Booze Pull and the beauty outside

Our winter is proceeding nicely at the South Pole. The lowest temperature so far has been -95F. Many storms have blown in snow from beyond the polar plateau (about 300 miles) building difficult to walk in drifts. It takes about an hour to reach the antenna domes now. I have completed 106 days with 163 to go - but who's counting! Our ship continues to rush through the darkness of space.

Moving beer, wine and booze from the outside "Booze Barn" to inside the station.

A few weeks ago the heater failed at the booze barn and destroyed a large quantity of soda and beer. I posted pictures of this a few posts ago. 

Now the beer is safely stowed in a summer room. 

The summer rooms are tiny. The population grows to over 150 in November. Now there are 46 souls onboard and we each get a much larger room. 

Our Milky Way galaxy. Photo credit: Hunter Davis

These are the actual colors of Australis Borealis behind the Skynet and DSCS antenna dome I work in. Photo credit: Hunter Davis

The SPRT antenna dome and RF shed. Photo credit: Hunter Davis

To the far right is the RF Building. It is a nice place to warm in before working on the antennas. To the left of that is the stations red glow. The yellow light under the dome is the RF warning light on the SPTR antenna further back. Photo credit: Hunter Davis.

Both of the antenna domes I work in. Notice the white streak above the SPTR dome. That is an iridium satellite streaking overhead. Photo credit: Hunter Davis.

From the station observation deck. The dark sector labs to the left. Photo credit: Matt Smith

More inside the station pictures

The stars are out.

The station and a typical aurora. 

One of two station lounges. This one has a small kitchen because it is located in the emergency part of the station. Part of the station can be sealed off if we are required to evacuate the main station areas. 

This lounge contains the paperback library along with lots of board games and puzzles. 

VHS tapes.

DVD's

One of two TV lounges.

Betamax before VHS.

A second tv lounge.

A fine collection of tv series dvd's.

The music room.

The gym.

Sauna.

I dry my laundry in my room as it dries fast and adds a little humidity.

South Pole medical.

During the winter all windows are covered in cardboard. They are available for people to draw and paint on.

Bicycle ride presentation and a "run" to McMurdo

Winter life in the station continues to go well. Walking to the antennas is sometimes difficult in the decreasing temperatures, darkness and increasing snow drifts. The South Pole is the driest desert in the world and it does not snow here but the snow from the coasts drift to the polar plateau and pile up on the first resistance it finds which is the station and outlying smaller huts. Walking in the dark causes lots of stumbles and sometimes falls. Our small red headlamps make it difficult to see. On a clear day the sky is alive with stars and auroras which help to light the way. But on a windy snow blowing day it can be most difficult. I continue to enjoy this one of a kind adventure.

The 2017 Pole marker.

An almost everyday occurrence 24 hours a day - Aurora Australis. Photo credit: Martin Wolf.

It is getting cold.

Arriving in the station from a walk to the antennas.

Part of our duties is "house mouse" where teams of four clean the station as in bathrooms, passageways, and lounges. Today my team had the task of shoveling snow from the two main entrances and away from the eight emergency exit doors. I will be happy to once again clean the bathrooms next Saturday. 

A weekly menu. I enjoy the vegetarian options that are not listed. Two days a week we enjoy fresh greens from the growth chamber.

One hour Sunday travel presentations in the galley for five weeks.

There is the large screen plus several small monitors facing the other way.

I have had excellent turnouts the last two Sundays with almost the entire station present.

My last winier of 2013 I "exercised" to McMurdo and decided to do it again.

In 2013 I ran to McMurdo, 835 miles and back for 1,670 miles. My name the second from the bottom as I had a late start from not feeling well when I first arrived. 

Four days a week I run the passageways for at least an hour which is 5 miles.

I also row for an hour on this excellent machine. At the start I ran outside on the ski-way. But now it is too dark and cold.