 minutes/shower.  It is based on the honor system and no one is "watching" or "timing" you but you must be very organized to pull this off.  In our bathroom-share it with multiple other girls-there are 3 sinks with mirrors, 3 stalls, and 2 showers.  On one wall there are cubby holes that each of us can leave our stuff in-like toothpaste/brush, soap, shampoo... so that we don't have to cart it back and forth from our rooms.  Everyone is assigned a "house mouse" day.  This is your day to assist with daily chores such as cleaning halls, common areas, bathrooms... Mine is on Monday and I get to clean our bathroom.  On the wall there is a list of what and how to do everything.  You are allowed an hour from your work day to fulfill your house mouse duties.  I figure by the end of the season I will be able to do it in an hour but now it takes me longer than that so I usually start on Sunday.  It is interesting because there is someone assigned to clean everyday.  I think we have the cleanest bathroom in the station, probably the world since it is thoroughly cleaned everyday.  The boys bathrooms are similar but not as well kept in my opinion.  You may ask why I know what the boy's bathrooms look like...   Well part of my job is to distribute the free condoms to all the bathrooms.  My first week here I can't tell you how many boxes of "Durex" condoms I unpacked.  Before I opened them and separated them into individual packs you have to check the expiration date.  Besides medications, the condoms are the only things that have not passed their expiration date.  No ice babies here.  Once separated I place ample supplies in all the bathrooms and keep a monthly check on the stashes.
     Thursday was a great day.  My sinus finally cleared.  My brother, Bill, and others who have sinus problems will appreciate this...  I woke up as usual @ 0530 and while brushing my teeth I could feel it-that big ball of mucus that has been clinging to the inside of my sinuses.  After multiple attempts at getting it out-you know the noise that guys usually do to get a big lugey(sp?)out, which I hate but have learned how to do out of necessity-it was expelled.  I have never been so proud:) If I was thinking, I would of saved it in a specimen cup and use it to explain to people this is what is blocking your sinuses at the south pole, or taken a picture to post on the blog.  But I didn't think of those things, I was just so relieved at how much better I immediately felt.  I will spare you guys of the actual description of what came out of my sinuses.
     Thursday was also Veteran’s day for us and there was a commemorative ceremony at the geographical South Pole.  I remained in the clinic as that the fire alarm from the burnt hamburgers was going off.  The doc was able to participate and described it as moving but short as that it was really cold and windy outside.         

     Since finally feeling back to myself I finally went outside on Friday.  There was a 40 year celebration of the first women at the South Pole with a group picture at the ceremonial South Pole marker.  Most of the women on station made it out to the ceremonial South Pole.  Again very cold and windy.  Saturday I volunteered for ": food pull".  All the station's food is currently stored in the "dome".  See the picture to the right-all those snow covered boxes contain our food.  The chefs plan the following week's menu and make a list of all the food items that they need.  Thano (also on my trauma team) is in charge and asks for volunteers by writing a creative poem and sending a pleading email for assistance to everyone on station.  To get to the dome you done your ECW gear, and exit the station thru the "beer can".  The beer can is a stairwell-I counted 93 stairs but I think I missed one-from the station.  It also has a freight elevator that is used for bringing stuff up or down.  They won't let people on there which retrospectively is probably a good thing since it broke last week with the hamburger buns on it (supposed to be used for the hamburgers that burnt and set the fire alarms off on Thursday).  I think it was finally repaired a couple of days later.  Anyway, you exit the station thru the beer can (very cold like a refrigerator and covered in frost), through some tunnels, a short walk outside and you are at the dome.  Inside the dome the "floor" is unevenly packed snow and there are pallets, shelves, and boxes everywhere.  Thano met us here and handed each of us a clipboard with a piece of paper on it and a sharpie.  He explained on the clipboard was a map of the dome where items generally were and on the sheet of paper was the list of food we had to "pull" for next week.  Of course on my second day outside I ended up with the meat stuff in the farthest corner of the dome.  It was like a scavenger hunt trying to find all the stuff and then bring it back to the dome entrance where it was packed in a box that was sitting on a pallet that once filled would be transported back thru the tunnels and into the beer can's freight elevator and back into the station.  I made it 3/4 of the way thru my list when most people were finishing up.  I finally requested some guy help as that I was drawing the line at carrying a 70 lb pork roast and 135 lbs of ham.  After about 2 hours I was exhausted.  After returning to the clinic and shedding my ECW gear the fire alarm went off again and I had to put my ECW gear back on.  Thankfully it was a false alarm so I told the doc I was taking a break and eating lunch.  Just a note, I did take my camera however I discovered that I really need to put the camera in my long underwear or something so the battery doesn’t/t deplete and the camera freeze up so at this time my pictures are limited.  Although, I was told that my eyelashes were very pretty all frosted over-I guess kind of like really thick mascara at some point I'll get pictures.
      Despite my exhaustion from earlier I did find the strength to play some volleyball Friday night.  I am definitely out of shape at 10,000 ft but it was fun.  There are some hard core players here and I am looking forward to getting my volleyball skills back up to par.  I may have to ask someone to send me my knee pads.
Post volleyball I got to take my only shower of last week.  I thought about making it a 4 minute shower since I missed my earlier shower last week, but I didn't.
     Saturday was uneventful; however in the afternoon we had a patient with 104.5 degree temperature....pneumonia and spent the afternoon treating them. The patient spent the night in the clinic where we have two hospital beds for just such a situation.  Sunday morning, the patient is fine, temperature below 99.
I will add the pictures when I get a chance to download them.

