October 26, 2025

 

Its Sunday, October 26^th 2025.

I'm tired, I'm really tired. Things here are well, life is good, work is good, but I'm tired. This job is like a marathon, a busy and steady pace until redeployment. Aka going home. Right now the sun doesn't set anymore, the station has almost 1000 people on it, and it's been reasonably comfortable for a few days. About -10f.

As of my quick update a few (?) days ago, I've secured my contract through February. If they offer to extend I may consider another month or two, but my license expires on my birthday next year, in march, so I may just head home like normal. We'll see.

As I've said before I love it here. I'm happy to be here, and already planning to come back. McMurdo needs returners, needs people who understand whats going on and what to do to come back. Even though much of what I do is very mundane, even by handyman standards, it's satisfying.

But not everything I do is mundane. I've been lucky to go visit some incredible places in the past few weeks. Just a few day trips, but I thought I'd share them with you here.

The first fieldtrip was to the NASA Long Duration Balloon site, out on the Ross Ice Shelf. We were setting up the foundation for the 100ft long galley tent, I also helped walk in the different LDB buildings to their summer locations. The whole camp is on skis. The two hangers are 160,000lb and are both the tallest buildings in Antarctica, and also the largest buildings on skis in the world. 

Day 1. 

The buildings of LDB being dragged from their winterover spot on the berm, down onto the ice sheet. I got to walk these suckers into their summer locations. 

I looked like this most of the day. -42f. Not too bad, really. I promise!

Weather started to roll in and we called it a day.

 

Day 2

 

This is due south. Straight at the pole 800 miles away. Black Island on the left, Mt Discovery on the right, and in between them the pole.

Mt Erebus

The Site all deployed in it's proper summer location. 

We spent two days out there getting things set up. We're still not done, that Con 1 storm came in a few days after we left and buried all of our tent kit!!

The second field trip was another day trip, a 90 mile helicopter ride out into Taylor Valley to set up a polar haven tent on Lake Hoare. It was a long day, it was hard work. However the site was something out of a dream. I've never seen such beauty in desolation in my life. Even more beautiful than the rest of Antarctica that I've already seen. 

This whole job was supported by helicopter. 4 of us were flown in, 2 of us - one being me, were left at the camp site while the other 2, with helicopter went to a near by camp were our supplies were, and sling loaded everything into us. Flying all our materials in crates dangling under the heli. After we finished assembling the Polar Haven, we flew home. 

The flight from McMurdo across the ice shelf and sea ice, into the Dry Valleys. 

Finally, over Lake Hoare, and then of course, onto it. We landed directly on the lake, unloaded our tools and the two of us for prepping the site, and then waited for everything else to be flown in. After that, we hustled and put together a Polar Haven tent!

We discovered on our return flight that this thing flipped down. 

Lake Hoare is a place beyond my ability to describe, and, at least when there weren't helicopters flying around, the quietest place I have ever been. 

My last day trip for this post was our drive out into the Windless Bight. Out to set up two polar haven tents by the massive infrasound array buried in the ice and snow. It was a great day, we were the first team out there this season so we cut a fresh path through the snow. The tents went up fast.

It was 2 hours drive out and 2 hours drive back in a convoy of two pisten bullys towing sleds with our tent kits on them. Tracked vehicles are surprisingly uncomfortable to ride in! 

I rode in the back of this sucker for 4 hours total.

Bob. The Big Orange Building, and the only part of the array that's above the ice. 

Sled full of tent materials, and behind that an outhouse.

It is terrifically bright out on the ice on days like this. Far far brighter than anything back home. 

Okay that's all I got for you guys for right now. Tomorrow is sea ice training, so I hope I'll have some fun photos from that. But no I'm going to wind down and get to bed. Everyone at home, be well!