The heat and humidity of the summer has me wistfully longing on occasion for a relatively wind free and sunny December Antarctic day. We humans are never really quite happy, are we? “It’s too hot.” It’s too cold.” “It’s too windy.” “I wish there was a breeze.” You know the routine! Regardless, I do long for the continent and the magnificent, mesmerizing expanse that awaits anyone who has been blessed enough to experience it and just some of what she has to offer.
While I’m eternally grateful to have been given the opportunity to see real scientists and engineers working, troubleshooting and problem solving in one of the world’s most pristine yet extreme environments, my experience has left me with mixed feelings and struggling with this reflection.
Hey everyone...this is just to let you know that I'm home...exhausted but home. And, because I had confirmed reservations, I had no problems with flights on the east coast...except our flight from Philly was delayed because we didn't have a flight crew...and then it took them over 45 minutes to find the co-pilot. (I'm not sure how you "lose" a pilot for that long, but...)
Many on both my Charlotte flight and Philly flight had been stuck in the airport since Friday. Even US Air flight crews had been stuck and likewise had no clue as to what was happening. Apparently, US Air's employee care is about as good as their customer care--non-existent as you can't get a hold of anyone when you need to. So all in all, I'm pretty fortunate to even be home.
As I stated earlier, I will continue to...
I happened to look at the date yesterday and realized that we are half way through December and on the cusp of a new year. And, we are officially done here.
I was able to snag a hike up Observation Hill and then a tour of Discovery Hut Sunday afternoon.
"To strive, to seek, so find and not to yield." These are the words etched upon this cross. Whose words are they, and why do you think these words were chosen?
Discovery Hut was built from pre-fabricated material in 1902 during Scott's Discovery Expedition of 1901-1904. While it was intended to be living quarters, the men soon discovered that the hut was very cold and decided to use it as a storage facility while they continued to sleep on the ship.
We then headed up to Vince's Cross which sits...
As I stated in my last journal entry, Friday was SCINI’s last dive of the season and took place near the sea ice edge. We actually had to travel further along the edge as the pack ice had moved in at our original destination, and the plan was to be able to put SCINI in off of the sea ice edge to look for krill and to see if we could see bottom.
If you’ve read journal accounts of the early explorers, you know how pack ice was the bane of their existence...well, one of many anyways. They would have nothing but open ice as far as the eye could see, and in just a matter of a few short hours, they would find themselves surrounded by the blasted pack ice. And, as quickly as it would come in, it would move out…or not. Today was a “not” day for us, but we wouldn’t know it...
Last spring, I began having my seniors and science students make dream flags that I intended on bringing with me to fly down here in Antarctica. This year's science students did the same. (My good friend Marie donated her time to hem each flag. Thanks Marie!)
Each thought carefully, and a couple chose to do prayer flags. The dreams were varied, but here are they are: own a vet clinic, own a restaurant, go to Ireland, to love, laugh, dance, sing, act, design, to graduate high school and go on to college, become a massage therapist...a tattoo artist, an anime voice actor, to play for the Giants (I guess that's better than playing for the Bills...sorry, I'm a Dolphins fan!), to get married and have pets and children, to have a cleaner, safer world for her family....a reminder that even...
This will be short as my day started at 5:30 am before heading to the sea ice edge around 8:30 am. We finally arrived back at the lab after 9 pm, and it's almost 10 pm now....and I still have to eat dinner!! I'm hungry!!!But, it finally happened!!! PENGUINS!!!!! Up close and personal!!! Here's just a taste.
Stay tuned for more about this day, but know that while I was ecstatic about having penguins around, I was likewise sad as it was SCINI's last dive of the season.
Just be patient as tomorrow we start cleaning and packing everything, so I'll be BUSY!!!!
While out at "Beaker Point", David helped me film a tour of our home away from home...away from home! Because I've had a bit of time in, I've split the tour into segments, intended for you to watch at your leisure. I hope you'll sit back with a good cup of hot chocolate and enjoy! Just a warning though, we get pretty cranky or pretty silly when very tired. This was a silly day, so be thankful!
