Today is MoTday.
Trip Start
Sep 19, 2010
1
17
20
Trip End
Mar 31, 2011
McMurdo Station, Ross Island
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
I spent the last week and a half working out at the ice runway while the DA who normally does it was in Christchurch on her R and R before she spends the winter here. I drove to and from the runway twice a day, which meant I was able to see anywhere between 11 and 20 emperor penguins 4 times a day. It is almost a little ridiculous when I think about it. "Oh look, there are the penguins again." I call it the best commute to work ever. There were a few days that the weather was bad enough to delay some flights, and was declared Condition 2. I had to check out on the radio with the firehouse before I left McMurdo, and had to check back in once I had reached Pegasus. "Firehouse, firehouse, this is galley truck 139. Destination is Pegasus runway, driver's last name is Coffin, 1 soul on board, ETA is 5:05 am, point of contact is the galley at 2212."
I have been on MidRats for a month, and the confusion of what time of day it is is still there. We have decided that time is easier when it is thought of in absolutes. For a while, I would call the time after I got off work nighttime, even though it was actually morning. It became super confusing when trying to describe when I did something. "Well, last night I went to Hut Point." In my head that meant around 8:30 am earlier that day. Don't try and wrap your brain around it. We have names for the 'days' we work. Today, (Monday night...which is actually 5:30 in the morning on Tuesday) is called MoTday. TuWday, WeTday, ThuFday, FriSday, SaSday, and SuMday make up the rest of the week.
Tonight (around 2 am) I walked to Hut Point yet again. The fuel tanker is sitting in the dock and Oden the ice breaker is wandering around breaking up ice until the supply ship comes in a few days. The ice has broken up and melted quite a bit, but there is still a lot and it re-freezes fairly fast. Seals were coming up to breathe as we looked out, and there was a small part of open water that we were able to see them swimming around. A vast contrast to the 20 foot thick barrier that used to block our view.
Time has flown by so quickly, and my thoughts of leaving are bittersweet. I look forward to traveling, but it pains me to think of the day I won't be able to walk outside and be surrounded by what place has become to me. The cold, the beauty, the people.
Comments
The time has flown by! Enjoy your last few weeks on the Ice. Getting excited to see you in NZ!