The Holidays Are Approaching

In a couple of weeks we will celebrate Christmas and then New Year's here. The town is decorated and people are having their work center Christmas parties. Our Fire Department Christmas party is on December 21st and somehow I got the job of planning it. I am by no means, a party planner. It is just not my forte. But I am doing the best I can. We are having it at Gallagher's, one of the 2 bars here. The bar is closed that day so our department has reserved it just for our party. We've enlisted a volunteer bartender. I have ordered the food from the Galley supervisor (pasta, marinara, garlic, bread and butter, some sort of side salad, brats or Italian sausage, chafing dishes, sternos, plates and utensils). I put together a sign up sheet for people to grill, set up and clean up and music. More to follow.

Today (Sunday 12/13) was the Firehouse Open House. We made chili and cornbread and the firefighters set up different areas of activities for the people of McMurdo to try their hand at firefighting. They had a medic station, a person could work the jaws of life cutting up a 55 gallon barrel, put on bunker gear and go up into a smoke filled area looking for victims and a person could hold a hose line and knock down traffic cones. I did all of them...well mostly all of them. I had all of the bunker gear on including the mask and air pack but then I started to have a panic attack. The mask was tight (so no smoke can get in) and it was so close to my face and well, IT NEEDED TO COME OFF NOW!! The guys peeled the mask off of me and that was it. I did not go up into the smoke room. But it was still fun! And holding the hose and shooting water at the traffic cones was the best! It was definitely a Sunday Fun Day at the Firehouse for everyone!

And earlier this week I finally hiked out to Castle Rock. It is 4.1 miles long. Here is the description:

"This trip leads to the prominent landform called Castle Rock, named for its shape. The Castle Rock routes are the most ambitious hikes in the McMurdo area. As you walk across the snow and ice field, you see the prominent landform of Castle Rock ahead, spectacular views to the north, and the Trans-Antarctic Mountains to the west."

It has been on my "To Do" list for the past seasons I've been here but quite honestly I was not in any shape to even think about hiking it. But as some of you know I've lost some weight and am in much better shape than I've been in for years so I went out there. I completed it in 4 hours and I am so glad I was able to do it. The average time to complete this hike is 6 hours so I think I did pretty good. It was so beautiful! See below for some photos of my hike out to Castle Rock.

Learning How to "Knock Down a Fire" By Shooting the Cones Down at the Annual Firehouse Expo

Out at Castle Rock

Dive Tending, Giant Sea Spiders, Turduckens and Glacier Tongues!

Sorry for the delay in posts. This past weekend we celebrated Thanksgiving here at McMurdo Station. I actually got out of town twice this week! Last Thursday I was chosen for a “Moral Trip” aka Boondoggle by the people at the NSF. I was able to assist the divers and a science group as a Dive Tender. I travelled by piston bully out to Turtle Rock - a small island shaped like a turtle. I was able to sit in front with a researcher/diver, Bret, who is studying polar gigantism in sea life in Antarctica. He is the person pictured under "Biomechanics" on the website I've included. Here is the website: http://polargiants.squarespace.com

They had to return some sea spiders back to the ocean. My job was when all 5 of the divers jumped into the hole in the ice and had disappeared from view, I had to throw a rope ladder into the hole so they had something to climb out with. They did 2 dives, each about 25 minutes long. When they came up they would unlatch their air tanks and I’d have to haul them off of their backs. Dang, those tanks are heavy! It was so much fun! The island had many seals just lounging around so in between dives I was able to take photos of them. Here’s some pictures of my diver tendering trip.

The next 2 days I worked but Friday night was the Turducken 5K race. Temperatures at race time (9:00PM) were 12 degrees with a 2 degree windchill! It wasn’t bad until I had to go uphill against the wind. That’s when it got really cold! Luckily when I had to go back downhill the wind was at my back, giving me a good push! I finished dead last (31st place) with a time of 53:11…but I finished! They had a Turkey Trot 5K the next day and I had a better time than 6 people who did that race!

Saturday was Thanksgiving. I worked that day and had my meal with the B Shift at 7:00PM that night. The food was OK but it sure wasn’t even near as good as Thanksgiving at home!