Welcome to Camp Beaker
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Food
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Mini Homes
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The Throne Room
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This week will be a crazy, long week filled with what I affectionately call the "cram and jam." Today the divers will be diving out at Turtle Rock, just south of Cape Evans...as the skua flies anyways. Tuesday we're back out to Bratina to put SCINI down the seal hole we found weeks ago and to do a little specimen collection-more about that later! Wednesday is a diving day at Little Razorback, just north of Turtle Rock. Thursday will be spent at Granite Harbor, and because it's so far away, we'll be helo'ed out to the continent. And lastly, Friday, our last day of field work, finds us out at Cape Royds!! Cape Royds is a huge penguin colony that is just bustling with activity. And, if all goes well, we'll deploy SCINI right off the sea ice edge. We were fortunate enough to behold...
Because I've had SOOOOOO many questions about Thanksgiving, I'm going to jump ahead to this rather than finish journaling about our time in the field....for now anyways. (As an aside, if you haven't signed up for next Tuesday's webinar, it's not too late. It's scheduled for 2 pm EST and a large part will be devoted to our time out at Becker Point.)
We were actually working on the McMurdo Ice Shelf on Thanksgiving Day, but it was our last day of work in the field before our Friday morning helo pick up. So, while Stacy prepared a kickin' salmon meal that night, we celebrated Thanksgiving in traditional style on Saturday with all of McMurdo. Isabelle and Francois decided to go for a pre-meal dive, so I headed out to the Jetty with them to dive tend. (I've gotten MUCH better at it!)...
Working out on the McMurdo Ice Shelf is just that—WORK!! All of our equipment had to be man hauled on sledges—a banana sled and a Siglin—to locations of over 2 miles from our camp…one way. And, while the Siglin can haul hundreds of pounds because it’s longer (well over 6 feet) and wider, it cannot go over steep ice hummocks very well as it is flexible, and the heavy weight folds it in the middle when you’re trying to pull it up steep ice. Because the banana sled is sturdier—made out of a fiberglass material—it can be man hauled up over the hummocks but needs someone behind it to make sure it has a bit of help up and over. Unfortunately, it is shorter and narrower, so we can’t fit as much in it. (But, I fit!! Stacy and David “hauled” me back to the helo drop site when we were out...
I came back from the Cinder Cones at noon today via snowmobile so that I could try to get unburied with my online journaling. Yes...I'm sure you're still waiting with baited breath to hear all about our time in the field. But, I still ask that you be patient. We're still doing day long-very long-day work with SCINI at a variety of locations around McMurdo.
Just to give you an idea of how long the days are, here's my day so far. I was up before 5 am to do laundry and to get caught up on school stuff and answer questions posted on my PolarTREC website and to get caught up on e-mails as well.
I hit breakfast around 6:55 am which is late for me as I'm usually in the lab by that time. I wolfed down a quick breakfast and was at the lab by 7:15 am. We're required to be here by 7:30 am, but I'm...
I've had many questions posed about seeing seals and penguins, and disappointingly, I've not yet seen penguins up close. But, I did get to see a couple of seals yesterday out at the dive hole near Cape Evans Wall. The dive hut had been removed on Friday as the ice cracks in the area are continuing to thin in anticipation of the arrival of open water. So, with our "apple" in tow, and dive gear, ECW and survival bags stuffed among us, we headed out to Cape Evans.
When we arrived, we spotted a rather large seal on the ice near the hole, but the surprise was yet to come. Even with only two days exposure to the air, the dive hole was quite thick with slush and ice...when what to my wondering eyes should appear but a nose attached to a very young seal! (I LOVE the shape of the...
If you don't mind, I'm going to split these next few journal entries up into categories, so be patient with me-so much to share and a time crunch to boot as I also get ready for our next webinar to be held on Dec. 8th at 2 pm EST. Be sure to sign up and join us live!!! (David and Bob will be joining us this time, so I'm pretty excited about that!)
