Antarctic Antics

Home!

2010-02-25T04:38:00.001+13:00

Christchurch Cathedral

2010-02-21T12:31:00.003+13:00

One of my duties as the Support Force Antarctica Chaplain (sounds impressive, doesn't it?) is to care for the Erebus Chalice. This ornate silver chalice was given to the Antarctic program in 1987 by a descendent of Admiral Richard Byrd and is housed at the Cathedral in Christchurch during the austral winter months. In October as the Antarctic seasons gets underway, the first chaplain of the season goes to the Cathedral for a special worship service, accepts the chalice, and carries it to McMurdo Station for the summer. A friend of mine, Ch Mark Smith, got to do that last fall.

The end of the season is less fancy. They don't always make a show of returning the chalice to the cathedral at the end of the season, some years we just bring it by the office before we fly home. This year, however, we managed to do a brief ceremony at the beginning of worship. Just a few hours ago, I addressed the congregation and thanked them for their role in sending the good news even to the end of the Earth (I took the chalice to the South Pole and celebrated the Lord's Supper there with it).

I don't have much for pictures of the event. In case you missed the entry a few weeks ago, here I am with the Chalice at the Pole, just after we celebrated the Eucharist there.

And here is today, returning it to Dean Peter Beck at the Cathedral (I'm the shadow on the right). Unless a better picture appears (PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELLPHONES AND REFRAIN FROM FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY), this is my only record of this morning.

The cathedral is gorgeous and was a wonderful place to worship. It reminds me of something out a Patrick O'Brian novel. Dean Peter Beck was a gracious host and I especially enjoyed his invitation to the season of Lent. It was a tough sell for him to extoll the virtue of simplicity in such an elaborate location and service, but his sincerity was authentic.

Boys and girls, does anyone remember this color?

2010-02-21T08:02:00.001+13:00

Leaving the Ice

2010-02-21T07:50:00.002+13:00

Bag Drag

Our ride off the ice

Happy Camper

Loading cargo

On the ground in Christchurch!

A brief McMurdo dictionary

2010-02-19T09:44:00.004+13:00

Bag drag: the art of bringing everything you own to a building at the top of a very tall hill so it can be weighed and checked in before flying off the Antarctic continent. Planes going to and from Christchurch land on an ice sheet runway and don’t shut off the engines to ensure they can take off again in less than an hour, the time needed to unload and load passengers, baggage and cargo. A “bag drag” time is assigned to departing passengers about 18 hours before take off to allow time to palletize all cargo for quick loading. "Can I get a shuttle to pick me up for my bag drag? There's no earthly way I can carry this all. Why did I think I needed this much stuff?"

Recyling: There is no "trash" in Antarctica. Because everything is shipped off the continent, it is sorted and recycled. Most dorms and offices have 8 to 10 different recyling categories and locations within the dorm. Categories include wine bottles (glass), beer cans (aluminum), condoms (biohazard), anything flat (mixed paper), anything that can be crushed (paper towels), coffee grounds (food waste), and others. "How do I recycle my deodorant?"

Skua:
1. a bird related to the seagull that spends some of the austral summer on the edge of the Antarctic continent. A scavenger for food in this barren land, known to attacks humans who hold visible food.
2.a. An item, or collection of items one person gives up so another can scavenge: “Crap, I have a lot to pack. Some of this is going to be skua.” 2b. Can be a verb: “I’m going to skua my extra shampoo and soap. The winter-overs might want to bathe.” 2.c. Also an adjective: “I’m drinking a skua-ed Coke as I type this.”

Cheech: colloquial for Christchurch, New Zealand, derived from the airport code CHC. “The weather in Cheech today is 70 and sunny.”

Off-deck: refers to a plane that has departed and is on its way to a destination: “The C-17 is off deck Cheech and on time!”

Transport time: the assigned time to arrive at the same building at the top of a hill to board a large all-terrain vehicle for the 45 minute ride to the airstrip. “Transport for flight ACH058 is 1300 hours. If you miss this ride, you’ll spend the winter in Antarctica.”

Pegasus: the white ice runway about 13k from McMurdo Station. “See the wings of that crashed plane over there sticking out of the ice? That was a Pegasus. We don’t fly those anymore.”

Have a good winter! A common farewell when someone leaving Antarctica after the austral summer season speaks with someone staying for the winter. Sometimes spoken in earnest. Usually followed by rolling the eyes upward and/or muttering unintelligible prayers of gratitude to an unknown God.

You coming back next year?: A common farewell phrase used among those leaving Antarctica after the austral summer. After living together in extreme conditions, people avoid saying “goodbye” and so use this, or similar phrases, to substitute. Generally spoken with derision or in a mocking tone.

2010-02-18T11:12:00.002+13:00

I mean no disrespect toward the flag or military tradition, but I wanted to tell this story.

Yesterday afternoon, we sounded “Retreat” here at McMurdo Station. The last of the LC-130 ski-equipped aircraft left the continent for the long flights home (the usual route is Christchurch to Pago Pago to Hawaii to California to New York). There are about a dozen of us military folk left here to wrap up the season and so it fell upon us to maintain the tradition of officially lowering the flag and bringing to an official end the military mission for the season.

And so the word came out that at 1300 hours we were to meet at the flag pole. One of the visions many people have of the military is how we wear our uniforms and all look… well… uniform. But there are a couple factors in the Air Force right now that complicate that: first, we are getting rid of the uniform with the green camouflage pattern in favor of a pattern with more grey and blue. Both uniforms, as well as three different colors of boots, are allowed now since we are still in the transition phase. The second issue is that because it is so cold here, and individuals need to regulate our own warmth, we are allowed a bit more flexibility in hats and gloves and coats. The sun has started to get lower and lower in the sky, brushing against the mountain ranges here and making it colder and colder each day. Yesterday was not only cold, but windy, and with all our different uniform combinations, I felt like I was in an episode of MASH or a scene in Catch-22.

