why i'm here part 5

the air drop ground crew:
Marco Tortonese, Ben Burke, Kevin Schriner,
Jens Dreyer, Christy Schultz and me
photo by Christy Schultz



unpacking the bundles




the following amazing shots are by Robert Schwarz
the photos are of the C-17
if you look in the background you will see orange glows -
those are the fires we placed to mark the drop zone





it was wonderful to get to deliver mail in august!
phot by Steffen Richter



oranges!!



covered in soot after our day of test burning




the twilight just a few days ago




full moon and the SPTR II satellite shelter

 greetings from the heart warming glow of twilight,

the official first phase of twilight beagan on august 1st, but the twinkle of light was weeks later.  each day brings more light and next week we will actually see the top of the sun as it makes it's way back to the south for summer fun.  the end of august brought an air drop to the south pole, it was the 1st winter drop in 10 years and the 1st time that a C-17 was used.  the whole station came together to make it happen, and some of us were a part of the ground crew.  we trained this last summer, thankfully setting flags at the GPS coordinates of the drop zone which made finding these points much easier in the dark!  we filled 9 barrels with jet fuel and used a torch to light them to mark the drop zone for the massive C-17 as it flew over at 500ft!! it was amazing.  they dropped 2 bundles which contained necessary medical supplies, mail, generator parts and ORANGES!!!!  here is a link to a great article about the drop:

http://antarcticsun.usap.gov/features/contenthandler.cfm?id=2504

otherwise we have been gearing up for station opening activities, the first planes are do to arrive on October 15th, 1 month from now.... this week has been in the -90F's so we are not able to operate the necessary machines to begin grooming the skiway and other tasks that require the use of heavy equipment, it's a harsh continent.  i have been making travel plans for the south island of new zealand beacause my mom and dad are coming to visit when i get off the ice, it's going to be an epic trip, in times when i find myself exhausted, i just think about the trip and i am filled with cheer! we are making english tea sandwiches this sunday and brazilian food next weekend after our last fancy meal of the season to celebrate sunrise.  our last international meal was ethiopian and surprisingly many people enjoyed it, it's been wonderful to introduce many people to international cuisine this winter, especially with our limited supplies!!  i hope this finds you all well and enjoying a splendid september day!
take care,
karengrace

why i'm here part 4

greetings from the middle of august...

the middle of june brought us mid-winter festivities... a wonderful meal followed by a dance party to shake it all off... we celebrated the 100th anniversary of Scott and Amundsen's explorations which brought them to the pole.  it was intense to hit the halfway marker and know that the sun is on it's way back - slowly -

now there are hints of twilight on the horizon with the promise of sun returning to the south.  i will be sad to have the auroras and celestial show fade with the sun, but i think we are all ready for some serious light!

this is said to be a difficult time in the life of the winterover's season, as we are all ready for a change...

although i have 3 months remaining i am sure the sun will bring a time warp and we will be consumed with station opening and summer activities... the days will blend together and before i know it i'll be swimming in the heavenly humidity of NZ.  work continues and there is little to distinguish one day from another, which is why i haven't written.... but there are some intersting things to check out in the interweb:

the Antarctic Winter Film Festival            www.tinyurl.com/wiffa2011

the south pole had 2 entries 'popeye the surgeon man' and 'attck of the killer dom' episodes 1 and 2

there is also a web series that my frind holly gingles did, it's mostly mcmurdo footage but still really well done:

http://nbtvtoday.com/nbtv-abroad/antarctica-the-harsh-continent/

 she comes down to pole in episodes 17-19

this is what our IT guru ben burke did to send to all the other stations-each station creates a greeting to share

this was our menu from the mid-winter meal, the artwork is by one of our doctors, pat mcguire

the dining room set for mid-winter

auroras

and more auroras, photos by the very talented christy schultz

the Antarctic Sun South Pole station updates have been written by me this winter:

http://antarcticsun.usap.gov/aroundTheContinent/contentHandler.cfm?id=1201

the July issue isn't out yet, but there are really great articles from all of the stations, and the science articles are wonderfully informative!

