The snow is melting. In town (McMurdo) the temperatures are generally ten degrees higher than on the shelf. But, even when it’s still below 0°F the snow everywhere is melting. Still in the negatives on the shelf and we have melt. That amazing power of the sun. Shining from millions of miles away, 93 million to be exact… ish, and yet able to melt snow in subzero temperatures.
Okay okay. 93 million miles is an average because the earth doesn’t orbit in a circle. It’s elliptical, therefore at its furthest, also known as aphelion it’s about 94.5 million miles away. And at its closest, also know as perihelion it’s about 91.4 million miles away. But anyway…
A new challenge we face on the shelf is the snow pack falling apart. Most of us know what it’s like when snow pack on roads starts to soften. Big ole snow pot holes. We will have the same here as the snow softens. Since wheeled planes use our runway it’s going to be a challenge to maintain and repair throughout summer. The runway does the same thing as all the surrounding snow. We will still be running the 65,000 lbs weight carts on it. So, that’ll creat damage that’ll need repaired. If we don’t, those soft spots continue to be a problem year after year.
Everything on the shelf stays white though! So much white here. Going outside without sunglasses is a terrible experience. I’ve done it a few times and regret not just going back to get them! All white, mostly flat, and now potholes!! Shelf life is indeed interesting. Just like back home, just way more sun and way more white! Oh, and on cloudy days. In flat light, you cannot see the pot holes, or the drifts after a storm; which we had another! Drifts up to four feet tall by the buildings and probably 6”-8” on the roads. It’s four days after the last storm and we still haven’t been able to fix the roads!!
Another mindf*ck is when I’m hand shoveling out on the shelf and I wonder when I’m going to hit dirt. How far do I have to dig to hit dir… oh wait. It’s snow and ice then ocean!!
And one more; being out in the shelf and looking at the mountains in the distance. The dark areas remind me of the mountains back him in the winter. Lots of snow; the white and then dark, generally trees. And I wonder to myself; why doesn’t anyone live here? Then quickly remind myself that that is just rock and snow in the distance. One would have to live on penguin and seal blubber alone. And I also wonder; what would those taste like?! What would a penguin omelette be like?! Use the seal fat for butter… I bet it all tastes like fish.
On Ross Island, the home away from home, the snow is melting and refreezing just like back home. Even though the sun is up 24/7 the temperatures still fluctuate to melt during the day and freeze at night. I figured it would just melt and stay melted, but apparently the suns angle changes enough. For the temperature change. It can also be felt. While in a machine working during the day it gets hot inside, even with the heat off. Toward the end of the shift the temperature in the cab starts to drop. That greenhouse effect in action!
This is creating wet and mud during the day and ice at night; which is still day!! Here, there is heat tape in the culverts to melt them out for the daily running water. Each culvert has a generator sitting there warming the heat tape melting a path.
The landscape is also slowly emerging. A reminder that this is an inhospitable place. It feels like the moon emerging from the snow. All volcanic rock and dust and no… no vegetation or wild life! I’ll post some photos soon. Maybe the moon landing was filmed here! Ba-hahaha!
Sure there’s the occasional skua, penguin, and the seals just lounging about. But the penguins and seals are mostly on the sea ice. The skua, two (make that four) that I’ve seen, just fly over and disappear. It’s desolate here.
Again a reminder of why not much really lives here. Because life is damn near impossible here. Plants, mosses, struggle through the very short summer season. I have been told that there are a few places that moss grows here. Maybe I’ll see some! But probably not. That would require a hike and I don’t have the proper footwear… or the ambition!
It’s mostly the ambition to go for a hike. But I will at some point for more photos of the area. There are vantage points that give another view.
Reminds me of Robin William’s character, John Keating, in Dead Poets Society when he stands on his desk and asks the students why he’s staring up there. His answer, “I stand upon my desk to remind myself that we must constantly look at things in a different way.”
And, similar but different, Frank Lloyd Wright when he presented his idea to the Kauffman family for the house at Bear Run, famously known as Fallingwater. His idea was to build the house atop the waterfall rather than facing it. And asked why; this is a paraphrase of course. Because if you have a view of the waterfall from your house you will eventually take the view for granted. The house on top forces the family to hike from the house to look back, thus keeping the appreciation of the waterfall.
Antarctica as I have said over and over is very beautiful. Like everywhere else in the world we have weather. From bluebird sunshiny days to windy cloudy days. We’ve had actual snow a couple times. And if you haven’t read my previous posts. Antarctica is a dessert or is it a desert?! Either way snow is rare and seeing it is magical. Most of the snow here has blown in. From where, I have no clue!! But it blows like the sands of a sand blaster. I bet you thought I was going to say desert!
Similarly the Royal Society Range, when the sky is clear, is magnificent!
Yes, this is an abrupt ending, but maybe it’ll keep you in suspense as to what will be posted next… oh wait. I said some photos. Well, that ends this post and the suspense!
Pneuma’s Adventures 