Anthony Bourdain Visited Antarctica last Summer and South Pole Winter Games

Anthony Bourdain and his crew from "Parts Unknown" visited McMurdo Station on the coast and also the South Pole last summer. He posted several articles and videos on CNN. Here's what he had to say about Antarctica:

Bourdain’s Field Notes

There’s been some whiskey drinking. The blue-tinged ice cubes in our glasses—older, we are told, than the very idea of whiskey. It’s warm tonight by local standards, which can see temperatures drop to 50 below and beyond. So, as one does in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica, at the bottom of the world, I go to the beach and play Frisbee.

I pick my way across the ice-covered lake, unsteady on my crampons, and flop gratefully down on soft sand, staring up at a midnight sun that never sets. Behind me a few yards away, looming overhead, is the massive, 200-foot-high wall of a glacier. In the other direction, what looks very much like Mars.

Rarely, if ever, has an episode of “Parts Unknown” so descriptively lived up to its title. Antarctica is the last un-fucked-up place on Earth. Chances are you can’t go there. Certainly not the way we did.

We were extremely fortunate to have been invited by the National Science Foundation. Which meant that, along with incredible access and logistical support, there were rules and requirements.

All of us on the crew had to get rigorous medical exams, full labs, dental—the works. You break your hip at the South Pole, it’s going to be difficult and expensive to get you out. If your helicopter or your C-130 plane has to ditch, requiring an overnight stay on the ice, you better be physically up to it and fully briefed on procedure.

As unbelievably beautiful and unspoiled as Antarctica is, it’s no joke if things go wrong.

My daughter Jocelyn and I met Bourdain and chef Jose Andres in Washington D.C. November 2016 during the last leg of our around the world bicycle ride (fatherdaughtercyclingadventures.com). 

Anthony Bourdain standing at the ceremonial South Pole marker last summer.

I am training for the vertical tower sprint (upper left).

Inside the beer can (vertical tower) is very cold.

The beer can provides access from the station to the underground utilities, power plant, logistics and other facilities about 50 feet below the ice surface. 

Looking down from the top level of the beer can. The tower gives access to utilities, the power plant and logistics.

There is a double set of these doors for access to the main station.

I have been practicing for the beer can sprint, a race up 92 steps and 46 feet wearing full Extreme Cold Weather (ECW) gear (about 45 pounds). It is has been really difficult to run this every other day for two weeks. I run 10 cycles up and down. I'm not fast running the icy metal steps as I hold on to the railing the entire way. Don't want to slip on these steps. 

The "old guy" finished last at 42 seconds. I have never been fast. Plus most of the other competitors were less than half my age. 

Station second deck flooring is being replaced. 

Since my satellite schedule is moving backwards I am off at 1pm. I then volunteer to help the carpenters until 5pm. 

I drill and screw the new concrete decking. I like doing different things on station.