    

Finally, the South Pole......back to McMurdo... and the South Pole

     Well where did I leave off...  I believe it was Tuesday evening the 27th of October and I had been updating my blog at the coffeehouse and spending some time with friends.  Since then it has been a whirlwind.   Wednesday morning, the 28th started off as usual, a busy day at the McMurdo hospital and following the "scroll" to tell you when flights were leaving/coming.  Around 1100 I found out I had 45  minutes to pack up my stuff and dress in full ECW gear (again) to hopefully fly to the South Pole.  At this late date the C130's were in and I wouldn't have to fly in a unpressurized Bassler.  (Not sure if I really wanted to do that but it would have been an experience having to fly with oxygen). We met at building 140 (where Mia and Susan work) and shuttles actually transported us out to the ice runway where a C130 waited for us.  Over 40 of us boarded the plane and took off around 1230 for the South Pole.

This is inside the C130, we didn't have time for pictures before getting on the plane cause everyone was in such a hurry to get going.  The seats in the C130 are lined up against the outer wall of the plane so you are facing inwards toward all the cargo. Each of us have been living out of one of those orange bags that you can see in the pic for the last week or so and probably the next several weeks until cargo flights begin to the SP that will bring our luggage.  The flight was about 3 hours.  Once they reached cruising altitude we were able to get up and walk around.  There were some small windows on either side of the plane and some larger square windows on the rear doors.  Thank goodness there really wasn't any cloud cover because the views were absolutely breathtaking.  The untouched landscape of rock, ice, and snow is indescribable.   It is amazing that people actually crossed all this in the early 1900's to reach the South Pole.  It is so unlike ski slopes, mountain ranges, or glaciers that I have flown over before and leaves  me with a sense of awe and insignificance similar to the feelings I get when I look out into space and contemplate the universe.





   We landed sometime around 1530.  The C130 lands on skies on a runway about 200 yards from the Amundson-Scott station.  Prior to getting off the plane we had to make sure we were really bundled up because with the wind chill the temperature was about minus 70 degrees farenheit.  Again,  my glass frosted over immediately and ended up in my pocket.




























 Lots of people came out to greet us and help with bags.  Thank god for the help.... between my sinuses, being out of shape and the altitude (around 10,000 ft) the 200 yd walk to the station was tiresome.   This is me arriving at the South Pole with the C130 in the background.

After arriving at the station we had a brief orientation about everything from safety to waste. Apparently up to 65% of stuff is recycled-higher than any state.  Dr. Legault met me and thankfully helped me with my bag and finding my room.  Just walking up a flight of steps will set your heart racing and you will become short of breath.  (Reminds me of me and Lisa Parks arriving at Mamouth for skiing)  Most people when they get here their O2 sats are in the mid 80's and resting heart rates in the upper 90's to low 100'sdespite whatever shape you are in. This can last anywhere from a day or two to several weeks.  For those of you that aren't medical a normal oxygen saturation should be 97-100%, heart rates vary with the individual but most average resting heart rates aren't that fast.  Within the first week here I could walk up a flight of stairs and my heart rate would be in the 120s and I would have to stop and rest. (again sinus problems aren't helping).  The doc tells everyone to move slow, rest, and hydrate, Hydrate, and HYDRATE.

     Anyway here is a picture of my room as I opened the door.  It is not very big.  I have a raised twin bed with a 3 drawer dresser underneath and an area to store my "orange bag" (and future luggage when it gets here), a small desk to the left of the bed (with desk light, phone, computer jack), reading lamp above bed, and small armoire at the end of the bed. This is also a  chair that you can use to get on the bed but you have to be careful because it is wheeled.   I do have a window that overlooks the area in between two of the stations "arms". There is a blind on the window but it doesn't block the 24 hour sun- the nicely custom fitted cardboard does this nicely. My room is really small and you better not leave anything on the floor because you will definitely trip over it as there is no avoiding it.  It did not take me long to unpack my 1 orange bag and make my bed with the scratchy linen provided. It took me all of 15 minutes to do all that so I set off to exploring the station.  (Thankfully my mom is sending me some egyptian cotton sheets.  The room is also incredibly dry and hot-I have  my thermostat set @ 55.  I finally have the humidifier that I had bought and had my sister send down in September-this was a great relief.  It is a blue penguin and sits on my desk by my bed puffing cold water vapor through its beak.)

    The first place I headed to was the South Pole clinic where I will be working.  The sign on the door already reflected my name.  There I met Ella and Jude.  Ella, from NY, has been here a year.  Jude from NZ wintered over.  Training begins.....
More about that later....

