Antarctica - Winter 2014

[8mpg]

just say no to HDR

[Mike K]

The first flight was supposed to be today, but we have had some pretty bad storms every day for the last week. As a matter of fact, the first sunrise was on the 19th and we have still not had a chance to see the sun because of the storms. Last night we had 80 knot winds (92 mph) and the snow here is like sand in the desert, it just blows around. Today was the first day the storm lifted enough that we could get out to Pegasus Air Field to start prepping for the first flight, which has now been rescheduled for Saturday.

The equipment out at the air field was better than we thought it was going to be, but it still required us to clear out the engine bays. You can't have the fan full of snow/ice when you start it up. Here is the truck we took with a heater in the back:



Cat 966G with a Kodiak snow blower (powered by a Cat C10) clearing some snow:



And just a couple random pictures of vehicles either working or packed full of snow:







And me! It was about -5*F with a wind chill around -25*F, so it was pretty nice outside as long as you could stand behind something to block the wind.

[01vnms4v]

Its amazing that the snow can get into the engine bays like that. Still cool pics.

[Mike K]

August 19th was the first sunrise/set for the first time since May 20th (if I am remembering the date correctly). The sun was up for about 6 minutes before it fell below the horizon again, but we had some bad storms come though, so we could not see the sun for an additional 3 days. The storms also delayed the winfly flights that were scheduled to come in. Winfly is a time when the station starts to prepare for the summer season by sending a couple flights down with additional people and supplies. Dormitories that were vacant and boarded up the winter and prepped for occupants, an additional runway is opened up, vehicles are dug out of snow banks to prepare for the arriving scientists, etc. We went from a population of 142 people to about 400 (I forgot the exact number). For reference, we will have a peak of about 1,200-1,500 people during the summer science season. We had 6 winfly flights a month ago and the first summer season flight will start on the 29th of September and flights will come every day, sometimes multiple flights a day, until February.

So here are some pictures of the first sunrise and the winfly flights from a month ago.

Here is a pano of the airfield operations. We know the flight is coming in around 11:30am, cargo is staged, pax (passengers) are standing by, etc. The plane lands and taxis up to the right side of the picture.


These are Foremost Deltas (made in Canada) that are used to haul cargo around.


Foremost Terra Bus (nicknamed Ivan the Terra Bus) used to transport passengers from McMurdo to Pegasus Air Field.



The first flight that landed was an Airbus with the second flight a couple hours later.


Second flight was an Air Force C17 that brought more people, fresh food (this is the first time we will have fresh food since May), and critical supplies. It is always a fight among the various departments to get space on the winfly flights. Everyone has critical parts and supplies that they need to get down, but there is limited space. One of the other flights that came down also brought down our mail.





A couple random pictures of the air field operations:
Foremost Passenger Delta

[Mike K]

The new Kress tractor. The tractor can pull either the Passenger trailer (pictured) or a flatbed cargo trailer. If I remember correctly, it is powered by a Caterpillar C11 and can’t get out of its own way.




The Kiwis picking up their 3 people that came in.


The fire department out at Pegasus Air Field with the sun rising in the background.


One of the Ford F550 fire trucks.


A couple vehicles getting a magic carpet ride out to Pegasus. Sometimes it is easier or faster to put a vehicle on a giant piece of hard plastic and tow it around on the snow.


I have posted quite a few pictures of McMurdo station, but we also have the New Zealand station, Scott Base, on the island with us too. We had 142 on station over the winter and they only had 14. Their station is set up a lot better than ours as it was actually thought out before it was built. All of the departments are indoors and attached though different corridors linking the buildings together. This means that, unlike McMurdo, you can get around without ever having to go outside. Here are a couple pictures:

[Mike K]

A couple pictures inside of Scott Base:
Lounge:

Kitchen (background) and dining room:

Bar:


500px did a Global Photo Walk on September 6th. One of the guys down here started a group and I figured I would join in. More info here: http://iso.500px.com/500px-global-photowalk-2014/

Here is the group that got together to take some pictures around McMurdo along with the sunset picture I took:

[Mike K]