Yesterday we returned from our 10 day all-inclusive, weight loss spa "vacation" in the field. If you were able to check out my audio entries then you know that we were inserted via helo on Becker Point, Antarctica on Wednesday, November 18th and then proceeded to work out on the McMurdo Ice Shelf near the Koattletz Glacier...."near" in Antarctic terms anyways. I must admit that I love being helo'd to "work", so I...
Monday was a VERY long day and found us out at Bratina Island area for almost 12 hours. I had my doubts upon leaving as it was very windy here at McMurdo and was concerned that we'd freeze to death out there! LOL!! OK...exaggerating, but I knew winds like we were having would make for a very cold, long day outside. But, I was thrilled to be going out in a helo and seeing the area from above and was more thrilled that it was relatively calm out there.
The area around Bratina was quite an odd landscape to say the least. I felt like I was on the moon without going to the moon. If I didn't know that we were on the sea ice-and didn't pay attention to the gorgeous surroundings-I'd swear that we were in a stone/dirt quarry back home with frozen ponds tucked between the piles of dirt and stones...
Our helo flight has been delayed, so I took the time to make a short movie for you. I watched Observation Hill split a cloud this morning against a beautiful blue backdrop. What follows is video footage and photos. The closing photo is one of Vince's Cross taken over Hut Point on Monday while heading back from Bratina. Enjoy! More to follow from the field!
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I woke up at 4 am this morning to find out that we'd gone to Condition 2 sometime last evening. The winds created incredibly deep snow drifts all over the place, and I ended up in one outside of Crary Lab that put me in snow to almost mid thigh! Where are snow shoes when you need them??
Visibility was quite poor to say the least-under ¼ mile. That's why we're in Condition 2.
And, because we're being pounded by this massive and strong low pressure system, we are grounded today. No helo flights; although, I don't really see why not.
Even Koru had some trouble in the storm after we coaxed him out. But, his independent streak almost got him a quick, free trip up the coast.
We were supposed to fly to Bratina Island...
Today gave me a bit of a taste of the wicked winds that can blow down here. Fortunately, it was above zero and snowy so the wind chill was above zero. I must say that when we get sustained winds down here, those winds drive little ice crystals through the air that seem to slice into your eyes and skin. The volcanic dirt doesn't help either.
We are currently experiencing Condition Three weather conditions which means that our winds are less than 55 mph, wind chills are warmer than -75 F and visibility is greater than ¼ mile. Not sure how much we are above ¼ mile, but it can't be much! Condition Two is defined by one or more of the following conditions: 1) wind speeds between 55-63 mph, 2) wind chills of -75 F to -100 F (yes, those are below zero temps), 3) visibility of less than ¼ mile....
As always, Mt. Erebus watches over us. I truly am mesmerized by this volcano, and I don't think it's because it's the first one I've ever seen...could be, but I don't think so. Aspley Cherry-Garrard of the doomed Scott Expedition to the Pole described Erebus as follows in his book The Worst Journey in the World.
"I have seen Fiji, the most dainty and graceful of all mountains; and also Kinchinjunga: only Michael Angelo among men could have conceived such grandeur. But give me Erebus for a friend. Whoever made Erebus knew all the charm of the horizontal lines, and the lines of Erebus are for the most part nearer the horizontal than the vertical. And so he is the most restful mountain in the world, and I was glad when I knew that our hut would lie at his feet. And always there floated...
Monday found a small group of us out for Sea Ice Training. The purpose of the course was to teach us how to assess the thickness of the sea ice around Ross Island. If you remember, McMurdo is on an island and not actually on the continent of Antarctica. So, in order to head up along the coast or anywhere within "driving" distance, you'll find yourself on ice, and the ice can be upwards of over 3 feet thick--usually 2-3 meters--but not in every location. Sea ice thickness varies and therefore can create a hazard when traveling...as can napping Weddell seals.
