So I saw whales. In Antarctica. No big deal, right?
Monday, January 30, 2012
Not for the Faint of Heart.
This post is about poo.
Just thought I'd get that out there before you keep reading.
Because you see, people poo here at McMurdo, and we have to do something with their droppings.
Which is why the Wastewater Treatment Center exists. And yesterday, I got to tour it! Sounds gross, but it was actually really interesting to learn about the process...of processing...what our body processes. :)
I'm sure you're dying to know about processed poo (and other such nastiness), so I'll explain it. The waste (everything from toilet water to galley water to shower water) comes in and is ground up before it goes through a filter. After passing through a filter, it goes into the Aeration Tank, where it literally gets eaten by amoebas and other tiny bacteria-eating parasites.
After all the "bad stuff" is eaten by the amoebas, the solid waste settles on the bottom of what's called the Clarifier, and the water runs out of the Clarifier to get disinfected by UV light.
After it goes tanning, the water just goes right back out into the ocean! The solid waste, however, still has a ways to go. After the waste is separated from the water, it goes into the Digester, which aerates the waste further and separates more moisture from the solids.
After it goes through the Digester, the waste moves on to the Belt Filter Press, where it gets pressed to squish out all of the leftover moisture. The leftovers are packed away in boxes so the vessel can carry them back to Port Hueneme where they meet their tragic fate: death by incineration.
So....that's how poo gets processed down here. I thought it was interesting, albeit a tiny bit disgusting. :)
Peace, Love &....well, Poo!
Just thought I'd get that out there before you keep reading.
Because you see, people poo here at McMurdo, and we have to do something with their droppings.
Which is why the Wastewater Treatment Center exists. And yesterday, I got to tour it! Sounds gross, but it was actually really interesting to learn about the process...of processing...what our body processes. :)
I'm sure you're dying to know about processed poo (and other such nastiness), so I'll explain it. The waste (everything from toilet water to galley water to shower water) comes in and is ground up before it goes through a filter. After passing through a filter, it goes into the Aeration Tank, where it literally gets eaten by amoebas and other tiny bacteria-eating parasites.
After all the "bad stuff" is eaten by the amoebas, the solid waste settles on the bottom of what's called the Clarifier, and the water runs out of the Clarifier to get disinfected by UV light.
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| Yes, I did ask if I could use this machine to work on my tan. |
After it goes tanning, the water just goes right back out into the ocean! The solid waste, however, still has a ways to go. After the waste is separated from the water, it goes into the Digester, which aerates the waste further and separates more moisture from the solids.
After it goes through the Digester, the waste moves on to the Belt Filter Press, where it gets pressed to squish out all of the leftover moisture. The leftovers are packed away in boxes so the vessel can carry them back to Port Hueneme where they meet their tragic fate: death by incineration.
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| Belt Filter Press |
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| Box o' Poo |
Peace, Love &....well, Poo!
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Russians to the Rescue.
So maybe I'm a dork, but I am fascinated by the arrival of the Russian icebreaker, whose name I will never be able to pronounce: the "Vladimir Ignatyuk."
I am shocked that a boat of that size can actually break through sea ice; however, equally surprising is the fact that the NSF actually managed to acquire an icebreaker for this season. (Read this article for more information!). NSF has had long-standing contracts with the Swedish icebreaker, the "Oden", but this year the Oden wasn't available. The icebreaker is a critical need for the USAP, because it cuts a channel through the ice that allows the fuel tanker and re-supply ship to access the ice pier. There was a lot of drama/back and forth/panic when we found out that the Oden was inaccessible, especially because the U.S. Coast Guard doesn't have any operable ships with icebreaking capabilities.
But don't worry, the Russians came through and saved everyone. And now we will have food and fuel.
Life is good.
I am shocked that a boat of that size can actually break through sea ice; however, equally surprising is the fact that the NSF actually managed to acquire an icebreaker for this season. (Read this article for more information!). NSF has had long-standing contracts with the Swedish icebreaker, the "Oden", but this year the Oden wasn't available. The icebreaker is a critical need for the USAP, because it cuts a channel through the ice that allows the fuel tanker and re-supply ship to access the ice pier. There was a lot of drama/back and forth/panic when we found out that the Oden was inaccessible, especially because the U.S. Coast Guard doesn't have any operable ships with icebreaking capabilities.