I have the old style military issue coat (think: Hoth Han Solo). Most guys have a newer, darker, warmer version of this coat. Some have the grey camouflage pattern coat. I have a green stocking cap, other guys have grey or black hats and some wear a ball cap type (but that makes for very cold ears).

Again, I mean no disrespect, I just have a need to tell my own experiences yesterday. At 1pm (that’s 1300) I was in my uniform and at the flag pole. Because I’m chaplain to everyone on station, and since most people are civilian, I don’t wear my uniform often so I’d had to cut lunch short to get dressed. In other places, a similar ceremony might be held with dozens or more people lined up in perfectly boxed ranks. Well, Jeff and Ed have formal roles to play in the ceremony. Ken and Pedro are in charge of lowering and folding the flag, and Chris is our picture and sound guy. That left were six of us “in the ranks.” We lined up roughly tallest to shortest and waited. We were called to attention and I stepped forward to offer a prayer. I removed a glove so I could open my notebook and look at some notes I’d scribbled (I didn’t know I’d be praying at this ceremony until about 10 minutes before it started when I offered to say something). In my prayer, I thanked God for a safe season, asked blessings on our travels, and guidance for us when we return next season when the sun rises again.

When I was done, everyone else is at attention, so I get back to my place in line to join them quickly and try to pull on my glove. By now, my fingers are cold and the glove liners I have (which are not military issue, but are a possum and wool blend I got from some Kiwis because they are really warm) get caught in my outer gloves. So, I stand at attention with one hand only partway inside my glove – it looks like my right arm is few inches longer than my left. Then we play the bugle music. No one plays the bugle so we have a recording of a bugle. The order was given for the music, and from the corner of my eye, I could see Chris open the door to the pick-up cab, reach in, and then the music started. I’m not sure if he had a boom box in there or if it was played on the truck stereo. As we stand for the song, tears start falling down my face – and other guys as well, I learned later that night over a beer – not because we are emotional but because it was so windy. When the song is done, we salute the flag as it lowers. Remember the part about my right hand being longer than my left because of the gloves? I whack myself in the face with my glove and have to adjust my arm to stand while Pedro and Ken slowly lower the flag in heavy winds. I think I can hear someone groan when the wind messes up the lines at one point and they have to lower it more slowly. I can also hear a civilian behind whisper, “What are they doing now?” as if we’re the day’s entertainment.

At that moment, I realized that despite the mismatched uniforms, the sound system from a redneck backyard party, and the bewildered crowd we were drawing, at that moment, I felt a link to line of explorers and adventurers. People haven’t been walking on this continent for much more than a century. The military has had a presence here because as an agent of our government, we don’t exist only to kill people and break things, but also to assist our exploration of our world and our universe. And as that flag came down, and my thoughts turned to my final reports and packing up my room, I realized what an honor it has been to be here. Brave and very smart men and women work here to learn about our planet and our universe and endure harsh weather. It’s humbling to be one of the links in that chain.

Morning Prayer

2010-02-16T09:11:00.003+13:00

It’s 8:45am. For the first time since I arrived here no one else has shown up for morning prayer. There were a few days last week, after Jim left to go home, that only Fr John and I gathered for prayer. But today, it’s just me and God.

Good morning.

Three flights leave to Christchurch today. God, keep them safe and may weather and mechanics conspire to bring their passengers home safely and quickly. A lot of folk on these planes are tired and ready to be home: may their travels be swift. Some must leave to go home, but don't have much to anticipate: may they find meaningful work and fulfilling relationships. Others will wander home, traveling the world: keep them safe and bring to them a deeper respect for humanity and the cultures we have created.

There are probably 300-400 of us here now who will leave by week’s end. God may we stay focused on the work we have yet to accomplish. May our anticipation of the future not prevent us from living in each moment.

Our wintering crews are still arriving. May these men and women be safe and well during the coming long, dark night. Be with Gabe, John and Shayne who will watch over the chapel and the worshipping community here. Bless Alf, Scott and all the other Peer Counselors who will over a listening ear to their friends and colleagues. Grant endurance and vision to those in leadership this winter: Jeanne, Don, Allison, Bill, Rich and others.

Thank you for Shady Grove Baptist and the many other churches and faithful back the States who remember this chapel and ministry in their thoughts, prayers and gifts.

Be with me in my final days. I have reports to complete, book shelves to organize, a room to vacuum and pack. But there are also people here who would benefit from a listening ear and prayerful guidance. Help me balance between the needs of others and the tasks at hand. Christ be in the heart of each to whom I speak and in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.

As I look out this window, over the Ross Sea and through the clouds to the Royal Society Mountains, as I watch the sun spinning around the horizon falling closer today to the ground, as I hear the wind whistling through the steeple now shuttered for the winter, as I remember humbly those I’ve met who have such an eager desire to learn and explain more about your world, as I sit here in this Holy place that even in my two months has hosted many people of various or no faith who nonetheless sense something peaceful and meaningful within these walls, I am humbled. Who am I that you think of me, that you care for me?

The season of Epiphany ends today. I have indeed discovered you here. Even at the ends of the earth I could not escape your presence and grace. Your spirit indeed covers the whole earth. Grant me, even today, an opportunity to discover you anew.

Amen.

2010-02-16T07:26:00.000+13:00

At breakfast this morning I heard someone say, "this is NOT a flight I'm going to miss" about their flight off the ice tomorrow. We have stopped flying to the South Pole now and have daily trips back to Christchurch (which is where we stage for the operation down here). I leave this Friday; there's one more flight on Saturday and that's it for a few weeks. There's one more scheduled flight in early March for last minute supplies and people, but after that, nothing more scheduled until an August resupply flight. Most of the winter-over crew will be here at least until October.

