I can’t believe my time here is over.  Although the WEATHER has drastically changed, so it’s time to get out before we’re stranded!  The ‘winter-overs’ are here. They would like us ‘summer people’ to go home so they can set up their dorm rooms and begin the winter season schedule!  I know how they feel, as we experience those same things when we pull into McMurdo in October.

Ship off load went very smooth again. All the millvans are stacked neatly in rows awaiting the supply people to come and inventory each box inside. I trained one of the supply gals to drive deltas (she will be one of the winter-overs who drive the last pax to the planes and then also pick up the first people flown in!) She LOVES opening the boxes!   …’might be a box of post-it notes, or weird, electrical wire, -you never know what you’ll find!’…    A lot of the winter workers are supply people. Or Vehicle Maintenance type people.

Last night we had a long power outage. I’m not sure what happened. It was NOT a SCHEDULED one! “They” always send out an email to warn people of outages; when they will occur, and the duration expected.  This one came out of the blue,at the end of the supper hour.  Power = heat.  Power out for an hour = nervous people!!!    I haven’t heard what happened yet.  It does make you ponder the effects of no generators - and how long we could survive!!

Let’s see – also to finish up the season, we have to ‘bag drag’ the day before our flight to Christchurch. I had to have all my items packed – except for a small backpack to keep with me on the plane.  You have to take all your ECW gear – including big red and the bunny boots – with your luggage/bags up to the Air Services building to be weighed. (Huge platform scale – that holds bags and body, so no one has to know your actual weight!!!) Then it is taken from you so the Cargo crew can palletize it.  Then you get to wear big red and bunny boots back down the hill to the dorm to await the next day!   I packed my towel so had to rent one from the “corner bar” so I could shower this morning. It only cost 50 cents – or if you’re picky, they had a clean one for $2.00.  (I couldn’t see wasting my hard earned money.) 

Now it’s time to say goodbye….. lots of hugs and handshakes happening around here. I’ve told them I won’t be returning, so that makes the goodbye’s a little harder.  When I drove my final Willy Field run – I made sure to enjoy the view. The clouds even parted for awhile so I could enjoy the sunlight on the ice one more time.  Nice.

See ya back in Kansas!

Posted February 15, 2009 Comments(0)

Finally, a little wildlife spotted!  As I drove out to Willy Field it was standing beside the road (sort of – off in the distance, but NEAR the road.)  I asked the pilots in my vehicle if they would like to stop and view it.  “NO”… poo….. so I continued on to the Airstrip, dropped them off at their LC-130 and raced back to the site to get some photos!  Emperor penguins are much larger than the little, cute Adele’s.  They also can do a pretty mean WHACKING job with their little ‘wings’, so I didn’t dare approach it.  I’ll post photos of it as soon as I get my camera and cord down to the computer kiosk area!

Let’s see – yesterday was my final Cookie Day. I had chocolate chip. (As I have EVERY cookie day!) The station is emptying out – around 250 people have left already with more departing each day. My flight out is scheduled for Monday – Feb 16.  Each time I drive out on the snow roads – I look around – trying to memorize every detail of the surrounding mountains and Mt. Erebus with all her splendor.  Good thing Kansas allows for some pretty expansive views – I will miss being able to see and ‘feel’ the expansion down here.  But, I am looking forward to some time in New Zealand. Little nose – get ready for the smells!

I have certainly enjoyed my time in Antarctica. I recommend it to anyone who has the desire to travel and experience new things!   This departure signals the end of my adventure.  Last year I knew I was getting to return, and my enthusiasm never dwindled.  Now I have to make sure I have closure – and I hate saying goodbye!

Posted February 11, 2009 Comments(1)

I have this morning off- so used the time (between loads of laundry to add more photos! The supply ship is close to be being UNloaded. Then it will be LOADED. They figure about 2&1/2 – 3 more days.  The photos show the millvans that handle everything arriving. Food – tools – paper, it ALL goes in one of those!

I also posted one showing Oden, the ice crusher off in the distance of where I was driving. That used to freak me out a little last year – and it still did this year!  When driving out to the Pegasus Airfield, we know it is on frozen sea water. (And “they” say it will never melt.)  Yet you are driving along, glance out the window and see a SHIP sharing space with you!!!  With the warmer temps this year, we did have some terrible moments out at Pegasus. “They” who said it will never melt, sure used a lot of HOSE and a big engine thing to pump the water from around the airplanes out to as far away from the runway as possible!!!

The big event of the week was celebrating Shuttle Joe’s 80th birthday. (His actual date is the 22nd, but we will all be off the ice by then.)  The entire station took part in it, the galley went all out on some awesome cakes – complete with fancy decorating! The Carpentry shop made an awesome wooden plaque. The Sheet metal shop made a copper plate to fit on the wood, inscribed with information about this big event.  The Green House let us have FRESH, REAL, flowers for his table. And the entire galley joined in singing!  To date, he is the oldest WORKING person at McMurdo. (Could be in the entire Antarctic, but we have no way to verify that.)  He is an inspiration to us all.

Let’s see…. ONE MORE COOKIE day for me  – then it’s off for 2 weeks in New Zealand before returning home.

Posted February 5, 2009 Comments(0)

The supply ship arrived!  She was about a day and 1/2 late, but finally is ‘parked’ next to the ice pier. Once the ship was tied down/secured the 24 hour operation of off-loading began. We did bring in about 100 NAVCHAPS to assist with this. So far, everything is running smoothly. Since it is so arid, we have a ‘water truck’ that is trying to put down a wet path to aid in keeping the air around here breathable!  We all have red, itchy eyes from the dust blowing in and I spend a great deal of time SNEEZING.  I love snow… where is all our SNOW??? 

On the ship is our supplies for the next year – including a WIND mill that the Kiwi’s will be putting up on a hill to generate electricity. I did get some photos of the ‘pieces’. This one is smaller than those I’ve seen in Kansas.  I’ve been driving down Interstate 70 and passed the semi carrying a blade – THAT was a huge blade!!

We took our first group of station workers to the C-17 yesterday. It’s called getting “OFF the ice”. I have ONE more COOKIE DAY to go before I can get of the ice.  (My date has been selected as Feb. 16) We’ll see if the weather and planes hold up for this!  I am trying to memorize all the views I have been having for these past 4 months. I would like one more storm – so I can stand in it and get that exhilarating feeling again!

Posted February 4, 2009 Comments(1)