Was It All A Dream?

“Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes or friends.... Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts.” ~Henry David Thoreau

The ice is gone. It’s like it never happened, doesn’t exist, nadda, gone, dreamland for the last four and a half months. Had I been sleeping the entire time? Was it real, had it all been a dream? Did it really happen? For the past few weeks since I’ve left the Ice, I have found myself asking these questions. Did I really just spend the last four and a half months at the bottom of the world, in Antarctica?

People I’ve run into in the days while traveling in New Zealand ask me where I’m traveling from and I just start laughing. Not at them mind you, but in my mind. It sounds absurd even to my own ears to say “Well, I’ve just come from Antarctica.” I hardly believe it myself, so how can they begin to? A part of me wants to make something up…I don’t know how to explain where I’ve just come from. So I simply settle for, “I’m from Alaska.” That in itself seems to be drawing enough attention without throwing in the Antarctica card. But the reality is that yes, I did just spend the last four and a half months at the bottom of the world. It truly did happen.

I pinch myself and yes, it hurts. I am awake.

McMurdo life is such an extremely different climate/experience/life form (whatever you want to call it) from what everything else is in the rest of the world that it easily feels as if my time there never happened. But I and a mere few thousand other people who shared this experience know for a fact that there is this small, well functioning community down there, still functioning. I am just not there.

I flew from the ice on February 24th at 1530pm. We arrived in Chch (Christchurch, New Zealand, but on the ice it’s pronounced “Cheech”) at 2100pm that evening. The flight itself was a journey. I had never set foot on a C-17 before that day. It truly was a cargo plane. All wires fully visible, cargo loaded down the center of the plane so our seats were restricted to along the sides of the plane. Since there were only about 40 of us, the plane wasn’t too crowded and once we were up in the air we were able to walk around and stretch a bit. The temperatures were pretty low so we still wore all our ECW gear to stay warm. It was so loud on the plane that you couldn’t carry on a conversation so I simply popped my hood up on my big red to block out some of the sound and for warmth and slept while a lot of people read or watched movies on their laptops. In some ways much like any other commercial flight, except this one was operated by the United States Air Force. 

 

Saying good-bye to Ivan out at Pegasus

Cassa and I before we flew on the C-17

We set down at Chch and my first step out into the world was to dark, dismal overcast skies and rain. It was the first fully dark sky and rain I had experienced since sometime in early October. Someone behind me said, “Oh, breath in that sweet air and all these smells.” I breathed in and was rewarded with a gut full of jet fumes and heavy, humid air. Not so much the mind boggling sensory overload of long lost smells that I had imagined it would be, but it was still a pleasure to feel the heaviness of the hot air against my skin. None of it really fazed me. I didn’t fall to my knees on the ground crying and sobbing because I was once again surrounded by live, “green” things, but it did feel good to stand in the rain for a little while. 

 

Inside the C-17

We all crammed in together into this little bus to be taken to the Christchurch airport. From there we would walk to the CDC (Clothing Distribution Center) once we had picked up our luggage and gone thru customs.

I followed the rest of the Ice folk into the airport and looked up and halted there in my tracks. My heart sped up a little and I felt my eyes grow wide. I had finally been hit with what I now think of as: arrival anxiety. Basically the fear of facing life as I had left it in October, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy.

As we were entering the airport from one entrance way, another arrival of people from some other flight was also entering from a different entrance way and our paths were merging. Our path was filled with tired, pasty white people dressed in heavy duty carhart overalls and puffy red jackets with a fur lined hood and bulky, heavy white and blue boots adorned our feet. Their path was filled with tan, svelte looking humans. They were all dressed in shorts, tank tops, and the aroma of a variety of perfumes wafted about them. Glittering gold and silver jewelry dangled from ears and around necks. It was obvious these people were coming from or heading to vacation. We had just arrived from the only climate in the world similar to that of being on Mars. They stared at us and we stared at them, well, I should say I at least stared at them. I imagined that our encounter could be similar to that of the sudden appearance of some long lost cave man that had melted from the Ice Age and had been set loose into society. Oh wait, didn’t they make a movie about that a few years back?

