Email exchanges with Sunbury Primary School

Sunbury Primary School home page.
Date: Fri, 16 Aug 1996 12:47:10 +1000
From: Sunbury Primary School
To: Darryn Schneider
Subject: Hi from Sunbury Primary School
Hello Darryn,
This is Sunbury Primary School grade 5/6 Moore.
Thanks for letting us talk to you yesterday. We have some more questions
we hope you can answer.
What do you do down there? Do you enjoy it? Where do you put your toilet
waste? What is your favourite animal in Antarctica? What are you hoping
to achieve in Antarctica? Do you have snow fights in your spare time?
Bye.
          From Steven, Tristian, Carl, Brad, Jay, Kara, Corey,David, and
         Gareth.
__________________________________________
Date: Fri, 16 Aug 1996 12:06:42 +0800
From: Darryn Schneider
To: Sunbury Primary School
Subject: G'day back
G'day Steven, Tristian, Carl, Brad, Jay, Kara, Corey,David, Gareth and Greg.
I hope you enjoyed the museum. That's probably another thing I miss,
is going out to a museum or art gallery on the weekends. But then
if I have fine weather, I can do what very few people get to do
and go for a walk in Antarctica in winter.
>What do you do down there?
I'm a physicist. I was working on my PhD in plasma physics at
the Australian National University before I started this job.
(I'm originally from SE Queensland). I work for the Atmospheric
and Space Physics group, and study the higher parts of the
earth atmosphere. Above 30km the gas starts to become ionized
(an electron is remove from a molecule), and this is a plasma.
At the lower levels this is called the ozone layer. At Casey
we look at features at 100km and above.
We are also very interested in the earths magnetic field, and
have two experiments that watch it change slowly, and very
quickly. We are very close to the south magnetic pole. It
is almost directly east of us, and the magnetic field almost
points straight down (not very good for compasses).
> Do you enjoy it?
Yes, I enjoy it lots. Not only is the place beautiful and different,
the lifestyle is very utopic. I have no idea where my wallet is,
and I have no keys to loose. We do work hard though, and one can
get depressed easily if your not careful. We all miss our families
also.
>Where do you put your toilet waste?
Good question! Luckily we get it a lot.
We have a three stage waste treatment plant. The remaining liquid
is pumped into the sea. However, it is very clean and the doctor
samples it every week to make sure the system is working. Once
a year residue is removed from the main plant for RTA (return to
Australia).
When we go into the field, where there is no toilets, we take
a flour drum (if we a traveling by vehicle) and heavy duty
garbage bags, and all waste is returned to the station and
put into the high temperature incinerator.
>What is your favorite animal in Antarctica?
We only ever see 9 types of birds, and 4 types of seals.
So we can't be too fussy about which are the best. Adelie
Penguins are the most abundant, are very fun to watch.
>What are you hoping to achieve in Antarctica?
Along with work goals, every one has many personal goals.
For a winterer, lasting 12 months is itself an achievement.
I will stay on another few months, and will have to adapt
to living with new people, and living without the people
that have become very much like family.
Everything is new and different here. I want to see as much of
it as possible, and do as many of the things which can only
be done in Antarctica (I'm doing very well so far).
>Do you have snow fights in your spare time?
We had a wonderful dump of snow a few weeks ago. It was very
deep and soft. Quite a few snow balls were thrown, and lots
rolling and swimming in the snow. But the snow isn't the
best for snow balls as its very dry and doesn't stick together
very well (it was warm that day at around -10degC).

My turn for questions.
Where is Sunbury ? What is the special thing about Sunbury ?
What is the weather like ? How HOT is it, what do the clouds
look like (I miss cumulus clouds)?
Would you like to come to Antarctica for a whole year ?
When I came in, and when I leave (late and early in the season),
we had to fly from the ship, over the last of the sea ice, by
helicopter. We are only allowed 50kg a stuff (including heavy cold
weather clothes). More stuff comes in a few months later when
a later voyage can reach the station. What books, videos, and Cds
would you bring, that you couldn't do without for 2-3 months?
(I brought 8 books, 2 videos, and about 6 CDs)
All the best,
Darryn
--
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Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 11:50:58 +0800
From: Darryn Schneider
To: Sunbury Primary School
Hi to the kids.
Project for them. Ask them if they'd fax me a review of a
good movie doing the traps at the moment, as I've completely
lost track of what's new. Someone told me there is a new
Sean Connery and Nicholas Cage movie. I'll fax something
in return.
ciao,
Darryn
--
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Date: Mon, 26 Aug 1996 14:09:12 +1000
From: Sunbury Primary School
To: Darryn Schneider
Subject: sunbury

