January 30, 2013: What's Next?

Hello family and friends,

I just thought I should post an update to fill you in because I may not be able to get to a computer for a couple of weeks.
My season in Antarctica is coming to a close. Tomorrow I leave for WAIS (West Antarctica Internal Support) Divide. I'll be meeting Dave and a small crew of carpenters, who flew out two days earlier, to close down the camp for the winter. They told us it should take about 7-10 days to dissemble all the buildings but that, of course, is weather dependent. I hope it doesn't take much longer because we have a flight to catch.

On February 13th Dave and I redeploy--retracing our steps through Christchurch, Sydney, and back to the good ole U.S. of A. From L.A. Dave and I will be taking a ten day hiatus from each other. I'm flying home to Missoula to play in the mountains while Dave will be heading to San Diego to play in the ocean. I'll meet back up with him in Portland--where we will enjoy the north west for a week with Dave's family.

On March 1st we'll be leaving for South America. I have dreamed of visiting this continent since I was a child--ever since my father showed me his slides of mountainous Ecuador and its Galapagos Islands. On February 2nd I'll set foot in Lima, Peru--a few days shy of my twenty-seventh birthday. It's funny, I always thought South America would be my first big adventure.

So far we have no itinerary, no plan except to bus south to Patagonia--stopping at whatever town that sparks our fancy. We don't know where we'll end up, and that's how we like it. Although I do have my sites set on making it to the Galapagos Islands at some point during our travels. I'll get some pictures of those Blue-Footed Boobies for you, Dad.

I will continue to blog while traveling--although my posts might be few and far between depending on where we are. I'll do my best to keep you all informed and well supplied with pictures. I can't wait to have my camera pointed at 15,000' (plus) peaks!

Adios,

Jenna

--Sorry I had some technical difficulties with my last video blog. I'll get those videos working when I get back to the States.

January 24, 2013: Carp Stock (Video Blog)

Here's a couple songs from Carp Stock 2013. The picture is a little dark but you can still hear us...

A happy (belated) birthday, Danielle!

January 13, 2013: When The Wind Calls

Gravity is every where. It effects trees, water, us--and everything we know macroscopically. Fundamentally it interacts with nature. It pushes. It pulls. Credited for the existence of planets and stars and for keeping us in orbit around the sun--for the changing tides. Leaves float gracefully to the ground--unable to hold on any longer to dancing, delicate branches. Creeks rage and fall in turbulent beauty from the slopes of mountains, the place in which they were born. And we are forever being drawn down, down, down--our feet on the ground, our bodies uncrushed by a perfect,  gentle balance of force. Gravity is unseen, yet we know it exists--we feel it. We understand how it works, but no one knows why. 

Some weeks ago I found myself on a quest in the Dry Valleys--on a search for mummified seals. I find these poor deceased animals fascinating. They are an unsolved mystery. An anomaly. Why an animal, who belongs in the sea, ends up in the mountains, is a question that has left biologists baffled. They awkwardly crawl away from comfort, food, and companionship, and towards the unknown and certain death. 

Penguins do it too. They walk into the mountains and they can't be stopped--its been tried. Scientists have physically turned the poor creatures around and pointed them towards food, their colony, towards home. But seconds later, they turn right back around and continue on their strange journey. The theory which stands is that they have lost their poor little bird brains.

I usually have great luck spotting wildlife where ever I go. I am just as lucky when it comes to finding dead wildlife. It wasn't long before I had located not only a mummified seal, but also the remains of a penguin that had wandered deep into the interior of the valley. The seal lay halfway up the stony ridge, facing down towards a mountain lake. It looked peaceful--as if it had stopped to rest and take in the view. 

The wind-polished bones and quilled feathers of the penguin lay at the base of a moving glacier--undisturbed for who knows how long. What had these animals felt? What unquenchable desire took them from their home, and into the dangerous unknown? They weren't looking for food--they would have relocated along the coast--instinctively knowing that water equals life. Maybe they came here to die--driven by a diseased mind or body. Or perhaps, like some Inuit tribes of old, these individuals practiced the act of leaving their colonies when old age and their impending deaths were near. There are many hypotheses. 

I am just as intrigued by the behavior of some arctic explorers. Shackleton, Amundsen, Scott and others who have walked into the interior of the continent--away from safety, food, and human contact--into a harsh, freezing, and very often, deadly place. Were they mad?

