EJ's Travels

I slept well last night despite the daylight that persisted outside my bedroom window. Woke for brunch and after some writing headed outside to hike up Observation Hill for a view and hopes of watching today’s flight approach, as well as familiarize myself with the station. The temperature read -22 degrees Farenheit when I stepped outside with a group of friends. In the sun and out of the wind it felt quite nice actually. I even had to discard *big red* (my parka) on my way up the hill. Sadly my camera failed due to the cold, but I managed to warm it up in my mitten and catch a few shots before it died again. It was a steep, but relatively short hike. The views from atop were breathtaking. The TransAntarctic Mountains were on display. We could see Scott Base (the New Zealand station) in the near distance edging up to the sea ice; what appeared to be open water in the far distance; the entirety of McMurdo Station; and various mountains and peaks in every direction, not to mention plenty of flat ice stretching for miles. There was a cross on top of “Obs” that was erected in 1904 by the British Antarctic Expedition in memory of T. Vince, a member of that expedition who died in the vicinity. Not far from the bottom of the hill we decided a little *sledding* was called for. With a running start we dove onto our backs and slid as far as the momentum would take us. I felt like a kid in North Dakota all over again.

After descending we took a brief tour of the station. I found the recreation building that houses the bowling alley, the arts and crafts room, the bouldering cave and the ceramics room; the sports gym where volleyball, basketball, indoor hockey and dodgeball are played and where the climbing wall and weight room are housed; the aerobics gym with treadmills and spin bikes, etc.; the library; and of course the 3 local *night clubs*.

I returned to my dorm and was reminded by my Latvian friend, George, that a sauna is always in order after a hike like that. A wise man that George.

Tomorrow I begin work. So far this has felt a lot like summer camp in Antarctica. That may or may not change with the onset of work, but it’s been kind of nice to have no agenda. However, I am really looking forward to further exploring the territory on wheels and to meet the folks who are coming and going from this big block of ice.

see more of my photos at: http://ej.smugmug.com

My alarm rang at 4:30am, Saturday, October 8, 2005. I caught a shuttle with a few other folks from my hostel to CDC where we began our preparations to board our plane en route to Antarctica. We were required to dress in our parkas, wind pants and bunny boots in order to board the plane. At check-in they weighed our baggage as well as our selves along with our carry-on (we were allowed one). My baggage: 70 pounds. Me and my carry-on: 192 pounds. Another video and safety lecture was required before we were allowed to board the aircraft, specifically a C-17. The Department of Defense provides military logistics for the Antarctic Program, reimbursed by the National Science Foundation. One of the logistics they provide is transporting people and cargo to McMurdo from Christchurch. The crew that flew us over does so once a month and then returns to Afghanistan and Iraq were they have been serving for the last few years. Craig, a Reservist who was volunteering his time before being placed on active duty, shared some photos with me from his time in Afghanistan, Iraq and surrounding areas while I was waiting in line for the lavatory. They were intense. Craig also allowed me to visit the crew in the cockpit which was a treat. All of them agreed that their time spent serving the Antarctic Program was a vacation in comparison.

It was our lucky day, we were able to land. Although deafening, the landing was smoother than most airplanes I have been on. The back door opened and first the cargo was unloaded. We all stood anxiously on our seats looking out the back of the plane and waiting for our first glimpses of Antarctica. Brilliant white and blue awaited us. My first thought and impression was simply “wow.” The air was cold, -8 degrees Farenheit, but certainly bearable and at the time quite welcome. We were directed to the shuttles (which I will soon be driving) which took us to Building 155 (which is now my home) for yet another orientation briefing, afterwards we were given our room assignments. I found my room and met my roommate, Lou Ann. For now it is just the 2 of us, however, there are 4 beds in our room and odds are good we will get at least one more roommate shortly. I can’t complain about my accommodations. Apparently not everyone faired as well, some rooms are smaller than others. I am lucky enough to be in the same building as the dining hall and the sauna. It doesn’t get much better than that as far as I’m concerned. Now we just need to work on some decorations.

see more of my photos at: http://ej.smugmug.com

We arrived in Christchurch at 9:50am on Thursday, October 6th. Wednesday the 5th had disappeared into a time warp when we crossed the international dateline in flight. The Antarctic Program’s ... [Continue reading this entry]

Here I am reporting live from McMurdo Base Station, Ross Island, Antarctica. My journey to get here began at Denver International Airport on Tuesday, October 4th. I was scheduled to board a plane at 4:19pm, which I did, ... [Continue reading this entry]

Antarctica is the highest, driest, coldest, windiest, and emptiest place on earth. An ice sheet covers approximately 98% of the continent. At its thickest point the ice sheet is 4,776 meters deep. The ice is approximately 90% ... [Continue reading this entry]

Hello my friends, family, and alter egos. Please enjoy my entries below. I look forward to your comments and responses.