We actually crossed over from the multiyear ice to the annual ice, and once we did, it became important to look for "cracks" in the sea ice. Ice must be a minimum of 30 inches thick for travel, and there's...
Welcome to Happy Camp!! This 2 day training was designed to provide us with the tools we would need to survive if stuck out away from McMurdo either because of rapidly changing weather conditions or because of some accident—God forbid. Bottom line…if we leave base, we must know how to survive in extreme weather conditions even though that NEVER happens here—yeah right!
I’ll admit that I was a bit nervous about this venture as it quickly became apparent that I had the least experience of anyone in our group of 20, but there’s no time like the present to learn. Our instructors, Brian and Paul, were wonderful and had some nice cooperative tag teaching going on. I found them to be patient (like Brian repeatedly showing me how tie a tent down…my knot tying skills stink!), thorough in...
More will be coming about Happy Camper School, but let me be clear. Yes...I have all ten fingers and toes, ears and nose!! I'm a bit wind burned...OK...a lot wind burned, but fine. I just want to get this portion out before the big game.
While we were getting settled in for the night last evening, I pulled out our East High penant to show my support for our upcoming sectional game on Saturday. We are playing our cross town rival high school, West High, for the Section IV football title. So from Antarctica...Go East! Beat West!
Hey everyone! Just a quick update; I'm unable to upload pictures right now because my laptops need to be cleared to go on the network. Hopefully, that will happen tomorrow at some point.
We were delayed out of Christchurch due to strong crosswinds, but it was a FULL flight that eventually left. Actually, this flight was comprised of primarily Air Force personnel, so we civilians were in the minority.
There were several highlights, but being able to go up on the flight deck as we were over the continent was the BEST! My heart came up in my throat and nearly jumped out of my chest at the same time. It was a pretty impressive expanse that we were flying over...no doubt.
After a bit over four hours in the air, it was show time...except for one slight problem. There were penguins on the...
I just wanted to share some pictures with you that I alluded to yesterday on the 4th but will throw in a surprise because it sure was a surprise to me!!
Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009
Mount Erebus was quite active today-letting off quite a bit of steam. She actually did so for quite some time, and it made for a striking image against the crystal clear blue sky.
While we were getting ready to move a dive hut to another sight, I leaned over to peer in and was greeted by a Weddell Seal coming up for air. Quite honestly, he startled me a bit; I wasn't expecting to see a seal so soon. He seemed pretty relaxed with us while we peered more closely and took pictures and some video images. Check out the video footage and just listen. Don't enlarge the picture...just...
After having been delayed a day...McMurdo has been beyond capacity due to not being able to get others to their final destinations...we finally had our appointment at the Clothing Distribution Center at the USAP facility. There are 28 of us scheduled for the flight tomorrow, so it was a small crowd.
After watching a required video that told us everything we wanted to know about our ECW (Extreme Cold Weather) gear and how to pack for the flight tomorrow, we split up into separate changing rooms.
Waiting for me inside, were two large orange bags full of all of my issued gear...with MY name on them!!
I couldn't believe how much was in there!! And, I had to try on and check out every single piece. Antarctica is no place for buttons and zippers that don't work. I also had to make sure that...
We are delayed yet another 24 hours. Things looked promising when we left the CDC yesterday afternoon, but....
Here's the scoop as we know it. McMurdo is beyond capacity, so they have no place to put any of us. They have MANY individuals who need to go to other stations, but weather has not been cooperative. They simply have been unable to get people out.
We'll have to see what happens next. I know I spoke with a lovely woman yesterday who said that we may be leaving in smaller groups of possibly six. As of yesterday there were 28 people on the flight manifest. Soooooo......we shall see. All I know is that I've been delayed 24 hours.
Here's the upside: 1) More time to get some entries, pics and videos posted. I have much to show you all because of the initial delay that freed up a day. ...
