Temp -39, WC -65
Today is my 7th day at 10-12 thousand feet. I was finally feeling well enough acclimatized to the altitude to get in a workout. I’ve heard that it takes about 1 day to acclimatize to every 1000 feet of elevation gain, so I’m a little early, but this really isn’t a big deal when compared to the altitude and exertion of a volcano climb in western US. We have a small, but fairly well appointed gym on station. Plus, if you get a little overheated, it’s just about 20 steps to the outdoor observation deck, where it is 40 below. In shorts and a T-shirt, that cools you right off.
Yesterday I was in a training class to help support air communications for the C-17s flying from New Zealand to McMurdo Antarctica. Due to our altitude and other factors, we at South Pole can often serve as a radio relay for the C-17 when McMurdo can not make communications on the HF radio. Typically, we have a staff that handles the aircraft communications. However, South Pole station closes around Feb 15th where as McMurdo closes at the end of February. After our station closes, our air comm crew leaves for the winter. That is why they are cross training a few of us (5 to be exact) to help relay for the C-17s for this 2-week period. We will also need to handle the C-130 traffic for McMurdo to here on the last flight out and the first flight in.
We ran the emergency generator today. All of our power comes from a power plant in a metal archway that is mostly buried under the snow. If the power plant and all 4 generators that it encloses were to be destroyed, the emergency generator plant could provide power for most of the station.
The sun is getting a little lower in the sky. The shallows are a bit longer. If we were at a normal latitude, I would estimate that we had an hour of sunlight left, but instead the sun just hangs in the sky and travels in parallel to the horizon.
WOW!! You are experiencing something most of us never will! It is so very interesting to see what you are up to! Please take and upload as many photos as possible! You know me and Josh are checking every day, so the more you can upload the better!
P.S. Did you bring a compass with you ? I still am curious what a compass does at 0′
73’s
Eric Hanson
kc0acv@hotmail.com
I didn’t bring a compass. The magnetic south pole is a coule hundred miles from here. I’m uploading as many pictures as I can at each satelite pass.
Hi nathan:
Sounds like quite the experience. i want you to know that Britt and Keta had their first day of K9 avalanche training Saturday. Britt was doing takeaways in the snow, meaning that she ran in the snow and jumped into a big hole she had dug and little Keta had to run after her. Once she got to Britt we had a big party….showing lots of potential heheh:-)
I had put together a snow scenario up at Skyline Lake. Britt was a subject and had to hide in the snow for several hours……oh well, she got to go in our hot tub later that evening. Scott served us delicious steaks with wild rice and carrot sallad. Britt and Keta stayed overnight…a good tiem was had by all. BUT, we of course missed you.
Suzanne
Fantastic post.. Will definitely come back again..