G097 Team Fosdick / Team PGC-MBL: A sneaky-peak from the inside, looking out

This morning I did my duty at 6:55 am and called MacOps (the communications center in McMurdo) from my Iridium Satellite phone, from my sleeping bag, drowsy and gravel-voiced. To my not-so-little surprise the voice on the other end told me that the Basler aircraft was arriving in our camp, to pick up Christine, Mike, and myself, at 12:30.

As this was not the plan I'd gone to sleep knowing of, it was a bit of a shock, and it took a few hours to wear off the bad mood of being torn from a place I've grown to love so much, and the people I've grown close to there. On the other hand, now that I'm back in McMurdo I have complete control over the blog and therefore will take a few moments to introduce to the world the defenseless and priceless "Twotter Boys."

The season began with Chris and I trying for a week strait to fly into the Fosdicks on the Basler as the advance team; hence our title of Basler boys. Well, now Tim and Chris are all that remain of G097 and they are about to embark on a week of close support day trips with a Twin Otter out of Siple Dome. They currently are still at our Fosdicks "Icefall" camp, and will be flown to Siple Dome sometime in the next few weeks, but I predict they will be forced to winter over somewhere in Western Antarctica. Certainly once the Dig Team unburies the hundreds of pounds (or kilos, Tim) of Cabin Bread and bagels from last years cache, Tim and Chris should have plenty of food.

Because it is late and I am exhausted I will cut to the chase. May I present to you, the reader, the "Twotter Boys:"

Chris day one of Fosdicks Season

Chris day 52 of Fosdicks season

Tim day 0.

Tim in his jacket made from an old Scott Tent.

The Twotter Boys

So boys, touche, as they say in the French. Have fun out there. We (I) already miss you.

And on another note Monday was Christine's 50th birthday, which was her 10th in Antarctica and 5th in the Fosdicks. Happy Birthday Christine! We all enjoyed a jaunt into a BEAUTIFUL crevasse that Tim, the crevasse hound, discovered for us.