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9 December, 1999McMurdo Station, Ross Island, Antarctica Thursday I had visitors in the lab today! Rob, who has stopped by on several occasions, came by for a few minutes to help me with a computer question. Nigel and Tony of the Kiwi Cargo crew, came by to see what I do all day! It was nice to have visitors to break up the monotonous cycle of inject, watch, wait, record, inject, watch, etc. Bess, Mark, and Maite went to West Lake Bonney for our last sampling day. Julie and I puttered around the lab and worked on the gas samples. I spent some time organizing my rock samples. I have a permit for 10 pounds of rocks. My rocks weighed in at a whopping 29 pounds! I think I'll have to amend my permit! It was a fine, quiet day here. I sat at the gas chromatograph looking through the window at the sun shining brilliantly over McMurdo. My view isn't spectacular, but it's a view nonetheless! When the weather is warm and not windy, it's difficult to be indoors! Today was one of those days! Julie and I finished our work a little after 10 p.m. (I had started the day at 6:30 a.m.). We took the now familiar path to Gallagher's where we played a game of pool by ourselves and then another with a Kiwi C-130 flight crew. I was actually on the winning side of things even though I didn't sink a single ball! Julie and I spent time talking about how this trip to Antarctica has changed our lives. We recognized that one cannot experience what we have experienced and come away unmoved. We wondered what other adventures the world holds for us! ANSWER TO YESTERDAY'S QUESTION: The first part of the question was a trick! There are no fish in Lake Bonney! The largest organism is a nematode that is microscopic! If you fished in the ocean around Antarctica, you would find many varieties of fish. There are over 270 species of fish in the Southern Ocean. Some of these fish are able to tolerate sub-zero water because they contain an anti-freeze in their blood. Several of the scientists here are studying these fish and how this anti-freeze works to keep the fish from freezing. I've included a photo of the Antarctic Cod. TODAY'S QUESTION: What kinds of penguins are in Antarctica? Do you find penguins anywhere else in the world? Sharon JUST FOR KIDS!!!!! Bess, Mark, and Maite were at Lake Bonney all day today. Julie and I worked in the lab. We sat at the gas chromatograph. We organized our rock samples. I am allowed to bring back 10 pounds of rocks. I have 29 pounds! How many pounds over my limit am I? What do you think that I should do? ANSWER TO YESTERDAY'S QUESTION: The first part of the question was a trick! There are no fish in Lake Bonney! The largest organism is a nematode that is microscopic! If you fished in the ocean around Antarctica, you would find many varieties of fish. There are over 270 kinds of fish in the Southern Ocean. Some of these fish are able to live in water that can freeze because they contain an anti-freeze in their blood. Several of the scientists here are studying these fish and how this anti-freeze works to keep the fish from freezing. I've included a photo of the Antarctic Cod. TODAY'S QUESTION: What kinds of penguins are in Antarctica? Do you find penguins anywhere else in the world? Sharon
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