The American Tern

2010-02-06T20:49:00.004+13:00

The American Tern is our annual supply vessel at McMurdo. She pulled in on Monday morning and started off-loading by early afternoon. Empty by Wednesday, they loaded her back up and finished at 4:24pm today. Why do I know the exact time? Because the captain, pictured below, invited Fr John and I to join him for dinner and a tour before they pull out tomorrow morning. Here I am with him on the bridge, sporting the cap he gave me.

One of the reasons the vessel departure is such a big deal on station is that during the complicated and very busy dance to offload and back-load the vessel, McMurdo is dry. No alcohol sales in the store or the bars. Because the vessel is pulling out of port tomorrow, the station manager this afternoon decided to let the store sell beer and wine tonight. And so for the single hour it was opened, the store looked like this:

The First Sergeant and I are wondering what this will do to church attendance tomorrow morning...

Point of View

2010-02-03T13:40:00.010+13:00

Much in our life changes meaning or takes on new meaning if we adjust our point of view. One of the goals of my spiritual life is to adjust my view in order to accomodate not only my own life and desires, but those of my neighbor and my God. As a chaplain or pastor, I'm often seeking ways to illustrate this shift in perspective; yesterday I met a comrade whose art seeks to do the same thing.

The National Science Foundation offers grants to scientists to come down here for research. Additionally, NSF sponsors an Antarctic Artists and Writers Program in which artists working in different mediums get a trip here for their own research. There are at least two sets on station now: a married couple developing a marionette musical about Sir Ernest Shackleton, an early Antarctic explorer and Elise Engler, a visual artist. (For more about Elise, click here and for specifics about her Antarctica work and journey, check out this blog.)

Elise's work is pretty fascinating, though I didn't quite get it at first. I went to a public lecture she gave last week and became intrigued. She created a series of colored pencil sketches of everything she owned and presented it as a "self-portrait" (isn't it intriguiing that in our society we put so much value in what we own?). A variation on that theme is a series of sketches of women's handbags, here's #28 in that series, linked from her website:

Her works about how our government spends money are quite thought-provoking (the contents of a tool shed in a public park, the equipment to fire weapons on a single sortie in Iraq). Watching the Rockettes in NYC during the war in Iraq produced a startling contrast she calls Life Goes On:

One of her projects that she's done over time is a collection of views outside of windows. (Talk about changing perspective: Should I sit comfortably at a window or step outdoors to see the world for myself?) Elise stopped in the chapel yesterday and looked out our windows and decided that her next sketch of McMurdo's windows would be from here. We have a few different windows that offer distinct views. The large window behind the altar has stained glass and a beautiful view of the mountain range across the Ross Sea. On a clear day lately, we can see whales, seals and skua off in the distance. My camera isn't that great, but this gives you an idea of it:

Other windows look out across waste pipes to the ice dock where the cranes on top of the cargo vessel are constantly moving. It's quite a different view.

Some views out of the chapel are of the glorious majesty of creation... other views are of the mundane work-a-day world. The chapel looks out on both. It's easier for me to we consider a God of majesty and power (and maybe judgement and anger). That's the Big Stained Glass Window version of God. It's more difficult for me sometimes to remember God in the mundane.

When Elise entered yesterday looking for a window, I noted the obvious: Sketching the big stained glass window, everyone will know it's from the chapel. I'm thrilled, however, that she chose to sketch the view of the mundane work-a-day window. A challenge of spirituality in our world is seeing God in the mundane, and I'm thrilled that her art will present this view from within this holy place.

Groundhog's Day

2010-02-02T14:11:00.002+13:00

There's a running joke down here about Groundhog's Day. Before I came down I asked folk what it was like and several people said "Remember the Bill Murray movie when he wakes up and each day is exactly the same as the day before? Well, it's like that." Most folk work six days a week for 10-12 hours a shift so each day looks a lot like yesterday and tomorrow doesn't promise to bring much change.

So it's REALLY Groundhog's Day here and I've discovered it's really not too different from yesterday. Or tomorrow.

And so I made a joke at lunch today about it being Groundhog's Day and wasn't that cool because it was different than yesterday. The joke didn't really work, though. It was pretty lame, but the mechanics I sat with were patient with me and pretended to laugh.

Company Town

2010-02-01T10:38:00.003+13:00

Some of you have asked questions about what it's like to live here. There's different aspects of life here: the science mission, the military flying, the amazing scenery and natural beauty of Antarctica. But there's also the day-to-day operations of McMurdo that can best be described as a Company Town.

The National Science Foundation oversees McMurdo (as well as two other US stations in Antarctica), but contracts with other companies or organizations to handle many of the daily operations: for example, the Air Force and a couple other operations provide airlift. Raytheon currently has the primary contract for support; these contracts run for about a decade and the current one is up for renewal in the next year.

Raytheon and other subcontractors hire people to fill in the support jobs: the heavy equipment operators to keep the runways clear and flat, cooks, the barber, computer geeks, custodians, waste managment and more. Some of these folk found the job listings on Criagslist, some by word of mouth (the barber answered an online ad to cut hair down here!). People settle on a salary before they arrive and once here, there is not much money that exchanges hands. The pay here isn't as good as most people make back in the states, but all expenses are covered and it's a pretty amazing place to work, so it's usually a wash in the end. (Also, pipefitters and carpenters and a lot of other folk can't find work back home so they need the job.)

You sign up for a haircut and don't pay anything. There's no gym fee, no library card, meals are all covered and the medical clinic staffs a couple docs, a dentist and even a physical therapist to watch over us. If your vehicle needs a part, you pull it off the shelf at supply or file a request to have someone make it for you. Most of our clothing is issued to us, so often you can tell if people are laborers, scientists, military or civilian based on our outer clothing layer. We have nametags that velcro on and off our jackets. There are town meetings for new safety procedures. There are maybe a dozen bikes that are parked all around town for people to borrow and use when needed.

It's a unique environment, at least for me, and really adds to the sense of us being on an outpost at the edge of the world. For the most part, there's a real sense of group identity and participation in the effort to survive and study here.

