The South Pole is closed for the Winter

Sunday February 19, 2017

The last of the summer crew left the South Pole Wednesday on a C-130 Hercules. At McMurdo, they landed and returned to New Zealand on the C-17 I flew to McMurdo on. They then scattered to home and parts unknown. People who work in Antarctica are a different breed as they thrive for adventure and exploration and not the typical 8-5 jobs in the U.S. Southeast Asia is a very popular spot to explore after the ice along with various South Pacific islands. Then when duty calls again they return to the ice. The summer people (the South Pole summer starts November 1 and ends February 14) come year after year whereas most winterovers have had enough after just one winter. This is my third winter and I wish I had found about this adventure years ago. My neighbor said it best, “Mike you were born a few hundred years too late when all the great world exploration was happening”. You just can’t beat exploring the world by riding a bicycle in between three Antarctic winters.

Aerial pictures of Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. These are my three work areas 3/4 mile from the main station. It can be a brutal walk especially with the upcoming six months of total dark.

The science "Dark Sector" is to the upper left. 

The main station with the ceremonial South Pole marker in front. I live in the last wing on the left. The "beer can" to the left connects the station to the underground storage areas along with the power plant. It is a constant -50F there. 

The Dark Sector labs and telescopes.

The last flight out.

There are now 46 souls on station until November 1. Notice the finial on top of the flag pole. All points north.

Game of Thrones is very popular here.

South Pole library.

A fine place to donate our book.

The round winterover picture from 2013.

My name is 9th on the left.

The 100 year anniversary (2011) of Norway's Roald Amundsen first at the South Pole.

Laundry room. The summer bedding still needs to be stored.

The South Pole Greenhouse.

In 2013 we had fresh salads several times a week along with cantaloupes, strawberries and tomatoes. 

A nice place to sit and read.

Looking outside the station passageway.

My dorm.

My room.

The view from the end of my hall. The power plant is 50 feet under the ice. There are four generators' exhausts.

A view of the geographic South Pole marker from my room. The polar ice sheet of approximately two miles thick moves about 30 feet per year. This marker, sign and flag are moved each January 1st. 

We track three satellites that give us 12 hours of internet (mostly science uploads) and telephone coverage each day.

My office.

A South Pole closing tradition - watch all three "The Thing" movies after station closing in the South Pole Drive-in Theater. Pretty creepy. 

Real popcorn too!