Chapter 7 Sunrise 1221

"We can only appreciate the miracle of a sunrise if we have waited in the darkness"
*Sapna Reddy

& just like that we are out of "that" darkness . Out of hibernation . The Antarctic winter-over fog smoothers us . Like moths to a flame . One day , it was as if someone had turned on the light , flick of a switch .
116 days without a sunrise , 3 months and 3 weeks of night . Walking out of dorm 208 one morning not long ago I was greeted by twilight ..."wait ..what the ??" ... Seeing the mountains across the frozen sea , I stop ,I stare . Trying to accept what I was seeing ? my winter brain not computing . There was no easing us back in .One day a faint glow on the horizon and the next an all day periwinkle blue . Not wanting to go inside ,like a child clinging onto its mother . I didn't want it to go away and yet , it was bittersweet , like the end of something , I cant quite explain it . almost nostalgic & everyone seemed to share this strange feeling , although exciting , we are yearning for the sun to come back . The end of an era and the start of the wind-fly period is closing in .

Where did July go ?. Making the most of the lingering night I am lucky enough to join 7 other individuals on the last star gazing trip to Castle Rock some miles away from town (away from the towns lights) . The cozy but bumpy trip via piston bully was way to much fun . This is one of those moments in life where time stands still. A moment where you are all of a sudden very aware of the present .
The galaxy was incredible . One could get lost trying to focus on all its stars and clusters of sparkles . The milky-way in all its glory , like a painting . A quarter moon hangs low enough that it illuminates Castle Rock . Doing 360 degree circles . I cant seem to get enough or choose between what I want to soak up , so settle for the most magnificent auroras . Brilliant rays of green and blues dance across the wide open sky . Disbelief and awe , we get all of it . The chances of seeing one of these vistas are rare ...but seeing all of it ??. A life experience like no other and one I will never forget . This moment . In this moment I feel I had completed my Antarctic journey .

As the days get lighter , there seems to be these weird highlighted, almost florescent clouds turning up every so often . They are quite something to see and later learn that they are Polar Stratosphere clouds or Nacreous clouds or better known as " mother of pearl". They are best observed during 'civil twilight' when the sun is between 1 & 6 degrees below the horizon . The McMurdo scientists squirm with the return of these short lived sightings . As the clouds came and went like visitors , I jump at the the opportunity to go out to Phoenix air field with Captain Kil , Ginny and Kenny from the galley . Having not left town since 14th of March we were almost skipping to the truck . The banter on the way out of town , out past Scotts Base and onto the pastures of nothing but white as far as the eye could see was full of laughter and chatter . The sun still in hiding , threatening a return by throwing everything in a awesome red and orange light. Lighting up Observation hill , Castle Rock and Mt Erebus into a deep purple . Then there was silence . As if pre planned , we become quiet . I am not sure where everyone's thoughts went to . I started to reflect on my time here , the time past , and the time yet to come . My thoughts often go to how insignificant one can feel in such an incredible place , and that can put life/ living into perspective . To be honest , most of that time I am not sure there was a whole lot of thinking , just being in the moment in perfect conditions . Even taking advantage to lie down on the ice and just be there . Take it all in .

Since then I've accompanied Cap' two more times out to the airfield on a digging snow and ice mission . Working hard to remove the remains of the winter storms on the Terminal and ARFF equipment . Well berried ,the days required hard work and long hours .Joy for physical work had made the days go by faster . Finding that sleep came easier . It has definitely broken the normality and It is noticeable McMurdo towns people are ramping up the activity in order to prepare for upcoming wind-fly .

Nothing prepares you for the influx of new people . New faces , New energy's . Wind-fly !.

We welcome our first of four flights after months of being cut off from the rest of the world . A late night flight arrives . The United States C-17 bringing some 90-ish passengers and taking away the first lot of winter over departures. It is hard to describe the transition of having been with the same 130 something people since April , you become a tight knit family that make it work like a well oiled machine and anything outside the norm seems to throw any individual and can throw town off its keel. Chuck 90 news faces into the mix and its quite an adjustment.

I like to think after about a decade of solid travel abroad , making life long friends and having what I call my international families ,would make saying good bye to my ICE friends just 'part n parcel' of this Far Far South adventure .The connections made here are entirely different . The experience of this winter-over creates magic and brings all the weird and wonderful together . Sharing the dark moments -making our own light in a time and place away from the rest of the world . Experiencing the winter here -makes saying goodbye almost heartbreaking .I can honestly say I am not a fan of good byes , how ever I am used to the adventure of travel and like all good things , the ride must come to an end . Wind-fly , it is an end of an era and so the next journey must begin .

"How lucky I am , to have something that makes saying good bye so hard"
* A.A Milne (Winnie-the-pooh)

With the new folk it brings back the risk of Covid making its way down to the ICE and so back to mask wearing and social distancing for some time after each flight . Hopefully we can avoid the annoying disease .

Welcome to the new people , I apologize for my distance & long spacey stares . I am adjusting to the new-ness of it all . Please talk slowly , my T3 brain is catching up ! Its not you , Its me .

Already heading towards the end of August and so the fun begins with juggling the flights due to delays and logistics . In the next few weeks we are set too more than double our population , receive fresh fruit ,vegetables and long awaited mail . All things to look forward to . 5 weeks until October , and countdown is on until my own departure . Feeling more and more separated from home these past months , but my thoughts still go to loved ones and thank you for your continued love and support . Bare with me.. The light is back! .
& I am slowly waking up .