Those who do not wander are lost.
Update!
I’m going to be spending the next several months down here as the lead winter over dispatcher with the Antarctic Fire Department!
Also, I’ve been doing a lot of training of fire fighters and new people and such, hence, lack of personal internet time. Which stinks. But have no fear. When I go on a 24/48 shift, that means I’ll be able to post more (hopefully). We’ll also be getting wifi access in our dorm rooms which I’m super excited about.
A picture is worth a thousand words.
These are from January 2nd 2012 through current…
There are several trails around McMurdo for recreation, exploration and exercise. My favorite of these so far is the Ob Hill Loop. It is 2.7 miles of rocky terrain with some steep portions and a gorgeous view of the area. I first did the loop back in mid December, right after my 30th birthday. And here are pictures!
So many things have been changing around here lately.
All of the areas that were once covered in snow and ice are now rocky and dusty. It truly feels like a desert here now. Minus the heat part. Well I take that back, we had about 2 weeks of weather where the temps were above 32 degrees. Today, however, it got back down to 5 degrees.
I’ve missed the cold.
So, like I said, so many things have changed. So many things have happened.
First let me explain the limited time that I have to post things.
When our population went through a major increase, it became difficult for me to get on-line and blog. I’m also going through the process to PQ to winter-over so this means I’m not working night shift. Due to the fact that I’ve been helping train firefighters in dispatch and the fact that my boss is at the station during the day time hours, I don’t blog when I’m on shift.
There are also times when I get writers block and don’t know what to write about. Not every day is a new exciting adventure and I don’t want to write things like:
“Woke up today, brushed my teeth, went to breakfast, went to work, went to lunch, went back to work, went to dinner, went back to work, went home, went to bed. Woke up the next day, rinse – lather – repeat.”
No one wants to read that. I want to tell you all of the exciting things that are happening here. So I’m now going to hopefully knock out several posts tonight. No guarantees since it is about 3am and I am basically awake due to insomnia and other things just running through my head.
Read on. More blogs coming in the next few hours. (I promise Daddy)
Love to all – Tori
Hello! I’m alive!
Quick run-down of what has gone on since my last major post and HOPEFULLY I’ll get a chance to post more later.
I’ve seen countless numbers of seals
I’ve seen 42 penguins (yes I counted each individual one)
I’ve experienced 3 major holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years)
I’ve turned 30
I’ve started the process to PQ for the winter season (yes this means 8 more months on ice, yes I’m excited, no I’m not crazy)
I’ve gotten almost an entire shift of firefighters to karaoke with me
I’ve walked outside in shorts, flip-flops and a tshirt. In Antarctica. 🙂
I have been a shoulder to lean on for some people going through tough times
I’m 4 pounds away from losing 50 pounds since coming down here
I’ve worked on some writing projects… therefore putting my blog on the back burner…
I’ve trained a lot of firefighters to work in dispatch
I’ve been incredibly happy and I’ve just been enjoying each day
So, more later – Hasta!
I will be able to post a blog. I’ve been training people and therefore my intentions of actually posting a blog have been put off due to that pesky thing called work.
I’m still doing great! My 30th birthday here was amazing. And I guess I’ll have to blog on my computer, throw it on a thumb drive and then hope for a chance to get on-line and post one early Wednesday morning.
Greetings from McMurdo!
We’ve been having some lovely weather, generally around 32 degrees these days, which makes it warm enough for flip-flops and short sleeves. You look at me like I’m kidding!
I just wanted to post a few words saying how much I’m still loving it here and things have been great. Tomorrow, providing I don’t have any trainees, I will post a long lengthy blog regarding things that have occurred within the last month.
We’re in the time of year for parties, shindigs, soirees and festivities of all sorts so I’ll write a bit about those. I will also upload photos of a regular day in the life of Tori at McM.
Love to you all –
Tori
Sunday, November 20th, 2011
Approximately 0130
Greetings and salutations to you all!
Yes I know it’s been 20 long days since I last blogged and informed you all of what has been going on. For that, I apologize. It has just been crazy busy down here on the Ice.
