tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-487908678940593192024-03-13T06:55:59.155-07:00Ice Nine: ANTARCTICAA Blog. About Antarctica. And other places and spaces.
Fortiter Ac Fideliter In Glacie.Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48790867894059319.post-88302640983700782332009-02-11T21:27:00.000-08:002010-09-01T22:05:40.665-07:00Just A Post<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">It's been awhile since the last one, however, there's more posts to come. I've been busy at work. Homestar is, as always, the best correlation for my career in Antarctica.</span><br />
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Carry on.<br />
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<a href="http://www.homestarrunner.com/bestcaper.html">http://www.homestarrunner.com/bestcaper.html</a>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48790867894059319.post-19550220960191983832008-08-13T22:20:00.000-07:002008-08-13T22:21:57.140-07:00Just for Fun<a href="http://%3Ca%20href=%22http://icanhascheezburger.com/2008/08/12/funny-pictures-dis-ur-kid/%22%3E%3Cimg%20class=%22mine_1317192%22%20src=%22http://icanhascheezburger.wordpress.com/files/2008/08/funny-pictures-penguins-wonder-about-their-offspring.jpg%22%20alt=%22cat%22%20/%3E%3C/a%3E%3Cbr%20/%3Emore%20%3Ca%20href=%22http://icanhascheezburger.com%22%3Ecat%3C/a%3E%20pictures"><a href="http://icanhascheezburger.com/2008/08/12/funny-pictures-dis-ur-kid/"><img class="mine_1317192" src="http://icanhascheezburger.wordpress.com/files/2008/08/funny-pictures-penguins-wonder-about-their-offspring.jpg" alt="cat" /></a><br />more <a href="http://icanhascheezburger.com">cat</a> pictures</a>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48790867894059319.post-68557432280829691932008-06-08T00:04:00.000-07:002008-06-25T21:24:40.261-07:00Work Related Stuff<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/SEuJbgSWDOI/AAAAAAAABp4/8quxGpvSoK0/s1600-h/Merced+Fishing.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/SEuJbgSWDOI/AAAAAAAABp4/8quxGpvSoK0/s200/Merced+Fishing.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209408499600461026" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Hi All,<br /><br />I haven't posted much lately (read: not at all) as I've been a bit preoccupied with job searches and wedding related activities, but I'm happy to report that I started work last week at<br /><a href="http://www.cpmc.org/">California Pacific Medical Center</a> in San Francisco. I'm supervising the pathology lab at the California campus, and learning the ropes. This is work that I've done before, and working at a complex and important (not to mention private and non-profit!) hospital is work that I find very meaningful and gratifying. However, it's going to seriously cut into my fishing time, pictured here on the Merced river in Yosemite a couple of weeks ago.<br /></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48790867894059319.post-5544034625417657602008-03-26T21:43:00.000-07:002008-06-08T19:41:07.772-07:00Volunteering<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/SEuD-FUIwLI/AAAAAAAABpw/lOE-1g5XwWw/s1600-h/Counting+fish.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/SEuD-FUIwLI/AAAAAAAABpw/lOE-1g5XwWw/s200/Counting+fish.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209402496585875634" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Hi All,<br /><br />I volunteered today aboard the R/V Robert Brownlee, the vessel that the <a href="http://www.cmiregistration.com/user/splash.jxp?org=261">Marine Science Institute</a> uses to gather fish and teach students about marine science. I helped measure and identify fish (flounders, sardines, and a couple of tiger sharks), and had a great day on the Bay.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48790867894059319.post-81176038751612964862008-02-29T23:38:00.000-08:002008-11-14T23:31:19.472-08:00Gigantor: Struggle at the South Pole!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/R8kNgG54AQI/AAAAAAAABpA/-FNXPN4Vh9o/s1600-h/gigantor.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/R8kNgG54AQI/AAAAAAAABpA/-FNXPN4Vh9o/s200/gigantor.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172680492272058626" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Gigantor was my favorite cartoon when I was a kid way back in the 1960s.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Posted below in four parts is Episode 1: Struggle at the South Pole!<br /></span><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lc8ObvMTUOM">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lc8ObvMTUOM</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbKqI65ejDY">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbKqI65ejDY</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36EW9HvK1PM">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36EW9HvK1PM</a><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emC1sU1grPM">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emC1sU1grPM<br /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />I wanted to just embed this episode here on the website, but the owners don't permit embedding.<br /><br /><br />Anyway, somehow it appears inevitable that I spent a good chunk of time working in Antarctica, even though my first time going there was random at best. In 1992, when I was working in Oakland/Alameda at the Naval Supply Center/Naval Air Station Alameda for Laidlaw Corp. as a field chemist, one morning at 0730 my manager walked into my office and asked me, "So, Dave, you want to go to Antarctica?" Looking up from my desk stacked with paperwork (after not enough coffee) I hazily replied, "Of course, I'd love to work in Alaska. What's going on up there?"<br /><br />"No, Dave, South Pole. We're bidding on a contract there..."<br /><br />More later,<br />Dave<br /><br />PS: Of course, I accepted the offer and began my career in the USAP.<br /></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48790867894059319.post-47999141115618379282008-02-18T17:50:00.000-08:002008-02-19T08:25:00.183-08:00Hey! It's Mark Furnish on CBS!<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Huh.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">You never know what's gonna be in the news these days.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Mark Furnish is an old friend (and yes, my manager) from way back in the heyday of Hazardous Waste Management: ANTARCTICA. In the video below Mark explains the nuances involved with processing, recycling, and transporting all of the waste from Antarctica (specifically, McMurdo Station/South Pole) back to the CONUS. The bottom line here is that we should all do our best to recycle and reuse all that we can.</span><br /><br /><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JwfLTc_qIww&rel=1"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JwfLTc_qIww&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48790867894059319.post-28926722354091343662008-01-10T21:16:00.000-08:002008-01-27T23:55:53.309-08:00RIP, Sir Edmund Hillary<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/R4sBV6fyL-I/AAAAAAAABnw/tC45VMyLLpM/s1600-h/St.