I knew exactly what these people were wondering. Where had these people come from? What had they been doing? Why were they dressed like that? There were small children (which none of us had been exposed to for months) staring at us, pressing against their parents legs in fear at these unfamiliar looking humans. I too felt like I wanted to press up against someone in fear as I stared right back at them. I turned around, halting my progress down the hallway toward the baggage claim area.

I waited.

Ice people walked past me, but they weren’t really people I knew. I was waiting for a friendly, familiar face. Finally one of my co-workers and friends walked thru the door from the outside where we had been dropped off by the bus. She looked up and paused when she saw me. She smiled at me a little oddly. I’m sure it was because of the terrified look that was on my face.

“Hey there Franimal,” she said, (Franimal is an old nickname that followed me to the Ice and was adopted by my co-workers and friends). “How are you doing?”

“I’m alright. I just need to walk with someone I know.” I blurted out, not ashamed of acknowledging my sudden fear. In that moment, I needed a little familiarity. I had just come from the bottom of the earth where not many people in this world get the opportunity to go. In the eyes of many I’m sure I’m considered this confident, fearless, world traveler, but in that moment I was none of that. I needed the security of the familiar around me as I faced the gates to commercialism, materialism, and consumerism. I had conveniently forgotten about it all and was about to get a massive overload.

My friend simply laughed and off we went to the baggage claim area.

One thing I have realized is that since being on the ice, I have come to connect darkness with sleeping. The only time it was dark in Antarctica was when you were sleeping in your room and all the lights were out and the blackout shades were drawn over the windows. So last night I felt like a zombie as I went thru the motions of going to the CDC to return all my ECW gear and then get all my hotel information. It was nearly midnight before I made it to the hotel and it had been dark for several hours.

I awoke in the middle of the night entirely disoriented, unsure as to where I was. The bed didn’t feel right. The air was different. There were different sounds. I felt my heart hammering away in my chest as I struggled to get my bearings about me and go back to sleep. When I finally woke in the morning it was to blue skies and intense warmth. Hello instant summer.

The biggest things that I have found to affect me so far since returning are sounds, crowds of people, and driving speeds. The first place I went to once I had checked out of the hotel was for a walk in the Botanical Gardens. That’s typically the first and last place most Ice people go to as soon as they are back from that icy world or before they head out for that icy world. The need for green things and sweet smelling flowers is a pull that many of us can’t resist. My ear drums were overwhelmed by the buzz and hum of thousands of insects. I felt as if my hearing had become so acute that it was actually painful. Was all this unfamiliar sound bruising my eardrums? 

 

Having driven at a maximum speed of 25mph for four and a half months on a flat expanse of ice, driving in New Zealand has been a little terrifying. The average speed out of the city has been 100 kilometers which is 60mph roughly. But it feels like we are going 90mph. I feel my heart pounding with every turn and oncoming vehicle we meet. Add driving on the left side of the road with the driver’s seat normally where the front passenger sits to the mix and we call it anxiety.

It’s nice to see the ocean again and beautiful views full of color, but it has definitely been surreal returning to it all. My exposure to humanity was that of consumerism as soon as we got off the plane and walked into the airport. Welcome back to reality. Do you want to buy something?

Farewell

"I don't wonder at people's being drawn back and back to Antarctica in spite of the hardships and risks--there's a fascination about the life that would appeal to most anybody. It's astonishing too, how one forgets about the outer world. No doubt there are times when one simply longs for civilization again with its attendant comfort and luxury but these fits don't last and you thank your lucky stars that you're down here, living a real life" -Irvine Owen Gaze, Shackleton's Ross Sea Party

Current Weather:

-10°C|14°F Temperature

-17°C|1.4°F Wind Chill

Skies: Clear  

Visibility (miles): Unrestricted  

Winds (knots): E @ 6  

Station Pressure: 28.939 in.

Well, the time has come. Leaving Antarctica. I've heard about this day since before I arrived on the Ice. Redeployment they call it. The day you redeploy back to the "real world." "Civilization."

I don't really know what to think of this because in my mind I haven't been living in what the majority of the world calls the "real world" for some time. I've been gone to remote, far off locations, tramping across the country side. In just a few weeks I'll turn 31 years old. That birthday will mark the end of my first year of my thirties and the end of ten years of traipsing like a vagrant across God's country. It's been a good ten years. It might be the wrap up of a decade of wanderlust, but it's also the start of another decade of exploration. I will be landing in Christchurch, NZ this evening and will be hitting the road the very next day with my backpack to go explore some mountains and ocean beachside.

