9 November, 1999
Tuesday November 9, 1999
Woke up somewhat rested, with the sound of the wind howling outside. My
room is a s warm as toast. Got dressed went out and took some pictures and
then went to breakfast. We have to have our laptops checked today for
viruses and 2YK stuff. I called the person I was suppose to,and he came to
where I was and checked my computer. All OK, especially since I won't be
here during the New Year. As you may recall from the other journal, putting
this computer on the present system is not always easy. Well I'm typing
this journal at 2033 hours and they have been screwing around with this
machine since 0730 hours. I'm really worried.
More on this problem later.
At 0800 hours we had our wastes management meeting.. It is amazing the
effort that goes into keeping this place clean.. Everything is retrograded,
sent back to the states. In the states average recycling gets 22% of stuff
recycled, here it is 73%. Most impressive. There are some 13 categories of
trash. Including the SKUA SHOP, a place where the waste management team put
things that could be used by others. Much like a thrift shop. Magazines,
bottle of shampoo that someone didn't use much of. Pretty wild. Ha!
They talked about the collecting of human urine (gray water) and feces at
the field camps and how that too must be retrograded for treatment. There
is, a goal of 100% compliance. I'm sure it doesn't happen, but, the amount
of noncompliance I think is real low.
After this meeting it was off to the NSF Chalet, where the NSF director of
McMurdo has his office. I walked into the building and followed the sound
of voice upstairs to a loft where I met the following people Robbie Score ,
Lab Management Supervisor, Karen Joyce Computer Support Project Lead, Julie
Pallaise, and Al Sutherland, Station Manager. As I walked into the room
Al greeted me with a big hello, and I countered with a big bear hug that
sort of caught the ladies a little off guard. You see, I met Al Southerland
and have known him since 1992. I think his title was Director of Marine
Operations when he was in charge of the N.B.Palmer tour that I was on in
1992.
The purpose of the meeting was to literally find out what we were going to
be doing; what we needed for equipment and space, and when we would be doing
our thing. The next thing on the agenda was to tell us that because of
flight delays both of our talks had been canceled. I'm disappointed, for I
had done a lot of work on them, but, with the way things have been going to
date it is probably better. Next I was told that I would be attending an
overnight survival school and helicopter training this coming weekend. I'm
really excited over this, it should be "fun". Always wanted to have to
build a snow/ice shelter to keep me alive during an Antarctic night. Can't
wait.
After this meeting Barb took me over to where the LTER labs are located. We
are the first of our team to arrive on the ice so not much activity in the
lab right now. We were greeted by a graduate student named Mike who showed
us around and filled us in on what had been and will be happening. I am oh
so fortunate to be here.
I went to check on computer. Problem was now more significant then early
though. Why? I haven't the foggiest. Come back at 1630 hours. OK.
Grabbed a quick lunch and then put on ECW and went for a walk to hut point.
Hut point is where Robert Falcon Scott built a hut to winter over in during
one of his expeditions to Antarctica.
At the very tip of the outcrop of land there is a wooden cross erected in
memory of a sailor lost to the sea during the Scott expedition. It is quiet
an impressive site sticking up out of larva soil, that is more rocks then
soil. While I was out there the wind picked up and I had to hold onto the
cross to prevent from being blown over the edge of a cliff I would guess
150' above McMurdo Sound. I sat down and just started out over the vast
whiteness of the frozen sound with its blue ice runway, I guess about 2
miles off in the distance and at the Weddell seals that dotted the ice, some
females weighting in about a half of ton. These critters are real big and
real lazy.
I did notice that all the seal I say seemed to be laying with the head
facing east and their tale facing west, maybe it is to get more sun on their
massive bodies. I checked with one of the researchers here who is working
with seals and he said that several summers ago they looked at just this
question.. There is no correlation between sun angle and seal orientation.
"They don't need it. The have more than enough blubber."
On the way back from hut point I met a fellow who was headed out to the
hut. I n chatting with him, Jonathan a Kiwi graduate student, I learned he
had spent last summer here sampling blood from seals for another PI. This
year he was doing his on project involving the studying of lice found on
different species of penguins, specifically the Adelie and the emperor
penguins this season. He hopes to see if different species or subspecies of
lice are found on different species of penguins, to see if they evolved
along the same lines. He will be using high tech science involving DNA
analysis to compare the different lice. I asked him he penguins bit, he
said an emphatic yes, but he had yet to work with "the boys" (emperors).
"So I can't say, old chap". He told me most aggressive have been the
tinniest of all, the fairy (blue) penguins that he studied back in N.Z..
Next season he was headed to Chile to look at the lice on the Chilean
Penguin and the Megallanic species. Wow what a great job!
Returned to the computer lab where I met a young guy from upstate NY. He is
an ice diver and gave me a real good web site
members.global2000.net/browser. Check it out. I guess this is his 7th
season on the ice, or should I say under the ice. I asked him how cold the
water was his response was, "about -1.9 C". What's that in Fahrenheit? Why
is the water still not frozen if the freezing point of water is 0C?
I paged the computer tech to check on my computer and he said it was fine.
Well it was not, so he found another tech that got it to work long just
enough for his shift to end, about 1830 hours. I found yet a third tech who
worked on it until 2145 hours, three hours past his quitting time. He's got
me to where I can send some email, but, there is a problem, "that they'll
work on tomorrow". I hope so!
All of the computer techs have been most helpful. Over and above the call
of duty. Thanks Guys.
Well it is now 2338 hours and I have not had supper yet. A quick trip to
the bathroom; then I'll put on my ECW and go over to the galley for Midrats
(midnight rations).
Have a great day. Till tomorrow.
Ciao,
Penguin Pete the Polar Man
![](../Images/amati/amati_Hut_Point_Cross-1.JPG.jpg)
Wooden Cross erected to honor a <> drowned sailor from one of Scott's expeditions.
![](../Images/amati/amati_Cliff_at_Hut_point.JPG.jpg)
This is a view off of the cliff at Hut point where the wooden cross had been erected. The wind up there was very strong. As I said I literally held on to the cross for fear of being blowen over the edge. Better to be safe thgen sorry. <>
![](../Images/amati/amati_Mummified_Seal_at_Hut_Point-1.JPG.jpg)
This a mummified seal that is outside the Scott's hut. the very dry conditions prevents this from rotting. <>
![](../Images/amati/amati_Weddell_Seal_at_Hut_Point.JPG.jpg)
Live Weddell seal basking in su on frost McMurdo Sound. <>
![](../Images/amati/amati_Scotts_Hut-2.JPG.jpg)
Scott's hut at Hut Point , Mcmurdo Sound Station. Build by R.F Scott for one of his expedition <> s to the ice.
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