Our Chief arrived in the beginning of the month, which meant everyone was rushing to memorize the points of the Leadership Star. The points of the star are as follows: Create the Future, Lead with Character, Build Through Teamwork, Inspire Commitment, and Deliver Results. Sure, it doesn’t sound like an awful lot of information to memorize, but we have to be able to name a point on the star and why it is important to us if we are asked. There are also times when we have DVs (Distinguished Visitors)*more on this later* and we must be able to recite a point on the star for them. No pressure right? Yeah, I turn into a jittery, stuttering fool when put on the spot. I could write a five paragraph paper on each topic, but to be expected to give an oral response… forget about it. I get nervous speaking in front of people. Unless they’re kids. So this was just a bit of pressure for me.
Along with the Chief, we have also gotten (and unfortunately lost) several members of our staff. We’ve had a few people resign and move on to different opportunities and we’ve lost another member due to his own actions. I’m really not sure what happened to him exactly, but c’est la vie.
Right now, we’re working on converting the “Dispatch Bible” to an electronic form instead of the huge bulky book that we rely on for about 80% of our activities in dispatch. The book holds all of the information regarding In Flight Emergencies, Key Contact Phone Numbers, Power Outage Procedures… A bit of everything really. The project is going to be a huge undertaking, but split between five of us, it shouldn’t be too bad.
We here at the Firehouse (along with everyone else in McMurdo) has also been gearing up from the MCI drill. MCI meaning Mass Casualty Incident. Yes, this means I get to play on the radio during chaos. For those of you know me from dispatching, you know that this thrills me like nothing else. I love a bit of chaos every now and again. I’m also the one that gets to work the primary radio during the event. All of the dispatchers will have to be present for the drill but… Yeah, I get the radio. The event will be on Thanksgiving! I am sure I will be thankful when it is over.
Basically a wrap up on what has been going on at work, things have been hectic. We’ve got people coming and going. I work with a really great group of people and I enjoy the conversations I have with each and every one of them.
In other news…
The weather is warming up. We’ve recently had several days where the tempature has reached freezing. Yes, it has already reached 32 degrees (F) here and the snow/ice on the ground is starting to melt. The past several mornings when leaving work, I’ve had to use extreme caution when walking home due to the treacherous path. Ok, it’s not really that bad, but when ice melts and then re-freezes and THEN gets covered with a light dusting of snow (because it gets warm enough to snow) it can be kind of tricky walking home. This morning I was chatting with one of the Beakers (scientists – hey we like nicknames!) and I was warning him to be careful when he was walking home. Our conversation went somewhat like this:
Me: “Good Morning! Be careful walking over to Crary, it’s kinda slickery out there.”
Beaker: “But aren’t we on a southern island?”
Me: “Yes”
Beaker: “And isn’t Tahiti a southern island?”
Me: *thinking ‘I don’t do geography early in the morning and where is he going with this’* “yeah…”
Beaker: “Well, I don’t see how it can be that bad, we’re even further south! Haha!”
Silly Beakers…
Me: “True, well try not to get a sunburn and enjoy the balmy weather today!”
Beaker: “Ok, sleep well!”
Beaker walks down the stairs, takes four steps and I see the left foot slide forward a bit, the right foot slide out to the right hand side (I wish I had my camera at the ready), and his arms flapped up and down like an Adelie penguin briefly, AND THEN…. he regained his footing. (Sigh) Not that I want to see anyone get hurt, but it just seems I haven’t actually seen anyone fall! Other than myself. And I’m sure it was more amusing to the onlookers than it was to myself.
So the Beaker was halfway to Crary before he realized he forgot his key card. Everyone that works in crary has an electronically read card to access the building. He then turned around and headed back to our building and THAT is when he noticed I saw his almost-fall. I was nice and didn’t make any comments to him about trying to warn him or the fact that I-told-him-so. He could tell. I said it with my eyes.
Those were the events of this morning before I had almost 4 hours of training after a 12 hours shift.
Sorry, lack of sleeping is making me a bit scatterbrained today. On to other informative and exciting news! “oohhhh, ahhhh!”