+Christopher.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/R4sBV6fyL-I/AAAAAAAABnw/tC45VMyLLpM/s200/St.+Christopher.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5155215674447114210" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Like many of the folks who travel to Antarctica and parts thereabouts, I was lucky to meet <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/01/10/edmund.hillary/index.html">Sir Edmund Hillary</a>. He was at McMurdo Station in summer 96/97, and gave a great lecture in the old Galley about what it was like leading a traverse to South Pole and helping to establish the New Zealand station, <a href="http://antarcticsun.usap.gov/features/contentHandler.cfm?id=1314">Scott Base.</a><br />My one anecdote about Sir Ed is that when I went to greet him after the lecture we shook hands. In my hand I was holding the St. Christopher medal that I've had since third grade, and still wear everyday. This St. Chris has been all over the world with me, and I've sometimes loaned it out to friends to guarantee their safe travels. I also have a Kiwi 5 pound note that he graciously autographed for me. It's not often that you get to meet a living legend such as Sir Ed, and my world is much richer for our brief encounter. He was a great old soul.<br /></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48790867894059319.post-50680356750548903452008-01-01T18:16:00.000-08:002008-01-03T00:02:02.091-08:00Close Calls<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/R3tFLqfyL8I/AAAAAAAABnQ/H5sT5DTMKAw/s1600-h/On+the+LMG.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/R3tFLqfyL8I/AAAAAAAABnQ/H5sT5DTMKAw/s200/On+the+LMG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150786665516773314" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Every now and then something happens which reminds you that life is short, and that you need to cherish every moment that you get on this good, green/blue/white Earth. Last night, while driving a friend home from the Cake/Lovemakers concert at the Warfield, Gwen and I were hit by a driver who was looking for street signs while blazing </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">around downtown SF at 40+MPH, running a red light, and auguring into us on the passenger side. We're all OK, but it could have been bad. A foot or more into the intersection and I would have definitely been in the hospital. As </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/R3ySMKfyL9I/AAAAAAAABng/YSazdXlp6dA/s1600-h/Fishing+on+the+Smith+River.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/R3ySMKfyL9I/AAAAAAAABng/YSazdXlp6dA/s200/Fishing+on+the+Smith+River.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151152811478757330" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">it was, our VW Golf had to get towed out of the intersection, and my sis and her beau came to pick us up at the corner of Page and Gough. Finally, we all got home to reflect upon another close call, and with a hearty helping of gratitude, began 2008 with a nice bottle of champagne. The photos here are a reminder to myself of all of the wonderful things that can happen in life.<br /><br />Be grateful.<br /></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48790867894059319.post-2031876070610636962007-12-31T17:28:00.000-08:002008-01-02T23:50:55.124-08:00Happy New Year!<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We're leaving in a moment to meet friends and see Cake and the Lovemakers at the Warfield in SF. Hope you all have a great time this evening, and best wishes for the year ahead. What a year it's been.<br /><br /><br /></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48790867894059319.post-68780158796547852942007-12-15T23:35:00.000-08:002007-12-30T00:10:22.518-08:00Love, Raytheon<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/R3dSLplZ51I/AAAAAAAABnE/qhDO8McyiMM/s1600-h/Brave+Penguin.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/R3dSLplZ51I/AAAAAAAABnE/qhDO8McyiMM/s200/Brave+Penguin.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5149675059016230738" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Hi All,<br />I received a much unexpected kudo from Raytheon in the mail yesterday:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Greetings,</span></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Please accept this coin, pen, notepad, and safety kit as small tokens of appreciation for making the 2007 winter one of the safest seasons the U.S. Antarctic Program has had. Your awareness of hazards and eagerness to continually improve the work environment is critical for everyone's safety.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Just as the emperor penguins work together to protect their young, we too must work together to protect each other.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sam Feola<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Program Director, Raytheon Polar Services<br /><br /><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><br /></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><br /><br /></span></span></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48790867894059319.post-11937486198023775022007-12-06T22:29:00.001-08:002007-12-09T23:20:31.376-08:00Errata<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/R1jygFdlxyI/AAAAAAAABlw/-OA170gGTpA/s1600-h/DSCF4651.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/R1jygFdlxyI/AAAAAAAABlw/-OA170gGTpA/s200/DSCF4651.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141125607679444770" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Hi All,<br />The last few weeks have been filled with many small adventures, including the picture at left, where I took Gwen's nephew Damon fishing up at Lake Cuyamaca near San Diego, and last night's venture up to the <a href="http://marinemammalcenter.org/">Marine Mammal Center</a> near Sausalito, where Gwen and I assisted with the care and feeding of a few pinnipeds. As most people are now aware, there was a fuel spill in SF Bay a few weeks ago, which sent approximately 58,000 gallons of low-grade bunker fuel into the Bay, just in time to mess up the crab season, migratory bird season (there are few things more sad than a bird flying thousands of miles only to be caught in a layer of oil) and the general atmosphere of what I consider to be one of the best places to live in the world.<br /><br />Well. The best way to deal with this sort o</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">f disaster is to help, when you can. So we went to the Marine Mammal Center to assist our friend Lia with care and feeding of some seals . None of the seals there were victims of the spill, but help was needed, nonetheless. We had a nice time, and lo and behold, I ran into a veterinarian there who knew another vet from Santa Cruz (Dr. Dave Schuman, D.V.M) who was my temporary roommate at Palmer Station back in April 2007, where he assisted with anaesthetising seals for Dr. Dan Costa's work. A small world, indeed.