     I had a brief tour of the station and it is laid out just like the website that I provided earlier in this blog.    This is a good website for up to date news.  http://www.southpolestation.com/   My room is on the second floor in second arm from the left facing the first arm.  The clinic windows overlook the ceremonial South Pole.  Just walking around was tiresome.  It wasn't long before it was time to eat:) The cafeteria is alot smaller than McMurdo but the food is much better. Our head chef is named James Brown, hosts the bingo night (hasn't started yet but I figured I can learn how to play bingo), and looks like Johnny Depp.  Here is a picture of the "scroll" in the cafeteria on the evening of our arrival.
    The first couple of nights I had difficulty sleeping-most people do.  My sinus have improved but I am now left with the usual residual cough.  The doc won't let me exercise or go outside yet.  Despite that I have been plenty busy.  Turnover with Ella and Jude wasn't long enough.  Thursday, Oct 29th, my first full day was met with multiple alarms going off all over the station around noon.  They were all false alarms.  However at the South Pole you have to take care of yourself-there is no ambulance, rescue squad, fire dept......  There are organized teams.  Team 1 is the command team that secures the area, team 2 is the fire control team, team 3 helps with transportation, equipment, and fills in wherever needed.  Team 4 is my team, the trauma team.  Every time an alarm goes off the teams are supposed to "muster" at specific places.  Our muster point is the clinic, unless that part of the building is off limits then we go to the gym where there is a second emergency stash that we can access.  All this is leading somewhere....   Despite the multiple false alarms and activations of the teams Thursday @ noon, we had an emergency training drill at 1430 inside the station.  The incoming teams observed the outgoing teams as to how emergencies were handled.  We did this not only on Thursday afternoon but Fri and Saturday as well.  Not a whole lot of time to "turnover".

Despite our drills, trying to learn the clinic, and seeing patients we actually had some "real" emergencies that we had to respond to.  Since I have arrived we have medavac'd 3 people back to McMurdo for treatment.  One patient despite being here for over a week developed HAPE:  high altitude pulmonary edema.  O2 sats were in the 60's!!!!!   In addition to the usual treatment for pulmonary edema (O2, diuretics-make you pee) we used a Gamow Bag.  This device is pretty cool-for you divers it is like the opposite of the decompression chamber.   You place the patient in the bag with a oxygen/pulse monitor and inflate in to @103 mmHg.   By doing this you can reduce a person's altitude 3-6000 ft, increasing the surrounding "pressure" helps force the fluid from the lungs back into the tissues and restoring normal O2 saturations.  (simple explanation).  Thursday, Nov 5th, the third emergent patient I actually had to accompany back to McMurdo on a C130 for stabilization/treatment.  This allowed me to visit some friends in McMurdo:  Susan, Cesear,  friends from the hospital,and old roommates...  The next day, Friday, I flew back to the South Pole to restart my acclimatization all over again.  I again flew back on a C130 however this time the flight crew let me sit up in the cockpit.  This was really cool.  It reminded me of space camp with all the checklists, switches, protocols.....  The only bad part was that Antarctica was hidden beneath clouds.
    Ella and Jude, the two previous docs, had left on Tuesday.  Thus now it is Sunday for me (Saturday for you guys), my day off and I am finally updating the blog.  This afternoon I will probably be back in the clinic sorting/organizing the pharmacy, figuring out a training schedule for Team 4 ....  I am learning a lot and have a lot to learn.  But exciting....

HAPPY 82'd BIRTHDAY DAD!!!!

Still McMurdo......

