I don't get the dryness comment.
Re:Showering at the South Pole
by david2ndaccount on Sunday February 05, 2023 @12:09AM
(#34662123)
Showering can dry out your skin.
And so do really low outdoor temperatures with noticeable impact on indoor air humidity.
It's an honour system. Actually the showers have two mechanisms. One is flow restriction/misting. Though some showers are much better than others. The other is a small valve on the shower head which you can use to pause the flow while you soap up. It's convenient because you don't need to reset the temperature each time. It's a normal screw valve to open the flow, it's not a timed system like you'd find in a gym/pool shower.
Also there are times over winter when we're allowed extra time, such as when the tanks are being cleaned (and have to be drained). Occasionally "vouchers" are given out as prizes, eg for the annual marathon.
I think heckling is more likely because at peak capacity there are 150 people on station and only ~10 shower cubicles per gender. There are 2-4 cubicles per dorm wing, each with up to ~30 people. So there can be some contention and people want to shower after work/before dinner.
Edit: found it "McMurdo doesn't really care. According to my buddy who worked at both the power plant and the water treatment plant, the station produces more than enough water. You can pretty much shower twice a day (though it's so damn dry there that I don't recommend it at all). Pole is restricted - people will police each other and heckle those who take too long."