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/R1jy7VdlxzI/AAAAAAAABl4/rrHuo-VIiBw/s1600-h/DSCF4692.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/R1jy7VdlxzI/AAAAAAAABl4/rrHuo-VIiBw/s200/DSCF4692.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141126075830880050" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48790867894059319.post-89589164510681339372007-11-12T21:07:00.000-08:002007-11-15T18:11:24.238-08:00What a Month Can Do<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Hi All,<br />This blog has been a really great exercise in writing for me, and though I thought about letting it stay as it is, an imperfect record of my time in Antarctica, I've decided that I want to maintain it so that I can keep up with the practice of writing.<br /><br />Oh. And I also want to keep in touch with my people.<br /><br />So here goes, an abridged version of the last month, with pictures, ta boot! Let's start with November 10th, and go backwards fr</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">om there. It all started at the Swearing Festival at the Edinburgh Castle Pub in the Tenderloin District in San Francisco. Gwen and I were working the door at this annual literary event hosted by Alan Black, the proprietor of the Castle. Basically, the event is pretty straightforward: Local writers get up on stage and swear/curse in what is (generally speaking) a creative manner. My job (volunteer, of course) was to rubber stamp everyone with an identifier</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> and assist Gwen, who was collecting the cover charge, with a bit of crowd control at the door. Easy enough, but all of the sudden there was a huge noise that sounded like a shotgun going off, and like the good First Responder that I am, I ran up Geary St. to the intersection at Larkin. An accident had taken place:<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/Rzk5rJsfWrI/AAAAAAAABlU/f74y0PAKEVU/s1600-h/DSCF4632.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/Rzk5rJsfWrI/AAAAAAAABlU/f74y0PAKEVU/s200/DSCF4632.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132196663865072306" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It had been raining all evening, and the driver of this vehicle had somehow forgotten the Cardinal Rule of Driving: Shiny Side Up. When I got to the accident scene, I sized it up and crossed over to the car to look for the victim/s, but the victim was all ready out of the car and walking around with his cell phone to his ear (probably the cause of the accident in the first place). I asked him if he was alright (he was), then waited for the FD to arrive.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Back to the Castle, and more swearing/cursing. The evening went well with lots of funny monologues and short skits demonstrating the human need to use the seven words you're not allowed to say on television (unless you're on cable, of course).<br /><br />Earlier that day, I gave Gwen the beautiful engagement ring that I had bought for her, officially sealing the deal in her efforts to make me an honest man. We went out for a walk in the rain at Crissy Field, and standing near the Bay under our umbrellas, I placed the ring on her finger and told her once again that I love her.<br />More later...Dave<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/Rzk-uJsfWsI/AAAAAAAABlg/r_NsOooKFZM/s1600-h/DSCF4628.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/Rzk-uJsfWsI/AAAAAAAABlg/r_NsOooKFZM/s200/DSCF4628.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132202212962818754" border="0" /></a>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48790867894059319.post-15161556090116868732007-10-10T18:19:00.000-07:002007-10-10T18:46:34.230-07:00Welcome Back to the World<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/Rw18A-XtmLI/AAAAAAAABk8/YRlUHr7Oihc/s1600-h/Dave+at+Sat+Dome.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/Rw18A-XtmLI/AAAAAAAABk8/YRlUHr7Oihc/s200/Dave+at+Sat+Dome.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5119884707574421682" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Hi All,<br />It's been a whirlwind the past few weeks, and I'm once again astonished and in awe at the places and experiences that living life can present. Just a few weeks ago I was living life at Palm</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">er, and now I'm back in California, happily swimming and reacquainting myself with life in the good 'ol USA. The pictures here are a testament to how much things change:<br />This is me (above) at the satellite dome </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">at Palmer Station. The picture was captured by the PRIMO webcam, courtesy of Phil Spindler, on 21 Sept. 2007. Now, here </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/Rw19zeXtmMI/AAAAAAAABlE/LKK4Ne65-yE/s1600-h/Dave+at+Pacific.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/Rw19zeXtmMI/AAAAAAAABlE/LKK4Ne65-yE/s200/Dave+at+Pacific.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5119886674669443266" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I am at Half Moon Bay (4 October 2007) wondering, "how cold is this water?<br /> <br />HAH! The water is about 52F, but as you can see I'm testing the waters before I jump in. I recommend jumping in.<br /></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48790867894059319.post-83348449125511501392007-10-03T14:05:00.000-07:002008-11-18T21:09:47.435-08:00The Drake Passage<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RwQPzeXtmFI/AAAAAAAABjk/xaH0ZP5dHco/s1600-h/Stern+view+of+LMG.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RwQPzeXtmFI/AAAAAAAABjk/xaH0ZP5dHco/s200/Stern+view+of+LMG.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117232453599991890" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Or as I'll think of it from now on, the "Straits of Insanity". We had a really rough trip across the Drake, but we made it back to Puenta Arenas on Saturday, October 1st, after staying in the harbor in a holding pattern, unable to dock due to high winds. We finally got off the ship at 7:00 that e</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">vening after being checked through Chilean customs. After a night on the town, most of us got on planes the next day to go home to friends and loved ones. Below are a few notes I m</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">ade during the voyage, but by day two of the trip I was too busy trying not to fall over to write much. No seasickness for me, but I'm still feeling "dock rock" after being off the ship for four days. Oh, and I got my finger fractured after being attacked by a 45 degree couch in the ship's lounge. I'm now back in California, enjoying some some rest and vacation, and looking forward to catching up with everyone.</span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><st1:date month="9" day="24" year="2007"><span style="">24 September 2007</span></st1:date><span style="">-Aboard the LMG:</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RwQWXuXtmKI/AAAAAAAABkQ/cuyLQkGiqHg/s1600-h/Chris+polar+plunging.