accumulates starts to spread out toward the edges of the continent, but the transantarctic mountains form a barrier. so the ice sheet hits the mountains and can't get through. the other thing is there are these really knarly winds that come off, and drop down into the plateau and then rush towards the edges of the continent gushing through these valleys. >> anthony: so it's a fluky micro climate here? >> michael: we call it the banana belt i of antarctica. it's warm, we're coastal. >> anthony: life at lake hoare, considering the limitations and the difficulties, is freakin' luxurious by continental standards. out here, by the way, as everywhere on the continent, every bit of waste is separated and collected. one pee's in a bottle and pours it in the barrel, where it is eventually collected and shipped back to america. life here most definitely has its advantages. rae and her staff seem always to be making something delicious. homemade bread, scones, muffins appear throughout the day. tonight its bbq pork tenderloin. oh that looks good. pork tenderloin, damn.