Sunbury is a nice quiet town and about half of Sunburys area is grass.
Something special about Sunbury is it held the first Ashes between
Australia and England. Sunbury has a various range of weather. It is
very hot and sometimes cool in summer and very cold in winter. The
clouds look white and fluffy. They move pretty quickly. Sometimes they
are flat and don't move at all.
Thankyou for sending all the letters and the digital photos. Mr Moore
takes them home and prints them in color. We're gathering information
about a movie to fax to you.
We asked our grade who would go to Antarctica,14 out of 28 people would
come. We would bring cd's; Presidents of U.S.A, Coolio, Hit Machine 96,
Metallica .
Computer CD'S:Game Empire, Duke Nukim, PC player, Doom 2, Worms, Need
for speed.
Books:set of goosebumps, Paul Jennings books, Comics, Surfing mags.
Videos:Friday 13, Stand, Toy Story, Platoon, Passenger 57, Air heads.
We have attached a map to show you where Sunbury is.
>From your friends at S.P.S
__________________________________________
Date: Mon, 26 Aug 1996 19:29:11 +0800
From: Darryn Schneider <das112@antdiv.gov.au>
To: Sunbury Primary School
Subject: re:sunbury
G'day everyone,
thanks for your email. I'll have to visit Sunbury when I go
home. It sounds a bit like the nearest town to my home, Boonah.
Of course it doesn't have the grand distinction of being
the home of the first Ashes. The clouds sound wonderful.
I'm more hopelessly out of date than I though. Metallica is the
only group I recognise. When I was in school one of my favourite
books was 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' by Roald Dahl. I
still read Roald Dahl. His autobiographies are great. He was a very
interesting man. Has anyone read any of his books, or seen the
movie 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' ? There is a very good
web site about him at:
http://www.tridel.com.ph./user/bula/rdahl.htm
>We asked our grade who would go to Antarctica,14 out of 28 people would
>come. We would bring cd's; Presidents of U.S.A, Coolio, Hit Machine 96,
>Metallica .
>Computer CD'S:Game Empire, Duke Nukim, PC player, Doom 2, Worms, Need
>for speed.
>Books:set of goosebumps, Paul Jennings books, Comics, Surfing mags.
>Videos:Friday 13, Stand, Toy Story, Platoon, Passenger 57, Air heads.
14 !! I don't know where you're all going to sleep !! Maybe you won't
all make it this year. Worms, that used to be a song we used to sing
while on walks when I was in cubs.
Thanks for the map. I've faxed you one of the Casey area. I think I've
been just about everywhere on it. I'll also send you a photo. Guess who
it is. It was a medieval night, and this person was a jester (I do
a bit of juggling).
All the best.
Darryn

--
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Date: Wed, 16 Oct 1996 09:33:17 +0800
From: Darryn Schneider
To: Sunbury Primary School
Subject: Re: Hi from Sunbury PS
G'day to all,
I've been very busy here, with the arrival of the summer people.
The ship got within flying distance the Friday before last, and
they were flown in by helicopter.
I was very lucky to get a flight to the north of Casey to help
fix an AWS (automatic weather station). It was a great buzz
flying low along the ice cliffs along the shore. The ice had
recently blown out, and was trying to reform, so lots of grease
and pancake ice. The colour of the ice under the water is
wonderful.
I've also been spending lots of time in the field. There is a
seal breeding site south of Casey, and I visited it with
two others, and saw the first seal pup of the season. We got
caught in a blizz on the way back to the hut and almost
spent the night on sea ice (safe on the coast near ice cliffs).
I'm going back again tomorrow to show some new people.
I've heard there has been some news of Casey in the press over
the last few days. I should let you know that all is well, and
we have enjoyed our winter, and are still having fun, no matter
what you read in the paper.
It's still too long before I return to start counting the days.
I'll be back late April next year. Unfortunately I don't have
a picture of me not in fancy dress, but will have one taken soon.

Yours,
Darryn
--
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Date: Tue, 15 Oct 1996 14:01:37 +1000
From: Sunbury Primary School
To: Darryn Schneider

To Darryn
It is our first Friday back from two weeks of holidays so we haven¹t written for a
while. We have had a sudden change in the weather because last week it was about 30
degrees. During the holidays the Melbourne Show was held.
We are sending a photo of our group. Behind us is a display of all our other projects
that we are doing on the internet .
Would you be able to send us a photo of yourself?
Do any of the other people write to schools?
How many more days until you come back?
>From your pals Gareth, Steven, David, Kara, Bradley, Jay, Corey and Tristan...
--
__________________________________________
Date: Thu, 5 Dec 1996 20:45:49 +0800
From: Darryn Schneider
To: Sunbury Primary School
Subject: Re: Have a giggle!
Greg,
glad you got the photo. I've been out and about lots
lately and haven't been around much to send much mail.
Well, since I'm the station photographer I get to push
the button and run around in the shot. I always end up
putting myself up the back. I'm way up the back on the
right. Here a couple of things I wrote for the Casey
Yearbook.
*************See story called <A HREF="http://rsphysse.anu.edu.au/~das112/station_photographer.html">Station Photographer</A>*************
Hi to all.
Yours,
DAS
--
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Date: Fri, 4 Apr 1997 18:00:56 +1000
From: Sunbury Primary School
To: Darryn Schneider
Subject: Welcome back to the old country!

