The Story



We are All Antarctica is a story about my father George W. Gibbs, Jr’s adventures as the first person of African descent to set foot on the continent of Antarctica. He sailed on the famous ship the USS Bear in 1939 to 1941 on Admiral Byrd’s III expedition to the South Pole. It was the first joint venture with the US military and private exploration. Gibbs went on to serve humanity in countless ways, paving the way for not only people of color in the community of Rochester, MN but for all people to become more human, serve their community and appreciate differences.

Through compassion, tenacity, faith and countless hours in the trenches, Gibbs’ life is a model for community service, equality and fun. As the lowest rank on the ship, he was honored for his contribution at a time when people with dark skin were considered less than human.

This story integrates my experiences with natural healing, the arts, the science of the ice, the metaphysics of the South Pole and the history of the expedition and its mystery.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Clothing for Antarctica Summer finalized

In the last few days, I've been laser focused on clothing for Antarctic summer. King George Island is considered the banana belt of Antarctica. That's why 12 countries have year round research stations. My final decision on clothes was made with a friend who's husband is an ice climber. He insisted that the wind factor plays a huge roll in what to wear. Point well taken. Also, he said that injuries occur in extreme places, because most people don't have the right gear. Since I live in Colorado, I can always wear the gear again!

We found a sale on a new technology in Columbia clothing. It's called Omni- Heat Thermal Reflective material. (move over polar fleece) It keeps 20% more of your body heat in. I tried it last night, it works. My new challenge is the right amount of layers so I don't sweat to much on the hikes! And yes, merino wool is still preferred for wearing your first layer for many days before cleaning. I found Icebreaker from New Zealand. It's very soft. They should know! (close to Antarctica)
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