     Well, Saturday was a long day of getting dressed in our ECW gear, dragging our carry on bags up the hill, waiting, flight delay, undressing, and restarting the process over and over again.  Thus no flights made it out on Saturday to the South Pole:(  so I am still here at McMurdo.   With all the delays I didn't even get to work in the clinic but I did get lots of rest in between all the delays. 
     With all the "rest" that I got Saturday I was full of energy for Saturday night.    Good thing as that there was alot going on around town.  After a visit to the gerbil gym and dinner I was able to see the new Warren Miller film "Dynasty" Saturday evening.   I thought this year's movie was better than last years but I do miss Warren Miller's narration skills.  In recent years the Greensboro Ski and Outing Club has hosted this event at a local theatre.  Hopefully they will be doing this again this year although I won't make it.  At intermission they usually have door prizes and a raffle.  We also had some door prizes that were donated by various business in Christchurch, New Zealand.  I actually won a Thai dinner in Christchurch-good thing in doesn't expire until December '10.  Would anyone like to join me?:) 
     Following the Warren Miller Film I had been invited to a "carp" party and made it there in time to hear the last 2 bands.   I got there aound 2200 and it was packed.  The guy who had told me about the party had a diet pepsi waiting for me:)  My first one in a couple of weeks.  With the previous rest and the caffine I closed the party down around 0100 and ended up reading til about 0200.  Great party although I personally could of done without seeing the last band's lead singer in a fish-net tank top, although their music was pretty good. Apparently  the carpenter shop throws about 4 parties a season.  They spend the day building a stage to host the bands that have been put together down here on the ice.   I am not sure where they get all the beer from but there were lots of beer can towers being built.  Kersey, our dentist, would smash a beer can and toss it across the room knocking down the towers.  (She reminds me of my sister's friend Pam who was doing the same thing at Octoberfest in Delaware).  Unfortunately I don't have any pictures as that they don't allow cameras into the party. (something to do with the NSF).
     Sunday brunch at 1000 was great.  Lots of fresh fruit, belguin waffles with whiped cream..... It was cold and windy so no hiking but spent the day with my friend "Shuttle Susan" driving around the town and visited the New Zealand Scott base. Otherwise a pretty lazy day.  Sunday night's science lecture revolved around the South Pole transverse.  Instead of flying fuel, cargo, and supplies to the SP there is a "traverse" where 8-10 people take approximately 30 days to drive heavy equipment pulling fuel.... across the Ross ice shelf, "swamp" to the SP.  Apparently saves alot of money.  They stay at the SP for about a week and then come back to Mc Murdo with waste and cargo.  During the travels they stop for lunch and routinely to check the load.  At night they sleep in alittle house that they pull behind them.  I can't imagine taking 25-30 days to drive around 1000 miles across ice pulling stuff.  I would go crazy despite itunes or books on tape.  It is interesting how they find and elimate craveses that could potentially cause problems.   They use a type of sonar ultrasound that leads the pack and when the math/physics states that the ice bridge can't hold their weight they just blow it up and fill it in and keep on going. Pretty cool.  (obviously a very simple explanation).

     Monday and Tuesday were spent waiting for flights while working at the clinic.  After work on Monday the hospital staff had a private tour of Scott Hut.  Scott's Hut was built in 1911 by the British Antarctic Expedition led by Ralph Scott.  In this 50' by 25' hut 25 men lived just prior to setting out for the South Pole.  Unfortunately no one survived.  The hut was later used by Shackleton in 1915.  In 1917 the hut was preserved with allot of artifacts.  Currently a hut has been built around the original hut to preserve the hut.  Before entering the hut you have to listen to the warnings about anthrax and asbestosis that exist in the hut.  Using a flashlight you can see some of the stuff left over from those early days.  As you approach the outside the wind is really blowing on the point, so much so that my glasses frosted over.  Just outside the door is a dead seal from the early 1900's.  Inside the door is a bunch of preserved seal meat and bones with a musty odor that permeates throughout the hut.  As you walk through the hut it is hard to imagine 25 men living in these quarters and in Antarctic conditions.  Not far from the hut is a cross that was erected, however this cross represents the men lost with Shackleton's party.  There is a cross erected in memory of Scott on "obs hill", that overlooks McMurdo.  (As that all my gear has been packed up and inaccessible for the last week I have not been able to hike up there yet.  I might be able to find some shoes in skua.)
Thus it is Tuesday night and I am sitting in the CoffeeHouse with Susan, Mia, Cesear, and Dan updating my blog and waiting for the flights to commence to the South Pole.  Tomorrow night is a lecture by our lead doc, Ken Iserson, about decomposing bodies-a perfect Halloween theme.

Still McMurdo... (a running commentary)

Got some great pictures of the sunset on Saturday, 10/17/09 @ 2230 on the way back from the Coffehouse.   This looks across the Ross ice shelf.  Despite going to bed early I woke up on Sun with my sinuses kicking my but so I took a walk around town with Susan.  It is Susan's first time down although you would think she had been here before with all her knowledge.  She is employed as a shuttle driver and gets to drive some pretty cool vehicles, go to interesting places and meat all sorts of people.  Here she is above with "Ivan the terrible".
Post the walk I napped but still felt miserable.  I did make it to the Sunday night science lecture.  The BBC is down here filming for the 2011 "Frozen Planet" (a takeoff from the "Planet Earth" series).  Great film clips and behind the scenes reporting.  There are science lectures 1-2 times per week.
     Monday I happened to eat lunch with the president of PADI, Drew Richardson, and a bunch of divers.  One is a champion free diver, she can dive 200 ft and hold her breath up to 6.5 minutes with an established heartrate of 12.  Amazing.  They are here testing some regulators and other equipment.  Of course I asked if I could try diving in Antarctica and they just looked at me like I was crazy.  I did sign up to be a "tender" for their dives.  As of today (Thurs) I haven't heard anything yet.

