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[[preprinted]] 11 [[/preprinted]] Virginia off to S. Pole ~ 8:00 AM. Saw Lou just in time to say goodbye Dec. 13 Wed. A letter awaited us from Bill w P.S. by John Annexstad. Bill suggested we get to snow & ice schl. as soon as possible & then to the field. He was at Darwin Camp. John at Allan Hills - w ~70 meteorites disc. Rumor had it we might go directly to AH but v. uncertain. ^[[Dave Brosnahan Lee Boudou [[?]] - H&N ice Sch.]] 9: AM Dean and I met w NSF & H&N staff for briefing & aid. We didn't know what questions to ask. Back at the Inn Susan appeared and invited me to go to the acquarium w. her. We were led down the hill to a mound shook full of fish: Huge Antarctic Cod -- most of them ill from scrapes or fungii -- and Little fish to feed them - all types make their own antifreeze. Also salamander-like things and starfish. Then the biologists got the bright idea that I should hop a helicopter ride at 12:30 w their party (1 empty seat) to Capes Royd & [[??]] -- penguins. Susan catching an earlier one to other destination. I checked it out w Angelo, the PI, & thence w Tom Zulhoff the coordinator. OK w. him, but he checked w. Bresnahan & there it stopped, without ceremony. Such seats he saves as morale boosters for workers at McMurdo (but he sent no-one to the flight.) Susan went to pad w. 1st lift & waited for hours. All flights cancelled. Before noon I joined Chris Baldwin & John Lio for walk to Scott Base. It is v. different. McMurdo is a big barracks & warehouse operation w dirt streets, heavy trucks, dust, and noise: a military-type presence. The dining hall cafeteria serves 4 huge meals per day - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Midnats -- the Night Shift. Cooks from N. Zealand mostly. Immense volume & variety of hot food plus permanent salad, relish, & fruit bar. Scott Base is small, green, & built to be snowed under -- a warren of tunnels. We went to the P.O. & store. Then Lio walked home & Chris & I stopped for lunch. One small room w a place set for ea person. A Bowl of soup, bread, fresh bisquits, tea, fruit juice. Simple but enough. 2 or 3 women there - Rest outdoors types who mostly ignored us. Two of them gave us a lift there but never stopped talking their own science.
Transcription Notes:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Hills