Kiwi Square Frame – The Kiwis have a building on skis a couple miles off of Ross Island that they use as a little get away; don’t ask me why they call it a Square Frame. There is no running water and no electricity other than a few battery powered LED lights. The Kiwis can go out there any time, but one weekend a month they draw names and Americans can get a chance to go out there. You can take a special someone out there or a group of your friends can go out there to hang out for a weekend (remember, we only get Sundays off). You have the option to hike out to the Square Frame pulling a sledge with your supplies for the weekend, or you can get a ride out. My girlfriend, who is a Kiwi, and I wanted to hike out, but the weather was looking iffy, so we opted to get a ride.
Our ride out:



The flag line that we followed out to the Square Frame:


Arriving at the Square Frame:


Inside the SF:





Typical field conditions for Antarctica… piss in a bucket and shit in a bag.

[Mike K]

The weather cleared up and other than a strong breeze that didn’t kick up any snow, it was a crystal clear night and the sun had recently had that solar flare, which I assume was the cause of the southern lights that we got to see. I have seen them a couple of times over the winter, but I didn’t bring a tripod down, so I could never take pictures. Now that I have tripod I am finally able to take pictures. Unfortunately, this was my first time trying to take pictures of the auroras, so my pictures didn't come out very well. But here they are:






Sunrise the next morning. Mt. Erebus, southernmost active volcano, is in the background.



Here is a picture of Scott Base in fairly bad weather :


The view from the end of my dorm:


Close-up of the truck in the previous picture:

[Denny]

I bet those auroras really lit up the sky with that last solar flare!

[Cannon88]

Awesome. I would like one of those yotas please.

[Forever_frost]

I would love to go down there but my skill set isn't actually needed

[turboford]

I'm with Frost. I'd love to have the opportunity to work down there.

[Strychnine]

Fun article I read:

http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/scientists-antarctic-are-drinking-way-too-much-booze

Scientists In The Antarctic Are Drinking Way Too Much Booze

It’s a lonely life as a scientist stationed in the South Pole. On top of the normal pressures of work, love and life most have to deal with, workers for the United States Antarctic Program (USAP) also face chronic cabin fever, isolation, periods of 24-hour darkness and a stark snowy backdrop that could ice over the warmest of hearts. It’s perhaps no surprise that many of them turn to alcohol to chase away the Antarctic blues.

According to Wired, a health and safety report conducted by the NSF (National Science Foundation) in July 2015 uncovered that the McMurdo Station and the South Pole Station both have a widespread alcohol problem. The report said that the "alcohol consumption in the USAP can create unpredictable behavior that has led to fights, indecent exposure, and employees arriving to work under the influence." Despite the three bars at McMurdo Station, the report also found that researchers were brewing their own beer, which is against USAP policy.

Although the figures on alcohol abuse are vague, one of the HR managers estimated that "60 to 75 percent" of disciplinary action taken in the camp was related to drunken behavior.
The two U.S.-owned stations host an array of employees including scientists, engineers, drivers, construction workers, managers and chefs. In the summer, McMurdo Station holds over 1,000 residents but less than 200 in the winter. The South Pole Station is much smaller, holding less than 50 people during the winter. Temperatures at these Antarctic sites can drop to lower than -45°C (-49°F) during their winter months of July and August.

While this might sound like a massive sub-zero bachelor party, the report also found a very sour cultural divide between scientists and the other workers. The scientists, contractors and subcontractors tended to drink, eat and socialize separately – like something out of a high school cafeteria. There was also evidence to suggest that managers were a lot more relaxed when disciplining scientists compared to other workers.

Back home, in comparatively warm Washington, the NSF is suggesting there needs to be stricter rules about drinking on the job and more rigorous use of breathalyzers for suspected buzzed workers. However, while the report said that disciplinary action needs to be equal for all types of workers, there was no evidence to suggest the USAP is planning on addressing the emotional and psychological effect of working in this unforgiving environment.

[fastwhite99gt]

SUSV's, I'm already hating them here in Alaska! They do get around through just about anything though. Maybe once my time is up here, I can try for a slot there just to say I've been.

[fastwhite99gt]

Do you guys have to plow much or is the snow dry enough to just blow it out of the way? How deep is the snow?