Dear Darryn,
      We are Grade 6 Moore and would like to continue talking with you
till you arrive home. We would really like it if you could arrange
another person in Antarctica for us to talk to. We have some questions
to ask you and would like it if you E - mailed back to us with some
answers. We have categorised the questions for you.
SHIP:
How big was the ship you came home on?
Does it have a name?
What was the food like on the ship?
How many people were on the ship?
Where did the ship come in to?
FUTURE PLANS:
Are you planning on continuing to be a physicist?
Do you plan to go back to Antarctica?
FEELINGS:
Why did you decide to come home early?
Did you enjoy Antarctica?
WEATHER:
What was the weather like on the way home?
Did the waves get any higher than 6 metres?
OTHER:
Did the Easter Bunny come to you on the ship?
Could you please send us some pictures of Heard Island and Mount Brown?
Did anyone get frost bite, if so how do you treat it?
We were wondering if on your way to Canberra you could visit our school
in Sunbury. We would really enjoy it if you did.
>From Alison and Winter
for Elizabeth, Erik, Carl, Cameron, Amy, Ben, Graham, Russell,
Lauren, Hayley, Nick and Jay.

_______________________________________________

Date: Wed, 7 May 1997 11:04:37 +1000
From: Darryn Schneider
To: Sunbury Primary School
Dear Greg and company,
Thanks for the great day on my way through Sunbury. I've
enjoyed writing to you, and the welcome you gave me was
wonderful. I use the Sunbury glasses all the time and the
rosemary is hanging up in our living room making it smell
wonderful.
I've just been home to Queensland to visit my family and show
them lots of pictures and tell them tall stories. I think
they were very glad to see me.
Am working on getting some of my slides digitized and will let
you know when I have them on the net.
I hope someone from down south writes to you soon.
Yours,
DAS
p.s. This is my new/very old email address.
--
Date: Tue, 13 May 1997 15:45:02 +1000
From: Sunbury Primary School
To: Darryn Schneider
Subject: Sunny Sunbury Strikes Again

To Dear Darryn
Thanks for coming to see us on friday it was a big thrill for all of the
class.
What type of slides will you be putting on the net?
Have you used your lawn seed yet?
How was your trip to Queensland?
Where in Queensland do your parents live? Did you go to any theme parks
in Queensland? If yes what rides did you go on?
Do you ever go surfing?
>From Erik, Cameron and the Antarctica team
P.S Do you think that someone will write to us from Antarctica?
GO KANGAROOS GO BOMBERS
--
--
_______________________________________________

Date: Wed, 14 May 1997 14:42:12 +1000
From: Darryn Schneider
To: Sunbury Primary School
Subject: Re: Sunny Sunbury Strikes Again
Erik, Cameron and the Antarctica team,
>Have you used your lawn seed yet?
Our lawn really could do with some seeding, but I thought I'd
wait till spring as the frosts in Canberra are quite bad over
the winter.
>How was your trip to Queensland?
The trip was very good. Helen and I did some walking in
the mountains neat my parents farm. It was very good to
see everyone and we had quite a few BBQ's.
>Where in Queensland do your parents live? Did you go to any theme parks
>in Queensland?
My parents live near a town called Kalbar. Actually the closest
place is Roadvale, but it is seldom on maps. The easiest place
to look for is Boonah which is about 15 minutes from their place.
It is an hours drive south west of Brisbane. the mountains are
very nice around there and it is called the scenic rim.
>If yes what rides did you go on?
I did go to any of the parks but I have been to Dreamworld,
and Seaworld many years ago. When I lived in Brisbane World
Expo was on. There was a fun park next door. I often went
on the big roller coaster. But my favourite was to take
lady friends on rides on the huge ferris wheel at night.
It gave wonderful views of the city lights and was very
romantic.
>Do you ever go surfing?
Boonah is just a bit too far from the coast for me to have
become a surfie. I love the sea, but unfortunately this
is something I yet to learn how to do.
All the best
ciao,
DAS