Possibly Maybe…

After days of training there’s still more training. The highlight, I may have a work location, only time will tell. As of now I am learning how to maintain a runway for wheeled aircraft. Not a runway as you’d think; but one that is made of snow and ice. It’s on the “shelf” a section of sea that never melt. I’ve been told the ice is about 100’ thick. We drive heavy equipment on the shelf with no fear of breaking through.

And as a matter of clarification; “ice” is used as a general term for Antarctica. As in “So, you got a job and you’re going to the ice?” The permanent sea ice is called “the shelf”. This place is crazy weird in the different names everything has. A culmination of old terms, military terms, government terms, nicknames… etc.

I am obviously a beginner in this field, but running full force with an open mind to learn what the end product is to be and how to achieve it. The equipment generally used are tractors equipped with tracks. Behind them we pull grooming and leveling implements. What to use and when, I still have no clue!! I will get there at some point.

The runway is two miles long and it takes at least half a day to groom it. It’s a constant maintenance program to keep blowing/drifting snow leveled out before a plane is capable of landing. In general there are two flights a week on this runway, however it may be used by other aircraft if needed. On top of that we have ten miles of road to also maintain in the same regard; packing, scraping, and grooming. These roads drift quite a bit and some drivers can’t seem to stay out of the deep snow. This causes problems with other vehicles. The road is wide, very wide. Probably as wide as a four lane highway wide. It’s used for both machines and vehicles. These roads are marked by flags along one side. Get off the road and you’re stuck!! Apparently this happens often and we, as in my department, have to go rescue these people and vehicles! As the driver, you have to know what mile you’re in so that if a problem occurs you can relay your location. There’s no GPS here, so the less information you can give about your location, the longer it takes to get rescued. In good weather travel is easy. In bad weather, it’s a challenge and the flags are very important. In severe weather, you park and wait until you can see the flags again. I have not experienced this yet, but it’s going to happen!

Simple things we don’t really think about in the real world. But here a pleasant day can turn deadly with little to no warning. When we are out of town (McMurdo) we have emergency survival bags loaded to keep two people alive for three days. Two people that know what they are doing in the cold. Again, I’m a beginner. So, I have much to learn, and my life depends on it. Not trying to sound dramatic, because most of the summer is good weather, unlike winters.

That’s what makes this place a great community. Everyone here knows that at any moment things can go wrong and everyone capable is needed to help. Again, I’m learning, but how things are done here is much greater than American society. More on that later!

But it’s still an amazing place. The landscape is like nothing else I’ve ever seen. A desert of snow and ice with mountains and an active volcano! I’m excited to see how things change over the summer. From looking out across the ocean, currently frozen solid. To looking out over the ocean when it’s melted and moving.

The seals are coming closer and supposedly a few penguins have already been spotted. I’ll keep my eyes out and hope to get a few terrible photos.

We are not allowed to go close to wildlife. Big no no and a great way to get sent home with a large fine. So, I’m not going to attempt!!