Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 12/14/2011 - 09:20

Khunal: How did Arthur the medic get to the South Pole? Is he on foot? Is he by himself?

Eleanor: How can the helicopters operate in such cold weather? Do they have special equipment that allows them to fly in cold weather?

Andy: Can you see the stars more clearly in Antarctica?

Summer: Are there any other stations like McMurdo in Antarctica?

Daiga: If you are not wearing any of your cold weather gear, how long could you survive in the open in Antarctica?

Henry: Have you seen any other large animal life besides penguins and Skuas?

Zach: What are you guys eating at McMurdo? Is the food good? And what will you be eating at the south pole?

We hope you are donig great! Take care!

Michelle Brown

Hello 5th period! Great to hear from you!Khunal: Arthur flew to the South Pole, just like me, but he will be driving back to McMurdo on a vehicle along with other people in the South Pole Traverse. Sadly, I did not get a chance to see his vehicle!
Eleanor: Helicopters are fascinating! They need lots of air to push against and visibility. If it is too cloudy or stormy, they do not fly, but cold air is okay! I will be learning a lot more about helicopters hopefully, since our field guide, Susan, wants to learn how to fly them. I imagine they have special anti-freeze and insulation to keep the engine and parts warm, but I'll need to investigate more.
Andy: If it were Antarctica's winter here right now, I would be able to see an amazing amount of stars!! However, right now it is Antarctica's summer, which means the sun doesn't set so I haven't seen stars for a long time. Apparently the stars here in the winter are amazing though!
Summer: McMurdo is the largest station in Antarctica, which means it's one of a kind! There are many other stations here for other countries, as well as the South Pole Station, which is another U.S. station.
Daiga: Hmm... that is a great question. If I remember correctly, you can last a few minutes, up to 10, if you fall in the cold sea water before it becomes fatal. I will have to check about just being in the air! I wouldn't want to experience it, that's for sure!
Henry: The only other large animals I've seen are Weddell Seals. They are huge!
Zach: Now I'm at the South pole and the food is great! Today I had a chicken wrap, french fries, cole slaw and fritos! Last night for dinner I had salmon, potatoes and green beans. The food at McMurdo is good, but the food at the South Pole is great!
Thank you for your questions!
Sincerely,
Ms. Brown