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RwQWXuXtmKI/AAAAAAAABkQ/cuyLQkGiqHg/s200/Chris+polar+plunging.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117239673440016546" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style=""><o:p></o:p>My fellow winter-overs and I left Palmer Station via Zodiac last night and spent the night </span><span style="">aboard the LMG.<span style=""> </span>This morning we all had breakfast, and then the ship went close to the Palmer pier so that our friends from the summer crew could do the traditional Polar Plunge as each boat leaves station.<span style=""> </span>Lots of jumpers this time, including winter-over Station Manager Eric, who has to stay behind and help train the new Station Admin., Chris.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="">The forecast for our crossing of the Drake is bad.<span style=""> </span>Definitely going to have a rough crossing, but since I’ve usually had easy crossings, I’m up for it.<span style=""> </span>We may make a stop at </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="">Deception</span></st1:placename><span style=""> </span><st1:placetype></st1:placetype></st1:place><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RwQQcuXtmGI/AAAAAAAABjs/LZFTUNcFi8A/s1600-h/Neptunes+Bellows.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RwQQcuXtmGI/AAAAAAAABjs/LZFTUNcFi8A/s200/Neptunes+Bellows.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117233162269595746" border="0" /></a><st1:place><st1:placetype><span style="">Island</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style=""> on the way home if we’re able to get to </span><st1:place><span style="">Neptune</span></st1:place><span style="">’s Bellows, (pictured left) the entrance to the harbor.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><st1:date month="9" day="25" year="2007"><span style="">25 September 2007</span></st1:date><span style="">-Aboard the LMG<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="">It’s going to be a really rough crossing.<span style=""> </span>We</span><span style="">’re not even to the </span><span style="">Drake yet, and already the waves are above 5 meters.<span style=""> </span>The weather forecaster for our voyage back in </span><st1:state><st1:place><span style="">South Carolina</span></st1:place></st1:state><span style=""> says that it’s “definitely going to be a rough crossing”.<span style=""> </span>Happily, we stopped at </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="">Deception</span></st1:placename><span style=""> </span><st1:placetype><span style="">Island</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style=""> for about an hour today.<span style=""> </span>This island is actually an active volcano, or, a “restless caldera”.<span style=""> </span>It’s the only volcano in the world that you can pilot a vessel into.<span style=""> </span>The island has a long history of human activity since 1820 including exploration, </span><span style="">sealing, whaling, aviation, and scientific research.<span style=""> </span>The entrance to the caldera is a 500 meter wide chann</span><span style="">el called </span><st1:place><span style="">Neptune</span></st1:place><span style="">’s Bellows, and it can be treacherous to navigate.<span style=""> </span>A </span><span style="">cruise ship ran aground there last year.<span style=""> </span>We made it through the Bellows into Whaler’s Bay, which contains numerous ruins of historical significance. The Norwegian whaling station Hektor was founded there in 1912 and abandoned in 1931. In 1928 the Australian Sir Hubert Wilkins and the Canadian Carl Ben Eileson undertook the first powered flight in the Antarctic, taking off from the flat beach at Whaler’s Bay. In addition there is a small cemetery used by the whalers, and most interesting, an airplane hangar built on the site by the British in WWII as part of a top secret operation known as “Operation Tabarin”, an effort to combat Nazi warships that were attacking and capturing Norwegian whaling vessels.<span style=""> </span>As part of Operation Tabarin, the British established a permanent base in </span><st1:place><st1:placename><span style="">Whalers</span></st1:placename><span style=""> </span><st1:placetype><span style="">Bay</span></st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="">, “Base B” in 1943.<span style=""> </span>Operation</span><span style=""> Tabarin was terminated in 1945, and Base B was turned over to the organization that later became the British Antarctic Survey.<span style=""> The station was abandoned in 1970 when the volcano erupted and destroyed much of the site.</span></span><span style=""><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" face="trebuchet ms"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RwQRKOXtmHI/AAAAAAAABj0/lYW6k1iOwn0/s1600-h/Penguins.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RwQRKOXtmHI/AAAAAAAABj0/lYW6k1iOwn0/s200/Penguins.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117233943953643634" border="0" /></a><span style="">After the LMG got situated in Whaler’s Bay, we launched a Zodiac, and most of the people on board got taxied to the landing on the beach, and we all walked around the ruins for an hour or so as the weather began to deteriorate.<span style=""> </span>In 1969-70, numerous eruptions occurred in the caldera, and the British base was abandoned, and some of the buildings were destroyed.<span style=""> </span>It</span><span style=""> was amazing to walk around and see a bit of Antarctic </span><span style="">history.<span style=""> </span></span><span style="">Just as we arrived a small group of Gentoo penguins was arising out of the water as if to greet us.<span style=""> </span>They walked up onto the </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RwQStOXtmII/AAAAAAAABj8/ycCNvgA3kzw/s1600-h/Dave+at+Deception+Island.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RwQStOXtmII/AAAAAAAABj8/ycCNvgA3kzw/s200/Dave+at+Deception+Island.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117235644760692866" border="0" /></a><span style="">shore about 100 meters or so to </span><span style="">lie down for a break.<span style=""> </span>We also sighted one emaciated looking fur seal sleeping under the hull of an abandoned whaling ship, and one indifferent immature elephant seal.<span style=""> We left just as the weather took a turn for the worse, and carried on into the Drake.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><br /><span style=""><span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><st1:date month="9" day="26" year="2007"><span style="">26 September 2007-</span></st1:date><span style=""> on board the LMG<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="">The weather forecaster was right.<span style=""> </span>We are getting into some rough ocean.<span style=""> </span>Today at </span><span style="">lunch the captain of the LMG got up from the table and said, “well, lets go get our asses kicked” as he proceeded to the bridge.<span style=""> </span>He wasn’t kidding.