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Hi Icedig,
The bars are just like any bar elsewhere. They’re usually open in the evenings, sometimes with bands or other events. Sometimes a “day bar” is open for night-shift workers.
Alcohol sales in the store are limited to either one case of beer, two bottles of wine, or a bottle of hard liquor each day.
g
Glen, they are selling that each day now? Damn, when I was down there in the early/mid 90’s that was the ration for the week. Made for a long winter over 😆
I think the restrictions are so no one can easily wipe out the stock of store for parties. They have some party restrictions on how much food and alcohol can be served. The restrictions are mooted somewhat by the fact that everyone here is expected to behave. If you are in the habit of getting smashing drunk and causing problems. you may be out of here sooner than you think.
Another reason for the limitation is so that nobody “buys out” all of something that they know is in short supply, i.e. hoarding. Believe me, it’s tempting!
Anyone determined to get totally drunk could circumvent the store restrictions by just going to the bars. So Mike’s right — how people behave is the important point, not how much they buy.
Although it might seem like they’re trying to keep people from drinking, alcohol is really so cheap that its almost encouraged. There’s no drinking age, so if you can get here, you can drink. Many people get totally drunk several times a week, even showing up for work severely hungover if not still drunk, and don’t have any problem coming back year after year.
Well I’m not going to totally disagree with you as there are plenty of people who get drunk. It was more of a problem a few years ago ,however, since Raytheon took over there has been a focus drinking related problems. All in all they aren’t going to say much about your private life off work unless you cause a problem. Don’t get drunk, beligerant and start pushing people around in the bars. There aren’t a lot that get fired, but it happens regularly. That part about people coming to work drunk might happen in isolated incidents, but all in all everyone I ever heard of drunk at work was sent to medical for tests and shipped out if the tests were positive. Nobody wants to be stuck working down here side by side with a co-worker with a drinking problem. At the last station meeting this year before station close, the winter station manager point blank told us that if we think we would have a problem, then get on a plane and leave before the start of winter. He wasn’t going to tolerate things. I know him and personally I believe him.
@Mike In McMurdo wrote:
Glenn, whats the policy at palmer?
mike in mcmurdoHi Mike, I just got in to Palmer after a smooth crossing. It’s good to be back.
Palmer’s “store” is only open twice each week, for an hour. You can buy whatever you want, within reason. The station is so small that problem drinkers are rather quickly identified.
The bar is an open affair, BYOB, in the lounge. People contribute and take from the bar freely, and it’s often well-stocked! Many of the crew are very generous about restocking it. In fact, I might just head over there right now. Since the ship is in there should be a good party going on. 😉
g
I’m looking at trying to get on in McM, I understand its the logistical hub for the area. I ran across someones page about ‘placing an order’ for a certain beer and havanas—would McM be the place to do that from? Is it even to have your own NZ order cargo’d on a flight or are they all company charter flights?
They were probably getting them sent in by mail from NZ. Mail is iffy. You can come in October and not get your mail until December. Everything gets priority over mail. In the winter the last flight in is at the end of Feb and the next isn’t in until the end of August. You just deal with it.
Alcoholic beverages cannot be mailed. The store is usually stocked fairly well, so it’s not always necessary. For special items (single-malt comes to mind) the easiest way is to either bring it yourself or have someone coming down bring it. I’m not sure what the current rules are regarding that…
Post edited to prevent ugly reprecussions.
single malt eh?….
Guess one would have to pick that up in NZ. Wouldnt have to be ‘carry on’ flying out of NZ would it?
Pole is very tame this winter with very few “problem” drinkers, actually none come to mind. We got a new bar that’s pretty well stocked, but still the rationing applies.
The comment about the prices may be dated, most of the stuff I drink (maker’s mark, scotch, bailey’s, jameson) is $30-35/liter. I don’t think that’s so cheap that it encourages drinking. That said, there is cheap stuff, like Rheineck $1/6 pack, but I’m about the only person who actually drinks the stuff (it has things floating in it.)
-Nate
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