The Gobi Desert

I can hardly believe I've reached the point where I have less than 2 weeks left in Antarctica. I just returned from my last trip to Pole. I was glad to be able to see the Pole in each of three stages of bringing the old Dome down. When I first got there it was fully intact, on the second trip it was halfway down and on my third trip it was completely gone. It was colder the first and third trips (this time -47 F). It was great to see the now familiar faces one more time before I head home. I was reviewing my notes from last time I was there and I think this is the only time in my life when I will write "reasses patient at my next trip to South Pole" under their plan of care.

In all reality this is where I spend most of my time. In the physical therapy clinic. Until I get home it will be "hat day." Let's just say I already have that haircut scheduled.

On January 1st of every year the geographical pole is moved (since it's on a moving ice sheet). A new marker is put in place. This year's marker is a representation of two of the primary Pole projects (Ice Cube and 10-meter Telescope). It is beautiful.

Here are the tunnels to the Old Dome. Behind them is a deep pit where the Dome used to be. The group of folks working here are definitely hard core. I flew up with 17 of the 45 or so folks who will be wintering-over at the South Pole station. They are preparing for the "one sunset" of the year in Antarctica.

Here is a picture of the new elevated station at the Pole. It's about 4 years old now but still looks brand new. People take a lot of pride in keeping it clean. The community is much smaller at the Pole than at McMurdo. Everyone knows everyone and it's very much like a family.

At that elevation on the polar plateau there is no wildlife (no penguins, seals or whales). And there are no hikes to go on like at McMurdo or the Dry Valleys. You just walk out to the end of the world and then turn around and come back. It's amazing in its own way.

The Pole station has a greenhouse for "freshies" and everyone likes to come in and see green. Here is Eli (we have mutual friends from Seattle) doing his thing.

Meanwhile back at McMurdo...the sea ice has a great spot to play field sports. This is where the rugby game was. One of the gals here is a competitive Gaelic football player. She decided to organize a game for females (since the guys had the rugby game). Nobody but her knew the rules. So we all practiced, did some drills and then played. If you've never heard of it you are not alone. It's a combination of soccer, rugby and ultimate frisbee. You can dribble some, kick some and run some. It was pretty funny watching us all try to remember in mid-play what we were allowed to do.

That's me trying to kick after awkwardly remembering that I had to either kick or dribble after 4 steps. A beautiful Mt. Erebus loomed behind us. What an amazing day with no wind.

The Minke whales have visited us. Here is a photo of Mt. Discovery with a whale just in the lower right had corner of the picture on the edge of the ice. You can see his fin in the open water in the foreground as he pops slightly out of the water.

The helicopters go throughout the day. To and from the field camps and supply caches. When the BBC crew was here I saw them get on the helo quite a bit, often late in the evening when the light was perfect for filming.

The fuel vessel Paul Buck came and left. It is on the right and is longer than the picture demonstrates. The Icebreaker is still here (The Oden) on the left. It will continue to be here to lead the resupply vessel The American Tern home once it gets here to offload a year's worth of supplies.

I went to a lecture by David Attenborough before he left. I wanted to include a picture but the place was packed. So I kept getting the back of someone's head and decided to forgo the attempt. He told us about a British naturalist named Alfred Wallace. He was a contemporary of Charles Darwin but lost 4 years of samples in a fire on his ship. He told us of his story and then showed some amazing clips (some of his old favorites). There are certain words or phrases that sound very uniquely Attenborough. Such as "juveniles" and "copulating" and "as it were." He answered questions about being in Rwanda with Dian Fossey when her beloved Gorilla, Digit, was murdered. And then talked about her later murder. But told it within a story demonstrating his amazing interactions with the animals. People kept peppering him with questions and I think we all could have stayed there all night long. Wow, the things he must have seen...nature at its best.

He said, "There are a number of significant things that have been burned into my memory which I shall never forget." The last question he took was by a very interesting person with her own amazing stories. She asked him, "Where do your dreams lie? Where would you like to go where you haven't been?" Mind you Sir Attenborough is 83 years old. He replied, "The Gobi Desert. But you have to walk a long way there before you see anything at all. So I won't be going there considering where I am in life." Then I started thinking of all the places he must have seen. Some that he had mentioned and all the ones he hadn't. Then he finished with, "I suppose there has to be a few places where you haven't been."

Maybe my Gobi Desert will be the Gobi Desert...but maybe not. Maybe mine will be the moon. I'd like to go to the moon. But there have to be a few places where you haven't been. I still have a lot to see. Maybe I won't rule the moon out just yet.