But don't worry, the Russians came through and saved everyone. And now we will have food and fuel.
Life is good.
Peace, Love, & IceIceBaby.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Cravings.
I swear, I get more cravings than a pregnant woman down here. It doesn't make any sense because it's not like I'm really deprived of much down here. I have soft serve ice cream, and cookies, and vegetables (or "freshies" as they're called here). So why have I been having so many cravings?!
I don't know, but I started making a list and I thought I'd share because it's kind of funny. And really random. And I feel like I need to get it out of my system so I stop craving things.
Here goes.
Nachos. With tons of nacho cheese. (What the heck? When do I ever eat nacho cheese? I don't know, but I wanted it real bad.)
Moose Tracks.
Ballpark Hot Dogs. (Again, I probably eat those like twice a year...why do I crave them?)
Dunkin' Donuts Coffee.
Real bacon.
Frosted Shredded Wheat.
Nutella.
Marshmallows. (I seriously just wanted one marshmallow yesterday. Just a nice big, puffy marshmallow to go along with dessert. Is that too much to ask?)
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.
Chinese Take Out? (Seriously haven't had Chinese in over a year)
What is wrong with me......?
Peace, Love & INEEDTAKEOUTNOW.
I don't know, but I started making a list and I thought I'd share because it's kind of funny. And really random. And I feel like I need to get it out of my system so I stop craving things.
Here goes.
Nachos. With tons of nacho cheese. (What the heck? When do I ever eat nacho cheese? I don't know, but I wanted it real bad.)
Moose Tracks.
Ballpark Hot Dogs. (Again, I probably eat those like twice a year...why do I crave them?)
Dunkin' Donuts Coffee.
Real bacon.
Frosted Shredded Wheat.
Nutella.
Marshmallows. (I seriously just wanted one marshmallow yesterday. Just a nice big, puffy marshmallow to go along with dessert. Is that too much to ask?)
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.
Chinese Take Out? (Seriously haven't had Chinese in over a year)
What is wrong with me......?
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| MUST. HAVE. |
Peace, Love & INEEDTAKEOUTNOW.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Castle Rock.
I've been staring at the screen for 5 minutes, trying to come up with a way to explain how beautiful, incredible, awesome, and wonderful my hike out to Castle Rock was today. Some things are just better left unsaid, so I'll let the photos do the talking.
Hands down, one of the best days ever. Hiking is absolutely one of the greatest sources of joy and humility for me; I love to take in the Lord's creation, and it reminds me of how small I am compared to his greatness.
Peace, Love, & SnowboardingInJeans.
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| Trailhead |
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| An "apple" shelter along the trail, for safety during a storm. |
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| Red flags that mark the road |
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| Megan & I. I did, in fact, carry a snowboard on my back for 6-miles, just so that I could go down one hill. |
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| Erebus & Castle Rock from afar. |
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| Castle Rock & the wonderful Antarctic sunshine. |
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| Megan & me on top of Castle Rock. |
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| I could not get over the scenery! |
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| Icebergs. |
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| Open water. |
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| On the way back down. |
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| Snowboarding! In Antarctica! In Jeans! :) |
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| Happy girl :) |
Hands down, one of the best days ever. Hiking is absolutely one of the greatest sources of joy and humility for me; I love to take in the Lord's creation, and it reminds me of how small I am compared to his greatness.
Peace, Love, & SnowboardingInJeans.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Robert Falcon Scott.
I was randomly invited to go ride bikes out to Hut Point this evening, which was awesome because a) I hadn't ridden a bike in awhile, and b) Discovery Hut was open for tour!
Discovery Hut was built in 1902 by Robert Falcon Scott, who I would like to meet just so I can tell him that his name rocks.
