Hey guys...I've been wicked busy, so that is why I haven't posted in a while. Let's see to catch you all up...we have had currently 105 flight operations down here to pole, and with 40 something days left we need to have 120 more flights, before they close the station for the winter. Yea, it is going to get busy for us down here. Our two firefighters left for their rotation to McMurdo, so we have two new firefighters down with us. Welcome Jeremy and Scott, see you later Ms. Cassidy and Corey (my brother from another mother). {To the left is a picture of Jeremy and Corey}
It is nice to get the new blood, and it certainly signals that the season is almost over. This is something that I haven't decided how I feel about quite yet. Being that I've been on the ice since August, its kind of weird to think that I'm almost done. In any case, I'll be looking forward to feeling moisture and tasting fresh fruit and such when I get off of here.
The BBC is down here right now filming a version of Planet Earth that is exclusively about the Antarctica and Arctic zones of this planet. Its cool to chat it up with them. I was able to see some of the footage they shot, you all will be in for a treat. They also shot our annual Pole moving ceremony. Every year the Geographic pole moves 30 feet, so they replace the top of the pole and move it every year. When I have time, I'll track down more photos of that ceremony. I was able to participate in that, so that was wicked fun.
New Years was fun down here. The Fire Dept took over a lounge on the actual New Years eve, and had a mini party/celebration. The town celebration was this past weekend and showcased several bands. It was wicked fun. The dome deconstruction is going very well...but the security for it has been beefed up. The National Science Foundation is going to have it re-set up in California for the Sea-Beas (the guys who built it way back when), and so they are being really serious about all the plates and bolts not walking away. We'll see how that works out, many people want a piece of that dome because of its historical value.
Oh and allow me to say hi to all the new followers of this blog. I took a photo at the South Pole for my High School (Beaver Country Day School) at both the geographic and ceremonial South Pole. I am currently working here (as you can gather) as a Firefighter/EMT. I am the furthest Southern Alumni of the school, but not the only one from Antarctica. Eric Cooper, worked at Palmer this last year and McMurdo as well. I haven't run into him, but its funny that Beaver has two Alumni on this Continent. I was the first one to get to Pole though, so I have that going for me. Who knows maybe I'll make it to Palmer sometime, so that I can say I've been to all 3 of the US facilities on this continent...
Anyway take care everyone. I'll try to post more often, but we'll see how it goes with all this work going on. Take care and I hope you all had a great New Year.
I've been really really bad about updating this...to catch you all up. I've been busy down here working flights, we have about 100 to go before Feb. 13th or 15th, so I may be distracted for a while. Also the internet now starts at 2am-10am, so it doesn't leave me much time to blog, and keep a regular work schedule.
I'll do my best to catch you up. Let's see, there have been an ice carving contest, many people participated this year. It was really hunks of snow, but the snow is so dense and dry down here it might as well be concrete. The Frosty one is taken with our beloved ice cream machine, which has passed on. But, we now have real New Zealand ice cream which is really really good. Maybe my time on the ice has affect my taste buds? But in any case, those two were the best ice/snow sculptures that I have seen
They also finally took down the dome. I was able to go to the last piece ceremony, and that was fun. The dome is going to be reconstructed at the "Sea Bees" base in California, since they created it. Sir David Attenborough came down here, as well as many other VIPS from the NSF and the Smithsonian and of course USAF. Sir David came with his BBC film crew, they are busy filming "Frozen Planet" which should be amazing. Sir David was only here for two days, and he was constantly filming. It was really cool to meet him. Besides that, many many flights are going here. I'd write more what is going on down here, but I'll tell a couple of you in person a pretty cool story. 
Besides that I'm slowly winding down my season, I'm looking forward to New Zealand a great deal. I should be off ice Feb 10th, but maybe sooner...who knows. Take care everyone, I have to go get ready to go into work. Stay Safe.
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