In my mind's eye, this life I have led has been the "real world." I've gained life experiences that I will carry with me until the day I die. I've met amazing people. Antarctica has added to that. I don't feel any special urge to be away from the ice. I'm not finished with this continent. There is still much to see and do here. I don't know how to write about my departure. Perhaps it will come to me once I arrive in New Zealand and am overcome by sensory overload. The idea of trees, grass, chirping birds, gourmet smells is enticing, but at the same time terrifying. It's about to happen all at once. I feel I need to slowly be re-immersed back into the society I left behind in October.

For now, it's farewell. I hope to return to this continent in October and re-acquaint myself with where I left off. Until then, I'm leaving you with an essay I wrote a few years back when I was feeling something similar to what I am feeling now.

Changing Seasons ~~Fran Haynes
7/31/2007 Tuesday 8:51pm

Tomorrow, August 1st and already a nip in the air. Mother Nature’s way of telling us fall is peeking around the corner. Another year spent in the elements watching the seasons alter from one to the next. Will I ever tire of this, I ask myself. I think not.


It is amazing how in tune you become to the delicacies of Mother Nature while immersed fully in her realm. It awakens one’s senses, your awareness heightened. The wind becomes brisk. The water at 13,000ft slightly more bone numbing than it was 30 days ago. Dawn is breaking later while dusk falls earlier. Yet, the sun beats down just as hot as ever. Sweat still forms to streak my face as we huff and puff our way up and over steep mountain passes day after day. My legs tire, my feet trudge on albeit their weariness, and yet my heart beats strong.


I am longing for the views on the other side of the pass. The excitement of the journey, the unknown just around the corner, it never ceases to amaze, to inspire. That is what pushes me from mountain pass to mountain pass. I have to smile when I think of my response when my friends ask me how my course was. I have never been able to explain what I seek out here. What draws me to remain, year after year, in the elements? In a way, I don’t know. Why begin now? It is times like this, when words fail me I often wish my boots had lips, for the stories they could tell. Instead, I’ll simply nod, smile, and say, “It was a good walk.”


A year ago, one could find me in the Pacific Northwest, roving the wilderness like a gypsy, climbing peaks in leaps and bounds. This winter and spring, my wandering soul settled for the warmth of the southwest. I had once looked upon this land as a harsh, barren environment. Not long into my journey did I realize my mistake as I tramped through country fragile as fine china and just as beautiful.


Seven months have passed now, and here I am in Wyoming, still in the field, still roving. The only difference has become the location of my latitude and longitude. I often forget where it is that I’ve camped. In my dreams, one memory blends with another. How many days spent in the field that breaks down to, I cannot begin to fathom. Either way it does not matter. I would have lost track before I even started counting. Time moves with the seasons.


My time in these mountains is nearing to a close. Signs abound all around me. My feet are weary, my bones ache, but my soul remains satisfied. That is my body’s way of speaking to me. It has been a good course.


In a week, I will return to that foreign land we call civilization. I will leave behind these cold rushing streams, the distant bugle of an elk, and the crimson glories of an early morning sunrise. My boots, beaten beyond repair, will be given the rest they deserve. My hair will be washed and brushed, my pack hung up to gather dust.


I will slowly conform back into society. Shrill horns and whistles, the hustle and bustle of daily life will replace this soothing calmness. Chaos will re-enter, seasons of a different sense will fill the void. A schedule and the demanding timeliness of a clock will replace the laziness of wilderness. My body will slumber like a hibernating bear.


The winter season will pass. My body knows this. The mountains, far in the distance, asleep beneath a blanketing of snow will remain, awaiting my return. Return I shall. With the seasons, I will pass in and out, living and breathing what I can only find out here.