Jumping Jacks

2010-02-01T08:20:00.004+13:00

Church went a little slow this weekend. The crowd that gathered seemed tired and not too interactive. That's not really my style, so for the second time in my career - though I've threatened it countless times - I had the congregation stand up and do jumping jacks.

By mid-afternoon I was hearing from people on station how they were sorry they missed church. "The chaplain made us to jumping jacks!"

I hope someone remembered something else about worship.

Meet Sue Sue the Seal

2010-01-30T10:56:00.001+13:00

Here's BP and Sue Sue the Seal (a new addition and birthday gift) at the South Pole a few weeks ago.

Happy Birthday, Charis

2010-01-29T17:57:00.005+13:00

Six years ago, Charis, you were born into our lives. You have been a great gift to us and I'm glad I'm your Dad. I miss you today, but as I look at these pictures, I'm smiling as I think of you. I love you!

I feel sick

2010-01-28T09:28:00.002+13:00

I heard about this today and feel queasy. And angry. Bible bullets have never been right.

From ABC News:
U.S. Military Weapons Inscribed With Secret 'Jesus' Bible Codes Pentagon Supplier for Rifle Sights Says It Has 'Always' Added New Testament References
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/us-military-weapons-inscribed-secret-jesus-bible-codes/story?id=9575794&page=2

From the NY Times:
Firm to Remove Bible References From Gun Sights
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/22/us/22guns.html

Thoughts of Tevya

2010-01-27T08:27:00.003+13:00

This weather information gets updated every few hours for us. We can access it on the computer or through the television. Since I've been here, the time for Sunrise and Sunset has been listed as "N/A." For the first time this week, I noticed the next Sunrise and Sunset times are posted! It's nice to know the world keeps spinning.

An open letter to my kids

2010-01-26T20:25:00.008+13:00

Hi girls!

I really miss you guys. I like being your Dad and I’m sorry I can’t be with you now to hug you and hold you. You two continue to amaze me with how smart and kind you are. Your mother and I very blessed that God trusted us with you two.

I wanted to write a bit about the people I'm meeting here and the job I'm doing to maybe explain why I'm not home now. Your mom and I teach you that God loves you. Well, a lot of people in the world don’t hear that and don’t know that. Sometimes people think they have to do something different for God to love them. We know that’s not true. In my work, I can help people meet the God who loves them no matter what.

And down here in Antarctica, there are all kinds of people. Since I can’t be with you now, I thought you might be interested in learning a bit about the people here and the work they are doing. Most everything America is doing in Antarctica is about science. You know I used to be a science teacher, and I know that you two enjoyed some of the museums and books about science, so I think you might like this. You may not understand it all now, but when I get home, I'd love to tell you more.

Last week, I met Johan who has been working on Antarctica for at least 13 years, mostly learning more about Earth's atmosphere. We know our planet is changing, but we don’t all agree about why. Johan is convinced that we people are making some changes here faster than Earth has ever changed and he’s worried about what we’re doing. For example, we started measuring the amount of one certain gas (carbon) in the atmosphere when Grandma and Grandpa were your age and that level has been steadily increasing. One of the ways this is happening is the smoke out of our cars. To make sure their measurements are correct, there are different scientists working on this and they are using different techniques. One group has been using the exact same type of bottle for about 60 years, and some of those bottles are that old! Johan let me hold one.
Here's some heavier science stuff: Some people think a carbon level we can live with might be 350 parts per million (that’s a way we measure the amount of one thing when it’s mixed up with a bunch of other things) and when I was talking with Johan, he read the current meter and we were up over 384 ppm (we haven’t been below 350 ppm for over 20 years).
We’re pretty sure this will have an impact on our planet – probably the temperature, possibly other things as well – but folk are still debating that. I’ll be honest that I don’t know all about the science, but it seems we are changing the air on Earth and that's not good. I hope we aren’t messing up this planet up for you guys too bad. From down here in Antarctica and from the other places of the world I’ve seen, this is a beautiful world, a gift from God, and we need to take good care of it.

Speaking of that, will you guys go camping with me when I get back?

I first wrote this letter to you in my journal, so I'm going to keep copying it more or less as I wrote. At the time, I was sitting inside one of our LC-130 “Hercules” aircraft – the ones we see flying around our house – getting ready to go to the South Pole Station. The flight I'm on today, as you can see from the picture below, is pretty empty. The South Pole Station needs fuel to run all winter long, so one of the reasons we fly down there is to bring them gas. We load up as full as we can from McMurdo, fly to the Pole, and then offload as much gas as we possibly can before turning around to fly back to McMurdo. They put me on the plane as well since I'm going for the day, but it was pretty empty.

This flight is pretty exciting for me, so I want to tell you about that. You probably remember that I went to the South Pole last week. It’s about 800 miles away from McMurdo, where I’m usually working, and takes about three hours on one of these planes. We have skiis on the plane as well as wheels, so we can use whichever one we need (today it’s skiis).
The South Pole is a pretty unique place, as you might imagine. Less than 250 people live at the station now, but about 70 of them are part of building a new science project which they'll finish up next year. In their winter months, about 30 people live here, mostly to keep it running until the other 200 come back. The current station was dedicated two years ago, it’s the third station the US has had here. (The first one is now covered in snow and the second we dismantled to ship off the continent.) There's a picture of it here.

People here get along real well with each other and are pretty friendly. There’s no keys on the doors and they trust each other a lot. They have to: they are pretty brave to live out here at the bottom of the Earth. It takes about two months to drive here so the main transport they have are the planes. They get visitors regularly, some for a few hours, some for a few days. When chaplains come to visit, some of them really like seeing us and some of them could care less, but I’ve discovered most everybody likes to have someone to talk to who takes an interest in their lives and their work.

