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The Antarctic Sun, January 28, 2001

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The Antarctic Sun, January 28, 2001 www.polar.org/antsun The January 28, 2001 PublishedAntarctic during the austral summer at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, Sun for the United States Antarctic Program QUOTE OF THE WEEK A cool 90 degrees “Spouses, friends, parents - who cares? I miss my dog.” - Helicopter pilot on loneliness in Antarctica INSIDE Moving memories page 2 The power of nature page 6 Enduring tale page 9 Kitchen aides Clad in only shorts, sunglasses and hiking boots, Nathan Tift sunbathes outside the South Pole's geodesic dome. The temperature was about -34F, said Tift, a meteorologist. He sunbathes about page 7 twice a week after taking a sauna set up in the dome. "It's one of the most relaxing things I've ever done," he said. The sunning sessions last 15 to 30 minutes, ending once his fingers start to feel numb. "I wouldn't want to fall asleep out here, but I could," Tift said. Photo by Beth Minneci. Lessons in logistics at Story and photos by Kristan Hutchison Sabbatini Sun staff In scientia speramus or students, the Antarctic biology said Amy Moran, a post-doctoral stu- course being taught at McMurdo dent from the University of California. FStation is as much a vital lesson in "Just going out to do a plankton tow logistics as science. requires ski-doos and cold weather Learning the possibilities and limi- gear." tations of science in Antarctica pre- Like most students in the course, pares graduate and post-graduate stu- Moran would like to do research of her dents to eventually return with projects own someday in Antarctica. The of their own. course has given her a better idea of "The big eye-opening experience what sorts of research can be done, and has been field work, just logistically what cannot. how difficult it is to do simple things," See Course on page 10 2 • The Antarctic Sun January 28, 2001 Helicopter crash victim’s friends to move memorial By Beth Minneci Sun staff “He was a very kind, wooden cross near the edge of gentle man McMurdo Sound has stood for Aeight years to honor a helicopter who was excited mechanic and search-and-rescue team member named Ben Micou who died in about the place he a helicopter crash. But a group of peo- was working.” ple who knew Micou say a new set of gray water pipes that run within two - Steve Dunbar feet of the monument are too close. "We just want to move the cross to a search-and-rescue leader more appropriate place," said Mike Hush, air transportation services super- visor. Hush worked with Micou in the U.S. Navy's VXE-6 Antarctic Development Friends of 1992 helicopter crash victim Ben Micou say new water pipes near Squadron. Within weeks of Micou's the helicopter hangar are too close to death, friends built a monument and the cross that bears Micou’s name. erected it near the hangar where he worked. National Science Foundation repre- sentative David Bresnahan sanctioned The aircraft slid and rolled about 100 copter through the storm, not even the move earlier this season. The group feet, then dropped and spun until it hit when the rescue helicopter was directly is still considering a site, but plans to rocks below, said field science support overhead. Once Crews heard helicopter carry the cross to a nearby location manager Steve Dunbar, who lead the blades thumping, he called a radio mes- early next month. search-and-rescue team that responded sage to Dunbar and the rest of the crew, "I'd like to keep it near the heli- to the accident. Hush said. copter hangar, someplace close enough One of the early impacts threw "The pilot actually talked them into to where it's accessible," Hush said. Micou from the helicopter. Two New the location," Hush said. "He said, 'You Micou is also being memorialized at Zealand support service workers, Garth have to be awfully close, I can hear the Naval Air Station in Fallon, Varcoe and Terry Newport, were also you.'" Nevada, where he was stationed before tossed out of the helicopter and died. Some of the former U.S. Navy crew Antarctica. The First Class Petty Dunbar described the conditions that that worked with Micou still miss him. Officer's Association in Fallon recently day as whiteout with 20 to 30 feet visi- Micou was known for his cheerful dis- decided to name its new meeting build- bility. The rescue team had a hard time position and generous heart. ing after Micou, said Sam Cox of the finding the aircraft. "He was a very kind, gentle man Fallon station. Cox never met Micou, "Once in a while the clouds opened who was excited about the place he was yet he