It’s stormy today – 20 knots, and while it’s only about -10F the windchill is -35F!
Trudy and Megan riding on the sled behind the snowmobile after a run of deliveries.
When it’s windy like this, the snow gets picked up and visibility decreases significantly. There’s still quite a lot of outdoor work to be done, and we’re busy with delivering cargo from the two flights we got yesterday, but mostly everyone tries to find work inside. Finishing up deliveries, then rolling cargo straps and cleaning up the clutter that collects during the busy week. It’s a nice contrast from day after day of clear bright blue. The flat white horizon blurs with the white sky and tendrils of new snow drifts snake out from anything near the ground. When the horizon disappears some call it being “inside the ping-pong ball.” It’s chilly, with the wind blowing through seams and up jackets, and the snow grains in the air scour at bared skin. I’ve heard more than one person today say with a grin “Finally it feels like I’m in Antarctica!” But still a good day to stay inside.
Some photos from around the station today:
The Station in a little break from the blowing snow
The cargo office
Our equipment: the 953s “Barb Allen” and “Felicia” and the 950 “Big Foot”
The Waste Yard and Summer camp as seen from the cargo office, with a gust everything disappears into whiteness.
The Cargo Yard getting drifted over
Blowing snow in front of the DNF
A sled of snowy cargo straps and helmets
Christmas is this weekend and we’ll celebrate with two days off, another fancy dinner, caroling to the other Antarctic Stations on the HF radio, the “Race Around the World” and a white elephant party for Logistics! We got a huge load of mail the other day and everyone’s looking forward to the extra day off.
AntarcticArctic 
Recently joined your blog. Thank you so much for writing this. I have dreamed of being there; this is the next best thing (and certainly a bit warmer from where I sit).
Merry Christmas to you and all your coworkers.