WINTER-OVERS - thurday 25 october

Hopefully this works. It's a video I shot the other day of a c-17 taking off, taking the winter-over crew back to warmer climates! Fingers crossed. I found out I have happy camper over the next two days. Yeah. This is snow craft training where you get to learn all about the elements of Antarctica and sleep in a snow cave for the night. Double Yeah. I'm so stoked.

RED ONE - wednesday 24 october

Out at the runway station today. 24hrs on the ice.

Station 2 is set out on the runway. It has a little lounge, a little bunk room, a little office, and a little kitchen. 6 of us are squeezed into what looks like a container, like the ones carried on ships. It's little but it has mighty big character, and i love it. It's my favourite shift whenever i'm out there. You feel like you're really in the elements, and over 24 hours i can capture some great shots with the ever changing conditions.

We drove the big rig today, she took about half an hour to start up, but we were cruising once underway. Red 1 is what she's called. It's massive and carries 1200 gallons of agent. We also pulled the lines (hose) from the back of R5. It's a 100 foot line of hose which we'd take interior to an airforce c-17.

Over in the cargo depo we helped assist in moving some fire extinguisers. This is Antarctic style (photo above). Only on the ice can you move extinguishers the cool way!

Evening struck and the 6 of us watched an american series called Firefly. It's all the rage down here. Crashed early, time to catch up on some sleep.

KITE SKIING- tuesday 23rd october

It snowed again.

yeah.

Another day off, I’m loving this.

I hit the gym this morning then helped out the D.A's with the dishes again in the galley. The weather is chilly, windy and cloudy today, so it's a good chance to catch up on the likes of laundry. Wonderful laundry days, 5 machines 1200 people, and the biggest box of detergent I’ve seen in my life. Apparently our Antarctic fire service tees are in great demand down here, and seem to amazingly vanish from your laundry pile. A great souvenir from the ice I bet. You have to watch them like a hawk.

I sorted out my photos today and backed them up onto cd's. I've only taken a few during the two weeks I’ve been here.

I've taken 800.

Time to get outdoors. During the afternoon I hiked out to discovery hut for some photography. This is where I met Nick.
Nick works with the helicopters, and this is his 6th summer out here. He's an avid kite boarder back in the states and once he's on the ice the skies come out. Kite skiing. Wicked. "yeah, you can travel some pretty awesome landscapes and cover some miles fast here with a 4m kite" Nick says as I listen attentively. I'm hooked.

I snapped away taking photos of Nick during his "practise fly" of his kite. I really wish I had brought my fisheye and wide-angle lens out on this hike. I could have got some unreal shots. Lesson learnt. Take everything.

I run back to mactown for dinner thinking, "now, how can I get jeremy to send me one of these kites”?

I laughed out loud as I thought of a conversation with my Dad just before I came down here. I remember I was super excited telling him about an awesome surfing day I’d had and that I really wanted to buy longboard now, he chuckled and replied "now Liz, when are you going to sit still, and maybe learn to knit"

I love it. For those that don't know, my Dad is one of my biggest supporters, a real fan. He's always encouraging me and forever proud. He's a true legend.

Evening came around fast and I was off to the gym to get certified to use the climbing wall. Straight from climbing I was into a few games of volleyball, from volleyball it was onto the basketball court, then rounded it all off with a quick beer in the pub.

Phew.

monday 22nd october

Weather: -20.c, wind chill -34.c

Great day at work today. More training. We braved the chill and ran the hydraulic tools used for extrication. My hair froze.
Next out came the airbags, we lifted engine one (16 tonne) off the ground.

The weather really turned today. A lot of snow had fallen overnight and the wind is having a field day blowing it over everything and everyone. It's really beautiful though. When the weather's like this you feel rather like a chicken nugget walking the green mile. The second you step outside you get snapped frozen.

The American world series baseball is currently in play. It's seems all the rage. I guess it's like the rugby world cup to new zealanders.

ALL BLACK IN RED - sunday 21 october

Weather: -14.c, wind chill -19.c

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NIGEL!

