August 2007

I travel a lot, plain and simple.  As a frequent traveler it had been a goal of mine to visit Antarctica for many years.  I was having a hard time getting there though - the money issue was always holding me back. The cheapest I ever saw was about 3000 US dollars.  That was for a cruise from the bottom of South America (so you had to get yourself there as well) and I think you were on the continent for half a day.  I have seen the prices range all the way up to 35,000 dollars for a trip to the ice, and I was not interested in shelling out that kind of money.  People often ask me how I am able to afford to travel so much, and one of the answers is 'frugality'.  Value for money is very important to me and I would never pay that kind of money for such a short experience.  The other side of spending less is actually earning instead.  If you can turn your limiting expenditures into actually making money as part of your travels, well now you’re talking.  And that’s exactly how I made it to the frozen land at the bottom of the earth.

My years of work in the travel industry as a camping tour leader have allowed me large periods of time to travel or pursue other work options.  It has also put me around many people who are doing the same thing and coming up with crazy ideas to make it happen.  One summer (while we were at Arches National Park) Steve, a fellow leader, told me he had washed dishes in Antarctica.  Until that point I really didn’t know Antarctica really even had dishes to be washed, but I was intrigued. 

About two years and a lot of hoops jumped through later, I was on my way to McMurdo Station, home to about 1200 people, for the Southern Hemisphere summer.  The base is the largest establishment on the continent and the main one of the three US bases.  It primarily exists to support science.  And in the support of science, someone needs to clean up after science.  Science after all, can get messy you know.  So that’s where I came in.  I shipped off (via New Zealand) in October of 2006, ready to janitor my way onto another continent.  I arrived, as most first year people do, with wide eyes and high hopes.  Looking back, it was an amazing experience and I am really glad I did it, but it wasn’t always easy.  As opposed to try and write about it now from memory, I thought it would be better to relay it with clips I wrote while I was down there, which probably more accurately captures how I was feeling.

Not long after I arrived I wrote this.  It seems it did not take long for the novelty to wear off.

10/19/06
So, it’s almost been a week, but it some ways it seems like months. Today the high temperature was -4 F, but around -30 F with the wind chill.  Not really sure what that means (in the scale) as I am from California and we don’t have negative numbers for temperature or wind chill.  All I know is that is damn cold.  But my life is contained within about a 200 meter outdoor radius unless I want to venture out farther, which I will all in due time.  There is a lot of cleaning to do on this base, but I am told it is a noble job here, because without the toilet scrubbing, there would be no science.  Also with 24 hours of daylight, there is plenty of time to clean and still go do something else.  When the weather gets better, and I am not so darn tired, I promise myself I’ll go explore a little bit.

The base currently has about 700 people (I think around 1200 is full), and many are awaiting the first flight to the pole of the season.  I will most likely not set foot at the pole this year.  They have little need for extra janitors there.  As you can imagine, I am pretty far down the pecking order, well the bottom actually.  I did hear there is one pay grade lower than me, but I wouldn’t have thought that possible.  Not only will I not set foot on the pole, I won’t even technically set foot on the continent.  I am actually on Ross Island, where McMurdo is located.  It is about 20 miles from the mainland, and they are currently connected by sea ice.  So I would say I am close enough for government work.  And I clean shit, so you might as well call it government work.

Less than ten days on the continent and my thoughts apparently had already begun to focus on “the drink.”  As you can imagine it is a popular past time there and the bars are usually full.  In fact I really believe that the work weeks are 60 hours long only to keep people from having too much spare time, in which to drink, not because there is that much work down there. 

10/23/06
There are three options for drinking on the base.  Well actually there are four if you count the store.  The store does sell beer, wine and liquor for reasonable prices.  There are of course limits on how much you can buy at one time.  This is an effort to keep people from hording, which would happen.  There are always rumors of shortages, and no one wants to be stuck down here without alcohol.  Also it is an effort to cut down on people running there own little bars in there rooms, which happens.  I am just down the hall from “The Corner Bar” AKA room 201, AKA Walter and Red’s room.  But these speakeasies aside, the three bars are Gallaghers, Southern and the Coffee house.  They all have a unique character, and draw a different crowd.