Continuing my quest, I walked down the ridge and along a frozen Lake Hoare, and found myself face to face with a cricking and cracking Common Wealth Glacier. I made my way along the side of the massive expanse of ice, and discovered a slotted path. A rocky, sloping, ridge on my left, and the giant slab of moving ice on my right. I was literally between a rock and a hard place. The sun was high enough to cast its rays down and illuminate my path with an ethereal glow. I continued on, stopping occasionally to examine and touch the living ice that I walked so closely beside. Waves and dimples from wind and sun erosion decorated the wall of glaciated accumulation. 

I eventually reached the top, and the canyon opened up to reveal a wide expanse of mountains, glaciers, and turquoise-colored lakes. The sun warmed my face as I looked upon the amazing landscape. At that moment, standing in silence and awe, I knew why. Why explorers entered this land, braving the elements and gambling with their mortality. I understood why penguins waddled, and seals crawled towards these mountains--leaving instincts behind.

It calls. It called me now as I stood alone, looking into Pandora's box. I only had a nalgene of water, one peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and a light carharrt jacket, but I considered walking towards these layered mountains--disappearing into the wilderness, never to be seen again. Maybe in 5,000 years they would find me sitting against a boulder, gazing longingly at a valley I was hoping to visit. And they would wonder why. I stood and stared at the layered mountains, my brain tumultuously fighting against my heart's desire to keep walking.

After a while, sense and self preservation began to poor back into the  channels of my clouded brain and the voice began to fade and become quiet. I turned and gazed back at my small camp that was now invisible in the distance. I looked north, towards foreign lands and uncharted waters. Towards places I had yet to see and new adventures. Towards life, and loved ones.

The force that envelopes many, drawing them in, spell-bounding them against their will and good sense, did not over power me that day. Perhaps years from now, when I am old and ready, I will return to this valley and gaze upon this magical wilderness. I will hear the voice again, hear the call, and I will answer--joining the misunderstood souls of seals, penguins, and adventurers who put instincts aside to venture into the unknown.




When the wind calls you know that somewhere in the mountains it has found the answers that you were looking for.The pull of the horizon overcomes the inertia of reason...and you just have to go.

-Vikram Iberia

January 5, 2013: Antarctic Articles

Here are a few articles that describe some of the research going on here in Antarctica:

This artcle is about the LDB (Long Duration Balloon) Project that NASA is heading up. When I first arrived at McMurdo I got to help set up some of the buildings that supported this project. Through out the season Dave and I have seen multiple launches of these giant balloons--a very cool sight.

http://www.csbf.nasa.gov/antarctica/ice.htm

Another article on the LDB Project.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=launch-success-for-telescope&page=2

This next article discusses some of the research being conducted in the deep field camps. WAIS is mentioned--the camp where Dave spent a month setting up. Dave and I will be going to WAIS (that's right, together!) some time in late January/early February to close down the camp for the winter. A process that should take less than two weeks to complete--as long as the weather and mechanical delays don't slow us down.

www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=126388&org=NSF&from=news

I would love to go to Wizzard (another deep field camp). The research is similar to Vostok--a Russian research base that has recently drilled down to a sub-glacial lake that has been isolated for millions of years. Whoa.

http://antarcticsun.usap.gov/science/contenthandler.cfm?id=2765

This one gives some information and history on the Antartican Society. Originally a club, this organization has been growing in size since its beginning in 1960.

http://antarcticsun.usap.gov/features/contenthandler.cfm?id=2782

Every one loves photos! Here is the official Antarctic Photo Library.  

http://photolibrary.usap.gov

  

January 2, 2013: Happy Holidays From Antarctic! (New Years)

I love the gloves, Mom!

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM ANTARCTICA! 2012 was a great year. I found myself a job at the bottom of the earth; I did a respectable amount of traveling with my special man-friend; I spent a wonderful summer on the river; and I met many new friends along the way. I have 365 days to see if I can top this past year. I'm looking forward to trying.

Here are a few more pictures and videos for the special friends and family in my life. I hope this new year is a great one for you all--filled with health, happiness, and resolutions that do not fail. 

~This first video is of our New Year celebration--"Ice Stock 2012/2013." It was a fun night full of music, a chili cook off, and lots of crazy McMurdo fun. Please excuse some of the characters in this video.

Me, "Stans With A Mustache (aka Mr. America), Kevin "middle finger" Lions, and Dave--a little before midnight

~Right at midnight!

~Hiking up Hut Point Hill with Dave on New Year's Day.

~The Day after all the festivities... back to work.