You Think You're Cold?

You Think You're Cold?

Consider being naked in Antarctica.  The first 4 photos were taken in 1958 at the Little America base, which was on the Ross Ice Shelf on the coast of Antarctica.  Not at the South Pole, but still pretty cold, although when the photos were taken (our winter, their summer) it was a balmy -20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit).

First we see a scientist emerging from a sauna through a trapdoor.  The entire Little America base was built beneath the surface of the ice to protect it from the Antarctic weather.

He is joined by five other scientists cooling down from the sauna by lying on the ice.  They were later treated for frostbite.  Hopefully not on their you-know-what.

This photo's caption said the guy is expressing joie de vivre at surviving this endurance test.

Another base member appears, more suitably dressed for -4 degrees, presumably to herd them back inside.  The Little America base was abandoned the following year, and a few years later, because it was on the ice shelf, it broke off and floated out to sea as part of an iceberg.

Now the main American research base on the coast of Antarctica is McMurdo Station.  But there seem to be unashamed men everywhere.

The Amundsen-Scott station at the South Pole has its own traditions.  One is the 300 Club.  In order to join, you have to wait until the temperature outside goes down to -100 degrees Fahrenheit.  You heat up in a sauna that they bring to a roasting 200 degrees Fahrenheit, then go outside where it's 300 degrees colder.  You have to be naked (you're allowed to wear shoes).  You run around the barber-pole-striped marker for the geographical South Pole (seen here), which is some distance away from the building, and run back inside.  This fellow did it in 1982.

The tradition continues.  Here's Henry, who joined the 300 Club in 2002.  Surely the photo didn't need such a big censorship overlay – there must be quite a bit of shrinkage at -100 degrees. 😉

Another South Pole tradition is the naked Christmas Run around the South Pole marker, like this guy did in 2010.  Christmas is summer at the South Pole, so the temperature is a bit warmer (averaging a balmy -16 degrees F), but running barefoot is probably not a good idea.

We close with this photo of Jay Austin at the South Pole.  Since the South Pole is at the bottom of the world, does that mean that he's right side up?