Home again!

Early Sunday Morning somewhere over the Pacific Ocean on a 747-400.

Home along the Chena River.  A lot has changed in three weeks.

Elsie and me (photo taken up at UAF this morn).

Last glimpses of Antarctica.

C-17 from McMurdo to Christchurch.

C-17 interior.

Back in Mactown (November 16th)

I have found out that people who have been 'on the ice' for awhile use the name Mactown for McMurdo.  I arrived here yesterday from the South Pole.  There was a 60 degree difference between the South Pole and Mactown.  I'm passing thru on my way to Christchurch.  My plane leaves this afternoon.

Back on McMurdo's sea iceway again.  I hope the ice is still ten feet thick. 

Reliable old 'Ivan' back to pick us up. 

Mudville.  A lot has changed in two weeks.

Me and my old friend Tom Soderstrom from Minnesota.  I shouldn't say old because we only have known each other for two weeks.  We took the bus and walked all over Christchurch and hiked around McMurdo together.  He stayed and worked in McMurdo while I went to the South Pole.  We had a beer and said goodbye last night.  We probably won't see each other for a long time.

The monitor says it all.

Last Photos of the South Pole Station

I flew out of the South Pole yesterday (11/15/13) on a New York Air National Guard LC-130H.  I'm in McMurdo now.

Family Photos at The Pole

I don't remember if I mentioned that we at the South Pole are a day ahead of you so when you see the date stamp at the top of the blog, I'm actually a day ahead. For example, I'm writing this on early Nov.15th but when I publish it, it will probably say the 14th.  The weather was bad in McMurdo yesterday so the LC-130 couldn't fly.  It is scheduled again today so we'll see if I make it off of The Pole this time. Again it's early morning and I can't sleep, so I looked back thru my photos and thought that I would put some up that was taken of my family album a few days ago.  I wish the photographer was a little bit closer but these will have to do because there won't be a retake.

My Mother (now 94 YO) and Daddy (deceased)

The Karmun Clan and our gang at a young age.

Our gang,

Granddaughters Amelia & Abby.

The Ceremonial South Pole

I've put a lot of photos of the Geographic South Pole in my blog but very few if the Ceremonial Pole which is for dignitaries and other visitors.  The South Pole Station is on an ice sheet that slides about 33 feet a year towards the Mawson Sea.  In about 250,000 years the SP Station will plop off into the Sea, give or take 10,000 years.  The Ceremonial Pole moves with the Station whereas the Geographic South Pole does not.  When I go out and stand by the Geographic Pole I know that is where Amundsen and Scott stood over a hundred years ago.  So on January 1st. of every year they survey and move the Geographic South Pole back about 33 feet.  So the Geographic Pole is moving away from the Station but in actuality the South Pole Station is moving away from the Geographic Pole.   So early this morning when I couldn't sleep, I put on my cold weather gear and went out to take a few photos of the Ceremonial Pole.  The wind was only 8 knots which is low for here.  I'm scheduled to leave today but my plane is on weather hold at McMurdo.  We will see if I get out today.  It will be good to go home and get well.

The end is near!

My body has never been able to adjust to the elevation of the South Pole so they have decided to send me home.  I'm scheduled to leave today. It's sad really but the positive side of it is that I've seen the South Pole which is something that I have wanted to do for a long time and I'm so thankful for that.

My cubicle.  It's 1 AM and I'm 'Sleepless at the South Pole.'

The Comm Control and Gym side of the Station.

So long Polar Plateau!