There are many traditions at the South Pole. One tradition, at least for some, is running naked from a sauna at 200 degrees Fahrenheit into the Antarctic night when temperatures are minus 100, around the Geographic South Pole and back into the Elevated Station. Since the polar ice sheet moves about 30 feet year, … More Camping At 105 Degrees Below Zero
For most of us enduring the long winter night in Antarctica, stories of polar exploration still continue to fill one with admiration for the self-sacrifice, tenacity, and indomitable human spirit displayed by those intrepid souls from an age long ago. In the annals of exploration there are many odd, mysterious, and fascinating tales, but few … More The Strange Story of S.A. Andree
People often wonder what activities occur at the South Pole during the winter, or to phrase it differently, why are we here? Over the course of the next couple of months I will tell you about some of the scientific investigations underway at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in such diverse fields as earth science, astronomy, … More IceCube Neutrino Observatory
The winter solstice is a time of great celebration in Antarctica, for it means we are halfway through the perpetual polar night and the Sun has begun its journey southward to reappear in the late September sky. Since the time of the earliest Antarctic explorers, the winter solstice is when our minds turn to thoughts … More Winter Solstice
One of the great things about being at or near the Earth’s polar region is the opportunity to witness the incredible celestial display known as the Northern Lights (aurora borealis) in the Arctic or the Southern Lights (aurora australis) in the Antarctic. I remember first seeing the aurora borealis as a doctor at the U.S. … More Aurora
For an amateur archeologist and history buff, one of the great things about being in Antarctica and living at the South Pole is the opportunity to visit important historic sites seen by few others. I find being in physical proximity to historical places or objects tends to transport me back to an earlier time, enabling … More In Search of Amundsen’s Tent
I must apologize for the delay in getting this blog up and running, but between adjusting to the culture/environment in Antarctica, learning new procedures/equipment, and getting the clinic ready for the long winter season, my free time was rather limited. My journey south started in Denver with some last minute training and administrative issues. … More Off to the frozen South!
southpoledoc.wordpress.com 