November 17, First Day in Antarctica! Options

[Dena_Rosenberger]

17 November, Thursday

Hello from the Ice!

Where’s Rosenberger?
In Antarctica!

Flying on the C-130 yesterday was very interesting, and loud, and crowded, and 7 hours of flight time. Just in getting up from your seat and trying to move around a bit presented problems as you had to climb over fellow flyers’ knees, feet, carry-on bags, and sack lunches. Some people climbed up on top of the cargo in the back to lie down and sleep.







About 2 hours out from McMurdo Station, we began to see ice-covered land and mountains below us out of the small, round windows on this New Zealand Air Force cargo plane. What a gorgeous continent…huge black monoliths split by sweeping glaciers covered with aqua crevasses that look tiny from this high vantage point.



This shot of the Transantarctic Mountains shows the C-130 propeller


Ice was forming on the INSIDE of the round windows!


I managed to talk my way up into the cockpit for better pictures (I was the only one!). Note the people sleeping on top of the cargo:


Much better view from the front:


We landed yesterday on Williams Field, an ice-covered runway on the sea ice near McMurdo. This is NOT the permanent ice-shelf called the Ross Ice Shelf. In fact, as summer approaches in the next few weeks, this runway will be abandoned as the ice thins in favor of a runway that is further away but on ice-covered real land.


We rode in a “Terrabus” for the short ride to McMurdo Station


This picture is from our lab window looking West across the airport at the Transantarctic Mountains about 40 miles away:


Tomorrow I will go to the Outdoor Survival Training called Happy Camper School, mandatory for all newcomers to Antarctica. It is a two day overnight survival training class where, apparently, we have to build our own snow hut and sleep in it! Because of being on ice, I won’t be able to post a journal tomorrow, but I am sure I will have some very interesting photos for Saturday. See you then! (and please, send warm thoughts my way)

Current Conditions at McMurdo Station
There is a low pressure system off the Ross Ice Shelf which is expected to bring some light snowfall tonight and slightly warmer temperatures tomorrow.

Right now:

Light winds
Temperature: 18 oF/ -8 oC with a wind chill factor bringing it to -17 oF
Pressure: 29.370 inHg
Sunset: February 20 at 1:38 am

In 1977, the highest wind was recorded for November at 89 mph

[sloth]

I used to complain about the legroom in coach.
Please post a photo of the brown stalagmites at the earliest possible moment.

Sloth

[Amanda Stahl]

Wow! Those pics are awesome. It is really great to see pictures from the one place I will probably never see. I am glad I didn't go though I would have a tough time of it in that plane with my long legs. Well hope to see the pics on Saturday, and try to stay warm.
Amanda Stahl
p.s warm wishes

[Guest]

That was a neat trick getting my birthday card to me. I admire your stellar organizational skills. Thank you. It means a lot to me. Colin looked at the pics with your chem. classes and said "How old is Aunt Dena? Gee, I thought she was like, 20." This he says to me on my 45th birthday! Hope that makes your day!

[Amy Redepenning]

Dena,

It's cold here too! 17* Almost hit a car that spun out in front of me tonight!

But, Oh can the snow and ice be beautiful!

Like your pictures, especially the one with the shades!

Amy Redepenning

[Bev Warford]

You said to send warm thoughts so - I'm here at home 6:30 a.m. with a temp. in the house of 66deg. I'm sure that's a bit warmer than where you are. Oh and I'm drinking my warm coffee. The pictures you sent are great, it looks like you're with a great group of people. Stay warm!!

[Lindsey NeatheryHey]

Hey Hey Hey. Well it sounds like you having fun.
I think outside of your snow hut you should make a snowman that looks like you so they know its your snow hut and that your in there. That and snowmen are jsut awesome. Have fun
Lindsey Neathery

[TJ McAllister]

man i wanta be there.....it seems like fun...and i thought that scotland was cold.....it was like 18 F WITH wind chill...heehee.... ...its suposed to be 85 today and im in shorts...warm thoughts..

[Sandals (Tweet's Per 2)]

Dear Ms Rosenberger,

Stay warm and say hi to some penguins for us. We're fighting our own extreme weather right now. Eighty-nine degrees and sunny.

Sandals
a.k.a. Tweet & Per 2 Geography

[Justin Jones]

rosenberger,

hi ms. rosenberger, i read about the plane ride and it looked uncomfortable. I guess all rides cant be as comfortable as the starship Enterprise. I hope the rest of your trip is more comfortable. well i will reply later if I dont forget.

Justin J.

[Guest]

I though i was cold last night in my bed with a temp. of 70 degrees. So now i guess i cant really complain about being cold unless i have where you are now. Dont forget to send pictures of penguins asap. Stay warm and have lots of fun.Jamie from 3erd per

[Amanda McKay]

Brrrrrrrr its cold in here it must be like 89 degrees in the atmosphere!!!!! hope you are having fun stay warm and have a great time, remember, if its possible smuggle a penguin back for me!!!!LOL

[Los Pinguinos]

Dear DR,

Please bring us back a penguin and a bag of ice for our pizza party today. How is the food there? Do you have anything like pizza? Ben wants to know what penguin tastes like.

We'll let you know who wins the EC vs EC (El Centro) football game.

Los Pinguinos
Tweet's Per 4 Geography

[Guest]

Hey-
I thought I'd chime in.
How's "the ice"? It is santa ana conditions here and I'll be glad when the fire-season is over. Too much worrying now that we're trailer trash (no offense to anyone living in a trailer, just poking fun at myself)
Have you had any close encounters yet with the feathered little tuxedos?
Keep posting pictures - they're fun!
Keith Wayne

[Crystal Lepe]

you look so cozy and warm! Not really, wow it looks mighty chilly over there! I hope youre having fun! One question...do they have takeout over there? teehee

- Crystal Lepe

[Lindsay and Kayla]

dear ms. rosenberger, we miss you very much and are very happy to hear that you are having fun in antarctica. have a great time at your survival camp. kayla says that she needs you back to pass this class. you look good in red. so, what did it take to be the only one to be able to take pictures from the cock pit? temps here are in the 80s. i'm wearing shorts and a tank but those big huge red tents look comfy.

love always, lindsay and kayla

[Kristin M & Valerie W]

[B]hey
we miss you
hope you are having a blast

Sounds fun and we can't wait to hear the stories when you get back!
tell the penguins hi
we will write back soon
be safe and have fun!!
<3 valerie and kristin

[Period 5]

Dear Ms Rosenberger,

How's the weather? Do you sleep in all your jackets and stuff? How do you takes showers if it is so cold?

How many people live in the place where you are at? Is it like a city? What do you do for entertainment?

What time do you go to bed? Is the sun out when you go to sleep? What is the time difference between here and there?

Tweet's Per 5 Geography

[Grey girl & Big boy]

We are really upset at you. Bill doe's not play with us enough, and we still have not gotten over the fact that you gave us such silly names. Opps Bill's home have to go and harass him for food.

Meow.........

[Chubbz (Tweet Per 7)]

Howdy Ms R,

We have just a few questions. Why is it called Pony Lake? Do any animals live in the lake? How can plants live there if it is dark half the year? What is a "Terrabus" (is it one of those tractor things that you see in movies)? Can you send a picture of one from the outside? And maybe a picture with a penguin?

Thanks!

Chubbz a.k.a. Tweet's Period 7 Geography

PS Taylor says "Don't eat yellow snow!"

PPS Jake wanted you to know that Mr Tweet doesn't have a globe so he has to use a ghetto basketball instead.