   "Pork chop" and I attended a science lecture Wedesday evening about the snow/ice of Antarctica.  Walking to the lecture in high winds, at -60 degrees was different.    Antarctica has a system that describes severe weather conditions.  So far this past week it has been a "3", meaning visibility clear, no restrictions on driving/hiking....  However on the evening of the lecture the Scott base, and everything just outside of McMurdo was a "1", meaning stay put, no driving, walking/hiking..... until further notice.  But McMurdo remained a "2", which obviously is between 1 and 3. 
     The lecture was very interesting, although alittle dry.  I was sitting in the second row with a guy diagonally behind me to the right in the third row-through out the lecture he provided a running commentary of his approval.  Distracting to say the least.  However the 4th row also had the advantage of not only the audio but the visual affects of this gentleman.
     There is also a movie house here, it is joined to the coffeehouse.   They usually start around 1930 or so.  I tried to sit through Moulin Rouge one night and left because I was falling asleep.  It is strange to walk outside at 2100 and still see the sky brightly lit.
     Thursday and Friday were uneventful.  However the last sunset for the summer Antarctica season took place around 0100  and the last sunrise took place around 0200 Friday.  No I did't get up to watch however I will try to post some pictures later obtain from someone who did.  I like my sleep and am still battling resdiual sinus problems.  Friday, my friend Reinhart arrived, and after seeing his office and talking to his wife Mindy we had dinner.  He went off bar hopping with some friends from last year while I washed clothes and tried to prepare for my flight to the South Pole Saturday morning.
     It it is Saturday morning as I am typing this, our flight has been delayed to later in the morning.  Hopefully the next broadcast will be coming from the South Pole:)

Housing at McMurdo....

    Simply put... it is a freshman dormitory with ages ranging from 18 to 80.  But all acting like they are 20.  And yes there is an 80 year old gentleman here.  I am not sure what his job responsibilities are yet but I am assured he is incredibly healthy.

     I have been placed in Building 155 which is usually designated for transsitional people.  However I was placed in a room with 3 other women that are permanent summer guests.  We have 2 metal bunk beds, 4 metal amioares, 4 metal small something or other that resembles a filing cabinet, 1 desk, 1 chair, 1 refrigerator (dorm size), and 10 inch (maybe) screen tv and 4 peoples stuff.  The room I figure is perfectly square, about 14'x14'.  It has 2 doors on opposite walls.  One door is blocked by the desk and chair.  On the front of the blocked door is a sign that gives directions to the other door.  The "other door" leads into a "suite".  The suite is about 8'x10' and has 3 other rooms connected to it.  The suite contains a couch and matching chair-both badly stained, what looks like some wood supporting cushions making another couch, dresser (empty), coffee table, amiorare (full of stuff including a coconut shell bra).  There is a coat rack that cannot support all the people living in the rooms connected to the suite.  On the coffee table is a vase with fake flowers, a odor eater thing. a register book from people that have visited our suite 240 including some vague sexual exploits of a girl named Chelsea, and beer bottles.  There are Christmas lights all over the place-most work, and artwork remains hung from previous guests.  Up until the "bag and drag" my luggage stayed in the suite because there wasn't any space in our room.
     The three other rooms that ajoin our suited our filled with guys.  I haven't been quite sure who actually lives in them with so many people visiting our suite.  I am scared to look in these rooms to see what they are like.  Morgan, one of the guys-really nice, drinks "pork chops" almost every night.  He expleained that his beer has the equivalent protein of a pork chop.  I did check his beer and it does not have the equivilent amount of protein of a pork chop.  So we now call him "pork chop".  A couple of the guys smoke, and of course I give them a hard time about it.  I have got one of them so jumpy that he hides his cigarette if he sees me coming.  THANK GOODNESS there is no smoking inside and building-even the "bars".  The age range in our suite ranges from the mid 20's to the mid 60's and includes first timers, like me, and seasoned vets.
   Susan is one of my roommates.  I traveled with her from Denver... all the way here.  When we arrived our greeting was not neccessarily one of enthusastic welcome by our new companions.  This is understandable given the size of our room.  I think they have finally accepted us however Susan is hoping to find a better living arrangement and I will be shipping out one day.  One of our roommates is a chef and has traveled extensively at the age of 26.  She is always giving us a heads up to what is good and what isn't.  As well as bringing the good stuff back to the room.  The other is a DA, dining assistant, that is also working reccreation.  We don't see much of her.  All four of us have different hours and makes it very difficult to get any good rest.  I have taken to sleeping with earplugs and an eyemask, despite the fact that we don't have any windows.  I am supposed to have my own room at the South Pole-can't wait to get some good sleep but we will see...

The food at McMurdo...

