Dana

Introductions are long overdue. Obviously, I'm not alone on station - there are 59 other people stuck down here for the winter. Two people were left down here to work on SPT and keep it running: myself, and Dana.


Dana's an oldtimer. He's wintered in the high arctic once, and this is his 4th winter at pole. That makes him an indispensable source of timely information about life at pole, in addition to being a great guy to work with. He's clearly fascinated by the science we do, the environment we work in, and the amazing sights everywhere.

He thrives on both the cold and the dark, grows champion-level eye-frost, and is full of stories from years past. He also keeps a website about his travels here and up north. Check it out for some great photos and to get an idea of what's still in store for me later in the year.

Anytime you see a photo of me down here, it's almost certainly been taken by Dana. He's an avid photographer, and we spend a lot of time exchanging tips about how and what to shoot. Since he's spent so many years in the cold, he's got a good idea of how best to operate outdoors.

Dana clearly loves life down here, and that sort of attitude is wonderfully infectious. Whenever I might feel a little down, lonely, or bored with the now-familiar surroundings (which, granted, is a rare occasion), he'll bring up some miraculous new sight or phenomenon I hadn't yet noticed, then dash off to share with everyone else on station.

It's be hard to imagine a better co-worker through the long, cold, and dark Antarctic winter.