The delay has allowed me to do many things here in and around Christchurch, so I will take advantage of the repeated delays and share the experience with you!
Cathedral Square is in the center of Christchurch and has much going on daily. Musicians perform as do a variety of entertainers.
There's a huge chess set that is available to players daily and draws quite a group of onlookers.
David and I met in the Square at noon on Sunday as we were planning to hike outside of Christchurch, but before we grabbed the bus, he asked if I wouldn't mind waiting. He wanted to provide some live Irish music to a group of young people trying to raise money to attend the 2010 World Irish Dance Championships in Glascow. (David is a talented musician!) He tried to...
David and I did some hiking outside of Christchurch after unexpected vacation day #1 on Sunday. We headed for Port Hills and hiked up the Bridle Path to the top of what was once the rim of a volcano. Christchurch lay behind us, and Lyttelton lay ahead. And again, the view was breathtaking!
Quail Island has an interesting background. Anyone want to tell me what it is?? You can post to the Ask the Team section.
If you've been reading, you probably noticed a polar bear on my pack in a previous entry. Well, that little guy-or gal-was a gift from a student last spring after I found out I was going on vacation in New Zealand...I mean...ummm...going to work Antarctica. So be looking for the first polar bear on the Ice and in a variety of other places. (Anyone out there have a name suggestion...
Oct. 28, 2009--I remember when this day was seven months away, and it seemed like it was so far off in the future! Well, what HAPPENED?!?!? I leave tomorrow!!! And to be perfectly honest, I've been holding my breath-in a figurative way, of course.
I have had MANY days in which I think about this upcoming expedition and feel like I'm going to absolutely come out of my skin!!! I have other days that I refer to as my "AED" days-Antarctic Emotional Day. Those days find me so taken with emotion that tears fill my eyes as I really ponder what an honor this is and find myself very humbled by the thought of the experience awaiting me...a place in the world that is still pretty much untamed...hard to imagine in this day and age.
Leaving my students for several weeks has been more...
I'm sitting awaiting the arrival of my first flight so I can get on and start this great journey!! The last 24 hours have been difficult at best. I starting running a fever yesterday, so I promptly called my doctor and Raytheon. It seems I have an ear infection. Not the best timing for flying but certainly better than other options making the rounds here.
Tina Burt and Arnot Medical Services saw me with 2 hours of my initial phone cali and were wonderful as usual!! She's been my nurse practitioner for almost 23 years--can you believe it?? That' more than 1/2 my life!
So, after a MASSIVE dose of antibiotic and some other aids to help during this long upcoming travel, I think I'm all set and have been medically cleared to travel!! A bit tired but ready!! (And, I'm well under the weight...
Just a quick update before I leave the states. Finally arrived in LA after a delay in Detroit. My seat mates, Jay and Mike from LI, were on their way to a 3 day Phish Festival in the desert. (Mike's mom thinks he's in Vermont at some glass blowing conference...shhh!) To say they were a little pumped would be a gross understatement! They were so exuberant that the stewardess came by, gave MY row "the look" and then banged her stainless steel coffee pots to quiet MY row down. And for the record, I was not partaking in ANY behavior that deserved coffee pot banging...LOL!!
Needless to say, there were numerous phans on the plane--they yelled out and took an on the spot poll!-- and some were in the same boat as Jay and Mike--no transportation to the concert site, no tickets...little...
Another busy weekend has come and gone, and even though it was a three day weekend, it sure didn't feel like it. I guess that's because I'm starting to feel the crunch of leaving in a little over two weeks. There's still so much to do! But, I did find a bit of time to enjoy this past Saturday by viewing our fall colors from...shall we say...a different perspective.
The afternoon started with a baby shower for one of my co-teachers. Beth and her husband are expecting their first child around the beginning of December, and while I'm sorry that I won't be here for the birth, I am expecting pictures and a play-by-play description of the blessed event!
After having excused myself from the baby shower, I zipped over to Wings of Eagles Discovery Center to get ready for my ride in a 1942...