spearheaded the effort to name up and we got a glimpse of the wreck- working," Dunbar said. "He had this the building. age," Dunbar said. infectious enthusiasm about it. He was "I knew that he had been stationed The pilot, Ed Crews, and the copilot just one of those good guys." here," Cox said. "I brought it up and the survived, but immediately after the Hush said that Micou, who was 35 association voted unanimously to name crash the copilot was injured to the when he died, was a person who made the building after him." point that he was unable to move. the best of situations. The disaster was the last in which a Crews crawled to reach an emergency "He never had foul words for any- person working with the U.S. Antarctic radio in the back of the plane. Search- body," Hush said. "There were some Program died in a helicopter crash. and-rescue was not within radio range, people he didn't like but he was able to On Oct 13, 1992 Micou and four however, until the team's helicopter was put them behind. He was probably – no, others were riding to McMurdo Station close to the crash site. he was the greatest guy I ever knew." from Cape Byrd in bad weather when Neither the stranded pilot nor the Micou was survived by his wife, the helicopter slammed into a glacier. rescue party could see the other heli- Janice, and an adopted son.I January 28, 2001 The Antarctic Sun • 3 Two ships McMurdo-bound Due to a large amount of construction materials that needs to come south before the end of the sea- son, the National Science Foundation has contract- ed a second cargo ship to bring supplies from Lyttelton, New Zealand to McMurdo Station. The Finnish vessel Archangelgracht will be arriving at Winter Quarters Bay on or about Feb. 15, after the Greenwave leaves. That ship is due Feb. 7. Together the two ships will bring approximately 14 million pounds of cargo to the southernmost port in the world. "There’s a lot more (cargo) than last year because of South Pole work and reconstruction pro- jects here (at McMurdo)," said McMurdo’s ship operations officer, April Brown. Team rides for cancer cure Eight people from McMurdo Station will be South Pole construction is changing the face of the station. On competing in an endurance race from Mt. Cook to Wednesday, the final insulated panel was installed on the first elevat- Christchurch, New Zealand to raise money for a ed pod. Construction crews will spend the winter finishing it. Pole’s breast cancer foundation. The three-day race, which new power plant also came on-line recently, increasing the station’s involves biking, running and kayaking, will take peak generating capacity to one megawatt. Photo by John Rand. place from March 2 to 4. "We picked this charity for a couple of reasons," said Trent Myers, who will be kayaking. "A couple people, who are members of our team, have had Don’t leave loved ones that have had breast cancer (and) we are Finance has McMurdo learning about how many women this disease without them affects every year." Fifty percent of all donations will go to the No-FeeNo-Fee Susan G Komen Foundation. The other half will go toward the team’s expenses, including entry fees, rental equipment, travelers checks Donations can be made in the store. For more information contact Julie Aurand in recreation or by e-mail at [email protected]. –Josh Landis the week in weather around Antarctica The Antarctic Sun, part of the United States Antarctic Program, is funded by the National McMurdo Station Palmer Station (Saturday) South Pole Station Science Foundation. High: 36F/2C High: 49F/10C High: -11F/-24C Opinions and conclusions Low: 6F/-14C Low: 29F/-2C Low: -25F/-32C expressed in the Sun are not Windchill: NA Avg. temp: 37F/3C Avg. temp: -19F/-28C necessarily those of the Foundation. Wind: NA Wind: 28 mph/44 kph Wind: 20 mph/32 kph Use: Reproduction and distribution are encouraged with acknowledgment of source and author. Saturday’s numbers Publisher: Valerie Carroll, around the world Communications manager, Raytheon Polar Services Bethlehem, West Bank North Pole, AK Senior Editor: Josh Landis High: 56F/13C High: 14F/-10C Editors: Beth Minneci Low: 40F/4C Low: 4F/-15C Kristan Hutchison Sabbatini Zanzibar, Tanzania Kalamazoo, Mich. Contributions are welcome. Contact the High: 88F/31C High: 29F/-2C Low: 22F/-6C Sun at [email protected]. In McMurdo, visit Low: 79F/26C Liverpool, U.K. Eldorado, Texas our office in Building 155 or dial 2407. High: 43F/6C High: 45F/7C Web address: www.polar.org/antsun Low: 34F/1C Low: 37F/3C 4 • The Antarctic Sun January 28, 2001 HERE THE WIND W By Kristan Hutchison Sabbatini Sun staff Denison in Adelie Land.
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