Then on Sunday I was gifted a trip to the Erebus Ice Tongue Glacier Ice Caves trip! My boss’s husband was drawn but was unable to go so he gave it to me! At 7:00PM 12 of us boarded a Delta (A big ugly semi truck/bus looking thing) and drove out on sea Ice 1.15 hours to the ice tongue glacier that flows off the active volcano, Mt. Erebus! After walking a half mile to the cave entrance in 34 degree weather all of us peeled off our warm (sweltering) ECW gear. I left most of mine on because I figured it would be much colder inside the glacier and I was right! I slid on my belly downhill into the glacier. Once inside I was able to stand in a small room and take some pictures. Then I had to continue on, sliding again on my stomach which led to a much larger room. The ice crystals were so beautiful! There was also an ice arch in that room but in order to get to it, I had to hug an ice wall and walk carefully along a narrow trail. On the other side was a deep crevasse so I was very leery of trying to get over there! One of the girls already there grabbed my arm and assisted me across the path. It was so well worth it as it was so amazing! I WAS INSIDE A GLACIER! In ANTARCTICA!! It was probably the highlight of all 3 of my seasons combined! 

Dive Hut and Piston Bully At Turtle Rock

Sea Spiders!

Crossing the Finish Line of the Turducken 5K

Just Inside the Entrance to The Ice Cave in the Erebus Tongue Glacier

Me Inside the Ice Cave

Ice Crystals Inside the Ice Cave

Band Practice, the Crud and Other Things

I have been here 4 weeks, almost to the day. I think I’ve taken maybe 10 pictures. For those of you who know me, you know that that is very odd. in seasons past I’ve already taken at least an 8G card full of pictures. Not so far this time. Maybe its because I've been working a lot. Maybe its because most of the stuff I would've taken pictures of is just “old hat” to me. A sort of a been-there-done-that deal. Maybe it’s a little of both! This next month I will work on taking more pictures. I went out to Hut Point last night and saw some seals. There's some pictures below.

During this month here I’ve managed to dodge getting sick or getting the McMurdo Crud. That is until a few days ago. I have the coughing, sneezing, wish I could sleep head cold that everyone else seems to have. All it takes is one person. One person to come from the States and board that plane in Christchurch bound for McMurdo with a scratchy throat and that’s it. It spreads like wildfire. We are a contained community highly susceptible to any foreign germs. That’s why we all have to have a flu shot in Christchurch even if we got one before we boarded the plane for Sydney. The “Flu Shot Nazi” stabs all of us without even speaking. Get in line, roll up your sleeve, BAM! Next! But the flu shot doesn’t protect against the Crud. And I have it. I’ve lasted longer than most by not getting it. My suite mate is on her second go around with it. It’s a virus. There is nothing that can be done for it except rest, drink plenty of fluids, wash your hands and take NyQuil at night and Mucinex during the day to try to get some relief. I’ve slept more in the past 2 days than I can remember. I think it’s working. Or maybe I am just hoping it is.

I’ve started playing drums in a band here! For those of you who don’t know, I played drums in junior high, high school and some after that. I was in Concert Band, Jazz Band and Orchestra. I was in the Marching Band. I played all the percussion instruments. And I had my own drum set. It’s been a good 30 years since I’ve done any serious drum playing but that changed a few weeks ago! I’ve joined a Fire Department band and am having a lot of fun! We are getting better (I think)! There’s even talk of playing at Ice Stock! See below for some photos! More to follow on this development! 

Sitting Behind a Drum Set Again!

Wes, Sissy and I at Band Practice. So far we do not have a name for our band. Any ideas?

Out at Hut Point at 10:00 PM

Weddel Seals at Hut Point

Settling Back In

I have now completed Week 3 on The Ice. I have picked up where I left off at work - 5.5 calls and 2.5 spills - the most out of all the dispatchers! The .5's are calls that I've had to share with the new dispatcher. We took those while I was training her. Work has been fun! It's kind of nice dispatching again after an eight month break. The other day I had 2 calls and was also working as ATC Ground for the 2 airfields. We had a Basler (DC-3) and a couple of Twin Otters taking off from and landing back at the Skiway at Williams Field and the FAA Challenger and C-17 flying in and out of Pegasus Field. I had to give approval of and denial for vehicles entering the runways/skiways. It was challenging as I did not/do not have a visual on either airfield. Both are about 15 miles from where I am and I'm in an office without windows! Challenging, and have my heart in my throat scary! Thankfully everyone was safe and we went without incident. I think tomorrow the tower opens for Williams Field so those planes and vehicles there will talk with air traffic control in the tower (who can see what's happing there) for movement requests on the skiway. I will only have to manage the other field where the C-17's fly into. It's always something different here on The Ice!

2015-2016 Summer Crew Antarctic Fire Department

Basler (DC-3) at Williams Field Skiway. The peak in the the background is Mt. Discovery.

View from under the wing of a Twin Otter.

I've Made It!

