Answers to questions, part II

So I need to answer some questions people asked. Since I'm at Station 2 for the duration of my shift, here come those answers.

The fish were pretty small, maybe 6-10 inches long? I don't know if they get any bigger than that, though I've seen pictures of some pretty big fish down here. I just don't know if those are the same ones. I have heard though that they are pretty tasty to eat, though I don't think we can just go dig a hole in the ice and go fishing anytime we want. The fish with the google eyes are bottom-feeders, like catfish, but I'm not sure how deep they go. I can find out though...I have some other questions I need to ask that team. I'm pretty sure they are fairly common. There is evidently some kind of fishing industry down here for Antarctica Cod. I think it does tend to be quite dark under the ice, though from what I understand, everything has a blue-ish tint to it, because the ice is blue. The fish I saw in the lab were pretty small, thin really. I know that they have some pretty big fish called toothfish, because I saw a picture of one (being eaten by a seal) in one of the science presentations. The head of the fish was almost as big as the seals head! It seems, though, that a lot of the fish have HUGE heads and skinny bodies, especially if they are from down lower in the water. The fish towards the top seemed to be a lot more streamlined, for zipping in and out of the ice, they said.

The rocks are mostly black and shiny, with some dull brown on it, I guess from the different minerals in the lava. It is very sharp, so sharp I got a couple of splinters in my finger tips from it! I'm not sure about the rain forest, I think it might have been a more temperate warm area, maybe like Florida? I'm not sure, I'll have to check the posters when I go back there.

There are other, smaller science labs at Pole and Palmer Stations, and maybe one at Scott base, but this is the biggest one. There are also mini-labs out at the field camps and stuff, but I think that most of the work comes through the Crary Lab. I have been told that the fire dept has an open invitation to the lab, so I might take someone up on that tomorrow if I have time. Then I can ask all the questions I want, I suppose.

As for the questions about being sent home, it's basically because we don't have enough beds in the fire station to sleep everyone when there isn't a crew down at Station 2. When there is the regular crew of 6 down at Station 2, we actually end up being really short-handed at Station 1. It's kind of strange...we either have too many people, or too few. I don't lose money, because I am salaried...That also means that I can't get overtime if I get called in on my off-day, or take a department related class on my off-days. Which also kind of sucks. Usually when you get sent home, you go to dinner, and cover for the other guys who have to go to dinner, and then you're cut loose. Anyone not sent home has free-time in the station after dinner till whenever they go to bed. The only caveat is that if you are 'dispatch certified' you have to help cover dispatch for mid-rats. Being dispatch certified just means that the dispatchers have taught you how to answer the phones and dispatch a call or something if needed.

I think that answers all the questions to date. Let me know if I didn't answer one of your questions. Anything I didn't know the answer to I'll try to get answers for the next time I see one of the scientists.