Happy Birthday to Amie (and me)

I was next to the Medical dispatch radio today and heard the following conversation between a C-17 pilot and the dispatcher:



Pilot: We have a penguin on the ice runway.



Dispatch: Okay, is he on the rough ice or the runway?



Pilot: Runway. We request permission to herd the penguin off the runway.



Permission was granted and the pilot relayed this information back. The penguin was never touched, just guided off the runway.



Dispatch: Did I hear correctly? The wildlife is off the runway?






Yes, I thought, only on this birthday will I hear such an exchange. A great way to celebrate 34 years of life on this planet. But it wasn't the same without my twin sister, Amie. She sent this picture to cheer me up. She's the runt on the left and our brother Matt on the right. She was premature and anemic. Me, just premature. Looks like someone is ready for a polar plunge.



My co-workers went way out of their way making me feel special today. With signs everywhere and homemade gifts which were amazing (paper mache flowers and necklaces). Sorry I couldn't be with you, Amie. Next year, New York City marathon for our birthday right?

The last week has been filled with some amazing trips away from the station. I got to go back to Scott's hut at Hut Point (from last entry) but this time I got to go inside. I snapped a lot of photos so I apologize in advance.

This is the seal and penguin meat locker. It's just by the front door making it the coldest place in the hut I guess. Although the whole place was frigid and I wouldn't want to live there. That is meat still hanging from the early 1900s. The weather here keeps things preserved really well although none of us wanted to try outdated penguin or seal jerky.

There were lots of foodstuffs laying around. This hut was used as a staging area for various parties for about 10 years after it had been lived in (still talking 1913 here).

The old Primus stove. I'm not sure we've changed much with the Whisperlite.

Clothes still hanging on the line. Since we are on the coldest desert on the planet I suppose the drying process happens pretty quickly.

For someone who has read all the books this was all very cool. Walking around where these guys had been I couldn't imagine the stamina they had. We have all the Merino, Carharts and parkas. They, not so much.

Next up was a trip to Cape Evans to see Scott's second hut. This one was built during his attempt to be the first to the South Pole and they at least abandoned the veranda this time. Really, keep the sun out of the windows when what we really need is the sun shining into the windows? On the way there we saw 11 Emperor penguins. They were about 1/4 mile away from us. We were going to be pleased to just take pictures from that distance. But then they just started marching toward us. Single file, then some got on their bellies for a while, then back to single file. All the sudden they were right up on us. We were amazed and in awe. We didn't move but they kept coming to us, checked out our vehicle (Delta) and then kept on moving. It was spectacular.

Usually, this time of year, we would only see Adelie penguins. Still cool but much smaller. To see emperors here at this time of year was unusual I've been told.

They were absolutely beautiful! They talked amongst themselves and then decided it was time to move along after giving us the once over.

This is the Delta we were in. It's loud but gets around on snow well. And carries a lot of people at once.

On the way back from C. Evans we stopped at some ice caves. These were formed by the Erebus Glacier Tongue meeting the sea ice. These caves are only about 8 years old. You might not be able to tell with my camera but the caves from the inside showed the amazing blue ice of the glacier and it was quiet and stunning in there.

I was just going to delete this photo but then I thought it looked pretty cool. What using a flash inside an ice cave reveals is a little different than with the flash off. Still the opening is quite small and it's amazing that they were discovered. All that fancy equipment helped of course since the base of the glacier is monitored.

Imagine that The Chronicles of Narnia was your favorite book series growing up. Then imagine you got to go to Narnia. That is how I felt when I got to Cape Evans to look at Scott's hut. To be truthful, my real Narnia would be to go to Cape Royds where Shackleton's hut is but this year the sea ice edge is much too close for safe travel (partly due to how the wind packed the ice). But Cape Evans, the penguins and the ice caves...those were still my Over the Rainbow or my Where the Sidewalk Ends. Just the pages of my books coming alive right around me gave me a sense of dreams really coming true.

Scott and his men broght ponies for their journey to the South Pole. This didn't work as well as Amundsen's dog driving to the Pole and Amundsen and his men (Norwegians) beat Scott and his men by about 5 weeks to be the first to the South Pole. Amundsen's hut at the Bay of Whales calved off into the sea a long time ago so no chance of seeing that hut.

I'm pretty sure I was the first one in the hut and the last one out. Everything was just as they left it. The men had to stay much longer here than expected. It's interesting (to me) to read about and shows how long one can endure cold, uncertainty and no relief ship. Although knowing myself I would have gone more than a little crazy.

The enlisted men's berthings were miniature. Either these guys were really short or they slept with their legs off the end of the bed from the mid-thigh down.

These are the skis that Scott's men didn't know how to use as well as Amundsen's men. The history of skiing in Norway being so much longer than for the Brits.

The London Times right next to a penguin. Things remained preserved like the men had just gone out for a walk.

This is the dark room for the photos to be developed. It was tempting to go in and pick things up but I, of course, showed restraint.

This week has been full of some nice memories. I am going to go wax my skis now. They won't wax themselves and I have some skiing to do tomorrow.