Last year we had very few flying days cancelled because of weather. This year we’ve had very few flying days because of bad weather. The last C-17 to fly was last Friday. The schedulers actually put two on the schedule for today, Thursday, which I’ve never seen done before. The weather is still bad and forecast to remain so. The first of the two for today has already been cancelled. I walked through a snowdrift to get into our building this morning. The outside of the building was plastered white with snow. People are beginning to develop cabin fever. Seven people were trapped in the tower last night until 2:00 am because they couldn’t see far enough to get a vehicle out to them. Amazingly two otters had just landed using controller supplied radar in white out conditions. That was a miracle. The DC-3 tried twice to land and ended up flying to an old field site on the Odell Glacier because he thought there was an old building there in which they planned to spend the night. Needless to say they have no food, water or heat and as it turned out they couldn’t find the building. The plane is low on fuel so whenever possible we will try to get a plane to them with fuel for the return trip. As I type this they are in the plane trying to sleep using all their happy camper skills. Fortunately the temperature is warm at about +10F. This place continues to amaze.

As for the Ann Curry daily update. She is stuck here as well and is scheduled to leave tomorrow on the C-17. Unfortunately another weather system is moving in and there is great doubt about whether (no pun intended) she will be able to fly tomorrow.

Lastly the Bishop of Wellington and our Priest are still stuck at the South Pole. I’m working on the sermon for Sunday right now. Stay tuned.

Well I have it from a reliable source (Cyndy) that Ann Curry did in fact broadcast from Antarctica, McMurdo Station, Monday November 5 and again on November 6th. If you saw it the helicopter in the background is just outside my work space window. It is parked in an area we call the upper helo pads. Normally only Coast Guard helicopters are parked there but they made an exception for Ann.

It’s always nice to get blog replies and they do get through although I’ve been told it’s not an easy process. On a personal note, my daughter, Heather, just emailed me some pictures of my grand daughters Hope and Halle in their Halloween costumes and playing in the back yard. They were great and made me a little homesick. Like being deployed in the military being away from family is the most difficult part of coming here. I want to thank them all for supporting me on this last trip to the ice.

Mother Nature continues to have her way with the weather. We didn’t launch a single flight to the South Pole. That means our population here at McMurdo is swelling and the folks headed for the Pole are getting restless.

The latest breaking news on Ann Curry (5 minutes ago) is she will try one last time to get to the South Pole. She is scheduled on the first flight of the day so keep your fingers crossed.

Tuesday, Nov 6th is supposed to be the morning on the Today show that they broadcast live from Antarctica, the Arctic and the Equator. That's all I know.

Well it isn’t a hot town or summer in the city here. Cold and windy is more like it. The day started out peaceful and serene and before it was over we had no visibility, high winds and airplanes looking for alternate airports on a continent where there aren’t any.

The morning launch went smooth enough. Three C-130’s launched to the South Pole another to a deep field camp, the DC-3 and 4 small twin engine planes (Otters). The first sign of trouble came when the first C-130 to the Pole executed a missed approach. He asked for a holding pattern to ponder either his eternal destination or what he wanted to do next. On the way to holding he developed problems in one of his engines. The following two C-130’s were very interested in hearing what he had to say about the weather. About the same time the C-17 from Christchurch cancelled his flight because of bad forecast weather at McMurdo. I could really draw this out but the upshot is they all decided to return to base. Mother nature through a wrench in the works at this point and gusted winds up to 60 mph and dropped visibility to 90 meters both very bad things for airplanes trying to land. In the final analysis the DC-3 and one Otter mad it back here using controller provided radar precision approaches. Two of the C-130’s barely made it into McMurdo. I talked to one of the pilots later who said he had flown in worse weather but couldn’t remember when. The last two C-130’s ended up with our Italian friends at a place called Terra Nova Bay. The Italians have a reputation of serving up some fine food and wine for any who visit so I’m sure the crews and passengers had a great night.

As for me I got to actually “control” airplanes for a change conducting the aerial ballet of planes searching for a resting place as weather and maintenance problems evolved and changed. I haven’t had so much fun controlling planes in years.

The weather tomorrow is forecast to be bad again and after today I think all except the two that diverted to Terra Nova will remain on the ground (Ice).

Was it Rosanne Rosanadana who said “It’s always something”?

I don’t know if pedantic is exactly right because there is not an ostentatious bone in my body but it sounded good. Another first was recorded yesterday here at McMurdo. Our priest, Father John and the Arch Bishop of Wellington got stuck at the South Pole this week. Several attempts were made to get them back on Saturday all to no avail. So….on Saturday afternoon the Methodist minister, (Also a John) stopped by my work area to ask if I would consider leading the Catholic service on Sunday Morning. Well I like to get up in front of people as much as the next guy but leading a catholic service? He assured me that they had a script used at the South Pole where there is rarely a priest. John invited me down to the chapel after work to discuss the matter.

The long and the short of it is I went to the chapel looked over the script and agreed to lead the service. (Not a Mass for technical Catholic reasons in case you were wondering)
He gave me some suggested notes from Father John for the homily but quickly added he had a prepared sermon for his service and would be glad to give it to the Catholics. Blasphemy!! A Methodist minister giving a sermon in the Catholic Church. I’d be excommunicated immediately if I ever agreed to such a thing. Wouldn’t I? I agreed without hesitation.

The week before, in his homily, the Arch Bishop said if you want to make God laugh tell him what your plans are. He must have been chuckling pretty hard after my meeting with John. I woke up about 5:00 am Sunday morning with thoughts racing around in my head for a homily. I tried in every way to suppress them but they just kept coming back. Okay, okay I’ll give the homily!

I arrived at church 45 minutes early, a truly uncatholic thing to do, and began to go over all the logistics for the service. I had enough consecrated hosts in the tabernacle. I had recruited a communion minister the night before. The choir (A guitarist and a vocalist) was set to go and I strong armed a couple of guys to read and take up the collection. (Which by the way I thought should go straight into my pocket for services rendered) (Just kidding)

Anyway, the service came off without a hitch. John said the unscripted homily was great (He might have just been blowing smoke up my dress) but it was nice of him to say so. Most of the congregation seemed to approve. Really I think they were just glad it was me in the lions den and not them. I have to say, seriously, it was quit a moving experience.