     Fortunately I am temporarily living in building 155 which also houses the cafeteria at McMurdo.  So I could technically eat my breakfast in my pajamas and not have to dress out in my ECW gear just to go to the cafeteria before work.   All meals are provided with your choice of whole/skim milk, coffee, tea, water (hydrate, Hydrate, and HYDRATE) and various juices.  One thing I have noticed down here is that everything is past the "expiration date"-  I mean in some cases WAY PAST.    One guy was telling us about a candy bar he received as part of  "happy camper" (more on that later) was dated 1995!   At most meals there is a huge bowel full of expired candy bars for the taking.  As that it is way too cold down here to host any bugs, vermin.... most people will keep food in their rooms without any difficulty.  Although I have also heard a story about a shipment of "freshies" a couple of years ago that brought in a bunch of flies and they had a hard time getting rid of them.  "Freshies"  are fresh vegtables, fruits....people seem to go crazy over lettace.  Personally I can't stand lettace but the fresh vegtables and fruit are nice.  Stuff also doesn't seem to go stale here. 
    Meals are provided 4 times a day.  Breakfast, lunch, dinner and around 0000 for those that work the night shift.  I haven't stayed up to midnight yet to check out those offerings Of course breakfast is my favorite-you can't go wrong there.  In addition to your pastries/breads, cereal, hot bar and fruit bar they usually have a fresh egg or waffle grill (sometimes whip cream is available). Lunch always has a sandwich bar where a wrap or sandwich can be made with whatever choices are available.  Always something hot, today was Philly cheese steak, roasted potatoes, green beans.  They usually have a fair to pretty good vegatarian selection, accordding to Mia (who is vegatarian).  Dinner has been everything from chicken/pork to beef products with vegtables.  "Freshies" when available are always included.  Now the good stuff.... deserts:).  today they had tappica pudding, chocolate chip brownies with non-dairy whipped topping and defrosted strawberries.  Their deserts range from jello (usually green) to fancy cakes or pies.  I have learned there are special days, like "cookie day": every Wednesday, "burger day" or "pizza day".  On Sunday mornings they have a "brunch" that starts at 1000 in addition to their usual breakfast that everyone looks forward too.  (Especially since most people have the day off on Sunday and are just getting up from the night before).
     Just to let you know their pancakes are not as good as Tex and Shirley's at Friendly Shopping Center.  Their french toast does not equal Cracker Barrel's.   I miss the pancakes, pocorn, real mashed potatoes, filet/baked potatoes, cheese nachos, and caffine free diet pepsi but am surviving. As picky as I am I have become very familiar with Cherrios, although some Captain Crunch or Alpha bets would be great.   I don't think I have gained any weight as that my clothes still fit.  I have met a couple of people who have already gained 5-7 pounds over the last week.  I do need to get to the gerbil gym more often then maybe I can enjoy an extra desert or second helping of .....

McMurdo

     On the night of the 12th I didn't get much sleep.  I am not sure why.  It could of been that I was washing clothes until at least 2230 and repacking to keep the 2 bags I was allowed under 70 lbs apiece/figuring out my "boomerang bag", or it could of been the darn blue mood light under the bed that I couldn't firgure out how to turn off until about 0300.  As most people know I love the early morning stuff but not without sleep.  At 0515 we were picked up in shuttles to take us back to the CDC.   There we had to put on all our ECW gear, rearrange some of our bags, weigh in, eat breakfast, hear another saftey lecture, and finally depart @ 0830.  This plane was huge, a C-17.  Lots of cargo (including a catipillar)... Most of us were seated along the outer wall of the plane with about 30 of us sitting in rows in the middle of the plane.  Earplugs are definately reccomended.
     Once at cruising altitude we were able to walk around, although there wasn't much to see. We had been provided with a "box" lunch and told to hydrate, Hydrate, and HYDRATE.  I pealed off the lettuce on the ham and cheese sandwich, ate the chips and drank lots of water.  They let people spend 5-10 minutes in the cockpit to check things out-really cool, but certainly not the shuttle.

     Once we were over Antarctica the views out the little window (1 on each side in the rear of the plane), were breathtaking.  Diffuse white with occasional breaks in the ice allowing you to see the ocean.  Unfortunately, there were not any visible whales, seals, or penquins. As we approached the actual continent you were able to see mountains completely covered in white.  Without any perspective it was difficult to estimate hieghts.  We had to re don our ECW gear as that is was getting colder and colder in the plane and in preparation of landing.  Our landing was smoother than the commercial aircrafts but with a much longer runway (ice).  I can't wait to see a plane land on ice-that will be interesting.

Debarking the plane was met with a cold dry breeze.  If I remember corectly the Temp was @ -20 degrees or so.  Taking gloves off to take pictures wasn't too bad but you could definately get the idea how miserable you could be for an extended period of time without your ECW.  We walked from the plane to awaiting shuttles which bumpily transported us to McMurdo Station.  It is not much to look at as it is located on alot of volcanic ash/rock and is very bland/run down appearing.  We were dropped off at Building 155 where we had another saftey meeting and then recieved our room key.  It was fun watching people great each other-friends, family, or a person's relief from the winter.  I was fortunate that Dr. Legaut found me and helped me sort through all the information, get my bags and take them to my room.  There we chatted for awhile.. I don't remember much about the chat as that I was exhausted and just wanted to go to sleep.  However, Susan, Kristan and I went to another safety lecture on hiking outside.  All of us were exhausted.
     The next day I reported to the clinic to begin my training at 0730.  Met alot of people and didn't remember everyone's names at first.  Since beginning my training I have learned alot about positioning and taking X-rays.  the set up at McMurdo is pretty nice.  I am also learning stuff about the paperwork involved....  Soon will start doing labs.  Lots of people have the "crud" as they call it-basically URI/sinus problems.  I have no idea what the equipment is like at the South Pole.
As usual I had superhigh ambitions for Wedsday evening however by 1500, after the South Pole lecture my sinuses caught up with me.  I didn't go to the gym, attend the science lecture/movie, or make the trivia night.  I went to sleep.  I will do a separate entry about the McMurdo clinic.

