Anna McKee

I am slowly getting used to the layout and pace of the station.  I have been walking around jetlagged and sleep deprived, so all of the new information is going in slowly, most of it dropping all around me.  The folks who work here know this and remind me to take it easy.  There is a wonderful spirit of kindness here.  Though the USAP staff can’t make the weather cooperate, they do everything else in their power to get grantees what they need to accomplish their project.  For me that means coordinating all of my training, helping me gather the necessary gear for field camp and getting me to the middle of West Antarctica at the WAIS deep field camp.

Yesterday I had time to draw for a few hours, a very grounding experience.  I also took a short walk around the base and finally got a full nights sleep so am much sharper today.  Discovery Hut is on the edge of “town”, down one of the dirt roads that crisscross (higglety pigglety comes to mind) the collection of buildings that comprise McMurdo Station.  It was nice to get away to Hut Point; it is kept unaltered from the days it was occupied by the Scott and Shackleton expeditions.  It is corny, but I felt a bit spooked – my overly active imagination “felt” their presence – a product of too much explorer reading, no doubt.

It was about 10pm and the sun was low in the southeast.  McMurdo sits at approximately 77° S, 166°E, so the sun turns around us, rising higher during the day and lower at “night”.  I haven’t allowed myself to stay up late to see how low it gets.  As I am a short-timer in McMurdo, my dorm is interior in the building, with no windows.  It’s convenient for sleeping, but disorienting.  Tomorrow I go out onto the Ross Ice Shelf to attend the two day Happy Camper Course.  I will no doubt stay up late then and get a better sense of the light.

Here is a shot looking almost directly south.  Observation Hill is on the left and in the distance is the edge of Black Island.

I am offline for two days while out on the ice at school.  See you on Sunday (Saturday in the USA).

Today I awoke at 4:30am to get to my first ever military flight.  It was a C-17 from McChord Air Force Base, near my hometown of Seattle.  It was very similar to checking in for a commercial flight, except all the crew wear fatigues.  Once aboard, there was the same safety talk about seat belts and exits, except that as the plane powered up, we were handed our own set of earplugs instead of pretzels.

We sat in fabric seats along the sides of the plane with pallets of cargo strapped down the middle.  It was incredibly loud, so we all sat in earplugged isolation, smiling politely, excited to be heading south with reports of good weather at McMurdo.

Three hours or so into the flight, I looked out of the tiny port hole and saw ice and the edge of the continent .  At that point, I was allowed into the cockpit to take photos; a rare privilege.  We were flying over an area called Victoria Land.  The tops of the Transantarctic Range poked up like  pyramids.  It took my breath away.  From our altitude, the bergs at the edge of the ice shelf looked like white paint spattered across a blue-black field.    I took dozens of photos and just stared.  It was a beautiful clear day, and appeared so non-threatening.  I kept having to remind myself that we are all at the mercy of this place.

Though I had to buckle in for landing, one of the crew offered to take more pictures and got some great shots, including the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf. It was particularly disorienting to feel the plane landing, but not being able to see out for reference.

We were then all shuttled to the station and the first in a series of “briefings”.  It felt a lot like the first day of college; finding your dorm room, getting bedding, hauling luggage; getting to the galley on time to eat and generally feeling disoriented.  The Station is extremely full right now as many field camps were delayed by weather.  So I am squeezed into a dorm room with 4 other gals.  I am looking forward to having my schedule calm down to take in the area and send back more pictures!  Ciao till tomorrow!

Monday, December 7 (Sunday, Dec 6 in the USA)

27 hours and 3 planes later, I arrived (with about 20 other US Antarctic Program folks) in Christchurch, New Zealand; tired, but excited to be on my way.  The first day was spent in a jet lag stupor walking around this adorable city.  The people are laid back and friendly.   I am fortunate to be traveling with a scientist from the WAIS Divide Ice Core Project, Anais Orsi.  She has generously taken me under her wing, reducing my stress immensely.

Today, we all headed down to the CDC (Clothing Distribution Center) to gather our Extreme Weather Gear and re-pack our luggage in order to be ready for the 8AM flight to McMurdo tomorrow.  The hardest part was putting on all the layers I will need on the West Antarctic plateau to insure that they fit and work well together.   It was about 70 degrees F today so I was a walking sauna!  I now have plenty of clothing to stay toasty warm on the plateau.

After everything was sorted into checked, carry-on, boomerang and stored bags, I enjoyed the sunny day.  Signs of the Antarctic program are all over the city.  First, the statue of Robert Falcon Scott in a park downtown and also the Antarctic Center and collection of Antarcticana in the Canterbury Museum.  But also, it is apparent that many businesses rely heavily on the yearly migration of USAP personnel through this town. The B & B that I am staying in coordinates with the program and will notify us early if the days flight has been canceled so we can sleep in.

The shuttle picks us up tomorrow at 5:115, so its off to bed.  Check back tomorrow for photos!