Anyway, the hut was built on the Discovery Expedition as a storage facility and laboratory. It was never used as sleeping quarters, because it is extremely drafty and very cold inside. There is a main storage area, a kitchen, a laboratory, and a slaughterhouse with the carcasses of 2 lambs and 2 penguins. Nope, not kidding. There is also a handful of poor frozen seal carcasses, blubber and all. They definitely don't smell that great, but given that they have been there for awhile, it could be much worse! Interestingly, they used the lab for gravitational experiments -- they thought that being on the bottom of the planet would cause gravity to behave in a different way. (It doesn't, in case you were wondering. If you fall on a bike, you still fall down, and it still hurts.)
I only had my little pocket Canon on me, so I didn't get the greatest quality pictures, but they are still pretty neat. I'm excited to go back with my big camera and get some more shots. The lighting was awesome in the hut, and it shifted like crazy! (I did do some photo editing for fun!)
Peace, Love, & Insulation :)
Discovery Hut was built in 1902 by Robert Falcon Scott, who I would like to meet just so I can tell him that his name rocks.
Anyway, the hut was built on the Discovery Expedition as a storage facility and laboratory. It was never used as sleeping quarters, because it is extremely drafty and very cold inside. There is a main storage area, a kitchen, a laboratory, and a slaughterhouse with the carcasses of 2 lambs and 2 penguins. Nope, not kidding. There is also a handful of poor frozen seal carcasses, blubber and all. They definitely don't smell that great, but given that they have been there for awhile, it could be much worse! Interestingly, they used the lab for gravitational experiments -- they thought that being on the bottom of the planet would cause gravity to behave in a different way. (It doesn't, in case you were wondering. If you fall on a bike, you still fall down, and it still hurts.)
I only had my little pocket Canon on me, so I didn't get the greatest quality pictures, but they are still pretty neat. I'm excited to go back with my big camera and get some more shots. The lighting was awesome in the hut, and it shifted like crazy! (I did do some photo editing for fun!)
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| Courvoisier. |
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| Yep. Seals. |
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| There is still seal in that pot! |
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Firefighter for a Day.
One thing I have never wanted to be was a firefighter. Nope, no way.
However, the Fire Department on station hosted their Open House this Sunday, so I got to go be a firefighter for a few minutes! I got all decked out in the gear, which weighs about 80 pounds! Of course there are no firefighters that are 5'6", 130 pounds, so the gear was ginormous on me. I felt like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man with everything on!
I also learned how to roll out a fire hose in a straight line (which I couldn't do because I'm not strong enough), and how to roll it back up (which I couldn't do because the over-sized helmet kept falling in my face). And I got to spray the fire hose! You know how in movies, the fire hose always has a lot of power and sometimes goes flying around out of control? That's because the power comes from the fire truck itself. Lucky for me, this hose wasn't actually attached to the truck, so the water pressure wasn't bad at all. Laugh away at the photos. I know I look ridiculous.
It was going to go do a "rescue" in a room filled with fake smoke, but then my air tank wasn't working and I felt like I was suffocating in the mask, so....I quickly took it off and said no thanks :) The ride in the fire truck was much more up my alley.
Peace, Love & Fire.
However, the Fire Department on station hosted their Open House this Sunday, so I got to go be a firefighter for a few minutes! I got all decked out in the gear, which weighs about 80 pounds! Of course there are no firefighters that are 5'6", 130 pounds, so the gear was ginormous on me. I felt like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man with everything on!
I also learned how to roll out a fire hose in a straight line (which I couldn't do because I'm not strong enough), and how to roll it back up (which I couldn't do because the over-sized helmet kept falling in my face). And I got to spray the fire hose! You know how in movies, the fire hose always has a lot of power and sometimes goes flying around out of control? That's because the power comes from the fire truck itself. Lucky for me, this hose wasn't actually attached to the truck, so the water pressure wasn't bad at all. Laugh away at the photos. I know I look ridiculous.
It was going to go do a "rescue" in a room filled with fake smoke, but then my air tank wasn't working and I felt like I was suffocating in the mask, so....I quickly took it off and said no thanks :) The ride in the fire truck was much more up my alley.
Peace, Love & Fire.
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