Some Colors of Antarctica

The US Antarctic Program didn’t shut down after all.  Luckily there was about a week of bad weather and the program received its funding before everyone was sent home.  I wouldn’t have minded a few days vacation in Christchurch, but I’m still glad to be here.

Everything almost seems back to normal now.  Everyone on station is really busy trying to catch up on all the missed work and science groups are scrambling to get into the field.

Tent Island during a rare calm and snowy day.

If seems as though winter never happened. I feel like I got here last summer and right now this summer is just a continuation of that season with a short dark dream in between.  The colors of the night sky are gone.  The oranges and pinks of the endless sunrise are gone.  I'm just left with the white of the snow and the blue of the sky.

Replacing a track on the Hagglund on the sea ice.

The "human colors" of Antarctica.

Penguins don't seem like very smart animals and I wonder if part of the reason for that is because they don't have much colorful stimulation in their lives.  If there isn't much brain stimulation why would there be a reason for the brain to develop further?  I think that is what happens to the people that work down here in the winter.  I certainly feel dumber after the winter.  There isn't much color stimulation besides the color black.  McMurdo is full of color though--the only other colors on this continent are machines and buildings.  

Antarctica without "human colors"

Raised Penguin Tracks

The color green is what I miss the most though.  Only three more weeks until I get to experience that.  I will truly miss this place and have a huge case of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) on the rest of the season down here. But when the time comes I'll will have been here for 14 months and it will be time to leave before I'm as dumb as a penguin.