History Lesson Of The Day: (This is a part of the info sheet provided during the tour)
Scott's Terra Nova Expedition, 1910-1913In 1908 Robert Falcon Scott decided that he would take a sabbatical from his life as a military man and once again set out to the southern most continent to stake his claim. He did not know at the time that his "run" for the South Pole would become a race, or that it would be the last journey he would ever take. After a few years of fundraising Scott was ready to go to the Pole. In 1910 he and his men sailed from New Zealand into the familiar seas leading to McMurdo Sound. The journey is unforgettable, and the men have become heroes.
The Trip to AntarcticaFor his trip to Antarctica, Scott purchased the Terra Nova. He had, originally, wanted to bring the Discovery (the shipped used on his first expedition), but the owners would not sell it to him. He settled for the Discovery's sister ship, Terra Nova that had also been used during the first expedition. During the trip South Scott wished more than once that he had chosen a different ship. It was warm, but it leaked. During a storm on December 2, 1910, the bilge pumps stopped working and the crew had to empty water from the ship using buckets. The storm also caused problems for the animals. The dogs that were leashed on the top deck were being thrown around and the horses in the underbelly of the ship were slowly being covered in water. When all was said and done the expedition lost one dog and two ponies. It was a difficult loss, especially since one dog and one pony had died before the Terra Nova left port. It could have been seen as a bad omen, but the captain and crew kept in good spirits. Just over a month after they had left New Zealand the men of the Terra Nova spotted the smoking peak of Mt. Erebus. The initial plan was to land near Cape Crozier, but they were unable to do so because of the sea ice. They sailed back to the familiar territory of McMurdo Sound and stopped at the Skuary, which Scott quickly renamed Cape Evans in honor of his second in command, Teddy Evans. As the men were unloading the boat, disaster struck once again. Ponting, the expedition's photographer, was almost eaten by a group of killer whales, and one of the very expensive motorized sledges that Scott had brought fell through the sea ice leaving them with only two.
The Hut at Cape EvansThe hut that was originally built in New Zealand the previous October was unloaded onto the shore, put together, and occupied within two weeks. The hut is 50 feet long, 25 feet wide, and reached to nine feet at the peak. Its double doors, during Scott's expedition, were insulated with quilted seaweed and lined with felt. The roof was covered with three-ply rubberoid and the floor was laid with linoleum. The hut was equipped with acetylene gas jets, stoves, clotheslines, clocks, and a gramophone. The stoves were used to heat the hut. The floor was kept below freezing so that any snow that got into the hut could be easily swept out. Mid-body level was kept at about 50 degrees, and the rafters would get up to 70 degrees (all Fahrenheit). The warmth of the air at the top of the hut was used to melt buckets of ice for the men to use for their baths once a week. The two sides of the hut were separated using crates, mostly of wine. On the left side of the hut were the officer's quarters, and the crewmen slept on the right. Scott slept by himself on the far left corner of the hut. His room was separated from the rest using sheets. He used a linoleum-covered table as a desk for work. It is the table that now holds books and the penguin. Across from Scott's bed were the beds of Edward Atkinson, the expedition's surgeon, and George Simpson its meteorologist. On the other side of the wall from Scott's room there is a grouping of beds. That is where the rest of the officers, including Oates, Cherry-Garrard, Bowers, and Meares. This section was known as "The Tenements" because it was so cramped and there were very few items other than necessities. Oates' only luxury was a bust of Napoleon that he kept next to his bed. Ponting made himself a darkroom and slept in it.
Wintering at Cape EvansAlthough they didn't have much, spirits in the hut remained high during the winter. Scott credited that to the fact that everyone stayed relatively busy during this time. There were a number of scientific experiments being done. The equipment that was going to be used for the polar traverse had to be checked and mended. The men kept detailed records of the weather around McMurdo Sound. Cherry-Garrard began producing the South Polar Times once again, and kept a good record of life in the hut at Cape Evans. The men celebrated Mid-Winter Day on June 22nd as if it were Christmas. The men were good at livery. They often had evening lectures. One of the scientists would talk about the recent findings of his work, or they would simply tell stories and laugh. When the weather was good they would even go out on the sea ice and play soccer. During the winter three of the men, Wilson, Cherry-Garrard, and Bowers, left on an expedition to Cape Crozier. Wilson wanted to study the incubation of Emperor penguins. Although the expedition was successful in the fact that the men did collect samples from the penguins, it was almost deadly. The men made it back to Cape Evans barely alive, and when Cherry-Garrard published a book about the journey it would forever be known as "The Worst Journey in the World." On August 23, 1911, the sun rose for the first time in six months. After two more near tragedies, Atkinson almost being lost in a blizzard and the ponies nearly dying of colic, all thoughts were turned toward the pole. As the supplies were readied for the journey, the men wondered who would get to be in Scott's final polar party.
Yet another cross is erected near this site in memory of even more Antarctic explorers who gave their all in the spirit of exploration. There are perpetual reminders of just how austere this environment truly is.
