I just got back from a trip out to a remote field camp called Siple Dome. It is a refueling station that is manned by only three people. I went out with a group of Carpenters to dig out an old Jamesway and build a new one. The old Jamesway was completely buried in snow and a lot of ice. My task was to dig and chip away the ice so that we could take down the structure. It was pretty tough work, the ice was at least 2 feet thick in some spots.
The crew that I went out with was real fun and we were able to finish the job early, which allowed me to get back to McMurdo in time to enjoy the Christmas feast. It was delicious. I stuffed my face with Prime Rib, Alaskan Crab legs, roasted duck, giant sea scallops and shrimp sautéed in basil butter sauce, wild rice, baked potatoes, and salad with cherry tomatoes! For desert there were assorted home made truffles, almond brittle, triple chocolate pumpkin pie, pumpkin torte, gingerbread cheesecake, baileys moose cups, and even raspberry cream skuas. It was quite the feast indeed. After dinner a group of us went and watched the office in one of the building lounges. Later that night I went on a hike with my roommate James. We found a melt pond along the trail and spent at least an hour just throwing rocks into the open water. We had a lot more fun throwing rocks into a puddle than I should probably confess to.
Other news
- 180 pounds of prime rib was reported missing from the galley last week. A station wide meat search followed. The meat has yet to be found.
- 5 people are being sent home due to injury during a softball tournament last weekend. A special flight just for all the torn muscle and ligament victims is coming tomorrow.
- Another more serious injury, some guy got run over by a trailer with tracks on it. He is reported to be in stable condition in Christchurch.
- My fourth roommate always wants to chat about something, (usually what he is wearing or going to wear) even fresh out of bed at 6:30 in the morning. We all try and avoid him or make up fake appointments so we don’t have to spend half an hour listening to which boots he is planning on wearing for the day.
- Christmas dinner was pretty good. Although, everyone I’ve talked to says it had nothing on Thanksgiving dinner. People are starting to get a little grumpy as the season comes to a close.
- Supposedly last week they started asking people to sign up for departure flights. The first flight to take people home is around Jan. 20th and the last flight until the end of winter is Feb. 21st ish.
- Ice Stock an outdoor music festival is happening on New Years day. It’s supposed to be pretty fun.
- I’ve applied for a job to stay for the winter. If I get it I will most likely be here until either next September or October. Also, I will most likely return home as a vampire, as that is what seems to happen to people who stay here all winter.
- Here is the link to a pretty boring video of me making GORP that some folks from the exploratorium in San Francisco made. http://icestories.exploratorium.edu/dispatches/gorpmatic/
Launching of a weather balloon that rides a crazy wind current that just circles around the entire continent. I often help do things out at the science camp where they work on these balloons. The balloon actually makes a complete circle around the continent and comes back really close to where it was launched from.
Some of the galley crew who made Christmas dinner happen.
The desert table spread.
A view of McMurdo sans snow.
A real Skua! (Cannot be eaten as it would be a violation of the Antarctic Treaty)
Rasberry cream filled skuas! (You can eat these without violating the Antarctic Treaty)
The penguin menorah decoration in the galley. There are rumors that there are only 9 jewish penguins on the continent.
The warning in my in-flight safety manual. Luckily we landed safely without crashing into any pine trees.
To prove flying here is different. I was allowed to carry my leatherman with me on the flight. Also, we climbed so high in the little plane we flew in that we had to hook up to oxygen. The lady in front of me ( who was a bit freaked out when she saw me taking this picture) lost her oxygen midway through the flight. She said she felt really good and kind of loopy all of a sudden. The flight crew noticed her lips turning blue and helped her put her oxygen tube back in before she died. 
Sign out at Siple Dome.
Lunch one day. We didn't have the structure set up so we had an outdoor picnic. The menu was pizza bagels. Everyone knows when pizza is on a bagel you can eat pizza anytime!
The side of the Jamesway after a couple days of digging and chipping.
The old Jamesway being taken down. All seven of crammed into the three section structure for a couple of nights before we could get the new Jamesway set up. It made for cozy dinners.
Putting up the new Jamesway. No longer a hobbit hole. This one is above ground.
The Jamesway before it was dug out.
Another shot of the burried Jamesway.
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