Antarctica

[FalconJohn]

You guys want to see the real crazies!! You will have to go to the South Pole. Which means you are a little crazy yourself. I worked in Antarctica for a year. Spent 3 weeks at South Pole station helping them finish up the heavy equipment shop.

They have what they call the 300 club. It has to be cold enough outside where the combined temperature difference from the outside windchill temperature and the sauna equals at least 300 degrees. Then you run out of the sauna naked (boots on of course), run out of the dome and around the ceremonial South Pole Marker and back to the sauna. It makes the polar bear club look like a bunch of lightweights. I think the total distance is about 200 yards but from what I am told it feels like the Boston Marathon. :moon :eek:

[FalconJohn]

What years were you down there MexFishGuide? Being a Sparky do you happen to know Bud Chambers? I was only there for Winfly 1999 through the Winter of 2000.

I was lucky. When I was scheduled to fly out of South Pole, a lot of VIPs were flying in that day. So on the C130 was the big dog for the Air National Guard. On the flight was just ANG's, me and another guy. They came back and asked if we had a problem taking the scenic route back. We of course said no. As we took off from South Pole a C130 was inbound to South Pole. We really had a great meandering scenic flight back. Flying across the face of many glaciers and just seeing all there was to see.

When we landed at McMurdo and got on the shuttle back to base. We could see the other C130 on approach to land at McMurdo. It was the most beautiful flight of my life.

If they would pay some money I would actually go back. That was my first overseas contract. Sparkys made $1000 a week. The other crafts made $750. It was shit pay but it lead me to all this other work.
:kib:

[mrbreeze38]

Pay hasn't changed much, but the Pole station is brand new. I will say this- despite the wages I have seen some great work down there by all of the trades. They are pretty laid back there, at least in my dept as a UT. I would go again if I had nothing else to do.

[Gabriele]

During my time in the Seabee's we had the opportunity to volunteer to go Anartica, many couldn't go because of the stringent medical's they required to go.

[jackcease]

ANYONE HEAR OF A POS. AT MOUNT PLEASANT, FALKLAND ISLANDS? GOT A LINE THRU ANDERSELITE.COM BUT THEY SAY YOU NEED TO BE U.K. CITIZEN. WHAT ABOUT DUAL CITIZENSHIP??? JUST WONDERING.