When I went up to the Pole last week, it was pretty foggy, so we had to delay our flight by several hours. That meant that the evening worship service I’d planned had to be pushed back later which I thought was fine. But what I didn’t realize is that some people had to go to work or had to go to bed and so they missed church. A guy named Bob emailed me when I got back to McMurdo that he’d missed the service and hadn’t had communion in six months and really missed it. I asked around and within a few days, I had permission to go back to bring communion to Bob. So that's why I got to go back.

I’m carrying with me something pretty special called the Erebus Chalice. It’s at least a 100 years old and there are a couple different stories about how it got down here. It's got a connection to one of the early explorers here (it might even have been on his ship when he sailed here). About 25 years ago, it was donated to the chapel here in McMurdo and dedicated to Robert Falcon Scott, an explorer who died here in 1912 on his way back from the South Pole. Each summer, we bring it to the chapel and at the end of the season someone brings it back to the Cathedral in Christchurch, New Zealand, where it stays all winter. This chalice is pretty famous and while I’m the chaplain, I’m in charge of it. I talked to the pastor in New Zealand that watches over it in the winter and we both agreed that it's famous and valuable and pretty, but it's also supposed to be used, not just looked at. So, I’m taking it with me to the South Pole to celebrate communion. Someone who came to church took my picture with it.

I think I'm most excited about this trip for two reasons:

1. I’m going to the South Pole! I will be standing at the bottom of this amazing planet, at the axis where we spin around. My mind still can’t totally grasp that.

2. I’m going through all this - six hours of flying, six hours on the ground, the elevation change - so I can bring a visible reminder of God’s invisible grace to someone who needs that reminder. Psalm 139 has a great image of God being everywhere, that there is no place we can go to escape God’s presence: as far as planet Earth goes, I get to be a part of reminding people of that.

Something else about the South Pole that’s pretty amazing: The water we drink at the Pole is made by melting ice from a deep well. The well is so deep that the ice fell to the Earth about 2,000 years ago as rain or snow. So, the water we drink and flush and shower in at the Pole (well, not shower, they are allowed two 2-minute showers a week there!) was rain when Jesus walked the planet. Incredible, huh?

So anyway, I wanted to tell you about some other really cool people I’ve met here. Yesterday in church was a lot of fun. I think I surprised some of the people – I made them talk and help out a lot in the service. Some of them had planned to do something, and some of the other folk who have gotten to know me a bit know that I want them to help out. For the sermon, I asked a lot of questions and expected people to answer: they were kinda quiet at first, but eventually caught on. Danny was a lot of help: he’s leaving Thursday but I’ve known him since I got here. He’s a real kind man, a “salt of the earth” person as your Grandma Marvel (and Jesus) would say. He’s an electrician and I’ve seen him smile so much I’ve wondered if maybe electricity is that much fun? Frederick played his violin which was cool. I don’t think he used to go to church much, maybe not at all, and he’s still learning a lot about God and Jesus, but he can really play his violin; yesterday at the bottom of the planet, we were treated to Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring as a gift that he played to God. It was pretty amazing. Gabe prayed for us in church – his parents were missionaries and he’s been to seminary. He’s also a skilled radio technician and is here working with the radios that contact the planes when they want to land or take off. He’ll be the official leader of the chapel over this winter after we all leave, so it’s good to have him helping out so people get to know him. He’s a guy on a very fruitful journey. I’m glad I’ve met him.

After church I met a whole bunch of other people. Chris has traveled all over the world recording nature sounds. He said he used to record music but when he started listening more to the sounds of nature he got tired of music. He’s recording sounds for a new BBC program that I think will be called “Frozen Planet.” He also helped make “Planet Earth” and “Blue Planet.” We talked about New York a bit – he’s been up our way recording bird song and lecturing at Cornell. He let me listen to what he was working on: orca songs!

In that same room of the science lab, I met up again with Jack and Bill. I got to know them when I flew down here – we were on the same plane – but they took off soon after we arrived in McMurdo and spent a couple weeks in tents in a place called the Dry Valleys. There’s not much snow in the Dry Valleys and I’ve heard that some scientists work there to examine what it might be like to visit Mars! I had breakfast with Bill on Saturday when they’d returned and he invited me up to see their project. When I got up there, I learned they are actually working on a couple different things. Their big project is a three-year study of wind patterns and dust in the air here. We are still exploring Antarctica and so all different kinds of scientists are down here working on stuff and cooperating with each other to learn even more. They have been measuring how the wind blows down here and also how the rocks have been formed. While walking around setting up their wind contraptions over the years, they noticed that some rocks here had familiar patterns to them. Some are flat and some look like squashed three-sided pyramid. But most people, including them, think that they've been laying there for thousands of years and they wonder why they haven't been blown to sand over that time. So they collected some of these and when I got there, they were scanning them into 3-D images they could rotate and move on the computer. As with the other project, they are very excited and curious. It made me think a lot of you two: you guys ask us questions a lot and want to know about things around you. These scientists were the same. They reminded me of little kids who never really grew up – well they are bigger and smarter than when they were kids - but they are as curious and interested in the world as you are.

I also met Roy last week who listens to satellites. Actually, he controls the receiving dishes that listen to satellites. Some satellites are on an orbit around Earth that passes the South Pole regularly, so his job is to listen to them and collect the things they are seeing. Each satellite pass lasts about 10-15 minutes and with the eight satellites he’s watching now, the dish is busy about once an hour. This is Roy’s second time here and he’s having more fun now because he’s made some great friends. One of his friends got a little hurt a few weeks ago and she doesn’t really want to tell her boss because she wants to keep impressing him so she can come back next year. I went and asked the doctor here about it and he looked kinda sad and said that happens sometimes. She’s in a tough spot, and I hope she’ll be ok.

Sunday night I went to a lecture about penguins and seals. The scientist was explaining how these animals are changing where they swim and where they go hunting for food. His theory – and he had some pretty convincing evidence – is that the Earth is getting warmer and it’s changing these animals’ patterns.