<span style=""> </span>The waves are anywhere from 5-10 meters, making it difficult to walk </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RwQTROXtmJI/AAAAAAAABkE/WFfiMqUNSa8/s1600-h/Tanks+at+Deception+Island.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RwQTROXtmJI/AAAAAAAABkE/WFfiMqUNSa8/s200/Tanks+at+Deception+Island.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5117236263235983506" border="0" /></a><span style="">around, or sit down, for that matter. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="MsoNormal"><st1:date month="9" day="26" year="2007"></st1:date><span style=""> <o:p></o:p></span></p>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48790867894059319.post-87191555766239280542007-09-23T15:26:00.000-07:002007-09-23T15:31:41.005-07:00Goodbye Palmer Station<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Hi All,<br /><br />In about a half hour I'm getting on board the Gould and sailing home. I'll be out of email contact for the next 4-5 days. You can follow the boat's progress through the Drake Passage using the cool web utility from an earlier post. I can't wait to see all of my friends and family, and hope that you're all doing well. I have to go now and say goodbye to all of the great friends I've met here.<br /><br />Take care,<br />David<br /><br /><br /></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48790867894059319.post-65114053208451087782007-09-22T16:02:00.000-07:002007-09-22T17:27:43.824-07:00Winter Comes to a Close<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RvWpvuXtl7I/AAAAAAAABiM/Bj-0FbeowqA/s1600-h/LMG.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RvWpvuXtl7I/AAAAAAAABiM/Bj-0FbeowqA/s200/LMG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5113179589315499954" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Hi All,</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Well, the R/V Laurence M. Gould arrived at Palmer Station on 19 September, and it was a beautiful sight to see as it came around Bonaparte Point. However, while we were tying the ship up to the mooring pins during some</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> heavy sea surge, not one, not two,</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> but three mooring pins snapped off. As I was assisting with installing the gang plank, the stern</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> pin (the pins are 4" diameter steel emb</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">edded into solid rock. It takes ALOT of force to snap</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> one off) snapped off, and we quickly disconnected the gangplank and the bow lines and the LMG went </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">back out to sea while we scrambled to rig up a spare stern pin. The LMG came back to the pier, and we repeated the docking procedure...then again, while we were installing the gang plank, the two bow pins</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> snapp</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">ed off simultaneously, and we again quickly disconnected the pier lines and the stern lines and the boat set out to sea again. This whole series of events</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> was unheard of, and the bottom line was that the boat was unable to dock at the pier</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> because we couldn't tie it up with only</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> the pier pins.</span> <span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br />Plan B was set into motion.</span> <br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">All of the cargo was to be sling loaded onto Zodiac boats and carried to station, then sling loaded onto station with a Skytrack. SO, I went to work with our Boating Coordinator,</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Ryan, and two Marine Technicians from the LMG. We spent two days loading and unloading vital cargo. Call it Dave's idea of a per</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">fect end of winter day: running</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> around in a Zodiac playing Fed Ex Antarctica. Serious "Only</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">in Antarctica" style activities. Below are some pictures which tell a little bit about my experiences over the past 4 days, which ended tonight with a birthday party for our station doctor, Shawn, and me in the lap of an old friend, Chris Hush, who started in the Antarctic</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Program the same year I did: 1992. Time flies by. For the last four days I've been performing turnover </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">with my summer counterpart, Phil Spindler, and hauling cargo around by Zodiac. I'm truly</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> exhausted, as many a winter-over can appreciate, but exhilarated at the same time, and I still have to pack up all of my belongings and get ready to get on the boat</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> tomorrow. We leave for Puenta Arenas on 24 September, if all goes according to plan. But the plan is subject to change, as the past four days attest. This may well be my last blog entry</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> from Palmer Station, but I'll update this whole story later when I get back to the States. I hope to see all of my family and friends s</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">oon, but I'll miss t</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">his</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> pla</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">ce and</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> the ne</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RvWqTuXtl8I/AAAAAAAABiU/QECJfrExMyA/s1600-h/Fed+Ex+Antarctica.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RvWqTuXtl8I/AAAAAAAABiU/QECJfrExMyA/s200/Fed+Ex+Antarctica.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5113180207790790594" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RvWq_eXtl9I/AAAAAAAABic/QALH2z1XHo8/s1600-h/Phil+on+LMG.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RvWq_eXtl9I/AAAAAAAABic/QALH2z1XHo8/s200/Phil+on+LMG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5113180959410067410" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">w</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> fr</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">i</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">e</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">n</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">ds th</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RvWsVeXtl-I/AAAAAAAABik/ePZxWmU5UZk/s1600-h/Lilian+and+Julie.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RvWsVeXtl-I/AAAAAAAABik/ePZxWmU5UZk/s200/Lilian+and+Julie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5113182436878817250" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RvWsyuXtl_I/AAAAAAAABis/38qswV9u4F8/s1600-h/The+LMG+crane.