Southern is the rough and tumble place of the bunch.  If there were long-shore man, pimps, drug dealers, prostitutes and gang bangers here, that’s where they would go.  Since there are none of those, it mainly draws the smoking crowd.  It is in fact the only bar of the three that allows smoking, and therefore seems to be a harsher place.  But it’s really not all that bad.  In fact I think it is my favorite place, except the fact that the ventilation is horrible, making impossible to spend much time in there.  I have taken up smoking since I arrived.  I don’t actually smoke any real cigarettes, but when I spend a little time in Southern, it feels as if I have.  The drink prices just went up a dollar each last week and as you can imagine, that is big down here.  Apparently someone stateside got wind of alcohol being subsidized by possible government money, and that didn’t fly.  Or at leas that’s the rumor I heard, it may not be true.  But southern is the smokers bar, the liquor straight up drinkers bar, mostly a guy’s hang out.  No matter what it’s like, it’s only a few cold steps from my dorm room and that’s can’t be too bad.

The second bar is called Gallaghers, and is the closest thing Antarctica has to a night Club. If there are events like 70’s parties for instance, they are held here.  If there are live bands (many people here are musicians-lots of left brains) they play Gallaghers.  It is the loudest wildest place on base, and possibly on the whole continent.  There is a burger bar a few nights a week in Galleghers where you can buy a Burger for 5 bucks; otherwise all food on the base is free.  It is actually my least favorite of the three; maybe it’s for the younger crowd.  Am I that old already?  It is also the biggest bar space, and one nice thing is that the space is not smoke filled.  Day bar is also housed here, which is simply the place that the night shift workers go.  With 24 hours of sunlight (officially yesterday was the last sunset of the year) it really doesn’t matter when you are drinking. 

The third option is the Coffee House/Wine Bar.  Some people think it is too pretentious and snooty, but those people have never been in. It is amazing that many people find there favorite bar on reputation and never set foot in the others to see for themselves, especially if you smoke.  The small movie theatre is here also.  It is really just a dark bunker style room with 8 or so couches and a big screen TV.  I have only seen “A Very Long Engagement” in there so far.  The Coffee House is my afternoon work station, which I clean 5 days a week.  I am off Sundays and it’s closed Mondays (so I don’t clean it Tuesday).  It only serves wine and some liquors and a few scotches, oh and coffee of course.   You would think that because I spend so much time cleaning it, I wouldn’t go in there, but I like a bar that you don’t have to yell over music to have a conversation, and don’t have to suck down a pack of cigarettes in second hand smoke to spend time in.

I haven’t had roommates (not counting hostels) in the same room since college.  It takes a little getting used to as an adult.  After a few early bumps getting used to each other, I think my roommates and I got along alright.  Near the end we did get on each others nerves a bit, but I think that’s normal.

10/27/06
My roommates are 3 in number.  We share a space that is probably about 12 by 16 or so.  We each have a corner, and are separated by tall metal cabinets on some sides, and hanging blankets on others.  I am actually the old man in the room.  Eric is only a few months older than 18 and is from Colorado, he works as a GA (or general assistant).  The next one up the age list is Casey, who is from Baltimore, and works in supply.  Finally there is Rob, who is 23 and is from somewhere that I can not remember and works as a cook.  I probably spend the least amount of time talking to Rob, as his day off is not the same, and his hours are a bit different.  Rob’s alarm goes off at 4:09 am, as he has to start cooking our breakfasts. Eric’ goes off at 6 am and Casey starts hitting snooze at about 6:15 until we have to get up at 7:00 am.  All alarms in the room, usually wake all roommates, so you have to be good at falling back to sleep. I did check on the housing form that I was a snorer, but I am the only one in the room who does, so they didn’t really go by the form, considering I am not 21 either.  My room is an early to bed kind of place, as the other three are usually lights off by 9:30.  While I have been going to bed here earlier than normal, I can not be in bed by 9:30.  But it could be worse, I could be in a party room, and have nowhere to retreat.  All in all I am happy with my room.