Can you believe that we were in a Winter Storm Watch yesterday, and it's only the middle of October?!?!?! The county directly south, Tioga County, is in a Winter Storm Warning until Saturday afternoon and is expecting upwards of 5-7 inches on snow!!!
The first snowfall always finds me very antsy and excited, and I was thrilled that I was still in town to see our first one. But, I drove to school this morning with a heavy heart because I longed to be out hiking in the woods. The tranquility combined with the freshly blanketed countryside always quiets my soul and mind. (I'm starting to feel the crunch of leaving. Thirteen more days left-YIKES!!)
So, enjoy this short iMovie celebrating the occasion. I think we're in for an early, snowy winter!! Yippee!!!!
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I decided to put together a "Year in Review" journal as it has been quite the ride! So many exciting things have happened, with my upcoming adventure topping the list.
Now here's an all call to my students. Take out your reflective journals. After going through this entry, reflect on the following questions. 1) What did you learn about me? In other words, what insights did you gain? 2) Did you learn anything new? Explain. 3) Is it possible to learn about someone without having a conversation with them? Explain your answer. An extension activity will be coming! (Stop the moaning and groaning...LOL...it'll be fun!)
I've had several people comment on my critters who appeared in a July journal entry, so I thought I'd tell you a bit about both of them as they are both rescues. I lost my first pet on Sept. 15, 2006. (Apparently spiders, grasshoppers, lightning bugs, worms, tadpoles and minnows don't count. Nor does a brother)
Sprocket, so named because as a kitten she was always getting black on her little nose from rubbing on the big chain ring on my mountain bike, was 17, and while she had had a very full life, she had become quite ill. So, I said good-bye to my friend on that dreary Friday morning and immediately realized that it was unrealistic to wait until retirement to get another pet but decided to go with two adults. As anyone who has a pet knows, their presence in your home is such a...
Summer is almost over, and I finally realized that I hadn't take time to "play"...to rejuvenate for the upcoming school year and the adventure ahead. My schedule has been rather crazy and hectic since last March when I was asked if I was still interested in and wanting to go Antarctica. (Heck yeah!!!!) But, it's made for a whirlwind all the way around and has left me feeling a bit out of sorts. That's why I gave in to the PA hills that were whispering my name...wooing me...beckoning me to get lost for a while...to get my senses put in order.
Because we've had an unusually rainy summer, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the water levels for Pine Creek were higher now than when I kayaked 17 miles down Lower Pine this past April. Do you have any idea how far 17 miles is by...
Time to get things together to send to Moss Landing so that they can be packed in a container that is Antarctica bound via ship. Rafael is none too pleased. I'd like to that think it's because he sees me packing yet again, but it's probably because I'm disturbing his afternoon nap.
So...what does one send ahead in the way of clothing and other needed items?
Lots of wool socks and liners, cargo pants, a pair of jeans, long johns in a variety of weights, couple of long sleeve shirts, t- shirts, warm up pants, sleepwear of sorts, a nice button down shirt for Thanksgiving dinner, towel, washcloth, couple of winter hats and most importantly, one of two Lady Vols basketball flags that will be proudly displayed!
The big National Championships (8) flag is going with me! I bleed orange......
I had the privilege of spending last evening with Jack Lightbody and his wife Sonny. They are such a warm, amiable, down to earth couple that you would never guess what Jack did for a living up until his retirement this past January. Here's a brief biography.
John W. (Jack) Lightbody was a National Science Foundation Program Officer in the Office of Polar Programs for the IceCube Neutrino Project from 2001-09. While overseeing this project, he also served the NSF as Deputy Director for the Division of Physics (until 2007) and then as Deputy Assistant Director of NSF for the Directorate for Mathematics and Physical Sciences until his retirement in January 2009.
I was able to connect with Jack and his wife through a colleague, Susan Ryan. Susan's father and Sonny are cousins, so when Susan...
