The big, big show

So, the day of days has arrived. Pole was like a regular airport back home, with what seemed like an incredible number of flights arriving and departing. At one point we had 5 airplanes on the ground at the same time. I asked how many people we might have as neighbors, but could not get an answer.


Tonight there is a special dinner for very select folks, followed by a somewhat less select soiree in the gymnasium. The station crew in general is not invited to attend, but some folks are, as well as some (if not all) of the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) people. I really do not know the specifics about it, as I’m not invited. It will be interesting to see what all transpires through the day, though. At 4pm (local, New Zealand time) there will be a live broadcast television event at the Pole marker with a speech from the Norwegian Prime Minister, which everybody is welcome to attend.

“For a war correspondent to miss an invasion is like refusing a date with Lana Turner.”
~Robert Capa

Gettin' this Pole party started

Yesterday the Prime Minister of Norway, Jens Stoltenberg, arrived at the South Pole. At supper, he gave a nice, brief speech thanking the station crew for all they do, and explained in short why the Amundsen Expedition (as well as some of the others, like those done by Fridtjof Nansen) was so important to their young country. After the talk at dinner, most folks on station trooped out for a group photo at the geographical pole marker.

Earlier in the day the Norwegian contingent had been out to do some filming/photographing. It was a first for me that I had to detour on my way back from ARO due to something like that, but there is always a first time for everything.

I will also point out in that photo the bit of pipe in the snow with a green flag next to it, just to the right of the group of people. That is the actual location of the Pole, as of December 14, the centennial of Amundsen's crew's arrival in 1911. So, though it is a couple weeks shy of the usual full one year from January 1 to January 1, that is essentially how far the ice cap moves in a year (~10 meters).

The weather has been really pleasant, warm, and calm here lately. I've taken to just wearing my fleece sweater on the walk to ARO, since I've been overly warm with the full jacket on (let alone wearing the Big Red parka, which I avoid like the plague). With luck the weather will cooperate here for the events the next couple days, and hopefully weather at McMurdo and Pole will remain within flyable conditions, so we can get people and cargo moved in/out on schedule.

"I don’t think there is any such thing as an ordinary mortal. Everybody has his own possibility of rapture in the experience of life. All he has to do is recognize it and then cultivate it and get going with it. I always feel uncomfortable when people speak about ordinary mortals because I’ve never met an ordinary man, woman, or child."
~Joseph Campbell

The Mobile Marker

With the upcoming centennial, a Norwegian flag has been added to the geographical South Pole marker. A new sign has also been installed there, though the content is the same; it’s just a whole lot bigger.


This is, as things work down here, actually the surface location of the geographical South Pole as of 1 January, 2011. The first day of each calendar year, the marker location is updated to its present position. The reason the marker apparently moves is because the ice sheet that constitutes the Antarctica Plateau is slowly moving at about 10 meters per year. As a result, the updated positions of the pole appear to march across the landscape in a line, but it is the landscape (or, icescape, if you prefer) that is actually moving.


The pole marker itself is actually from the 2010 crew with which I last wintered. We selected a design during the winter, and the following summer it was installed at the new/current geographic pole location on New Year’s Day. Similarly, on 1 January, 2012, we will update the pole location using the marker (kept secret from the public) selected by the 2011 winter crew. The machinist each winter is who actually fabricates the actual marker article.

"After I'm dead I'd rather have people ask why I have no monument than why I have one."
~Cato

The Polie Express

Mail has been arriving again fairly regularly, though I have not gotten anything in a while. The last package to arrive for me was one I sent myself, with supplies for the year.


Unfortunately, it got obviously some rough treatment along the way, so I'll probably have to find something else (robust) to ship my laptop and other related things back in next year. Though, maybe I'll be hurrying back with my laptop to go interview for some out-of-this-world job, not taking the time for more globetrotting, so who knows?

“My favorite review described me as the cinematic equivalent of junk mail.”
~Steve Buscemi

It’s a Polar Picnic

The last week has really blown by here. Last Saturday, in appreciation for the extra work the galley crew undertook to provide Thanksgiving dinner, I helped out for what is called “Managers Cook Day”. Though not a manager, I helped wash dishes, assemble grilled (ham and) cheese sandwiches, and put a mean burn on them on the grill. I think we made the better part of 400 sandwiches.