As I said before, I wrote this on the airplane. I went up to the flight deck and talked with some guys I know and learned something really cool. For the first hour that we flew, we were over the Ross Sea which is frozen solid so we call it the Ross Ice Shelf. We are now getting close to where that ends and the continent begins (we call the “transition.”) McMurdo, where I live now, is actually on an island formed by still-active volcanoes in the Ross Sea. The water for the sea comes from the Beardmore Glacier which is one of the largest glaciers in the world. It covers the south pole which is over 9,000 feet high and flows down to the ocean. Of course, glaciers move really slowly, you can't see them move. I just learned that a piece of ice that starts at the south pole can travel the Beardmore Glacier out into the Ross Sea near where I live at McMurdo. But to give you an idea of how fast glaciers move, it would take that piece of snow about 10,000 years to travel those 800 miles.

Well, that's all I'm going to write for now. There are some pictures below of me at the South Pole (both of them). I miss you guys a lot and look forward to seeing you in about a month!

Daddy

2010-01-22T13:24:00.001+13:00

Welcome USNS Paul Buck

2010-01-22T13:03:00.004+13:00

One of the five tanker ships our government owns pulled into McMurdo today. It's another gorgeous day so people were already in a good mood, but the ship is today's talk of the town. The Swedish-flagged icebreaker Oden led the way.

The tanker holds about 8 million gallons of fuel, but I guess they still need this sign:

Wildlife

2010-01-22T12:01:00.004+13:00

Took a walk in the gorgeous clear day and thought I'd share some of the scenery:

This is Mt Discovery, named by the early explorers.

This is the picure I took of Hut Point and the water that has melted near it. A moment earlier, I'd seen a whale breach and spout. Someone else who had a better view (and had their camera out BEFORE the whale breached) took this picture:

This is as close as I've gotten to a seal (he's the blob in the middle).

Except when they let me fly, this is as close as I'll get to Mt Discovery.

My colleague

2010-01-21T16:01:00.003+13:00

One of the joys of this position is the great, close relationship I've had with the New Zealand Catholic Priest who I've worked with since I arrived. He's leaving tomorrow and finally, today, got to particiate in a very meaningful ceremony nearby. New Zealand has had a long and close relationship with Antarctica, primarily because it's a great port to leave from for exploration down here. Thirty years ago last November, a tourist plane that came down here (they would fly out and around the continent so sightseers could snap pictures). The plane got off course and crashed into Mt Erebus, the tallest mountain here and the southernmost active volcano on the planet. Phillip got to make the trip today by helicopter to dedicate the site and a TVNZ crew happened to be there for the event. Here's the link to their story (which I haven't seen since our internet connection doesn't support streaming video well).

Greetings from the South Pole

2010-01-19T07:40:00.003+13:00

Looking for work?

2010-01-16T10:34:00.002+13:00

I learned today that Raytheon, who holds the contract with NSF to run most of the work down here, is starting to hire for next year. If you are looking for work and want your expenses paid to Antarctica, go to www.rayjobs.com/rpsc

2010-01-15T09:56:00.004+13:00

This thought just scampered through my brain when I was replying to someone's email:

I'm settling in and really enjoying this, discovering that I like doing the chaplain thing a bit more than the pastor thing because I've got more opportunities to talk with more people about faith. Odd, huh? I think it has a lot to do with expectations: If I say "I'm a pastor" to someone, that seems to carry with it an expectation that I'm promoting myself or my particular institution or my faith ("Come to my church"). If I say "I'm the chaplain" that leaves the door open for most any kind of discussion about their spirituality and their faith ("Who is God to you?").

2010-01-15T08:10:00.000+13:00

Phillip and I started putting these up around the station the other day and have had many chuckles.

Worship

2010-01-12T10:08:00.001+13:00

Here I am leading worship in the southernmost chapel on the planet. We opened with a song that makes reference to north, south, east and west, which struck some people as a bit odd: compasses don't really work so well down here, since most everything is north!

Welcome Oden!

2010-01-12T09:50:00.000+13:00

Each year, McMurdo is supplied with food, tons of scientific equipment, and fuel delivered by a cargo vessel and tanker. The tanker is the first to arrive, I think, in a week or so; the cargo vessel will be in around the end of January. Of course, the sea here is frozen - in much of the Ross Sea an Ice Shelf hundreds of meters deep allows our planes to land. Closer to shore, the ice melts a bit by this time of year - which is good for the ships trying to make it in. The first ship through is an Icebreaker, this year it's the Oden out of Sweden. We've been able to see her getting closer for a couple days and yesterday she pulled up next to our dock. Oden will continue to work her way back and forth along the channel she's cut for the other ships that will arrive later this month.

Anything new here is nice, and the arrival of the Icebreaker means we are that much closer to the vessel getting here. Also, in years past, more wildlife sometimes comes in with the icebreaker: penguins and seals can get closer to us and therefore whales sometimes come in for supper. Today is a gorgeous and clear day here, so many folk are loitering on their way to work or between jobs to look for wildlife and watch the Oden.

The picture above is the Oden with Vince's Cross off Hut Point in the foreground. The Royal Society mountain range is in the back, partly obscured by the clouds we had yesterday.

A Sunday afternoon stroll...

2010-01-11T16:42:00.000+13:00

After worship on Sunday, I got out to see some of the sights. Here's some pictures from inside Scott's Discovery Hut (click here or here for more information about the hut and the 1902 expedition that built it). It was used and re-stocked for at least three expeditions.

A short walk further up to Hut Point and the cross memorializing the death of George Vince, a sailor who died making the walk from the hut to the SS Discovery in 1902, Scott's ship moored in the ice nearby. It was cold and windy up there.

This is the Adelie penguin I saw looking over hut point. I think he was showing off for us; he hopped out of the water, waddled around, squawked a few times, and dove back in.

Later in the day, I joined a group that drove out to see four Emperor penguins. This shot includes the active volcano Mt Erebus in the background.

