Goodbye South Pole

As time has a habit of doing, it has flown by and my summer season at the South Pole is over. The wind has picked up, the temperatures have dropped and winter is coming. After 3 months of 2 minute showers, no avocados of my own and 6 day work weeks, I look forward to my upcoming travels with friends and family in New Zealand and Australia (and perhaps beyond). I will miss the amazing, fun and fearless friends I made and some of whom I left behind at Pole. Hopefully I will see them and the South Pole again one day.

The South Pole Greenhouse

Besides the quiet reading room with its headphone-equipped keyboard, the greenhouse may be my favorite place on station. Here, rows of vegetables and herbs lay in wait to be grown and eaten and humidity fills the air in this otherwise dry desert we call the South Pole.

Many nights have been spent in this little mecca, listening to music, sipping wine and chatting with friends. One night in particular was extra special when a guitar was brought in and passed around, everyone singing as friends took their turn playing. Someone later even referred to that night as Woodstock. Time slipped away as people forgot to check their watches and the night continued until the early a.m. This made for a very rough morning at work but it left behind some awesome memories that will be hard to forget.

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I hand-carried down some delicious Ken Wright wine and this was the perfect opportunity to open it

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Harvesting some snacks

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The bounty of precious freshies

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Mint lips

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At times, as the crowd ebbed and flowed, it was standing room only