Friday 21 November 2003

All That Support

Stacy writing

We had another day, like most of our other days, filled with diving. Jennifer and Craig, and Jonna and I, went in the water at "Dayton's Wall" and relocated more experiments from 25 years ago. It is quite impressive how many experiments Paul Dayton and his students placed on the seafloor - especially when you think that they started out diving with wetsuits, and the early drysuits were not much better. Truly, we are spoiled with the gear we use today. Today, also, when we complete an experiment, every piece of equipment has to come off the seafloor. While I strongly agree with the "leave no trace" ethic, I am very glad that Paul's experiments have remained in place, because of the long term information they offer on colonization and growth rates.

Paul Dayton, ready to brave the frigid waters of the Antarctic. Double hose regulator and WET SUIT!

I thought I would tell you a little today about the logistics and support that is provided here at McMurdo, and allows us to do our work. The ratio of support staff to scientists is 10 to 1. At first I found it hard to believe that it took 10 people to help me do my work, and while I do think that the support structure is a little on the top heavy side, the people who are working are essential. And the best part is that they are so good at their jobs, and such positive people, always full of interesting stories and interested in what others are doing.

First thing is waking up - in a dorm where the common spaces are cleaned by janitorial staff, and the building is maintained by an array of plumbers, electricians, heating specialists, etc. Then there is breakfast, prepared by wonderful cooks who do interesting things with the highly random array of eatables supplied (or not), with the galley and dishes mastered by the cheery ranks of DA's or dining attendants, one of the more thankless jobs on station.

A couple of the DA's making dish washing fun.

Dashing to our space in the Crary Lab, we pass the stockroom where we can borrow scientific equipment and sometimes, find a close substitute for some item we need for a new project we have just designed, the offices of the electronic and computer support people, who fix everything we break and keep our computers running, and the aquarium, full of live animals and manipulative experiments. Collecting our equipment for the day, we load up our vehicle - maintained by mechanics who are beginning to wonder at our ability to break them on such a regular basis - and pile our dive gear in, with tanks, specialized equipment, and loads of good advice and help provided by Rob Robbins, the diving safety officer.

Vinnie and Jeff, the snowmobile mechanics, working on one of their machines, but not one that WE broke!

We check the weather forecast and drive out to our field site, across roads on the seaice maintained by the Heavy Shop, the construction equipment operators also drill our dive holes and move our dive huts around. Our safety on traveling these roads is assured by the FSTP people - who regularly check for new cracks in the seaice that could send our vehicle, and us, swimming unexpectedly.

Flags marking an area that is safe for travel.

In our hut, built by the carpenters shop, we are warm because of the stoves that are regularly fueled by the GA group - the general assistants whose job it is to shovel snow and help out wherever necessary, with diesel kept readily available by the Fuelies.

One of the Fuelies with the aptly named Fule Mule.

Our usual pre-dive ritual of clearing holes is much eased by the use of chainsaws on loan from the MEC, backed up by our ubiquitous manual labor with chipper bars and dip nets. After our dive, we fix a quick field lunch with dehydrated food and coleman stoves provided by the Berg Field Center. On our way back in to town, we can see the busy airspace around McMurdo, with helicopters and Twin Otters maintaining the far field work, and military planes keeping us connected with the rest of the world. When we are back, we radio MacOps, who keeps track of the movements of every group and is ready to send out a Search and Rescue team on an instant's notice, should someone not return when scheduled. The Coms Shop keeps us in radio and phone contact both locally and globally. Our lab work, processing samples for further analysis back home, creates not only cargo that needs to be shipped to the US, but a variety of wastes that are carefully dealt with by waste management.

Cargo being loaded for the trip home.

Finally, at the end of the day, we might have time for one of the many relaxing or energetic activities and classes arranged by the Recreation Department. Or we might just head off to sleep in the beds Housing has provided for us. Another successful day, where no one has had to visit Medical?

No matter what you are/decide to be in the "real world" you can find a job working in the Antarctic if you have the adventurous and capable attitude to takes to get work done in sometimes harsh weather, with often minimal supplies and support. The community here reflects that - and I feel very lucky to have their help in getting my work done, and their friendship to make the whole experience that much more enjoyable!

One of the many reasons I love being in Antarctica.