It has been a VERY long day and a very FULL weekend--productive but full! As much as I was anxious to meet my team, I was that much more anxious to see SCINI. But before that came introductions, and I quickly discovered that we have a very diverse team! If you go to the following link, you can read all about my teammates when you click on the "People" tab. http://scini2009.mlml.calstate.edu Please be sure to check out the other tabs as well!
After seeing a couple of PowerPoint presentations that contained many stunningly spectacular pictures, I think those of us who've never been on The Ice had a much better picture of McMurdo and what to expect while there, an understanding about our goals for this season and some basic information about what we can expect when we're in the...
The beach at Moss Landing was pretty well hemmed in by fog Sunday morning. Apparently, it's like that quite often. We again loaded all the dive gear up from MLML's (Moss Landing Marine Lab) storage area and headed to an area that was once the site of the original Moss Landing Marines labs. Not much remains-a couple of small buildings, a slab where there once was a building and the skull of a whale. After the divers returned, I learned why.
Dustin and I pulled dive tending duty today which went much more smoothly for both Kamille and me. (Yup...she got "stuck" with me again!) It was interesting to watch the seal's reactions as the divers entered the water. You'd see them swimming along, and then all of a sudden, one would stop and crane his little head as far out of the water as...
1) Don't EVER pick up a diver's weight harness by the yellow handles. Why? You'll dump all the weight. Those handles aren't there for you to carry the weight harness. You're thinking that I did, aren't you? Fortunately, Kamille pointed out something that looked like surgerical tubing. I was looking for yellow webbing. Good thing she clarified for me! I don't want to dump my divers' weight, especially back into the dive hole down into the freezing Antarctic waters. That would get me poop bucket duty for sure!
2) Make sure that we have the oxygen kit with us at all times for the divers. As a coach, we need to have a portable AED device with us or have one within two minutes of the athletic field/tennis courts. This oxygen kit is likewise required equipment to have on hand...
Finally arrived here in Detroit but not without some trouble in Elmira. I've had the worst time with security lately. I got pulled out of line in Kansas City two weeks ago as I had forgotten I had a mini multi-tool in a remote area of my pack. Elmira missed it. Denver missed it but not Kansas City. Needless to say, I "surrendered" it but got to keep the case. How useful...an empty mini multi tool case. Hope I get another for Christmas...
Nothing of mine made it through security this morning except my PolarTREC issued laptop--thanks PolarTREC!--and me--thanks mom and dad!. My shoes were pulled out due to the small change purse I had mindlessly put inside. Both my briefcase and backpack were pulled out as well.
"Ma'am do you have anything sharp in here?" (Same pack as...
After many hours of traveling, I finally stepped off the bus in Santa Cruz, and Stacy was right there waiting. She had no idea what an adventure this had already been for this country gal! (Did I mention that my graduating class was all of 18?? And, there's no stop light in my hometown.) I picked up transit at the airport, made a couple of transfers and thankfully ended up where I was supposed to. I was pretty proud of myself seeing as how I'd never done anything like this before and was very thankful for three very helpful and kind people on the 22 who made sure I got to where I needed to to pick up the 17 to Santa Cruz.
After getting settled and visiting a bit back at the house, we took the dogs, Jesse and Bruno, for a walk. Destination? The beach! My first glimpse of the Pacific was...
An interview of sorts the last day of my visit...no verbal words exchanged, only written...and LOTS of giggling and smiles
Me: Kaleigh-How do you feel about your Aunt Shell going to Antarctica?
Kaleigh: Aunt Shell-I feel awesome about it, and it is cool about how you can eat 2 chocolate bars a day. Awesome!
Me: What advice do you have for me?
Kaleigh: Aunt Shell-I got nothin'!
Me: Do you think I'm just a wee bit crazy for wanting to do this?
Kaleigh: Yeah!
Me: What do you know about Antarctica?
Kaleigh: There are penguins and polar bears.
