Thanksgiving at 90° South
3 comments SOUTH POLE, ANTARCTICA– Thanksgiving here at the Pole was a treat. Most of the station had a two day weekend for the first time since arriving, and I think I can speak for everyone that had off that it was enjoyed. The galley staff really knows what they are doing down here and created a great Thanksgiving meal. But in order to create a meal this good without overburdening the galley staff, it requires many volunteers. Sign up sheets were hung on the wall near the food line where you could choose from things like pouring wine, washing dishes, or pumpkin and pecan pie duty (very very important).
A pie volunteer going crazy on the mix.
I figured that I haven’t volunteered for much yet so I signed up for the dish room at 8:00pm which was probably one of the less desirable times. It kind of delayed getting into the post meal festivities but it was time for me to put some time in. The others in the dish room with me made it into a really fun time actually. Time flew by and before we knew it we were all done.
Pre meal involved people waiting outside the mess hall with a great spread of appetizers.
Freshies!!! Get ‘em while you can!
We even had a three-piece band whipping up some tunes while we waited for the meal and socialized.
Probably some Grateful Dead being played here.
There were three different seatings that lasted just over an hour each so that people who were working could attend one of them. It was a pretty traditional meal which had your basic holiday mainstays that included fried and baked turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce (not my fave but lots of other people enjoyed it), and green bean casserole. Last but not least was dessert where my friends’ pumpkin and pecan pie made their appearance.
The first seating. A full house.
Overall, for spending a holiday away from friends and family, it was as good as it could be.
8:00 p.m. dish duty! I think you get a few extra points for that volunteer job! Way to go Nick.
~ ~ L
We are up in Wisconsin and reading all about your life in Antarctica. Your mom, my cousin, told me to look on this site. I have a lot I want to read and I have forwarded your info on to my sister and cousin. Everything will be shut down around here tomorrow as we are expecting blizzard conditions and then cold weather. I am not going to complain about it — just thinking about what it must be like down in your neck of the woods we can’t be wimpy up here. Hope you remember me in Beaver Dam WI — Good luck Nick. k
Nick -
Kay Braun forwarded your info onto us. This is great being able to read about Antarctic from you. I volunteer in the Kindergarten room at St. Jeromes and two years ago we had a man (he was a family friend of one of the students – I can’t remember his name) bring in an actual piece of ice that he brought back. He had lots of pictures to show the kids (they really couldn’t appreciate some of his presentation but the teacher and I thought it was all great).
Enjoy the experience Nick – it will be good to talk to you at some future date when you are back in Wisconsin.
Jim & Joani Duffy