we celebrated the 4th of july on the 2nd with a bbq and watched baseball movies in the galley.  christmas in july was fun...we made cookies, had a white elephant gift exchange and finally enjoyed a korean feast to finish out the weekend.  we will be preparing ethiopian food this month for the international cuisine awareness club... trying to keep things lively!  as you can read, little to report, but we are all well and survivng... beginning to make our travel plans!! i hope this finds you all well and enjoying a splendid summer day!

take care,

karengrace

why i'm here - part 3

participants in the 5K... Johnny is emerging from under the hoop skirt

ARO is in the foreground and to the left is the station, all are amazing aurora shots by Christy Schultz

rounding the corner in my rediculous hoop skirt

the pass-off from Christy to Freija... so fast

green auroas with the pole marker in the foreground... this is where we run in the 300 club

full moon AND aurora

another super swirl

greetings from meeting monday,
the equinox is in 7 days and we are having our mid-winter celebration this weekend.  last weekend we had the 7th annual 5K race, this involves 18 laps up and downstairs in the station - in full costume.  it was a wonderful time, i was a part of a 3 person relay team with Freija and Christy, we didn't win but we looked fabulous! yesturday Freija and i cooked quesadillas to order, and they were renamed 'gracedillas' - not too much work and everyone loves cheese!  on may 27th the temperatures fell to -75.2 C/-103.4 F and i finally had the opportunity (with 9 freinds) to join the esteeemed 300 club.  this is quite an honor, especially since in several past winters -100 F was never reached... the way one becomes a member of the 300 club is 1st, the outside temperature must be at least -100, then the sauna is heated up to 200+ degrees (your body experinces a 300 degree change) next crowd into the sauna and get as toasty as you can handle, then put your boots, neck gaitor (to prevent lung burn) and glove liners on (nothing else) and run outside and around the pole marker and back in.  this is obviously a very elite club, perhaps not very smart, but a wonderful bonding experience!  this May was the coldest on record, beating the previous record held in 1989.  other than auroras and silly recreational moments there's not too much to report so i will get to the pictures!  i hope this finds you having a grand day.
take care,
karengrace

why i'm here part 2

      

            This is a fun time lapse of an afternoon of pizza making with 5 girls and 1 guy pizzeria!

                 Christy, Freija, Weeks and myself taking a break from making pizza to goof off...

                    Freija and i 'work' in the store every Saturday night and host dance parties,
                                                       sometimes costumes are necessary!

    Freija and i are just in from the berms and enjoy a photo in front of the alpine wall covering in cargo
                      we'd like to think we are fresh from the slopes, but the broom gives it away!                                                                    

                                              yummmmm, fresh basil from the greenhouse!

         The box on the back of the bike we use to deliver pizza to the drive-in movie night in the gym

        Weeks driving our pizza delivery bike and bringing smiles to happy movie goers... service!

                                       The pizza crew with our homemade whole wheat crust!!

               BINGO night, groucho the gardener (me) and Andrew, i've never won BINGO, ever!

              The winter-over photo we sent to Christchurch with our donation for earthquake relief

                                    bartending at the sunset meal, hanging with Tim and Kelly

                               Christy, Freija and myself moments after the last plane departed

                                       the last weekend of summer with Elissa and Trudy-Lyn

      february 25th, Commedia Dell'arte Day, the first time it was celebrated on all 7 continents - ever.
         it is a celebration of theater and has been going on since the 1500's.. we made history today!

Famed Italian mask maker Antonio Fava made these leather masks and sent them down just for our play,                                                          
                                         this is Freija and me, we played the fools... surprise!

