Made it to the South Pole

I'll try to make this a brief update because we only have 20 more minutes of satellite coverage.

I left McMurdo this morning on a LC-130 and made it to the South Pole three hours later. The flight was nice, not as spectacular as some of the other flights, I think largely because you couldn't see out the windows from my seat, but the scenery going to Taylor Dome may have been better.

When we landed, it was -35 F with windchill, visibility has been deteriorating and the wind has been picking up. They are forecasting the possibility of snow. Apparently the weather has been nice for the last few days, it could be exciting though if we get some of the weather that people associate with Antarctica.

The South Pole is at 9300 feet in elevation, but because the atmosphere is thinner at the poles than the equator, it's similar to 10,300. I definitely notice the shortness of breath, and when you tack on the extra weight of the gear, it really adds up.

I got my own room in the new station, which is quite nice. I was definitely expecting to have to stay out in one of the jamesways, but I got here at just the right time as people are leaving now before a new wave comes in after the holidays. It means I don't have to suit up to go get food and what not. At this point, I'd rather be here than in McMurdo even though in Mactown there are more hikes to go on, but the food, the station, and the people are a lot nicer here.

Work will start picking up in the next couple days, so I may be busy and it coordinate with the satellite coverage.

Here's a shot of people getting off of the LC-130.















And here's what it looks like walking over to the station. It has been painted blue recently. My dorm is on the wing on the far end. My camera batteries died, so I'm recharging them now and will take some more photos probably later today.