Changing of the Flags

At sunrise the flags at the ceremonial South Pole marker that have flown all winter are removed and raffled to station crew. These flags represent the twelve original signers of the Antarctic Treaty in 1959. Since then many other countries have signed this treaty. Photo credit to all the flag pictures: Brett

New flags are then attached to the flag poles. During the raffle I won the New Zealand flag seen here! My daughter and I spent six weeks exploring the island nation with our bicycles in 2012 - one leg of our world journey. The excellent medical duo of Catherine and Sarah removed the flag (which I won) and installed the new one. 

The new flags flying proudly.

The last several days have been very cold near -100F with windchills in the -140's. Now another Antarctic storm has enveloped us. This and the next view taken from my room.

Geographic South Pole sign and flag to the left.

A friend who volunteers in the Growth Chamber brought me some freshly grown broccoli while I was working. What a great snack! Thanks Catherine.

The storms continue blasting upstairs windows.

Snow accumulation on the window sills. 

Snow accumulation on an upstairs overhang.

A crane on one of the cargo decks.

The "trash yacht". All trash is separated inside the station, bagged, then deposited in cardboard tri-wall boxes. These boxes are then flown to McMurdo Station 835 miles away on the coast onboard the C-130 Hercules planes. One a year a supply ship arrives in McMurdo Sound. Once off-loaded from the planes all trash and recycled waste is loaded onto the ship and taken to the ship's homeport of Port Hueneme, California where the trash is off-loaded and sent to the appropriate landfill/recycling center. Seventy percent of all Antarctic trash is recycled. 

You always hear about kids and adults complaining about taking out the trash in the states. Spend one winter at the South Pole and you will never complain again. During the winter including 6 months of total dark in temperatures lower than -100F and windchills in the -150's we on station walk out the DZ exit and down the stairs shown here and walk through several feet of snow drifts to the trash yacht. We then figure out which box, as it is dark, then open that box in the cold wind, deposit the bag, then close and secure the box. It can be a very adventurous task. 

The station crew all signed the Norway flag. The winter station manager will take this flag to Oslo, Norway and deliver it to the Fram Museum. Amundsen sailed the Fram to Antarctica in 1911 for his trek to the South Pole which he and his team achieved in December 1911.

The Arctic/Antarctic ship Fram was specially designed for extreme ice sailing. It is in a museum in Norway.

The Fram in Antarctica as the crew prepares for their journey to the South Pole.

The Fram under sail.

End of the season parties in the galley bar.