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:)