But it wasn’t all cleaning, and long work hours, hiding by drinking and crowded rooms.  There were some amazing experiences there.  Experiences that I would never be able to have anywhere else.  Memories that I will cherish.

11/5/07
I left the base today, and I saw a penguin yesterday.  These are the reasons I clean toilets, because these toilets are in Antarctica and it is a beautiful place.   I finally made it on the main excursion that everyone is after, Cape Evans.  It only took me 4 attempts.  The first time the trip was canceled due to weather, the second time I volunteered to give up my spot for a guy that could only go that day, and the third time I was sick.  So finally on the fourth attempt I left the base today, for the first time since I have been here.  Well that is if you  count Scott base (the New Zealand base), Ob Hill (hill overlooking town)l and the ice runways really as just extensions of this base-don’t tell the Kiwi’s (New Zealanders) I said that.

Cape Evans is about 25 miles or so from here by road, across the sea ice.  The trip can only be made for a few more weeks, because then the ice will not be safe to drive on then.  The vehicles we go in (called Deltas) are huge, and need some thick ice to drive on.  They are 25 year old vehicles, which seem older; they are property of the navy, and have a pax compartment in the back for 18 people, and a large cab that can hold 4 people.  Cape Evans is at the foot of Mt Erebus (a volcano almost visible from the base), which often has a little tuft of smoke coming out of the top as it is still active.

On a side note, an evacuation scenario if that thing ever has a major eruption does not include getting us all out of here on time.  I’m sure janitors are low on that list for spots on the plane. 

There is also a hut at Cape Evans that was built by Scott and later used by Shackleton’s expedition.  The hut is still filled with lots of original equipment, bedding, clothing, gear canned food, seal blubber strips and a dead penguin. That is not the one I referred to seeing yesterday, I will get to that story soon enough.  As well as going in the historic hut, we went in a fish hut that has a hole drilled into it through to the sea.  Of course I had to stick a hand and a foot in.  Not at the same time though I am not that limber.   We also found an little frozen lake where Brent, Kelly, Charley (a girl) and I had sliding competitions.  It was a great day for it, not a cloud in the sky (there usually isn’t) but more amazingly no wind which means it was just 15 degrees, not 15 with an insanely cold wind chill as is often the case.  I must have acclimated enough to think that 15 is warm, or down right tropical, amazing.  So today s why I clean toilets and it was a good day. 

One of the goals of coming to this place has partially been met today.  I can now confirm that small black specks in the distance do exist on this continent.  Of course these specks are known by another name that is more common, but harder to actually see, and that is Emperor Penguin.  Six of them turned up down by the ice runway today waddling along.  I had a rare Saturday off (I am working Sunday instead) and when I was checking the menu in the galley a shuttle driver friend of mine came in and said the news had gone out on the radio about the six visitors.  He was headed out there, so I went along for the ride.  Of course he only had a truck and there were four of us, so I spent the ten minute trip in the back of a truck in 10 degree weather.  By the time we got out there though, the were already being escorted, or ushered, or corralled really off the other side of the runway by the fire department.  The Antarctic treaty says we are not allowed to disturb the wildlife, but exceptions are made when they are on the runway, and a plane is about to land.  In fact the plane that landed today had the passengers getting off and immediately seeing six penguins walking by.  Essentially they could have gotten right back on the plane and flown back to Christchurch, two of the main Antarctic goals accomplished.  Penguin seen, check, set foot on Antarctica, check, cold experienced, check, lets go.  So unfortunately when I arrived on the scene the little guys were on the other side of the runway.  Peons, AKA janitors without authorization are not allowed to walk across the runway.   Firemen, Air force personnel and just about everyone else seem to be able to, so I decided to go for it.  I asked a lot of people around who I needed to get clearance form, and after a lot of I don’t knows, I decided to chance it (they said no plane was coming in) as I came 1000’s of miles to see theses little creatures, and did not want to stop half a mile short.  But alas, by the time I reached the other side of the runway (and then could not physically go further due to unsafe terrain) the fire men had already done there “duty” (another reason to be jealous of the firemen and their easy gig here) and I only got about 300 feet from them.  Some shuttle drivers that were on the scene early have pictures from about 15 feet.  But I have seen them, more than once.  And its not really important how close, as Jesse says.  He doesn’t really actually want to see one for seeing ones sake.  He wants to see one (but hasn’t yet) because he wants to avoid this conversation at home:

“Wow Antarctica, that’s great”
“Yeah”

“Did you see any penguins?”