Week One

2010-01-09T22:07:00.000+13:00

It's been a busy, cold, snowy week at the other end of the globe.

I arrived on station just over a week ago and it seems a blur already. My first two days were a weekend and because of the New Year, this was the last two-day weekend for the season. Saturday was the annual IceStock music festival - what great fun! I got a bit spoiled on the weather as it turns out: Saturday was sunny and well above freezing. When I stepped out of the dorm on Sunday morning I immediately had to turn around and go back to add a layer of clothing - since last Saturday, weather has been a bit more typically cold for around here. The departing chaplain retained all worship responsibilities last Sunday so I had the day to meet people.

Monday is the "military day" for me. I wear my uniform for a weekly meeting and end up visiting with the other military folk down here. Last week, I rode out to the flight line and visited the different shops out at "Pegasus." There are three different runways that can be used down here, an ice runway that is open early in the season until the ice is too warm to safely accomodate the airplanes - within a month or so of it shutting down, an ice breaker comes in to clear a channel for the two other ships that port here (more on that later). Another runway is an old airstrip thats not open this year as a cost-saving measure. Williams Field, usually called "Willy Field" is named for a sailor Richard Williams whose tractor dropped into the Ross Sea in 1956. (I'm told divers have been down to the wreck and he's still gripping the steering wheel pretty tight.) I think that the Navy used Willy Field as their primary airstrip and so when a plane crashed nearby in the 50s or 60s, they towed it several miles away onto the floating glacier because it's considered bad luck to have to look at a crashed plane every time you come in for a landing. Well, the plane they towed away was called "Pegasus" and the place they happened to leave it turned out to be an ideal location, with just a little shoveling, to land a C-17. And so the third, and now only open, landing strip down here is called Pegasus in honor of the wreckage you can easily see from the runway.

Much of the rest of the week was spent waiting. My Roman Catholic counterpart flew to the South Pole in what was supposed to be an overnight trip on Monday. He came back late Thursday. The chaplain I'm replacing was supposed to fly out on Tuesday. He left Friday. The weather here has been too windy and too snowy to fly safely, so the flight crews have had some waiting and time off. I see them in the cafeteria in flight suits looking at the clock waiting for the next update - will it be a three-hour delay? a 24-hour weather cancellation?

But even though they have a lot of waiting, most of the other activities here don't slow down at all. I met Dick this week, an IT guy down here for his first season, who shared with me his theory that I'm beginning to think might have some truth in it: when the planes leave New Zealand, they fly through a space warp and we actually travel to a different planet. If I were going to imagine a colony on the moon or Mars, I'd start with McMurdo as a model. We generate our own power, desalinate our own water, treat our own waste, drive and maintain trucks and tractors almost as old as my parents (sorry Mom and Dad) and are completely dependant on the incoming flights for food, supplies, medicine, the works. This place is constantly humming with the work that needs to happen to keep McMurdo open. I got to tour the waste treatment plant with Kurt from Cleveland (layed off last summer and found this work), the water desalination plant with Paul (a retired high school teacher), and the power plant with Mike who answered a Craiglist ad for work. Dave showed me around the Vehicle Maintaince Facility, a place he's been working at for over 20 years. Nick and Sparky explained the exhasutive recycling and trash programs at work here (we sort our trash into EIGHT different bins, and bus our dishes in the galley into four different stations, Uncle Kent!). I heard from someone there are more than 100 support people for each scientist down here.

And science runs this place. I've met folk who drill deep into the ice to get air samples from thousands of years ago. SCUBA divers who swim beneath the ice and return with fish, starfish, sea spiders, anenome, and more. A team from the University of Kansas out here with an unmanned aerial vehicle to scan the ice for cracks and crevasses. Guys who send balloons into space from here to orbit the earth. Folk whose telescopes look deep into the heavens calculating the exact moment of the Big Bang. Hardy researchers whose three-year project is to capture the dust here with possible applications to space settlements on Mars. At the South Pole, there's a team looking at neutrons or neutrinos or something of the sort that have passed all the way through the Earth. The active volcano here is so unique, only one other on Earth erupts in the same way - and ironically its safer to come here to study it than to risk getting involved in Africa's civil wars.

My time is spent getting to know these people. Hearing their stories. Listening to their passions and heartbreaks. Many have family back home they miss dearly but are here for work they can't find back in the states. Some have been trying to get here for years and years - one woman said she'd applied nine times for a job here. Some are kinda lost, not sure how they ended up here. Someone's organizing a stage version of the Princess Bride. Some drink their paychecks away. Some come to get away from something in the "real world." Some come to find something they've lost or heard about. It's tender work, holding these stories.

Even though it's cold and snowy, Antarctica is officially considered a desert because of how little precipitation it gets (a lot of the snow here doesn't fall from the sky as much as it get's blown over from another part of the continent). People come to the desert for many reasons.

Well, the constant daylight means it's easy to lose track of time. It's late here, though the windows don't tell me that, and I get to preach and lead worship tomorrow for the first time in several months. After that, I plan to visit Scott's Hut and hopefully tomorrow night take a trip out to see the four penguins that have settled near Pegasus and begun to molt. A full day.

IceStock 2010

2010-01-02T17:05:00.000+13:00

McMurdo hosts an annual "IceStock" music festival. Who thought I'd get good - well, at least loud - local music down here? Did 2010 bring a Dancing Robot invasion to the rest of the planet, or just down here?

Antarctica

2010-01-02T17:00:00.001+13:00

New Year's Day, 2010
A C-17 to Pegasus White Ice Runway and a bus ride on "Ivan the TerraBus" to McMurdo Station.

New Zealand Day 2

2009-12-31T22:36:00.001+13:00

What a delightful day!

