One of my favorite things about living here has been the sudden change in technologies and color schemes. Basically the only stuff that is here are things that people have brought with them and left. It's great to rock out back in the 1900's in many different ways.
1900 - 1920 There is a hut that stands maybe 1/5 a mile away from McMurdo. It is where Shackleton and Scott set up a shelter that was made for the desert of Australia. Obviously, heating a building made to keep cool became a nightmare and they used it as their supply hut. The hut was eventually used as a shelter due to multiple failed attempts at reaching the South Pole and the isolation of winter. While the majority of the people went crazy and died, some survivors stayed for almost half a year eating seals and burning blubber to stay warm. The hut was eventually closed up and left to be found by people building McMurdo in the 50's. It is now a perfectly preserved building.
When I got to go in and see what it was like, it really tripped me out. The majority of the things in the room have been unmoved and are exactly as they were left. The outside of the building has a pile of burlap with a mummified seal carcass on top. When you step inside, you're met by not only more visual carnage, but the smell. To the right of the door is a small room that houses two sheep and part of an emperor penguin on meat hooks. Directly in front of the entrance is a stack of hay used to feed the horses and sheep brought by the explorers to help sustain them. When you enter the large open space of the hut the smell of burnt fat, hay, and dirty people lingers very strongly. Living in an icy environment keeps your nose void of smells so facing such a thick stench really hit me in the face. The ceiling is covered with black from the burning animal fat and all around the walls were more mummified seal bits. It was cool to see the shiny drips of fat that collected under the pieces of meat that were left to hang and dry. Also cool was the wood boxes full of old cans of cocoa and dog biscuits. Old tools, clothes, and other bits polished off the shelves and storage area. Creepy to be in a hut that people clung to life in for months, and yet awesome!
1950 - 1970 The building I work and live in is one of the originals. The dorms are on the second story and have mostly no windows and padded walls to help absorb sound and light. It's really great until glycol and melting snow starts leaking over your bed from the old pipework and the ceiling collapses. It doesn't help that they made it a point to mention the use of asbestos in the building when this happens. The fun continues when you go to work and are working with machinery that breaks down frequently and in a different place each time. "Bertha" and "Slim" are the machines we run dishes and pots through. The poor characters have had a good run, but may want to retire before we're ready for them to.
1980 - 2000 The technology at McMurdo may be cutting edge in terms of science, but for recreation the machinery goes about as far as the invention of cell phones. The lounges are a kick back to the 90's with wall to wall VHS's and a giant block of a TV. The couches are the big overused Goodwill variety. Faded flower print fabric with a shape that makes it look like it was molded out of chewed gum. If a movie isn't your fancy the station has six option of live television which brings it back to the days before cable. As far as phones are concerned they do exists. All have that mustard yellow sheen with the six foot long spiral cord. It's been a blessing not having texting and cell phones to distract. The closest thing people get here is a beeper, but only if your job requires it. Someone was joking to set the alarm clock on their cellphone during a meeting and falsely answering it to see how many people noticed the impossibility of this.
Along with the technology, the majority of the food comes from this period too. There is a huge warehouse that holds the giant shipments from years and years of buildup. Unless "freshies" are flown in, this is our source for food. The oldest expiration date I've come across so far is 98', but I've only been here a month which leaves plenty of time to find the ketchup from the year I was born.
The thing that brings all the time periods together is Skua. Skua's are birds that scavenge here during summer. Along with eating baby penguins and dead fish, the are also known for dive bombing people crossing from one building to another who are holding food. Can't wait to see this! Point being the Skua I mention is an old shack around the dorm buildings that is a pack rat's dream. Things people don't need, can't fit into anymore, or have just left get put into Skua and they are free game. You want some $200 hiking boots for subzero climates, they are there. You'll probably need some shoe laces because they are hot items and get picked off as soon as a shoe of any sort is put in there. Where else would you have use for these shoes? I don't know either, but when you're done here just return them back to Skua. If I ever come back I'm packing my own underwear in a back pack and scavenging for the rest. My buddy and I noted that this was how the crazy neighbors became so comfortable rummaging through other people's garbage, as I walked out with an armful of great finds.
More soon as I finally have a day off,
Chris
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