      Thursday and Friday were much of the same, However after lots of sudafed, saline nasel spray and sleep I began exploring.  Thursday evening a bunch of us caught the first shuttle over to Scott's base, operated by New Zealanders, otherwise known as kiwis.  The kiwi is their national bird.  Their base is not far from McMurdo.  Their base is relatively small compared to the town of McMurdo and only opened to Americans on Thursday evenings.  According to the people that drink their bar is really nice and the beer really cheap.  They have great views of the Ross ice shelf, apparently they get alot of seals in January. Friday I finally hit the "gerbil gym" after work.  This area has several treadmills, ellipticals, bike.....At McMurdo we can take 4 showers a week.  Nice.
     Saturday was another day at the clinic.  currently I am sitting in the "Coffeehouse" where I can hook up to the internet via a telephone line.  Internet access is somewhat difficult to come by as that open computers are hard to get to during reasonable hours.  It is also a lot slower than I am used to.   Also just got word, after the 3rd attempt to the SP was canceled today, there will be 2 attempts on Monday and Tuesday.  I should be set to go to the SP on Tuesday, weather permitting.

New Zealand

     After twenty plus flying hours, who knows how many hour in the airports..... we finally arrived in New Zealand yesterday morning (Sunday, 10/11/09 1300).  At the LA airport ran into Jackyln Smith, you know from Charlie's Angels.  She and her daughter were traveling.  Anyway I didn't get much sleep on any of the flights.  The international flight was awesome.  It was a Quantas 380.  On the seat backs there was an interactive computer that you could play games, watch the news, incredible selection of movies and a sky cam attached to the tail of the plane.  Watching the take-off and landing was pretty cool.
     Everyone received all their luggage and cleared customs without any difficulty.  Apparently they are very strict in New Zealand... if you boots are dirty they can confiscate them, maybe clean them, and potentially fine you up to $600.  The Raytheon shuttles met us and transported everyone to their various hotels.  I stayed at the "So".  It is a couple of blocks from Cathedral Square.  The hotel is pretty "green" and very contemporary.  The rooms are incredibly small without any frills. To activate the power to the room you have to insert your room key into a slot on the wall as you enter the room.   The alarm clock is easy to set up with a gradual increase of light and a "mood" channel that comes up on the tv when it goes off.  The room also has mood lighting that you can choose the color when you turn out the lights.  When you leave the room the power automatically turns off.  Despite not having much sleep, I dumped my bags and hit the town by 1500.  Christchurch is really easy to find your way around.  Lot of stores but they were usually closed after 1500 on Sundays.  I caught up with Dick who joined me for an incredible steak dinner at a restaurant called "Mu".  I turned in early that evening, exhausted.

     This morning the shuttles picked us up  to take us to the CDC to receive our ECW.  (CDC:  not the center for disease control, but the Clothing Distribution Center, ECW:  Extreme Cold Weather gear).  The girls and boys were separated and we had to try on all our stuff to make sure it fit.  Everything is in mens sizes and not very flattening.  Lets hope its functional. The hardest part about all this is trying to figure out your "boomerang bag"/carry on bag.  Your boomerang bag includes stuff that you may need if the plane has to turn back to New Zealand because of weather.  You will be reunited with your luggage again some time in McMurdo. On the flight you are also allowed a "carry on" bag which should include your "boomerang bag" as well as part of your ECW.  You have to put on your ECW before landing.

 After returning back to the hotel to drop stuff off.  Mia, Dick, Eric, and I visited the Botanic Gardens where I took lots of pictures of flowers and green stuff in case I miss it at the pole.  From there Mia, Dick and I took a bus to the gondola which transported us up  to  the rim of a crater.  There was this ride that you could take through a darkened path, like at the carnival.  It was pretty boring and Mia thought the 10 year old host was possessed.  To make things interesting we would hop out of the car and stand in the display to take our pictures.  The top of the gondola provided excellent views of Christchurch, Southern alps and the harbor.  Lots of sheep on the hillsides. We hiked around up top for about 2 hours and then rode down and took the bus back to town.  We found out that evening that only a small portion of us were shipping out in the morning.  I was on the short list and most of the people I had met were spending some extra time here in Christchurch.  Mia and I enjoyed a Thai dinner and now I am washing clothes and trying to resort all my stuff and repack for Antarctica tomorrow.
     Once I settle down somewhere I will download some pictures of everything.