The skies were clear and the day was wonderful. I woke early - jet
lag, I guess - and read a bit. After breakfast, I went to get my cold
weather clothing (and make sure it fits!). I met some of the
scientists who are going down for research and the former science
teacher in me in fascinated. One described the ice cores his team has
been digging up and dating for over a decade. He had some pretty
strong feelings about global warming: according to his research, the
earth is now warmer than it has been in 8,500 years. Sure there are
cycles, but nothing to account for what we are doing to our planet
now. I also heard that I shouldn't expect to see many - if any -
penguins; the sea near McMurdo is full of ice from the melting
glaciers and therefore no longer a safe swimming area for these birds
who require clear water to avoid predators.

After my clothing issue, I met Fr Dan Doyle, a Kiwi priest with 20+
years of Antarctic experience, for a day of his hospitality.

We drove to an overlook of Christchurch then picked up his visiting
Aunt who just returned from a trip to the west coast of the South
Island to view a white heron rookery. A quick lunch then headed out to
his parish for a wedding rehearsal in a delightful country church,
then to Hanmer Springs, a natural hotsprings in the foothills of
gorgeous mountains. I'll post pictures as soon as I can, but suffice
to say this is possibly the most beautiful landscape I have ever seen.
We stopped for ice cream on our way up - a kiwi favorite called "Hokie
Pokie" - and then more of a drive along the Waiua River. We roasted a
bit in the baths and then ate a delightful dinner before returning.

More breathtaking views and the last sunset I'll see for six weeks.

Fr Dan had some great advice and wisdom to share: stay hydrated and
have an adventurous spirit.

As you sit and watch the Rose Bowl, consider this that I heard the
other day (though I'm not sure how true it is): more people can fit in
that stadium than have ever been on the continent of Antarctica.

It's late and I have an early flight to catch, so I'm doing a bit of
packing and then to sleep. Tomorrow: a C17 to the Ice!

Happy New Year from the first place on the globe to welcome 2010.

Peace,
Jake

2009-12-31T08:11:00.000+13:00

New Zealand, Day 1
Wed., Dec 30

Spent a few hours in the morning getting my bearings and making plans
for the week. I still have a bag missing so nothing to do there but
wait. I found a way to call home, but couldn't get a line, so I'll try
tomorrow. I was free from mid-morning on so I borrowed a bike from the
hotel and rode into town.

First stop was the cathedral. The history was overwhelming and my mind
kept trying to make associations with things I knew. In some ways, I
remembered the chapel in Nantucket (?) from Moby Dick because of all
the memorials to sailors. And then since I've read most of the Aubrey-
Maturin books (the film Master and Commander was based on these) I
imagined I was walking where Capt Jack Aubrey might have been in full
dress uniform when in port.

From there lunch at a pub and then exploring the streets of
Christchurch. I found a memorial to the explored Scott who died after
reaching the Pole. The Botanic Gardens were gorgeous - sorry Ronda,
but Lewis Ginter has nothing on Christhurch. I rang a World Peace Bell
and explored the Cantebury Museum which houses an amazing Antarctic
collection as well as an Egytptian mummy, Chinese art, and much more
(being part of an Empire meant artifacts moving around among the
colonies, I guess).

I had dinner at a wine bar in the Arts District and then a cold bike
back to the hotel. A few more 109th-ers arrived yesterday but who I
saw was pretty tired.

Peace,
Jake

New Zealand, Day 0

2009-12-29T18:23:00.001+13:00

I'm not going to call this Day 1 yet because I'm so thrown off with
the time change that I'm still not really sure I'm here.

Long travel, as expected, put me in New Zealand on a beautiful summer
afternoon. After checking in at the hotel I'll stay in until I leave
for Antarctica on Friday (Jan 1) I walked around a bit and got a
little exercise. I'm trying to stay awake at least until after supper
(which I'll have when I send this email) when I'll go to bed. (Maybe
when I wake up, my second bag will be delivered.) With any luck, I'll
be alert for most of tomorrow.

I expect to get my cold weather clothing issue tomorrow and then have
the rest of the day to explore.

Jake

Greetings from Sydney!

2009-12-29T10:16:00.001+13:00

I hope y'all enjoy Monday, Dec 28th, because I never lived it. I slept for most of the flight from LAX to Sydney (earplugs, a neck pillow and eye covers are worth every penny) but I'm sure I didn't sleep for that long.

It's about 8:15 in the morning on Dec 29th here and I have a half hour or so before my flight to Christchurch boards.

Peace,
Jake

LAX

2009-12-28T18:23:00.000+13:00

What to do with a four hour layover in LA? I called Paul to say and he
drove over and took me out for a drink! I'm humbled to have a friend
like you, Paul. Thanks.
>

Meet BP

2009-12-28T18:19:00.000+13:00

Meet B.P. (Baby Penguin). He will be joining me for this journey and
will stop by to say hi now and then. He spent last night snuggling
with Charis and Bekah so I hope he'll offer me some comfort over the
coming weeks as I miss them.

I love you gals!

2009-12-28T04:58:00.001+13:00

I had some great help getting my bags to the airport this morning!

2009-12-28T04:56:00.000+13:00

Waiting for the first flight to leave...

An Invitation...

2009-12-27T07:50:00.000+13:00

Greetings!

Tomorrow I will board a plane in Virginia that will be the first of at least six flights that will deposit me, disoriented yet wide-eyed in Christchurch, New Zealand. After a few days to rest and gear up, I'm scheduled for the New Year's Day flight from Christchurch to McMurdo Station, Antarctica. I'll have a bunk in this outpost – the Gateway to Antarctica – for about six weeks, where I will be chaplain to researchers and all the support staff at this base. I expect to travel a bit around this beautiful continent, including a night (and the inevitable photo ops) at the new South Pole Station. I expect to begin my travels back to the States by late February.

In the event that you'd like to mail something to Antarctica, I'd gladly receive your mail! The address:

Chaplain Jake Marvel

Bldg 165 Rom 114

PSC 469 Box 700

APO AE 96599-1035

I'm off to spend more time today with Charis, Bekah and Misha!

Peace,
Jake