Friday, December 22, 2000
Today is bright and sunny at -18 F. The wind chill is still cold at -44 F. In the afternoon, I was taking some pictures with only a glove liner on one hand. After about 20 minutes, I almost froze my hand. Later in the evening, I noticed some fluid dripping from my ear. Yes, I got some minor frostbite. The Antarctic cold is unforgiving for small mistakes. Fortunately, my ear will recover.
Last night we had a small lecture from the two Norwegian adventurers. About two months ago, they had just spent 12 months in a scientific experiment to determine how people respond to isolation in the Antarctica. They spent the year with a medical technician and a doctor on a remote location. After their experiment was finished, they decided to sail across Antarctica. They spent about two months travelling to the pole. We were the first signs of civilization that they saw in 14 months. They use sails to propel their sleds. When the wind is good, they can travel very far on the Antarctica plain. Upon response to the question, what do you think of when you are traveling, they quickly replied "women".
After the lecture, I went back to MAPO to help calibrate the optical fibers of the DOM's. The DOM's transmit signals in two ways. One way is to send digital data is via a copper cable. That system is new and being tested. The DOM also sends the analog data via a fiber optic cable. This method is the current technology for Amanda. As Andrea and I were measuring the length of the cable and working late in the evening, I was thinking that the Norwegians must have been partying. What would you do if you were in isolation for 14 months?
Just as we were to write down a measurement, we heard some noise in MAPO. The two Norwegians and an Amanda winterover, Steffen Richter, walked up the stairs. These Antarctic adventurers wanted to know about the science that was done here. They asked about our experiment and spent several hours getting tours of all of the experiments. Their tour guides said they were very interested in the science. I took this picture of them at 11:00 PM. As I walked back to the dome, they returned to their tent.
These travelers will have to wait another two more months to party. They left today for the second half of their trip. They are going to McMurdo, following the path of Amundsen. If you look at the second picture, you can see them with their two sleds. Not shown are their sails. Shortly after the last plane of the day left, I saw then departing our base on our runway while their sails slowly pulled them away from us. It will be two more months before they see people again.
Howard Matis
South Pole