Fortunately last night the fire service played the air force crew in a match of volleyball. Unfortunately one of the air force guys dislocated his finger and is on the next flight home. Fortunately he's been here 6 times before. Unfortunately this time he'd only be here for ONE day. Fortunately he was still smiling. Unfortunately the air force crew had to play short. Fortunately we won.

Today I got up bright and early. My average bedtime down here is midnight. It's pretty tricky the old' sun staying up for 24hrs. Your brain really doesn't get any sign that it's time to jump into those p.j's.

Come 3pm I was outside all geared up for rugby training. Eager little beaver. Keith, an American rugby nut is team leader/coach. He huddled the group over "right those that have played before throw the ball around over there, the newbies over here", I followed the newbie’s. "right" Keith said "now this is what you call a rugby ball, it's egg shaped. You use two hands to pass it" "arrrr" I piped up, "umm I’m a kiwi, so can I go play over there" looking at the guys who new how to play. A roar of laughter erupted.

I felt like an all black, running around cones passing left right and centre. This is going to rock.

Tonight I’m going to hike up observation hill (230m), as it is my last chance to take photos of the sun setting behind the mountains. Come the 23rd of october the sun will always be above the horizon 24hrs. 24/7.

RUGBY - saturday 20 october

Weather: -12.c, wind chill -24.c

On duty today.

At 8am we have shift change over in the firehouse. Both crews gather together in the engine bay to share news about what happened during shift. This morning one of the boys pulled out a rugby ball that he'd bought from Scott base. Cracker! We started passing and kicking the ball around......hang on.......this is weird......Now i'm standing here with a bunch of super fit sporty men, yet none of them have any idea how to pass the thing! and hang on, now they're all asking me to teach them how to drop kick a rugby ball?

Now that's a first!

Speaking of rugby, I’ve got training on Sunday afternoon for "the big game". McMurdo versus Scott base. The stubby shorts are replaced with winter long johns and mittens, and the rugby field is marked out on ice.

They breed them tough in Antarctica.

This year the game is going into the Guinness Book of Records, as the most southern game of rugby played. They are flying in a GBR official and a professional referee. In the fifty years of this traditional meet the Americans have yet to win. Many say though that this is the year......."we have two ring ins" "chippy and lizzie".

Work was great. I learnt a lot today. We had medical training and saved victims using backboards and duck tape.

We even had snow today. Little iddy biddy flakes. But it was still snow.
The first of the season.

Food. I’m missing the kiwi favourites. I’ve pulled out the vegemite at breakfast many times. The American aren’t convinced.
The other day I was sitting through an aircraft training lecture, tummy rumbling, absolutely starving for lunch when I get this page.....
"I’m eating a pineapple lump for you now......opps and another......and another......okay just one more"
I hope you’re sending down as many as you’re eating Elayne.

ONE FOR THE LADIES - friday 19 october

Weather: -14, wind chill -24.c

The sun is shining and the birds are singing.

Well actually the latter part isn't happening, but the sun is definitely shining.

Time to pull out those tramping boots.

Heath, Dave Mc, and I hit the firehouse up with our itinerary, grabbed a radio and headed out into this vast desert they call Antarctica. One of the marked routes you can hike here is called "castle rock loop" and that's where we're headed. It's a 12 mile round trip and passes some unreal scenery.

Off we ponder with camera in hand. I laugh as the boys continue to try and speak kiwi, to which i reply, "you'll come back now ya hear"
Posted along the way are emergency bubbles, these stations are escape shelters from the ever changing weather and they house sleeping bags, a stove, a radio, and food. We reach castle rock about an hour and a half into our hike. This massive stand-alone piece of rock sits a proud 415 metres high. Now, it's neg 25.c outside, and much to my laughter the boys decide it's time for a gun show. This one's for all you single girls out there. So off come the layers and they strip down to just their wind pants, and pull off moves that even Arnie would be proud of.

We continue on and pass an absolutely amazing ice shelve. Everyday I’m stunned by the enormity and beauty of Antarctica. It's a truly incredible environment, unlike anything I have ever experienced. I feel truly blessed.