sunset dinner

greetings from the last days of sunshine for 5 months...
this evening the galley staff is preparing an amazing meal for us: herb encrusted filet mignon, lobster newburg, duck salad, and fine hand-made chocolates to mention just a few of the delicacies we will enjoy! we had quite a cold snap last week, it was -89 ambient and -127 with windchill... now i know what cold really is!  we are still working on mapping the "berms" - these are the outdoor storage places for the vast majority of our cargo and supplies.  it is quite important that we have perfect maps and photographs of each berm, of which there are 9, so that when we need to retrieve anything during the dark months it will take a minimum amount of time...it will be quite cold!  we just plumbed in a fancy new espresso machine, i held a barista class and have found myself back in the bliss of making great coffees for my colleagues!  one of the astronomers here, Robert Schwarz is holding an amazing astronomy class here, it's been great to learn about all the splendor that is just beyond the sunset!! we have, with the aid of matching funds donated $10,000 for the quake survivors in new zealand.  just as we get this out to our friends to the north the tragedy in japan struck.  it is strange to be down here as events shape the contiousness of the rest of the planet, the most common way we hear about world events is by friends and family sending us news.  our satellite connectivity is still shotty and up during work hours mostly.... with the combination of our space-like station and the flat beauty of the polar region it feels like outer space, especially with the feeling of desolation.  when i use the term desolation i mean it without negative connotation, it really is the best word for our life here.  i am going to upload some photos from my trip back through mcmurdo after r&r.

these are some of the 15 emperor penguins who wandered close to the pegasus airfield in mcmurdo for  several weeks of standing still to molt! 

notice the heaps of old feathers littering the ice

just a little chilly!

i hope this finds you all well enjoying the splendors of spring!  take care, karengrace

the end of summer

greetings!

this past summer was incredibly busy and between our unreliable satellite connection and my work schedule i've had no time for blogging.  it is now autumn at the South Pole, the sun is falling quickly in the sky and we have just a few weeks of sun remaining.  we still have much to do to complete the station closing activities, but we seem to be doing well with all of our tasks.  there are 49 of us here for the winter, the last plane left on my birthday and we don't expect a plane in until the end of oct. at the earliest.  we have a great crew of people and it seems that we have a wonderful sense of community that is developing.  i am working with 3 great folks in materials and am still the head of the emergency response team 3, which is the logistics branch and i am also the recreation coordinator for the winter.  i know that when the sun sets things will drastically slow down, but for now it still feels like the craziness of summer with less people!  i moved into the station after i returned from r&r in christchurch.

it has been difficult to hear about all of the destruction of the last earthquake, we have felt so helpless here.  there were 592 people who are involved in the antarctic program that were in christchurch when the quake hit.  amazingly, no one in the program was injured, but many of the folks who live there were not so lucky, we are still receiving reports of the terrible reality that has befallen many of the kiwi's who support us while we are in n.z.  there was noticeable damage when i came through at the end of sept from the quake that they had earlier in the month, this was the beginning of their nightmare.  when i was there for r&r in jan. the damage from the large quake they had in dec. illustrated another layer of destruction, but this last shake was by far the worst yet.  there are still missing people and the aftershocks are still happening.  we have started a relief fund from the station but we wish we could do more.  i am hoping to write more as the winter sets in and i find time to relax, i bought lots of yarn and art supplies on r&r and i'm looking forward to learning how to knit!  i will write another entry soon... until then, i hope this finds you all healthy and happy and enjoying the prospect of a splendid spring!

this is in a courtyard where i have spent lots of time in christchurch,

 next to a brewery called 'the twisted hop'

  

this is another part of the same courtyard, i fear it is all gone now

this is a beautiful corner near the city center

this is an example of what christchurch looked like in january, now the destruction is much worse

this is me with a sweet puppy at 'dogwatch' which is a dog adoption agency.  they let me come and help 

with the dogs, i knew that being away from animals would be one of the most difficult aspects of the winter here... it was a perfect way to spend a day!

              take care, karengrace