Delta Bus Specs

“Adventure is a path. Real adventure – self-determined, self-motivated, often risky – forces you to have firsthand encounters with the world. The world the way it is, not the way you imagine it. Your body will collide with the earth and you will bear witness. In this way you will be compelled to grapple with the limitless kindness and bottomless cruelty of humankind – and perhaps realize that you yourself are capable of both. This will change you. Nothing will ever again be black-and-white.” ~~Mark Jenkins

So a lot of friends and family as well as acquaintances have asked what I’ll be doing at the bottom of the world. I thought I’d go ahead and dedicate a post to the where/how/what behind the drive to go to Antarctica. Some of the following information will be taken from other sources; however, I’ll do my best to keep it to a “Fran original.”

Thanks for reading!

The Wikipedia Definition: Antarctica—(ant·arc·ti·ca /antˈärktikə/): is Earth's southernmost continent, encapsulating the South Pole. It is situated in the Antarctic region of the Southern Hemisphere, almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle, and is surrounded by the Southern Ocean. At 5.4 million sq mi, it is the fifth-largest continent in area after Asia, Africa, North America, and South America. For comparison, Antarctica is nearly twice the size of Australia.

The definition that I like to refer to: Antarctica is the highest, driest, coldest, windiest, and emptiest place on Earth.

Brrr…sends a chill down my spine. A chill of excitement and anticipation that is!

Antarctica Facts:

• An ice sheet covers approximately 98% of Antarctica.
• At its thickest point the ice sheet is nearly 3 miles deep.
• This ice is approximately 90% of all the world's ice (by volume) and is 70% of all the world’s fresh water.
• There are many penguins and abundant sea life along the coast – but there is little life on the continent, and there are no indigenous people.

And just to set the record straight. THERE ARE NO POLAR BEARS ON ANTARCTICA!! Antarctica is as my geologist friends Justin and Reid say, “The land of no bears.”

Antarctic Temperatures:  

• During the austral summer, temperatures at McMurdo Station may reach as high as a balmy 50°F, while at South Pole Station; the summer temperature may reach minus -0.4°F. 

• Palmer Station has a milder climate, with summer temperatures reaching as high as 55°F.

The myth behind the abundance of and or lack thereof of light:

• Much of the area above 66.5 degrees South enjoys one long day and one long night each year – with weeks of sunrise and sunset in between.  
• There are spectacular displays of aurora australis (southern lights) during the winter darkness.

Who Owns Antarctica:

• No nation owns Antarctica. The Antarctic Treaty, which has been signed by 48 countries, reserves the area south of 60 degrees South as a zone for the peaceful conduct of research.

The Size of Antarctica:

• The continent is roughly 5.4 million sq. mi.  
• The United States is smaller at 3.6 million sq. mi.
• The area of sea ice around Antarctica varies from 1 million sq. mi. in summer to 7.7 million sq. mi. in winter.
• The distance from Washington, D.C., to McMurdo Station is approximately 9,920 mi.

From Alaska to Antarctica (The Arctic Circle to the Antarctic Circle) the distance would approximately be 12,416 miles as the crow flies.

Barrow, AK is one of the northern most cities in the world (It is the northernmost city in the United States) and sits within the range of the Arctic Circle. It is located 320 miles north of the edge of the Arctic Circle and sits roughly 1,300 miles south of the North Pole. Barrow is located 725 air miles from Anchorage. Seward is located 127 miles from Anchorage. I am currently living approximately 852 miles from Barrow, and thus the edge of the Arctic Circle.

McMurdo is 850 nautical miles from the South Pole station.

This is a rough estimate, but I will be traveling roughly 9,414 miles as the crow flies to Antarctica (McMurdo).

Science in Antarctica:

• Antarctica provides excellent conditions for scientific research on such topics as global climate change, ozone changes, UV radiation, earth sciences, glaciology, astronomy, oceanic and atmospheric circulation, marine ecosystems, meteorite studies and biology, among others.

A Brief History (More to come later):

• The existence of Antarctica was only a hypothesis until it was first sighted in 1820-21.  
• No one set foot on the continent until 1895.
• The South Pole was first reached in 1911 and a year-round research station was established in 1956.

Where I will be:

• McMurdo Station!