Orientation in Denver: completed

     I arrived in Denver Wednesday late afternoon and transported via shuttle to the hotel.  With me were 3 others, all here for orientation.  Curt and Arnita, to be stationed at the Pole and McMurdo respectively,   have been down to the ice several times.  Curt is a surveyor and Arnita works in the mail room.  Mia and I are newbies and pumped both of them with lots of questions about their jobs and experiences.  Arnita has been really helpful with answering questions that you don't want to ask the official trainers.  At the hotel there was dinner.  thank goodness as that I was starving.  during dinner met several others that provided allot more information.  The people have come from all over.. Alaska, Arizona, New York, Kansas, Colorado...
     Thursday and Friday morning were spent discussing check deposits, security, safety, travel.....  By the way Kathryn, just to confirm what I have already mentioned....I am NOT allowed to have a Chia pet in Antarctica.  Communication via the web i.e.. skype is not allowed, MSN messenger is allowed however probably won't happen given the bandwidth or satellite availability. I have not met anyone with medical and still not sure of specific duties..... Although it was really interesting to hear of the different injuries that have occurred on the ice.  People have fallen from ladders, been run over by equipment, falls.....
Supposedly the most common injury is strains, sprains, and falls.   Not unexpected given you are walking on ice.  We will see what I get this year. ( FYI:  Mindy I am not making a list of injuries that I want to see.)
     Currently I am sitting in the denver airport waiting to fly to LA, then Australia, and then New Zealand.   Hopefully the movie will be something I have not seen.  Maybe there will be popcorn:)  I have not had a caffeine free diet pepsi since last Tuesday:(  Once in New Zealand we will have more orientation and receive our Extreme Cold Weather Gear.  I have spoke with my parents, sister, friends and co-workers and said temporary good byes and suspended my cell phone.  Not much to tie me to the real world now except the internet.

some links you might find interesting....

The following links were provided to me by Mindy Piuk.  In addition to Raytheon being so organized, Mindy and her husband Reinhart have been a huge support and have provided me with lots of info and helpful hints.  Some of you are aware of my sailing adventures in '07.  That was with Mindy and Reinhart.

This is a link for the live web cam at the south pole.  When I figure out where the camera is and how the timing works with the available satillites I will let you know when I am standing in front of the camera. http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/obop/spo/livecamera.html
North Carolina is 18 hours behind Antarctica.

This is one of my favorite links. http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/obop/spo/index.html
Feel free to explore the intial website NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) as well as NSF (National Scienc Foundation) that you reach when you click the Amundsen-Scott Station under  "South Pole Life" , then click where it states "here".  You have to check this out.  You will get a cut away view of the Amundson-Scott South Pole Station.  Use your cursor to click on the different parts of the station and a description will pop up.  Really cool.  These websites are great resources to check into some of the studies going on, pictures of everything...

This link gives you lots of info about the "Ice Cube", no not a frozen piece of H2O that you might place in certain beverages.... but rather a type of telescope that looks at neutrinos.  Neutrinos are fascinating.  We  learned a little bit about them in my astronomy classes.  I expect I am going to learn a lot more.  http://icecube.wisc.edu/

Some of my friends have been asking me about how I prepared for all this.  I gotta tell you there is a lot of stuff you have to do even after you have applied and gotten the job.  Lots of paperwork, physicals, labwork....  If you don't "PQ" (physically qualify) then you don't get to go.  Here is a link to the participant quide.  This has been a excellant resource especially in reqards to trying to pack for six months.  http://www.usap.gov/usapgov/travelAndDeployment/contentHandler.cfm?id=541

A whole new vocabulary...
http://www.penguincentral.com/MCMslang.html

How it all started....

     I actually started investigating an extended vacation to Patagonia/Chile for hiking and astronomy with a side trip to Antarctica.  This was about the same time that the tourist boat sank in Nov. '07.  I never got around to setting everything up for various reasons.
      In the meantime some good friends of mine, Mindy and Reinhart, were completing their two year sailing adventure.  When they returned they lived with me until Reinhart got a job with Raytheon, traveling to Antarctica.  During the same time I had also met Neal, who is a scuba diver that has participated in many studies diving in Antarctica, and I furthered my studies in astronomy (lots of stuff in that regards on the ice).  Given my sense of adventure and upon hearing of their tales.... it led to the inevitable.
     I applied for a job as a Physician Assistant to be on the ice.  I was chosen as an "alternate" for the McMurdo station.  I have never wished harm to anyone in my life however I've got to tell you I was soooo hoping that whoever was assigned to go wouldn't be able to go for some reason or another. (hopefully it was a good reason i.e. baby, marriage...).  But as time past I realized it wasn't going to happen so I figured I would try again for next year and began making plans for the fall and ski season.  However on 9/9 I received a phone call stating that the South Pole PA was not able to go and would I be interested.  Of course I said Hell Yeah!!!!!  (may be not those exact words to the recruiter but that's what I was thinking).  What a great birthday present!
     I was incredibly excited.   So much so that I could  not concentrate on preparing for my "hosting" at the GTCC telescope on 9/11.  Thank goodness Tim Martin agreed to swap positions.  Ever since I have been making preparations....
     As word has gotten out I have had basically 3 responses:  "I don't believe you", "Are you crazy", or "I am not surprised".   I, myself,  have thought all three since being notified.  Hopefully this blog will keep "you guys" (or y'all) informed as to what my experiences are like on the ice.

PS: Thanks Barb for the suggestive title.