The Frozen Chosen has disbanded and we are but a shadow on the Frozen Continent!
We really needed to get to the ice...we were running out of things to occupy our time! Only in New Zealand can you find a physician and a pastor willing to wear a penguin and a kiwi on their heads.
The elevated Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station structure was dedicated last season. It now finally includes the dining area, lounges, a gym, medical, lab and computer spaces, offices and meeting rooms, and an emergency power plant, as well as berthing rooms for 154 people.
The structure has a total floor area of about 65,000 SF; the PRIVATE rooms for winter over's are 9'-8"x 8' and the rooms for summer folks are 9'-8"x 6'--like mine shown here. Some of the rooms have (less-than 100% soundproof) demountable partitions so that couples can share a 2-person room. Many of these rooms include WINDOWS which were tested in CRREL's cold chambers for suitability at Pole's harsh temperatures. Another important feature of the station is that the emergency section of the station is isolated by thick insulation so that other portions of the facility can be winterized during emergencies when energy supplies are limited. Unlike the older housing sections of the domed station, this structure has been designed and built to provide lighting, heating/ventilation, and fire protection, all in full compliance with current US building and safety codes. The original plan was that this berthing capacity would eliminate the need for the labor-intensive summer camp which must be frequently excavated, dug out, and moved...but given the planned construction schedule for ICECUBE, the 10m telescope, as well as completion of the elevated station, summer camp may be with us for a few years yet. Of course when the original South Pole Station Dome was built, it was to house the HUGE crowd of 33 people (expanded to 40 when the Annex was added), everyone thought there would be no need for summer camp...yeah, right.
Here I am standing at the Geographic South Pole marker. Which is in a different location each year. Of course, the Geographical South Pole hadn’t moved. It was the ice sheet above it that had moved. The ice-sheet, which is about 3 kilometers thick at the South Pole, moves by about 9 meters each year, as it continues its relentless slide down to the coast. Each year, the folks at the South Pole Station on New Years Day place a specially machined marker at 90° south. Of course, the marker moves with the ice, so in a year's time, it's meters away from the South Pole. This was the 51st move of the South Pole marker since it was first set up in 1956. Along with the marker, on New Year's Day, the station staff also move a large board announcing both Amundsen's triumph and Robert Scott’s belated arrival a month later. Amundsen's quote reads: "So we arrived and were able to plant our flag at the geographical South Pole." Scott's words are full of regret: "The Pole. Yes, but under very different circumstances from those expected."
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Visitors enter the cave by sliding down a slope into the cave, which is walled by the actual glacier. Along the entrance to and inside the cave, there are ice crystals, ice stalactites, and varied shades of blue light filtering through the ice and snow bridge overhead. It was truly and exciting to ride this ice slide but I remain speechless about my view once I hit the bottom. When my feet landed I was surrounded by the most beautiful vision of God's creation I have ever seen in the natural world. This photo was snapped of me when I hit the bottom and the look on my face speaks of utter amazement and awe. A tear came to my eyes and the tour guide looked at me and said: "Oh, Father Jon...it's okay!" I said: "It's more than OKAY, God is amazing!"
Here is the Frozen Chosen amidst God's Deep Blue Something!
I continue to be amazed by the beauty of what surrounded me!
This ice cave has left and indelible mark of God's Deep Blue Something on my life forever!
So as I am surrounded by the beauty of this continent...I keep thinking to myself...why haven't they done a Pittsburgh Connection to Antarctica. Hmmm...I am sure that there has to be a Pittsburgh Connection to this place....other than myself.
Here on the shelf of the Terra Nova Hut at Cape Evans, Antarctica....The Pittsburgh Connection! HEINZ KETCHUP!
Pictured left to right: Capt. Tracey Sapp (Flight Nurse), Capt. Greg Richert (Flight Surgeon), MSgt Jennifer Ray (Flight Med Tech) have returned from a daring rescue mission across the continent to save an injured Australian from Davis Camp, the Australian Research facility in Antarctica. The individual was injured when he rode his quad-bike over a 30 foot ice cliff. His life depended upon his evacuation from the continent.
I augmented the medical personnel, who were prepping for the Aero-Medical Evacuation from Davis Camp, in breaking down all of their medical supplies, inventorying items, and repacking the combined supplies for the mission. The medical supplies that arrived were enough to support more than 25 individual medical casualties. These supplies needed to be pared down effectively to ensure mission success medically as well as tactically. The stringent weight restrictions placed on the cargo was enacted in order to provide enough additional fuel to make Davis Camp.
I volunteered to meet the 4 inbound LC-130s and personnel on the flight-line on 2 November 2008. With the 4 flights and 68 personnel it was expected to be quick turns on the flight-line with a skeleton crew of military personnel. I was able to assist the 2 ADVON maintainers by working a second 8 hour shift unloading the planes, bag-dragging, and taxiing military personnel from the flight-line to housing without any delays.