Yesterday I participated in the refresher course for the Snow Craft survival course. Though I do not anticipate getting to go out into the deep field to support any science projects, I now have the required training (refreshed) to do so. I took the full course during my first season in (mostly) McMurdo when I worked in the galley. Other folks will be doing the full up course, with a night spent out camping somewhere off-station.

Tourists continue to visit and depart. There have been a good number of flights, and the number of tents and other structures out at the designated campsite continue to increase. There was some 8-wheeled truck out by the visitor center yesterday morning. As days pass, we continue to find out more about the festivities surrounding the centennial, as well as restrictions upon general station activities as a result. It will be a little inconvenient for us residents of South Pole Station, but should still be interesting to see what all goes on during those days. Hopefully the weather will cooperate. It would be edifying to see the total numbers for how much ends up being spent by all parties involved with tourism and centennial celebrations down here this summer. Similarly, I think it would be interesting to see a census done concerning the demographics of the tourists that do have the means to recreate in this part of the world.

“Why aren't we flying? Because getting there is half the fun. You know that.”
~Clark Griswold, “Vacation”

Murdered Out Space Traveling Rock ‘N Roller

I had not encountered this term until this summer when a long-time friend in the program said this year I was all “murdered out”. Upon questioning her more closely about this bit of Antarctic Argot, I was informed it referred to my attire. In particular, it pertained to my Extremely Cold Weather (ECW) gear. This year’s accoutrement included a black jacket, instead of the usual brown variety that I have been issued in the past. I am also sporting black overalls, boots, glove liners, and neck gaiters. Given the funereal palette of my garb, which has been sported by numerous fine people in the past, this has been dubbed being “murdered out”, I guess. For a visual depiction of this mode of dress, please refer to the following photograph.

In other news, regarding another occupation requiring even more exotic working garb, I submitted my astronaut application online (but still must mail off a letter about my college transcript). I feel good about my credentials! I have the type of education and some job experience it seems the selection folks would be interested in, and I certainly have gotten the remote living thing down with my years here at Pole. I am healthy, not too tall or heavy, and have good eyesight. With that ball set rolling, we now play the waiting game, at which I have definitely become adept. I certainly should have plenty to keep me busy in the meantime.

One of those things keeping me busy has been the start of practices for a yet-to-be-named band here at Pole. So far I’m just doing vocals, but we’ll see if I get to play some guitar as the set list develops. The big gig will likely be New Year’s Eve. Though my vocal chords protested some during the first practice, they seem to be getting used to performing in this high-altitude desert again. After all, this is the only place they ever get put to this sort of use. Musical selection thus far is a somewhat eclectic mix of contemporary and classic pop/rock. Fun stuff!

A little foretaste of the centennial has sprung up in the station's front yard. Carpenters from McMurdo have been brought in to start assembling the visitor center structures out beyond the ceremonial pole marker. Some folks are already starting to call it the second station. I am not sure exactly when its first visitors will arrive, but it certainly is going to be different from summers past.

“It's our destiny to explore. It's our destiny to be a space-faring nation.”
~Eugene Cernan

Begun, the holiday season has

So, Thanksgiving here at Pole was a fairly low-key event for me. I worked Saturday like normal, and got changed for dinner as soon as my science checks were done. Dinner was the usual T-giving fare, and all tasted very nice. I especially enjoyed the REAL mashed potatoes and gravy, which is something a guy spending a year down here does not encounter all that often. The usual partying afterwards didn’t appeal, particularly with many heading out to the Summer Camp lounge, so remaining in the station and (somewhat cynically) waiting for a fire alarm was more my speed. We got to have leftovers the next evening at dinner, which tasted just as fine. All in all, with the somewhat smaller crew here so far this summer, it was as pleasant a Thanksgiving as I’ve had on the continent.

Monday we started getting flights again, having not had any since Tuesday of last week. Of course, after a couple days of flights we’ve now had all of them rerouted to different destinations today, for whatever reason. I think some of the West Antarctic field camps are getting the LC-130 action right now, for whatever reason.

Yesterday was supposed to be the big day for the NSF contract announcement for the Antarctic, but nothing has been heard yet. I suppose it will eventually happen, but each week that passes is less time the new company will have to get their act together and be ready to roll come April 1, 2012. It would be interesting to read a narrative of what all has been going on regarding this request for proposals for the Antarctic bid over the last several years. I would like to know more about the whole process. From the outside, it certainly seems arcane.

“The dark side clouds everything. Impossible to see the future is.”
~Yoda