12-17-11

Our cargo still hasn't arrived and the drillers have run into more challenges out at the site, so I've been spending most of my time in the station without much excitement going on. With that in mind, I'll show some pictures of the station.


This is the gym for the station If you look out the screens on the right, you would be overlooking the basketball court.














Here you can see the full size basketball court which served as the sleeping quarters for the Norwegians. I'm not sure if the Prime Minister stayed there or if he had his own room elsewhere, but it seems likely he slept here. The weight room is above and behind in in this shot.














Here you can see the Visitors camp which is probably a good portion of a mile upwind of the station. At peak population they had about 93 people, and our currently down to 35 with that number declining as more flights come in to pick them up. The station population is 212.














Here you can see the lounge area in the greenhouse room in the station. I'll get a photo of it, but basically it's just another room off of the hallway in the lower level. It is a nice place to be as there are plants and humidity to be appreciated.



















This is the actual greenhouse which is behind the glass doors on the left of the previous photo. They have been growing a lot of flowers this year, which to my knowledge is a new thing. We have had a lot more fresh produce flown in this year. There are apples, bananas and oranges available at every meal, whereas last year that would happen maybe once a week or so. I don't know if it's overstock from the Prime Minister's visit, or if it reflects a real change. In the wintertime, the greenhouse is the only source of fresh produce the 50 residents have for about 8 months.