Outside of the store, which accepts debit/credit cards, all commerce on station is in cash. Originally, people would chose an amount to be withheld from their paychecks and dispersed as cash. While that option is still used at Pole (and McMurdo in extenuating circumstances), around 2000, things got a little easier at McMurdo:
That's right, two Wells Fargo ATMs. And Wells Fargo is even kind enough to waive any fees they normally charge for non-customers using their equipment (though other banks may still charge a fee). Only one is ever active at a time with the other acting as a spare. Both are serviced every few years, however, both are supposed to be completely replaced with newer units this season.
Another interesting, related fact is that for the most part, all cash on station is recycled. So the Saturday night drinking money a person gets from the ATM may actually be the same bills they got a couple weeks prior. Money does end up leaving the station each year as people redeploy and it wears out, so each year they bring down a set amount of currency. However, planning does not always meet need, which leads to signs like this appearing:
The text at the bottom reads:
"Round, shiny, worth 25 cents... has a head and a tail. We need 'em to come home to the Finance office. If you've a jar of change, or even just some in your pocket, please bring it in to Finance this week. Thanks a million!"
According to the station manager, each year a different item ends up going missing. One year it was salt shakers, another year bowls, and another year the sugar dispensers. This year it's quarters and coffee cups.
For some more information, a Wells Fargo blog post that talks about the ATMs can be found here and an interview with a Wells Fargo employee about the ATMs can be found here.
That's right, two Wells Fargo ATMs. And Wells Fargo is even kind enough to waive any fees they normally charge for non-customers using their equipment (though other banks may still charge a fee). Only one is ever active at a time with the other acting as a spare. Both are serviced every few years, however, both are supposed to be completely replaced with newer units this season.
Another interesting, related fact is that for the most part, all cash on station is recycled. So the Saturday night drinking money a person gets from the ATM may actually be the same bills they got a couple weeks prior. Money does end up leaving the station each year as people redeploy and it wears out, so each year they bring down a set amount of currency. However, planning does not always meet need, which leads to signs like this appearing:
The text at the bottom reads:
"Round, shiny, worth 25 cents... has a head and a tail. We need 'em to come home to the Finance office. If you've a jar of change, or even just some in your pocket, please bring it in to Finance this week. Thanks a million!"
According to the station manager, each year a different item ends up going missing. One year it was salt shakers, another year bowls, and another year the sugar dispensers. This year it's quarters and coffee cups.
For some more information, a Wells Fargo blog post that talks about the ATMs can be found here and an interview with a Wells Fargo employee about the ATMs can be found here.
Hi there, my name is Masha and I am working for the advertising agency Serviceplan in Germany. For one of our clients we are working on a little brochure about Antarctica at the moment and one passage is about the ATM (image attached). On your website we found the image of this ATM. Is there any possibility to get the image rights?
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot in advance! I would need you answer as soon as possible!