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Christmas Eve at Lake Hoare

 

Members of our team got a lot of questions about what we did during the holidays being so far from family and friends. Our team consisting of Kirk Miller, Amber Roche, Josh Koch, Shannon Horn, and myself either flew or hiked to the Lake Hoare camp where we met up with camp manager Rae Spain, assistant camp manager Heidi Hausman, and the glacier team of Hassan Basagic and Liz Bagshaw. Rae and Heidi organized the festivities. They included the making and decorating of gingerbread cookies and a house as well as the transformation of the main hut of the camp into “Chez Hoare” suitable for a delicious candlelit meal. In the land of the midnight sun, this conversion required some additional effort. The day was topped off by a gift exchange and listening to carols broadcast from McMurdo Station over the high frequency radio. Photos by Hassan, Kirk, and Liz show the days events.

 

Lake Hoare camp
Main hut of the Lake Hoare Camp

Photo by: Kirk Miller

Making cookies
Kirk, Josh, and Heidi work on making gingerbread cookies
and a house
Photo by: Hassan Basagic

Still making cookies
Still making gingerbread cookies and a house
Photo by: Kirk Miller
Finished products
Some finished products
Photo by: Kirk Miller
Cleaning up
Heidi, Josh, and Liz clean up while Rae works on Christmas dinner. Photo by: Hassan Basagic
Setting the table
Heidi and Shannon set the table.
Photo by: Hassan Basagic

Table is set
The table is set.
Photo by: Hassan Basagic

Getting dark
Black window shades allow the hut to become dark.
Photo by: Liz Bagshaw
chimney repair
Rae and Hassan do some quick chimney repair on the gingerbread house.
Photo by: Kirk Miller

Dinner time
A candlelit dinner is served.
Photo by: Hassan Basagic

Listening to carols
Heidi holds the radio receiver inside a big pot, which helps amplify the sound while Josh looks on and listens.
Photo by: Liz Bagshaw

Gingerbread house
Gingerbread home.
Photo by: Hassan Basagic