Anyways, as I am walking to the Firehouse, which is 20 feet from the hot tub, I see people walking around town either going to or from a work assignment and I am thankful for having my schedule. I am dressed in my “big red” with a t-shirt and a pair of jeans on along with my sneakers and a bag around my shoulders to carry my towel and my beverages for the hot tub. I go into the firehouse and see the people working in the bay to overhaul our heating system. Of course I say hi to them all and they ask why I am back since it is my day off, they know this since they begin work at 730am and I leave work about 815am after we have our shift change meeting and “bs” with everyone. I say with a snicker “I’m ‘rubber ducking it’ today.” They all give that “I wish I was you right now” look since they know the rubber duck, yes just like when you were a kid and played with one in the tub, is attached to the hot tub key ring as to not lose the key in the snow.
I also take advantage of working at the firehouse and go to my bunk room to change into my swim shorts / workout short and with just my t-shirt, sneakers and workout shorts on I briskly jog over the 20 feet to the hot tub where I relax with some beverages, music and non-work related conversation. Since for the most part the Firehouse and the Power Plant operators are the only ones that don’t work “town schedule” (Monday to Saturday 730am to 530pm) the hot tub is relatively free most days before 6pm. This is nice since it gets chemically treated in the morning about 7 am or maybe the night before if it isn’t in use before the wonderful UT foreman racks out for the evening. So it is usually nice and clean and germ free, an added benefit.
Lately we have been getting more people to join us in the hot tub either before or after our scheduled times. It is nice to have people from different work centers come and join so we don’t talk about the same topics. The conversations inevitably turn into “war stories”, “triumphs” or work bitching. Which is all well and good but they have their place, which is not in the hot tub since it is relaxing time.
Everyone once in an while someone will knock on the door to see who is in there since they can hear the music on the outside. The conversation usually goes like “Hey what up? Not much ‘just chilling, relaxing and acting all cool. You know shooting some b-ball outside of the school.’ How long you going to be here? Until 4 or so (or 5 or 6 which ever is correct). Cool mind if I join? Not at all come on back and join.” Then there is the inevitable meeting / passing / random person coming up in the galley / hallway / computer kiosk that asks if we are “tubing” it this morning / afternoon. Which the answer is usually yes or maybe an inquisitive you want to? But either way it is nice to be here and have some things that are different or specifically saved for winter. It gives the 198 winter-overs, the biggest in 3 years, something to be elitists about. Apparently this year it is going to be a big winfly season with 200 more scientist and grantees coming down. So the hot tub and all the extra amenities will all disappear, a week early this year, as to not give the impression that we have "luxuries" that they don't have during the summer. Where as winfly is usually the influx of trades people to help; open the dorms and buildings, get the vehicles up and running, and compile all the gear that is going to get used during the summer. But this year is it the 260ish winfly people like normal plus 200+ scientist and grantees. (FYI grantees are the unpaid scientist / videographers / photographers / random people in general that get sponsored by their respective universities and the NSF to come down and work on experiments.)
About these pictures:
So right down the road, literally, is Scott Base which is considered “foreign soil” since it is under the control of New Zealand. They are the ones that maintain the wind turbines (picture #2) that help to offset the power used by both bases. Apparently McMurdo’s power plant helps to power Scott Base. So when the wind is whipping, read above about 10 knots, it gives enough power to completely supply Scott Base and help offset McMurdo’s own power consumption. This is a good thing since we aren’t using diesel / JP-8 (jet fuel) / AN-8 (winterized {Antarctic} JP-8) to power the town which is a normally what is used to make electricity and water. Heat is comes from the diesel thru boilers or thru the waste heat loop around town that comes from the cooling of the 2 generators. So anyways about the sign, currently there are 14 bodies (13 plus a really short person hence a 13 ½) that reside at Scott Base during the winter. This picture was taken the same day that we did fire watch stand by for them so they could take there winter-over picture up at the wind turbines. It is A-shift, my shift, minus Virginia. It was here “Kelly Day.”
Hope you enjoyed.From a nice calm and surprisingly warm (+7 degrees Fahrenheit) Wednesday
Stay Frosty!
-C
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