What my job is:

• Vehicle Operator.
•  I will be located in Terminal Operations based at Building 140, the Movement Control Center (MCC)

The Chain of Command within this department:

• Airfield Terminal Operations Manager has authority over all cargo and passenger movement logistics at McMurdo Station  
• Movement Control Center Supervisor – has authority over all cargo logistics at McMurdo Station
• Supervisor of Vehicle Operations – has authority over all passenger movement at McMurdo station and is acting supervisor of all Vehicle Operators
• Vehicle Operator Senior – has authority to train and supervise Vehicle Operators
• Vehicle Operator (ME—at the bottom of the Totem Pole) – has authority to operate vehicles

My Role:

• I’ll work as an Airfield Taxi.  
• Passenger Taxi.
• Drive to do what they call “pick up’s” and “take to's” for the C-17 transports.
• Pick up’s and take to's for the Kiwi LC-130, SAF (South Africa Air), and Airbus flights.
• Will operate Dispatch.
• Will run the Airfield Shuttle.
• Running Taxi-1 or Taxi-2.
• Will work Courier Service.
• May get the opportunity to do Happy Camper Pickups.
• Night Shift

What I’ll be driving:  

• 12 Passenger Vans  
• Old Navy Delta 2 Buses 

Information on the Delta Buses:

• Maximum Payload: 20,000 lb
• Tare: 24,000 lbs
• GVW: 44,000 lbs
• Maximum Speed: 23.7 mph
• Power @ 2400 rpm: 200 HP
• Ground Pressure: 18 PSI
• Fording Depth: 4' 6"
• Turning Radius 29ft
• Length: 32' 5"
• Width: 10' 8.5"
• Height: 10' 6"

General Description of the Delta:

• The Delta 2 is a two axle, all wheel drive, terra-tired transporter.  
• Utilizing proven power train components and heavy duty center frame steering, this high floatation vehicle provides economic transportation of payloads up to 10 tons in marginal terrain conditions.
• The Delta 2 provides superior "off road" mobility and it can be readily adapted for all chassis mounted equipment.
• It is the ideal mover for logistical support of remote drilling operations, pipeline construction or other specialized projects in problem terrain.

Engine Specs (For you nerds out there):

• Cat 3116 DIT, 200 HP (149 kW) @ 2400 RPM c/w full range governor and electric shut down.

Transmission Specs:

• Clark HR 28420 and Clark converter.
• Full power shift with bi-directional PTO.
• Direct drive hydraulic steering pump.   

Steering Specs:

• Articulated frame for steering, with self-aligning bushings.  
• Steering wheel controlled.

Brakes Specs:

• Parking: Internal transmission brake  
• Service: Totally enclosed wet disc brakes, hydraulic applied on all wheels.

Tires and Wheels Specs:

• Goodyear Super Terra Grip, 66 X 43.00 X 25-10 PR, tubeless.  
• Disc type wheels.  
• Optional 16 ply tundra grip tires.

Differential Specs:

• Rockwell SPRC671 planetary drive.  
• Metal face seals on planet hubs.
• C/W standard spiders and wet disc brakes.

Suspension Specs:

• Front suspension consists of semi-elliptical, multi-leaf springs, full floating and stabilized by torque arms.  
• Rigidly mounted rear axle.

Cab Specs:

• 4 man, cab-forward design with heavy steel exterior, fully insulated and lined.  
• Heavy duty two speed windshield wipers.
• Bostrom Viking T-Bar driver's seat.
• Escape hatch.  
• Full intrumentation: engine water temperature and engine oil pressure gauges, voltmeter, transmission oil temperature and transmission oil pressure gauges, tachometer/hourmeter speedometer/odometer, air pressure gauge and fuel gauge.

Frame Specs:

• Heat treated, high strength alloy steel channel rails.  
• Frame articulated joint with self-aligning ball bushings.
• Bolted construction.

Electrical Specs:

• Two batteries, Delco 1151 (580 CCA).  
• Heavy duty wiring for all-weather operation.
• Alternator is 100 amp, 12 volt.

Air Cleaner Specs:

• Heavy duty dry type, with replaceable element.

Gradeability Specs:

• Side 30% Max. Forward 50% Max

Fuel Capacity Specs:

• Two fuel tanks with a total capacity of 132 U.S. gallons (500 litres).

That is the nitty gritty to it all. There is one thing to keep in mind when referring to all these specs. These are the specs from the 2011 most recent Foremost Model Delta 2.

