28.04.22

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them".
*The Ode -ANZAC DAY

It has been a minute since my last blog home , finding it hard to sit down and to muster up the creative mind , i have dedicated a day to it as a storm batters the town.

The daylight now reduced to a constant twilight that slowly diminishes every new day .This is the new normal .The settling in for winter is taking place . The adjustment period is almost complete .

The last sunset was witnessed on the 23rd by the McMurdos towns people , as it was hidden from view by Mt Erebus on its true setting on the 24th April 1.45pm. This did not stop a few of us climbing Observation Hill in the hope to see the sun break the horizon for the last time until August . It did not disappoint . Not a breath of wind and as we neared the summit, the sky glowing a deep orange and red in the distant. Throwing the magnificent Mt Erebus into shadow and its venting-smoke a bright fire colour that can only be seen to truly understand how dramatic this final sunset was. Even the (these days rare)Emperor Penguins return on the ice in the distance just off Hutt Point , almost as if they too are saying goodbye to the light for the coming winter .The next day they were gone . No where to be seen.

The days leading up to this special moment have been incredible , it really is hard to describe the colours of the mountains and the surrounding Icy scenery . Pinks and purples have been the constant the past month . Its hard not to waste timing staring , and photos wont do it justice .I try daily to lock away all of it as a lasting memory. The last sunset was celebrated with a surf and turf night , trying lobster for the first time was most definitely a highlight. Talking about the menu here seems to be a favourite pass time ! If you don't get excited about food then you shouldn't be here haha. It is the little things that keep the morale high.
The sea , Mcmurdo Sound, is now completely frozen and any day now we will be able to drive on it .. A concept that is so foreign to me and if i never get to experience it I wouldn't mind haha. There is far too much heavy machinery at the bottom to be ecstatic about the thought of driving on a frozen sea . Ill be ready to bail quick smart if I am required to be out there .
Saturdays have become my favourite day of the week , sneaking out in the early hours to open the coffee machine at the empty bar , Southern Exposure .Having the early birds drop by . I have missed making coffee and I feed off the energy of the beautiful people ( now my regulars) that stop by. Getting to know what they'll have as soon as they walk through the door . Catching up on their personal experience of being on this continent . As I froth the milk I smile and listen to the banter and stories and dreams shared.

25th April ANZAC day in the far far far South .
This will be a day I remember forever . Being invited over to the Kiwis Scotts Base for a dawn service keeping in mind dawn is all day now. We arrive at 1000 to share the best Anzac biscuits ever made , warm from the oven and slightly undercooked !, Cheese rolls which i am told must be a South Island thing ?, and of course a Pavlova with all the trimmings . A reading was read inside to minimize outdoor time . Gathering out in front of the base in the low light , the silence was noticeable as 'The Last Post' sang out into the below zero atmosphere. Thirty of us stood , minute of silence to pay our respects , to reflect and to remember . A proud moment to be a kiwi. In this moment I watch the flag risen and i am completely present , noticing the feeling of the ice on my breath , the cold invigorating as the very few of us stand here on this day . How lucky i am and humbled by it all .All we can do in return is to hand make the poppies as a thank you and as a sign of respect to Scotts Base , hopefully they are durable and will stand the test of time for the future ANZAC celebrations to come .

I spend most of my time slipping around the place , the snow constantly freezing and becoming smooth , every day I skate about the place and as always, every near fall , the song 'Slip sliding away' from Simon and Garfunkel starts playing in my mind on repeat.
I do how ever attach springs over my boots for some of the walking tracks that we have been getting out and taking advantage of while we can . Volcanic dirt and rock , ice and snow is all that can be enjoyed . However the vastness and open space is always something to endure and appreciate . Anytime you can get away out of town is special and brings the reality back ...I am in Antarctica .

It is a healthy reminder that as we loose light in this small town , we must keep check on our attitudes . The novelty of being down here can wear thin. Getting cabin fever is a real threat . Dictated to by meal times and work hours , being around the same people in the same buildings, be it the galley , work place or dorm and social events . It is already noticeable that everyone is now at that comfortable stage with each other . Like one big family , for all the positives and negatives of that, we must look after ourselves and each other .I already find myself searching out alone time , and make the most of any space ,especially the gym where i can focus on my mental state , reflect and check in with myself . I find myself asking. What do i want to get out of this experience and how do i want to remember my time down here , how can i make it enjoyable for others too and where too from here .I guess we are always asking this of ourselves. Seems more apparent for me down here these days . I have recently acquired a 'Happy light" from lodging. This is an extremely bright light that is suppose to represent the suns light, you can not look directly at it so i put it where my window is in my room during daylight hours so that it feels like the sun is streaming through. About 1700 i turn if off in order to trick my body into a routine of normal hours.
Walking into the shop the other day , i caught a glimpse of a 'Border Colley' dog in the corner sitting on a chair . I stopped dead in my tracks , stopped mid sentence in a conversation i was having . I quickly realized it was a stuffed teddy , life sized and very real looking . I found myself staring , and as i moved around the shop i found myself constantly looking over at this "dog" as if my brain couldn't register . It seems as the days tick on , normal things back home are becoming very un normal for here. Talking on a phone call home recently , I could hear birds chirping away ...It was instantly distracting and so foreign . Doing a skype call to NZ , my eyes locked onto a 'fly' and seemed to continue to watch it until it was out of sight. The brain is an interesting beast.

The thought or rain , trees or colour is fast becoming an interesting concept . The medivac flight we have been waiting on , is set to arrive this Saturday .Some what a month behind schedule .In typical Antarctica fashion , a flight is here when it lands . It is never promised and as winter fast approaches the less likely it is to even get a plane down here and sourcing one out of either NZ , Aussie and the US has proven difficult . The town is buzzing for fresh produce , veges and salad ,including fruit , parcels and mail from home .

Thank you to those that have reached out during my time here, I may not get back to you straight away but know you are in my thoughts and are appreciated dearly. You will keep this kiwi gal sane . The time ticks on , days are going by . The days are getting darker . It is all the new normal now . A GPS training evening on the Garmins used to navigate the 10 hour journey to Black Island (communications centre) is an exciting prospect , as now part of the deployment team for that , I do hope that is something i get to write about next time . Who knows whats to come. Things to look forward to , a space party in May , Mid winter mile run , and tonight if weather allows ,A lecture/ tour /show and tell at Scotts Base of Shackleton and Scotts adventures , artifacts and history presentation of our early explorers. I have been waiting for this , the nerd in me is biting at the bit for this opportunity.
Time to turn off the happy light and enjoy the night , reliving the magic of the early adventurers
From your modern day explorer.
Helz x

"The quality of your mind , is the quality of your life "