Of Planes, and Things, and Building Teams

First godd*mn week of winter – MacReady On February 15, the last LC-130 (the big military planes that are the primary cargo and personnel carriers to the South Pole) left with the last 30ish summer personnel (technically 2 people hung around for 4 more days...

A Season In Review

To the surprise of absolutely no one (except maybe myself, somehow), I have been incredibly busy. My days (or rather, working hours, it’s always daytime here) have been filled with learning about the telescope I’ll be looking after over the winter and...

Here We Come A-Caroling

While I realize that there are easier ways to have a white Christmas, both of mine have been at the South Pole. And much like everyone has their own Christmas traditions, we have ours here too. Possibly the most exciting of which is an amazing dinner prepared by our...

So Much For Relative Calm

In what should really be less of a surprise, my flight to McMurdo from Christchurch was not delayed (well technically we were delayed a few hours for weather (I don’t know that there has been a completely on time flight all season)). I arrived in McMurdo just in...

Leaving On a Jet Plane

Well, I suppose it was actually 3 jet planes but who’s counting :p In all seriousness though, it’s so wild that after months of planning, packing, and goodbyes, I am on my way. My flights to Christchurch, New Zealand were generally uneventful; I even...