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RvWsyuXtl_I/AAAAAAAABis/38qswV9u4F8/s200/The+LMG+crane.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5113182939389990898" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">at I've </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RvWtHOXtmAI/AAAAAAAABi0/8XzgPhkYVg4/s1600-h/Sling+load.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RvWtHOXtmAI/AAAAAAAABi0/8XzgPhkYVg4/s200/Sling+load.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5113183291577309186" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">ma</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">de here.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RvWt9OXtmCI/AAAAAAAABjE/pqxMkvm-Oh4/s1600-h/Sling+load+at+Palmer.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RvWt9OXtmCI/AAAAAAAABjE/pqxMkvm-Oh4/s200/Sling+load+at+Palmer.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5113184219290245154" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RvWtl-XtmBI/AAAAAAAABi8/BGpvdVBD3F4/s1600-h/Fed+Ex+Antarctica+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RvWtl-XtmBI/AAAAAAAABi8/BGpvdVBD3F4/s200/Fed+Ex+Antarctica+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5113183819858286610" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RvWvguXtmEI/AAAAAAAABjU/yBSbiKYqPVA/s1600-h/Red+making+fun+at+my+expense.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RvWvguXtmEI/AAAAAAAABjU/yBSbiKYqPVA/s200/Red+making+fun+at+my+expense.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5113185928687228994" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RvWufeXtmDI/AAAAAAAABjM/Z-DFlP6_87E/s1600-h/Me+and+Chris+hush.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RvWufeXtmDI/AAAAAAAABjM/Z-DFlP6_87E/s200/Me+and+Chris+hush.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5113184807700764722" border="0" /></a>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48790867894059319.post-53158037958328095752007-09-18T11:39:00.000-07:002007-09-18T12:18:06.374-07:00A Big Orange Boat<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RvAeFokWIVI/AAAAAAAABh8/X2O8rWHwgZI/s1600-h/Peninsula+map.PNG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RvAeFokWIVI/AAAAAAAABh8/X2O8rWHwgZI/s200/Peninsula+map.PNG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5111618659203555666" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Hi All,<br /><br /><a href="http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/shipposition.phtml?call=WCX7445">Linked here</a> is a cool web utility that we use to track where the R/V Laurence M. Gould is located. Right now they're about 90-110 km from Palmer, but they're sailing through the Gerlache Strait, and there may be some heavy sea ice built up around that area. At any rate the boat was due to arrive here today, but has been postponed till tomorrow morning. It's slow going for them, but they'll be here soon, and some happy but tired Palmer winter-over folks will be sailing home next week.<br /><br />Oh. And here is a link to the <a href="http://www.polartrec.com/node/1719"></a><a href="http://www.polartrec.com/node/1719">Polartrec</a> website. The teacher on board the R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer for the SIMBA cruise, Ms. Sarah Anderson, interviewed me for her ongoing journal while the Palmer was here last week. It sounds like the SIMBA cruise will be able to carry on once the soot is removed and the damage repaired after the devastating fire the boat had.<br /></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48790867894059319.post-53430637721638527222007-09-16T16:14:00.000-07:002007-09-18T06:44:42.015-07:00A Warm Day<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/Ru26UokWIUI/AAAAAAAABhs/X96n5RXwFqY/s1600-h/my+bedroom.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/Ru26UokWIUI/AAAAAAAABhs/X96n5RXwFqY/s200/my+bedroom.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5110946015785394498" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I know this is anecdotal, but it was so hot here today that after I turned the heat off in my bedroom, I still had to open up the window to get some relief. And there I was, wearing shorts and a t-shirt. Granted, there were few clouds in the vicinity and the sun was shining directly onto my side of the building, but still...September is on average supposed to be the coldest month of the year. Global climate change, or just a warm day? Looking out my window directly across Arthur Harbor is a piece of land that was once called Norsel Point. It's now been renamed Amsler Island, as the Marrs Glacier has receded so much that its readily apparent that there's an island there. We're melting...<br /><br /><br /><br /></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48790867894059319.post-64804606671947093872007-09-15T16:52:00.000-07:002007-09-15T18:02:20.797-07:00Countdown<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/Ruxwy4kWIRI/AAAAAAAABhE/PZAMbRyxe8I/s1600-h/Go+Home.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/Ruxwy4kWIRI/AAAAAAAABhE/PZAMbRyxe8I/s200/Go+Home.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5110583696639271186" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Someone wrote this on the community whiteboard a couple of days ago, and ain't it funny and the truth. We're all ready to leave Antarctica and head north to warmer climes and see familiar (and perhaps unfamiliar) faces, perhaps spending some time lounging around on a warm beach or hiking through a forest somewhere. We're expecting the LMG to arrive here on the 18th or so, depending on the ice conditions, and then we'll have a week of turnover with the summer folks and then it's buh-bye.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/Rux6fokWISI/AAAAAAAABhU/-fFLlnbhl_A/s1600-h/Bartending.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/Rux6fokWISI/AAAAAAAABhU/-fFLlnbhl_A/s200/Bartending.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5110594361043067170" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Tonight we had our last Saturday dinner together, and as I do every Saturday evening I hosted "Science Happy Hour". The bar here at Palmer</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> is self-serve, but on Saturday nights I get to play bartender and serve up some adult beverages in the galley, while our chef, Diane, makes some great appetizers. Usually I try to have a theme of some sort for the occasion, so tonight I decided to whip up some Pisco Sours, which is a traditional Chilean beverage consisting of Pisco, lemon juice, sugar, egg whites, and bitters. Since we'll be back in Chile in a couple of weeks, it seemed like a good idea, plus we made sushi tonight, and Piscos are a light beverage which went well with it. The </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">sushi was incredibly tasty, and reminded me of </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/Rux7i4kWITI/AAAAAAAABhc/gBUeG72bsW4/s1600-h/P1010020.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/Rux7i4kWITI/AAAAAAAABhc/gBUeG72bsW4/s200/P1010020.