Now, you all know that I have seen the Weddell Seals at Hut Point, and I haven’t posted any pictures or postings of penguins (HAH! Say that five times fast), but the other wild creature of Antarctica has arrived. Yes, the dreaded Stercorarius antarcticus or Brown Skua (a.k.a. dirty seagull, Antarctic Skua, Southern Great Skua, or Hākoakoa (Maori)) has arrived. This is the heaviest species of skua and rivals the largest gulls as the heaviest species in the shorebird order although not in length or wingspan. It is 52–64 cm (20–25 in) in length, 126–160 cm (50–63 in) in wingspan and has a body mass of 1.2–2.13 kg (2.6–4.7 lb). They have longish bills with a hooked tip, and webbed feet with sharp claws. They look like large dark gulls, but have a fleshy cere above the upper mandible. The skuas are strong, acrobatic fliers. They are generally aggressive in disposition. Potential predators who go near their nest will be quickly dived at by the parent bird, which usually targets the head of the intruder. – *Wikipedia
The first morning that I encountered a Skua, I thought I was hallucinating. I was walking home after a long, uneventful shift, minding my own business. I looked off in the distance and thought “hrm. It’s a bird flying between Gallaghers and Southern”… My second thought was “penguins don’t fly”… My third thought was “Oh crap, it’s a Skua and it’s flying AT ME”.
Not my photo but, imagine my fear:
***Fun fact about Tori – She’s not scared of birds (or, wasn’t until the close call with the dirty seagull) but she is TERRIFIED of alligators and crocodiles. Ask my family why. I get goosebumps just thinking about it.***
For some bizarre reason (I think it’s because I’ve watched Jurassic Park far too many times), but I immediately thought, bird = dinosaur, dinosaur = alligator, alligator = run in a zig zag pattern to avoid being eaten. Yes, I am sure I looked a bit foolish zig-zagging back and forth looking for an unlocked door to open and dive into the entrance of any building. I managed to escape the bird at the last minute. Okay, it might not have been the last minute, but it sounds more exciting to put it that way. At work that evening, I made this:
Yes, I find myself highly amusing at times. But you CANNOT tell me that there isn’t a resemblance! …. *silence* I rest my case.
Whew. Okay, sorry I had a bit of a flashback there.
Thus far, my total Skua sitings have been seven. Yes and since the first encounter, each time I see one of the dreaded birds, the theme for Jaws runs through my head. They like to fly in circular patterns around me. “You know what that sound is your highness?…They always grow louder when they’re about to feed on human flesh”. Actually, I couldn’t tell you what kind of noise skuas make. I normally hear the “UM, ER, UH, GAH, BIRD!” coming from people around me if one is approaching me from behind. Skuas are feared like no other animal in Antarctica. Except for that one lady who’s leg got caught beneath a seal earlier this year. I’m sure she doesn’t think the weddells are cute and cuddle-y any more.
No I don’t know what she was doing that close to a seal. Yes, it is against the Antarctic Treaty.
Hope you all are well and to those of you have been wondering where I am, I thank you for your concern!
Halloween.
The biggest party that I’ve yet attended here on the Ice.
Halloweird is a better description of it. I loved it though. I didn’t dress up. Well actually I tried to but my vampire bite marks weren’t sticking very well. I ended up wearing a black shirt and saying I was paparazzi. I’m attaching a slide show – there are some interesting costumes so if you have young impressionable children, use your discretion. Also, you may not want to watch this at work. Some of the costumes, though fun, might not be appropriate for your place of business.
On a note of awesomeness – the guy dressed as Oscar the Grouch won Best Overall Costume. He’s one of my firefighters. We rock.
Yes, I’ve been horrible at posting updates on here, so your treat is multiple posts in one day!
I’m pretty sure I mentioned the Ob Tube before, however, in case I haven’t, it is basically a long tube that goes below the ice and into the water (there’s a glass casing at the bottom for unparalleled views of what happens “Under the Sea”here at McMurdo). I, however, will not be going into the tube. I walked down to the tube (because we believe in the buddy system here on the ice) with Pam, and upon arriving at said contraption, I decided that the round tertiary creature that I am does not need to go into a TUBE under the ICE and into the WATER. I’m not chicken, I just don’t want someone to have to call my job and tell them that I’m stuck either getting into the tube or coming out of the tube. I’m sure there are cranes around here but I don’t need to be known as the girl that got stuck in the Ob Tube.
Since I accompanied Pam out onto the Ice, I decided that I could hang out for a bit and take some pictures, again in black and white (oh, ok, a few color ones too). I also had her take a picture of me in one of my snazzy hats that my Grandma sent me.
Since I didn’t go down into the tube, I’m including pictures that other people have taken while in the tube. The ones that are not taken of the happenings beneath the ice are, again, not works by me, but I want you all to enjoy seeing what I’ve heard so much about.
Victoria In Victorialand 