Five months. Five months I have been stationed here in Antarctica. To recap, I arrived to station in the first week of October and in January we had our mid-season ship. This ship delivered us new cargo and fresh produce (known as freshies down here). And truly, you don’t realize how much of an inpact having fresh food affects you until you go several months without it. And let me tell you, the fresh supply of produce brought life back in me.
We were supplied oranges, avocados, lettuce, pears, apples, and some spinach. Which truly made us feel like kings. A lot of the produce had to be consumed quickly but some of the hardier freshies are thankfully still on station and haven’t spoiled yet. And trust me, even now I am beyond grateful for my daily orange.
Last week, we had an Alaska based vessel come over for tours of the station. I had the opportunity to show a group around as a tour guide. Being a tour guide is a pretty nice perk of the job. You get to meet with people and simply show them around station while telling them about your job and daily life. It gives a good break away from your work and provides a lot of good information to the tourists or scientists.
After my tour, which really only lasts about an hour tops, the day went on as normal. I was refilling the emergency shower which is located “up the hill” from the main station. The emergency shower had a slow leak – really it was 3 different slow leaks – in the pressurized system. I had the pleasure of fixing them and then refilling the tanks. As I was wrapping up, I got a call on the radio. It was my one friend, Katie, who works in the admin position. She asked for my location and said she’d meet me wherever I was.
When she appeared at the bottom of the hill, I figured I’d meet her halfway. So I made my way down the hill.
When I got a closer look at her, she was grinning ear to ear.
“Hi Katie!” I greeted.
She grinned a wider smile and pulled out the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.
In her hand, she held a strawberry.
A bright red and beautiful strawberry with green leaves and beautiful yellow seeds.
My jaw dropped and my mouth began to water.
Katie and I have been talking for MONTHS about how much we missed strawberries.
And right before me, in her very hand, laid the most beautiful strawberry that I have ever seen.
I took a hold of it and just admired it for a minute.
How?? Was the only word I could think of saying.
She explained that the chef off the research vessel had some extra freshies that they wouldn’t have the chance to use, so they very generously gave them to us!
And in that lot, was a crate of strawberries!
I took my first bite and to be completely dramatic, the world stopped for a second.
I looked back and forth between the glacier that surrounded us, and my strawberry
We savored every bite. At the end, I think I hugged her. There was no greater joy than what she gave me in that moment.
And even better, there were still more strawberries waiting back for us in the kitchen!
If someone would have told me that this would be one the experiences down here, I would have called them a fool. But it is our reality down here.
Bless it be the strawberry.