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5110595516389269810" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">my favorite sushi restaurant back in San Luis Obispo, Tsurugi's.<br />We also have a pool going, to see who can guess what time of day the LMG will call us when it gets close to arrival. Usually they call about an hour or two before arriving in here. I chose 11:00...<br /></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48790867894059319.post-86983364437617354462007-09-11T10:39:00.000-07:002007-09-11T10:59:59.572-07:00Penguin Extinction<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RubVQbeMlbI/AAAAAAAABg0/8fUaKRHcygw/s1600-h/Sensei.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RubVQbeMlbI/AAAAAAAABg0/8fUaKRHcygw/s200/Sensei.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5109005305527440818" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19918376/">Here is a link</a> to an article I found on MSNBC earlier today. Bill Fraser, the Principal Investigator (PI) interviewed for this story, left Palmer shortly before I arrived in March, but it was his research I was supporting when I was weighing giant petrel chicks last April/May out on Humble Island. When I arrived here there were still some Gentoo and Adelie penguins to be seen, and occasionally they would even come onto station and hang around the pier. But as Dr. Fraser attests, the local penguin population is quickly dying out as a result of global climate change. The Adelie penguins at left, appearing to bow in homage to the skua, may be a thing of the past here at Palmer within eight years.<br /></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48790867894059319.post-25927203639216454602007-09-09T16:53:00.000-07:002007-09-10T04:59:14.661-07:00A Brief History of The Week<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RuSRc7eMlWI/AAAAAAAABf4/0f8S6-315_0/s1600-h/P1010015.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RuSRc7eMlWI/AAAAAAAABf4/0f8S6-315_0/s200/P1010015.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108367803531695458" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Hi All,<br />The past few days have been busy, with the normal end of winter frenzy involving cleaning/tasking/reports and trying to tie all the loose ends up, and then, all of the sudden, there's an emergency.<br /><br />On Tuesday, 9/4, I got up a bit early and went down to BIO to get a cup of joe and write a little bit before work. However, things changed when I opened my email and found out that we were going to be getting an u</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">nexpected visit from the Nathaniel B. Palmer, which had left Puenta Arenas on 1 September bound for a two month cruise in support of a science project called <a href="http://www.polartrec.com/simba-antarctic-sea-ice">SIMBA</a> ( a great acronym: <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">S</span>ea <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">I</span>ce <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">M</span>ass <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">B</span>alance in <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">A</span>ntarctica).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Enroute to their destination in the vicinity of the Bellinghausen Sea, the expedition took a turn for the worse as there was a fire in one of the science labs. Thankfully, no one was actually in the lab when the fire started, and no injuries occurred as a direct result of the fire or the containment of it. The vessel was going to carry on with the cruise, but needed to stop here at Palmer to refill their SCBA's and get a few things that had been forgotten or had not otherwise made it onto the boat.<br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">When th</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">e ship arrived, Arthur Harbor was packed with ice, and as the NBP isn't able to actually dock at our pier because of its draft, the captain tried to break up some of the sea ice so that a Zodiac boat could attempt to make it into the vicinity of our sea water intake, which was not a good choice for a landing area. The picture above shows what they were dealing with, and a rubber Zodiac is not a good vehicle for breaking through ice when it's 6"-9" inches thick. Anyway, eventually the NBP came into Hero Inlet to break up the ice next to the pier, and then the crew released the "Cajun Cruncher", which is a steel-hulled boat that looks like a mini-NBP. After some serious effort, the Cruncher made it to the Palmer pier, and the SCBA's were passed up, along with the first new faces we've seen in 2 months.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RuShgbeMlXI/AAAAAAAABgI/rIaNuDIn-10/s1600-h/P1010017.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RuShgbeMlXI/AAAAAAAABgI/rIaNuDIn-10/s200/P1010017.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108385455847282034" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I met the Marine Projects Coordinator (MPC) from the vessel, and after hauling all of the SCBA's up to the Dive Shack where</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> the compressor is located, I assisted with the compressor, and then Stian gave me a list of some additional science supplies they would like to get for the boat. That done, there was then alot of conversation about what had happened and what was going to happen in terms of the rest of the voyage. It became apparent that the air quality aboard the boat was not good. So the SIMBA cruise was put on hold as a judgment was made regarding whether or not they should continue. Meantime, the scientists and crew came here on station and we all got to </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RuSjD7eMlYI/AAAAAAAABgQ/j60AcNygdx0/s1600-h/Palmer+galley"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RuSjD7eMlYI/AAAAAAAABgQ/j60AcNygdx0/s200/Palmer+galley" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108387165244265858" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">hang out together. On Friday night we had what is known down here as "Cross Town Pizza", and the NBP provided us with fresh lettuce and tomatoes and we all pitched in to make pizzas and dine</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> together. I got to see a few folks who I haven't seen in years, and met a few people who I had heard about but had never actually met. It's a small world here in the USAP, and it's always good to see and meet folks for the first time or see and catch up with people who you haven't seen in years.<br /><br />Long story short, because of health/safety issues, the SIMBA cruise was postponed and the NBP left yesterday to head back to PA. In such an enclosed air space, where the soot from the fire got into everything/everyone (including all of the servers on board), and the crew is breathing this in all day, the ship needs a thorough cleaning before it can carry on with the</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> cruise. The cruise will be attenuated, but when it gets to PA a cleaning crew will be waiting to come aboard and get the boat ready to carry on with the expedition.