At the 2012 midwinter dinner in McMurdo Station Harry House read the following toast. I posted this in my blog last year and it is worthy of another post:
McMurdo Mid-winter Dinner - 2012 by Harry House
Mid-winter day is a
time of great significance here in the Antarctic. Celestially, it is
defined as the shortest ‘day’ of the year, and the beginnings of the Sun’s
gradual return in August. Early explorers would mark the day with feasts
and commemorative toasts to loved ones back home. For them, the day
provided a much-needed morale boost after many months of isolation. It
marked a ‘pivot point’ whereby they could start anticipating a call to action
in the gathering dawn.
Much has changed since
the Heroic Age of Antarctic exploration, both on the ice, and back ‘in the
world’. There are no Poles to discover any longer (though there are other
things). Nations no longer wait breathlessly in anticipation of our safe
return, carrying word of feats of endurance and discovery. We can
converse with our loved ones back home in almost real time, so our feeling of
isolation is much reduced from the days of yore. Certainly, we now enjoy
many of the comforts of home by comparison, though at times we all lose sight
of that. It is easy, and reasonable in many ways, for us to feel our
contributions pale in comparison to the legends of the past. It is
understandable that many of us no longer feel any connection to those that came
before us, or even to the legacy of the continent of Antarctica.
While all of this may
be true, it misses the point. Having the privilege of working here in the
winter is still one of the most unique opportunities in the world. For
that reason alone, we are all now members of an exclusive group of individuals
that share a common bond. This bond extends not only with each other, but
across all the stations on the continent on this special day. It
transcends time as well, as evidenced by the letters I read to you
previously. Do you not think that if the early explorers were alive
today, they would be just as interested in our sense of being here as
theirs? They are indeed with us tonight in spirit, and they also would
appreciate a place at the table. Please make room for them if you can.
And so, on this
special evening, I propose a toast to all the Antarctic Heroes, past and
present.
Thank you.
I would like to add:
I have the
privilege and honor of working in one of the most isolated places on earth.
Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station closed in early February leaving 44 souls to
work and live in isolation for 9 months. The station will reopen in early
November for the short Antarctic summer when the population swells to 150. During this time we
have been subjected to periods of brutal temperatures under -100 F with winds
that easily drop the temperature under -140. At these temperatures the word
cold doesn't mean anything. Even extremely cold is not appropriate. There is no
word to describe the feeling as you walk in the darkness and try to survive
from one building to the next. If the weather conditions permit you may see a
faint red light where you are headed. The darkness along with the cold and wind
can and will disorientate you in seconds, the large snow drifts will test your
stamina and frequent stumbling will make you think "now which way was I
headed?" as the last thing that you want is to be lost. But when it is
clear the reward is simply stunning as the sky is filled with stars
and varying shapes and colors of dazzling auroras that stretch from horizon to horizon. The South Pole winter sky is
unmatched in beauty. They say that a successful Antarctic winter is when you
return home with 10 fingers and 10 toes. This may sound funny but believe me it
is so very true. So why am I here? It is probably one of the most unique
opportunities on the planet to live an adventure and it is a huge physical and
mental challenge. This is only my second winter and this "old Antarctic
explorer" is enjoying the Antarctic experience.
by Michael Rice 6-22-2013
The sun will return to the South Pole at 0526 on September 21st and will remain above the horizon until March of 2014. The anticipation of this grand event is with all 44 souls on station. The moon is three weeks up and three weeks down.
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| The earth as it appears during the Austral Winter Solstice. |
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Part of the midwinter weekend activities included the traditional showing of The Shining at the South Pole Drive-in Theater (gym). For those unfamiliar with this film it is about a family who are winter caretakers at a large Colorado resort that closes during the winter because of the weather. The husband/father (Jack Nicholson) goes mad in the isolation and mayhem results. How appropriate for a Winter "Polie".
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Pictures from our Midwinter Dinner that we celebrated Saturday June 22, 2013.
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| A very nice table setting. |
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| Enjoying a Fat Tire. Photo credit: Cliff |
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| Shrimp along with cheese and crackers. |
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| A fine penguin holding a very nice menu. |
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| Greetings from around the continent. |
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| A table setting for those that have died at the South Pole. |
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| Opening a package from the summer crew. It contained 3-D puzzles, merino wool caps, various lip balms and lotions and candy. |
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| Drinks and appetizers before dinner. |
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| 44 souls seated for dinner. I am 4th on the right. Photo credit: Cliff |
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| Two of the three chefs on station. Photo credit: Cliff |
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| Roasted pumpkin bisque. |
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| My vegetarian appetizer. |
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| The main course with beef. |
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| My vegetarian version. |
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| Dessert. I didn't get a picture of our fresh salad with scallops. |
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| We had the fireplace going! |
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| After dinner we assembled 3-D puzzles of architectural wonders of the world. We each received one. |
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| Fun times. |
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| Really cool puzzles! |
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| South Pole Winter Crew. I am in the last row 4th from the left. |
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