                                              This is our Operations crew from the summer

                                      This was after 2.5 hours outside at -85, why i love wool!


greetings from another moonlit day,

these photos have zero scientific value - pure fun... another reason why i'm here!
i'm hosting a funk*music dance party this weekend - one of our lounges has been transformed into 'club deep freeze' for any occasion we may have to dance (which usually rolls around once a month).  Freija and i cooked sunday dinner for the station last week.  i attempted dumplings and they failed, i was disappointed, but there were hand-cut kumera (sweet potato) fries in the Belgian-style which more than made up for the lack of dumplings; we made fancy dips as well, like chipotle mayo and curry katsup... yum.
even with the moon up the auroras are coming out to play and manage to be bright and shimmering!  work and sleep are the major themes, but as you can tell, we do find time and energy to have fun! i hope this message finds you having an enjoyable day.

take care,
karengrace

why i'm here part 1

 auroras behind ARO

dancing on the flagline

super swirl

the station and auroras, this photo by Jens Dryer
all other photos by Christy Schultz


greetings from aurora central!
so far the end of april and beginning of may have provided stunning examples of the celestial shows i have been hungry for since i first decided to spend the winter at the south pole.  we all carry radios and have an aurora channel programmed in so that when anyone is outside and witnesses a show they can let the whole station know to get outside.

one of our community members recently received news from home that a family member has passed away.  this was truly my greatest fear when i decided to commit to 9 months here without the ability to leave if something tragic happened.  of course it is these terrible circumstances that awaken the spirit and bring a perspective that allows for all of us to appreciate each other.  i hope these images find you all well, please take a moment today to reflect on all the goodness in your life.  take care, karengrace

darkness this way comes...

greetings from the almost dark south pole!
i hope this finds you all enjoying a post easter glow and the spring in full bloom! since i last wrote the sun has vanished from sight but it's light still lingers below the horizon. the moon has joined the celestial party and the stars are becoming brighter everyday.  we have already had the pleasure of some spectacular auroras and the anticipation for the solar shows to come have conjured up a primal excitement that i really don't have words for... we have a channel on our radios specifically for aurora sightings, whenever anyone catches a show they call in with the location in the sky and the station empties to witness the brilliance.  one of our astronomers, Robert Schwarz has been teaching a wonderful class and i have been soaking it up! i've taken many astronomy classes over the years, but this one is specific to the skies here, it is just an example of how the community members come together to contribute their talents to make our time here memorable! every weekend when the kitchen staff is enjoying their time off members of the community step up and cook meals for everyone to share, it has been such a treat. i cooked an indian feast with some friends last month, there have been meals of fresh pasta,  and my next meal will be chicken and dumplings, there are all sorts of imaginative dishes!  the greenhouse is producing an abundance of greens, we get more freshies in the winter than we did in the summer! we have covered all the windows with cardboard to prevent light pollution for the telescopes, and many folks designed artistic covers for the cardboard, it definatley adds a cheery feel to the station.  i am the south pole corespondent for the Antarctic Sun which is a published paper featuring news from the 3 USAP stations, use this link to check out the latest:
http://antarcticsun.usap.gov/aroundTheContinent/contentHandler.cfm?id=1201
and 2 more sights to check out:
www.polarwinter.com   and   www.southpolestation.com

all of these photos have been taken by Christy Schultz who is the NOAA officer here for the summer/winter, and she's my friend and has an awesome camera and a great eye, she is gracious enough to let me share her photos here.

take care, karengrace

this is the view of the station from ARO-Atmospheric Research Observatory during twilight

this is ARO, behind ARO is the Clean Air Sector, believed to be the cleanest air in the world

this is the view of the flag line from the 10 meter telescope, or the South  Pole Telescope- SPT, to the station                     MAPO, which houses 2 more telescopes is in the foreground

this is Destination Zulu-DZ , the back entrance to the station with a Pisten Bully pulling in to drop off cargo

again, this is ARO with the full moon blazing

some of the 1st auroras of the season!