<br /><br />In a way, the unscheduled arrival of the NBP was a dry run for the scheduled arrival of the Laurence M. Gould on 17 September, that being the boat that will carry me and most of my fellow winter-overs back to Puenta Arenas and the rest of the world. I can't wait.<br /><br />One last note, we finally decided upon our Official Palmer Station Winter 2007 picture. It's been a good winter.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RuSrELeMlaI/AAAAAAAABgk/GKZdMAQ7mfs/s1600-h/WinteroverPhoto2007.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RuSrELeMlaI/AAAAAAAABgk/GKZdMAQ7mfs/s200/WinteroverPhoto2007.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108395965632255394" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br /><br /></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48790867894059319.post-51062817452925634712007-09-05T19:19:00.001-07:002007-09-08T06:33:14.368-07:00All of the Time<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">I had meant to post alot more than just a title to this post, but it's been a very busy few days, and I'll just start another post. However, thanks to Station Leader Eric Pohlman for this beautiful picture of the last full moon over the station taken from the roof of the GWR building.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/Rt9vK7eMlVI/AAAAAAAABfk/7ff_Cb9ptbs/s1600-h/Palmer+Moon.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/Rt9vK7eMlVI/AAAAAAAABfk/7ff_Cb9ptbs/s200/Palmer+Moon.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106922736015152466" border="0" /></a>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48790867894059319.post-53820202675910948862007-08-31T18:16:00.000-07:002007-09-09T19:19:28.831-07:00Antarctic Cuisine<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RtoQVLeMlTI/AAAAAAAABes/TSl4XyLIzw8/s1600-h/P1010011.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RtoQVLeMlTI/AAAAAAAABes/TSl4XyLIzw8/s200/P1010011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5105411083620619570" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Ah...Cooking. In Antarctica.<br /><br />You work with what you have, and though there aren't always the freshest ingredients to work with down here, it's possible to create some seriously delicious dishes.<br /><br />Antarctic cuisine has had its ebbs and flows, from OAE (Old Antarctic Explorers) who brought food down here in the form </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">of lots and lots of canned goods, to those who consumed seals and penguins, to the ones who brought dogs down here to help them get around by sled and then ate them.<br /><br />Yesterday, with help from Diane (who in my humble opinion is one of the Best Antarctic Chefs ever), I made one of my favorite Thai dishes, called Larb. Those of you who know me well know that I love to cook this dish, and though the name rhymes with lard, Larb (or Larp) is a very refreshing, light meal that I learned how to make in Thailand, back in 2003.<br /><br />At Mais Quiet Zone, on Khao Lak beach.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />Mai owned a small, low-key resort with her husband, Gerard. In February 2003 I went to Thailand for the first time, and one night sitting at a table for dinner, I asked Mai what she would recommend. "Larp", she said. "Larp, of Chiang Mai. You may like it". I loved it, and asked her to show me how to make it.<br /><br />Larp is a chicken or pork-based dish (or fish, if you want) that is, of course, made with liberal amounts of lemongrass, cilantro, fish sauce, and the addition of some spicy peppers, to taste. The trick is to mince the chicken or pork well so that the spices permeate it.<br /><br />Every time that I make this dish I remember Mai and thank her for showing me such a great recipe. Every time I make it tastes slightly different. It's an ongoing experiment. Though we're out of fresh cilantro </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">and lemongrass until the boat gets here on the 17th, it tasted great, and was devoured at our station BBQ. And no penguins, seals, or dogs had to be sacrificed to make it.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RuSo8LeMlZI/AAAAAAAABgc/YIqAngkht3s/s1600-h/P1010003.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RuSo8LeMlZI/AAAAAAAABgc/YIqAngkht3s/s200/P1010003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5108393629170046354" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Just added at left: Palmer residents Sara Russell, Dr. Shawn Vainio, Dan Simas, Karen Malesky, and Bede McCormick hard at work making cookies and prepping garlic at last Saturday's House Mouse.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48790867894059319.post-45330772965987836272007-08-29T18:23:00.000-07:002007-08-30T04:15:31.607-07:00Lunar Eclipse<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RtYdRLeMlRI/AAAAAAAABeU/MX_70Wk1n3E/s1600-h/8-28-07+lunar+eclipse2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RtYdRLeMlRI/AAAAAAAABeU/MX_70Wk1n3E/s200/8-28-07+lunar+eclipse2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104299408645461266" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Yesterday morning we experienced a full lunar eclipse here at Palmer Station. It was also visible in California and some of the other Western states, but most interesting was that it was fully visible at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. At left is a photo taken here at Palmer of the waxing eclipse, and below is a series taken at the Pole itself.<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Nota Bene</span>: On 9/11/2007, there will be a partial eclipse of the sun.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RtYdwreMlSI/AAAAAAAABec/2gTA4eYVNNg/s1600-h/lunareclipse.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/RtYdwreMlSI/AAAAAAAABec/2gTA4eYVNNg/s200/lunareclipse.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104299949811340578" border="0" /></a>Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48790867894059319.post-89740464914162471632007-08-23T21:36:00.000-07:002007-08-24T06:34:30.010-07:00BIG EYE<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">BIG EYE=insomnia.<br />must. get. sleep.<br />will. update. soon.<br /><br />However, before I fall asleep, here's a picture that's a candidate for our official Palmer</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> Station winter-over pic. We may do a re-shoot, as the mountains in the background didn't turn out the way we had envisioned.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/Rs7dw7eMlQI/AAAAAAAABeE/_W6CLj1yY5E/s1600-h/Group+photo+8-18-07%232.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_74F0Km3YHmM/Rs7dw7eMlQI/AAAAAAAABeE/_W6CLj1yY5E/s200/Group+photo+8-18-07%232.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5102259260525155586" border="0" /></a> Goodnight.Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07151782770825703838noreply@blogger.com0