“Well, no”

“Well did you see any Polar bears?” 

“Actually, no they don’t exist on the continent. "

“Oh…………..hmmmm, so you were just cleaning toilets, and no penguins and no polar bears ehh?  So why did you go down there?

So go educate your friends, no polar bears down here.  But tiny black specks in the distance there are, I can now confirm that.

It was a period of highs and lows for me that’s for sure.  Not much sleep, working a lot of hours, not feeling appreciated in my work and missing my girlfriend were among the lows.  Getting off base whenever I could and the relationships with some of my fellow inmates (I mean workers) rank among the highs.  And all though I was once told by a supervisor that I was there to work, and I shouldn’t be so verbal about my joy for getting off base, my excursions made me happy.

12/03/06
So after a tough week at work, I was in need of a good day, a day that reminded me of why I came Antarctica.  Fortunately Sunday was that day as I got a chance to get off base and see something amazing.  There is an area near Scott base called the pressure ridges.  What it is more or less is where sea ice meets land and the ice is pushed up or crumpled in to mini mountain ranges.  It is only a couple hundred meters form Scott base and a walk through them is like a stroll through another world.  The area has been off limits to Americans for 4-5 years because of that pesky I drive. The I drive is the shared file on the computer system where people post photos.  Apparently some people went out hiking and felt the need to bother some seals.  Then the idiots went ahead and took pictures, and somehow decided to put them on the I drive for all to see.  Maybe things were different then, but now you would have to be stupid to do such a thing.  But there are stupid people out there, and the area became closed.  Until now that is, and there was a drawing (as there often is) to see who could go.  They did 10 trips of 10 people each.  A shuttle driver was needed to get these people back and forth and myself and a guy named Paul volunteered to split they day of driving, and in exchange we got a guaranteed spot on one of the hikes.  So I spent about 3.5 hours driving people back and forth to Scott base, and then hoped off for a hike.  It was a much needed diversion for the weekend, and was again a reminder of why I am here.  Even the shuttling of people was fun in a way, because I felt much more in my element (after all the tours I have led) than I do when scrubbing toilets.  We janitors are most verbal in complaining about the toilets, but in reality, the showers are the worst.  So it was good albeit short weekend.  Oh did I happen to mention that UCLA (my alma mater) beat our long time rival USC today.  Good Day. 

As I said, things weren’t always easy down there.  After new years, when we had a big party called Ice Stock, people more or less were focused on going home.  Even the people who love it down there are going a little stir crazy and ready to get off the continent.  I just hear from a guy who is going back again for the third year, but he will arrive in Main body (October) as opposed to Win fly (August) because as he said even main body was about two months too long. 

1/15/07
Before I came down here I was telling people I thought the whole experience would be like that old cliché they say about owning a boat.  They say that the best days are the day you but it and the day you sell it.  Well being down here I figured the best days would be the day I arrive and the day I leave.  The day I set foot on the continent was a great day, and I really do look forward to the day I leave.  Its not that I hate it hear, in fact I don’t.  But my life is a little too much like the movie Ground Hog’s day.  And being a janitor is less than glamorous.  Most of us are struggling with motivation; I am not the only janitor in that boat.  The novelty of being here has worn off, and we realize we clean up after people 60 hours a week.

It’s approaching the end of the year and people are tired.  They are losing their patience and showing signs of wear and tear.  Everyone is ready to see night time, grass and less than 60 hours a week of work. 

Looking back on what I wrote while I was there, people might think I am not glad I went.  It could not be farther from the truth.  It was a wonderful experience, and I would recommend it highly to anyone.  But it was exactly as I knew it would be.  Tough to get through at times, a rare worthwhile opportunity filled with highs and lows.   The memories won’t soon fade though, and I would even consider going back in years to come, if the conditions were right.

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