Final Photos from the Pole
We are now back at McMurdo, enjoying the relatively mild temperatures and easier breathing at sea level. The snow around town is melting with the summer temps and there's lots of volcanic mud underfoot. Thanksgiving was celebrated in the Galley here with our good friends Sheri and Michiel. The kitchen cooked turkey and trimmings for 1200 people and they did a fabulous job! The food was terrific! Of course Anthony shot some time lapse sequences of the dining hall and the long line of folks waiting for turkey.
On our flight from the Pole back to McMurdo, the flight crew let us spend some time in the cockpit. Antz shot lots of photos and they even let us stay there for the landing. Exhilaring!
We are poised on the next exciting chapter of our journey, but before we get onto that, I wanted to share more photos from the South Pole. What a fascinating place!
This is the marker that sits atop the metal pole that marks the exact spot of the geographic South Pole. This marker is moved regularly with movements in the polar ice cap and minisule changes in the Earth's axis.
On my walkabout, I saw some interesting things. This area is called "Summer Camp" and is located about 1/4 mile behind the new station. These half circle canvas structures are called "Jamesways" and are used to house the extra summer population of workers. They are heated inside but as one experienced Polie told me, "don't leave your water bottle on the floor or you'll find it frozen solid in the morning."
This snow removal rig that is being towed by a Cat Challenger, was custom-built for the South Pole and has cut the snow-removal time by 2/3. Vehicles have nicknames and this one is affectionately known as "White Trash."
I was hoping to see a garden Gnome, but came across these instead...
South Pole Lamb Leg, the other white, white meat... (notice the "Keep Frozen" and "Keep Dry" stickers, ha ha...not a problem!)
I am fascinated with textures. Here is a lovely fuzzy blanket made from South Pole snow.
The Undersnow World of the South Pole
At the bottom of the "beer can," the silver colored, cylindrical structure on the dome-side end of the new station, are a maze of utility pipes that serve the station.
Branching off from this hub are a series of access tunnels carved from snow, the only "ground" this part of the world knows. These tunnels run underneath the station and beyond. The longest tunnel is 2500 feet. These "snow tunnels" are off limits, so we were fortunate to have a Utility Technician ("UT") named Craig to escort us down.
The constant temperature of these tunnels is 55 below zero. Notice what Craig is wearing. A sweatshirt and a vest plus prerequisite gloves and hat. But I imagine a little ice must flow in his veins because he was down there with us for 40 minutes dressed like that!
Delicate "snowcicles" that hang from the ceiling are fragile and will disintegrate at the slightest touch. They are formed from moisture that eminates from the nearby wastewater storage area.
One of many shrines built into the snow walls by past crews.
Parting shot
Anthony preparing a camera for another time-lapse sequence.
Very good shots...I love those pictures...
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