Foremost Delta 2

What I will be driving is actually a Foremost Delta version from the 1970’s. I have a feeling these vehicles won’t be exactly to what I have just described. But it will give you an idea.

Wish me luck!

Contact Information and Care Packages!

“Letter writing is the only device for combining solitude with good company” ~~Lord Byron

This post is not nearly as exciting as the others have been. But here's the nitty gritty!

Care Packages Are Welcome!!

Mailing Address:

McMurdo Station -- RPSC

[Fran Haynes], RPSC

McMurdo Station

PSC 469 Box 700

APO AP 96599-1035

Tips for Senders:

• Packages intended to reach McMurdo Station and South Pole Station by Christmas need to be mailed from the U.S. by Halloween
• Flat mail (letters) goes faster than packages. Packages may take up to six weeks.
• Do not mail perishable food.
• Do not use foam peanuts—flat bubble wrap envelopes work best!

 Care Package Ideas:

• Dried Fruit
• Trail Mix
• Teas (I don't drink coffee...)
• Chocolate :)
• A good book
• Music
• Something amusing!

***I will have access to the internet so I should also be able to send emails as well. Skype won’t work down there, so email, pen and paper, or phone calls will be the best mode of communication.

 In Case of an Emergency: (if it involves my family or a close friend):

• To get an urgent message to me in the Antarctic, call RPSC headquarters in Denver (303 790-8606). Ask for Human Resources and explain that it is an emergency. 

Time Zones:

• South Pole and McMurdo stations operate on the same time as New Zealand, which is 16-18 hours ahead of the United States. If it is Tuesday afternoon in the U.S., it will be Wednesday morning at those stations.

 How Mail Gets There:

• Mail is received in Christchurch seven days a week. Letter mail is transported from Christchurch to Antarctica on all available southbound flights. Letter mail service varies, generally taking five to 14 days, but sometimes longer depending on the time of year. Letter mail always takes priority over package mail, both to and from Antarctica. Packages have the lowest priority of all cargo being transported to Antarctica, resulting in a delivery time of up to six weeks.
• Please do not send perishable foods.
•  The most cost-effective way to mail a parcel weighing more than 10 lbs. to Antarctica is parcel post. If you might have a parcel that contains only videos, books or CDs, it can be sent special fourth class ‘media rate,’ which is the lowest cost.
•  Do not use ‘packing’ and instead use clothing or something similarly useful and non-polluting to cushion the objects being mailed.
•  Packages destined for summer participants at McMurdo or South Pole should be mailed after Labor Day, or they will be returned. Mail that misses summer participants is either forwarded (if a directory card has been given to the McMurdo post office), or returned to the sender.
•  Parcels mailed after February 1 will not be received in Christchurch in time to be forwarded to McMurdo, so please don’t mail anything AFTER FEBRUARY 1^ST!!!

 My Flight Itinerary:

Traveler: HAYNES / FRANCIS IRENE

Date	From/To	Flight/Vendor	Status	Depart/Arrive	Class/Type
10/08/2011	ANC-SEA (Anchorage/Seattle First Flight)	AS 120	Confirmed	07:30 AM/11:58 AM	Economy / T
10/08/2011	SEA-DEN (Seattle/Denver Second Flight)	AS 672	Confirmed	01:05 PM/04:35 PM	Economy / T
10/08/2011	APA	RED LION HOTEL	Confirmed	10/08-10/10
10/10/2011	DEN-LAX (Denver/L.A. Third Flight)	AA 3822	Confirmed	04:20 PM/05:50 PM	Economy / B
10/10/2011	LAX-AKL (L.A./Auckland New Zealand Fourth Flight)	AA 7337	Confirmed	11:40 PM/09:10 AM +2	Economy / B
10/12/2011	AKL-CHC (Auckland/Christchurch New Zealand Fifth flight)	AA 7132	Confirmed	12:05 PM/01:25 PM	Economy / B

I depart for McMurdo from Christchurch on Oct 14^th flying via a C-17 and will land at McMurdo around 1400 military time. 

Here's a few images of a C-17 to give you an idea. It's gonna be a ride of a life time! (Photos taken from a Google Search)

 (I will be one of these red dressed people on Oct. 14th)

(The interior of the plane)