28 November 2015 Thankful at McMurdo

Thanksgiving Festivities

Although Thanksgiving was two days ago in the U.S., we celebrated it today. Even though it wasn't officially Thanksgiving, it still felt festive and special here at the station.

Turkey Trot

I started the day with a Turkey Trot -- a 5K race that goes from McMurdo Station up to Scott Base (the nearby New Zealand station) and back.

I hadn't run in a while and so I hit the road slow and steady and eventually made it to the finish line right after Carl. I was in 80th place. Terry came in 4th place! It is a fun race, especially because runners often dress up in silly costumes.

The Big Meal

There are four different seatings for Thanksgiving dinner in the galley at McMurdo Station. My research team, along with the divers and other friends, ate our meal at three o'clock. We got in line early to make sure we could be seated all together. There was live music to entertain us while we waited.

The galley chefs and staff work really hard to prepare a special meal for us on Thanksgiving. There were special side dishes, meats, desserts, and of course, plenty of turkey.

Although I am far away from my family, it is nice to look around the table and feel at home with my research family and friends. It was a lovely meal and a special day here at the station.

Hut Point After Dinner

After dinner, my research team has a tradition of going for a walk to Hut Point. We passed by Discovery Hut and headed up to Hut Point, which overlooks McMurdo Sound. Although it was very windy and cold, it felt good to go for a walk after a big meal.

Helping Out

After our walk, Carl and I volunteered to wash dishes in the galley. It felt good to volunteer and it gave me a sense of just how hard people work in the galley to clean up after us.

The Webinar is Fast Approaching!

I hope everyone can participate in our upcoming webinar. My research team and I will be giving a presentation about our work and life here in celebration of Antarctica Day. It will take place on December 1st, 10 AM Alaska Daylight Time, 11 AM Pacific Standard Time, 12 PM Mountain Standard Time, 1 PM Central Standard Time, and 2 PM Eastern Standard Time.

You can register here. Scroll down to the first event and complete the form.

I hope to hear from you all soon!

Brought to you by...

Today's journal is brought to you by Ms. Kasberg's class from Our Lady of Loreto Catholic School in Colorado.