Me: The polar bears are up north. How would you like to dive under the ice like Dr. Kim and SCINI?
Kaleigh: Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! No!
(And for the record, I counted every single "r" to assure accuracy.)
I'm PQ'ed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After sending and/or faxing 48 pages of medical reports, test results, dental x-rays, surgical reports and everything you've always wanted to know about your health but were afraid to ask, I'm PHYSICALLY QUALIFIED!!!
A big PHEW!!!!!! And once again, I went from coming out of my skin with excitement to starting to cry. This is quite an emotional journey as I'm finding out. More tomorrow as I must finish packing. I'm up at 4 am tomorrow to fly to CA to meet my team and participate in pre-deployment orientation. My mission? One bag...that's all!!
Booyah!!!! I just discovered that I have an Antarctic Simulator at my disposal! Very rarely do I get to wear my North Face down jacket as we just don't get cold enough here...not usually anyway. And, I finally get to wear my extreme cold weather boots and gloves! The shorts stay as a tribute to my younger albeit more "carefree" days. Translation? Clueless and invincible.
They tell me it's really cold in there. Thank God for my Hammer hat! This is exciting! Where else can I prepare for my upcoming expedition?!?!?!
It's a balmy 15-18 below in here. Pam gave me a clip on thermometer, and you would not believe how the temperature absolutely plummeted over 80 degrees in a matter of a couple of minutes. Unbelievably fascinating! What you don't see is my photographer abandoning me...
When I was in the simulator the other day...OK, OK...it was a walk in freezer that our cafeteria ladies so graciously let me hang out in...anyhow, they posed a question that I promised to provide an answer to. "What's the temperature around the fans up top?" I knew that if I could get a wind speed reading I would be able to answer their question, and thanks to our Earth Science department I was able to secure an anemometer. (I just LOVE saying that word...anemometer! What a fun word! How can you say it and not smile a little?)
Once I made sure the anemometer was on and working properly, it was time to see how fast the "winds" were...with my trusty Hammer hat on, of course. I have very sensitive ears.
I took readings from 6-12 inches away from the fan and found the...
I headed out with the Smith family very early, and we were at Jerome's U-Pick in Naples by 7:35 am...on a Saturday morning. I hadn't been strawberry picking in years, but since I discovered the wonderful world of canning last fall, I was anxious to make some strawberry jam-for winter and for Antarctica.
The fields were quite muddy, but we picked for about a 45 minutes or so ended up with a pretty nice take as you can see. And just in time, too! As we were finishing, the light mist turned to more of a persistent light shower. Muddy and damp...so NOT what I'll experience on the Ice.
After much preparation, I finally have two batches of jam ready for the steam canner. I invested in a steam canner last fall after I'd done a few batches of applesauce in the hot water bath. The steam canner...
An interesting observation about my second time in the freezer. I never feltcold but instead went from normal to numb....if that makes sense. I'd never experienced that except when polar bear plunging, so I shared my observation with Stacy, our PI--not to be confused with Magnum. "PI" in this case means "Primary Investigator". I'd like to share her response with you.
"Your experience in the freezer is teaching you some of the big dangers of Antarctica - you do not know when you are getting frostbite or hypothermia. For both, you rely on those around you to notice, and help you fix the problem. Of course, you can help yourself too by being aware, asking for input...and accepting other people's inconvenient suggestions that you put on another layer or go indoors...
Marie has been our Teaching Assistant for the last 4+ years. The kids love her as much as I do, and it's very clear why. She is warm, personable, caring, encouraging, never speaks ill of anyone, always looks for the best in others and has a terrific sense of humor. You need that to work with me day in and day out. Over the years she became more than a TA; she became a dear friend.
Today is Marie's last day, and I feel like I'm losing my right arm-so to speak. She will start the school year among the ranks of those newly retired. Congratulations!!
...and so dawns a new day, my friend! Be blessed! (I know of a long term sub job that's available this fall if you should find yourself bored)