Finally, after an extra 3 day vacation in Christchurch, New Zealand, I've made it to McMurdo Station, Antarctica! The weather here has not been good at all. I was supposed to arrive on the Ice on October 9th but because of bad weather at McMurdo I did not arrive until October 11th late in the evening. By the time I got done with yet another orientation and got my room key and bed  linens, it was 10 pm. I got to bed at 11 and had to be at work the next morning at 7 am. Needless to say I am still a little jet lagged!

I'm on dayshift and it looks like I may be on the dayshift for the whole season. I think that's a good thing but I guess that remains to be seen! I've worked 2 shifts so far and have wreaked havoc on the fire crews. I've toned out 3 calls and have had 2 hazardous spills - one of which was one of our fire vehicles that had an active leak of foam and had leaked 10 gallons with a potential of leaking 700 gallons! Thankfully, everything turned out OK.

I met my roommate last night and she is very nice. She is a dispatcher at MacOps and is currently on the night shift. So it works out very well because when I am at work as she is sleeping and visa versa...except when I am off. I am staying out of the room and not running in and out of it so she can sleep. I have to go find somewhere to go so I hang out in a lounge as the coffee house isn't open quite yet. What is MacOps? That is the dispatch center that tracks all of the science groups.

Here are some photos of Christchurch, my room and what things look like around here at the moment.

On one of the delay days we took a bus to the mountains where there was a gondola. We didn't take the gondola up, we hiked up a trail! I made it half way and that was good enough for me!

The cathedral in Christchurch. It was damaged in the earthquake. One evening they had a food truck festival here! I had Chicken Tikka and it was fantastic! 

My room and my sleeping area. My friend Cindy gave me the blanket, sheets and bedspread. It feels more homey but my walls are still a little bare. I'm working on that.

The view out over the ice. Thankfully, today it is sunny and not as windy. Temp is -18!

Friday FunDay/Friday (Ice) Flight Day! More Like Friday (24 Hour) Flight Delay Day!

Today was the scheduled day to fly down to the Ice. As luck would have it, the flight was delayed 24 hours due to bad weather at McMurdo Station. And as luck would have it, I was notified just after I got out of the shower! What time was that you may be asking yourself? It was 4:40 am. So as I debate about going back to sleep or staying up to get breakfast, here are some photos of my afternoon in Christchurch.

The city is still recovering from 2 devastating earthquakes. The first one happened in September 2010. It was a 7.1 magnitude on the Richter Scale. It lasted 40 seconds and was felt through most of the South Island of New Zealand. the second was actually an aftershock and it occurred on February 22, 2011 at 12:51 PM. It was a 6.3 and lasted only 10 seconds but it created the most devastation damage. Buildings were already leaked from the 7.1 quake a few months before and this one caused liquefaction, which Wikipedia defines as:
" A phenomenon whereby a saturated or partially saturated soil substantially loses strength and stiffness in response to an applied stress, usually earthquake shaking or other sudden change in stress condition, causing it to behave like a liquid."

The quake killed 185 people.

There is a lot of construction going on in the city center. This is where most of the damage, and loss of life, occurred. It is the area I am staying in. The people are extremely resilient and very friendly. The Kiwis are pretty special people!

There are many murals on the sides of damaged buildings to help the city look better . This is a mural of penguins and the artist made a statement about Global Warming - the penguins as well as the ice appear to be melting.

More artwork

There are many food trucks in downtown Christchurch as most of the buildings that housed restaurants were destroyed.

This is a sculpture in the "Re-Start" mall. The mall is made of shipping containers. New Zealand is a series of 2 islands and all supplies, including building supplies are shipped in these containers. 

The church that the City was named after is still in disrepair. They have build a new, smaller church about 4 blocks away. This church is a Catholic church.

Getting ready for Season 3

It is 100 degrees here in AZ still but where I'm going it is minus 3 with a minus 20 degree windchill. Yep, very soon I'll be heading back to Antarctica and McMurdo Station for my third season. 

My bags are mostly packed. Even though the airlines allow two 50 lbs. bags, I am limited to a total of 85 lbs. for my Ice Flight. I had my bags mostly packed and I was below the 85 lbs. limit when the Fire Chief called to tell me he was FedExing my uniforms to my house. Usually I receive my uniforms when I arrive on the Ice but not this year I guess.  So I've had to rethink what I need to take with me. The good thing is is that if I'm over the weight limit, there is a US postal facility at the CDC (Clothing Distribution Center) in Christchurch, NZ. I can ship my remaining items! 

My job on the Ice will be the same job I've done in the past - Fire Dispatcher. So I will be working 12 hour shifts answering 911 and other phone calls and dispatching the Fire Department on Fire and EMS calls. 

The adventure is about to begin. My fingers are crossed that all goes well!