04 November 2010
24 October 2010
McMurdo 2010
Saturday, 17 Oct 2010
We arrived in McMurdo on Thursday the 15th to a glorious day +8 F. The day started with a 5:15 am ride to the airport, changing into our extreme cold weather gear (ECW) for the flight and then milling around waiting to load. We were loaded aboard the C-17 about 8:00, taxied down to the other end of the compound were the Air Force crew picked up a pallet of explosives and then took off for McMurdo. It is a 5 hr flight to McMurdo with most of the passengers, including me, in jumpseats. Actually the jumpseats are not as uncomfortable as everyone says, I have been on many flights in coach seating that are worse. I think the saving grace of the jumpseats is that you can stretch out your legs as far as you need to, as long as you do not have chains or tie-down straps in the way. In a C-17 it is a 5 hr flight from Christchurch NZ to McMurdo. The flight landed on time, dropped off the pallet of explosives then dropped us off to the vehicles waiting to take us up to the base. The airfield at this time of year is rather amazing – it is out on the sea ice just below the station – the ice is about 8 ft thick and they groom it to make a runway.
We got our billets after the briefing and I am sharing a 5 person room with 4 other women. The bad thing is it is fairly tight and there is not a lot of storage, the good thing is that all the women are fabulous – funny, self sufficient, considerate and adventurous.
21 Oct 2010
So I am sitting here in the coffee shop trying to finish this to post – it has been a long sort of slow week, we have been busy coordinating a bunch of stuff and it seems to be coming together, but takes awhile. I cannot seem to get enough sleep, it does not seem to matter if it is 5 hrs or 10 hrs I just seem tired. Hopefully it gets better as I acclimate.
We arrived in McMurdo on Thursday the 15th to a glorious day +8 F. The day started with a 5:15 am ride to the airport, changing into our extreme cold weather gear (ECW) for the flight and then milling around waiting to load. We were loaded aboard the C-17 about 8:00, taxied down to the other end of the compound were the Air Force crew picked up a pallet of explosives and then took off for McMurdo. It is a 5 hr flight to McMurdo with most of the passengers, including me, in jumpseats. Actually the jumpseats are not as uncomfortable as everyone says, I have been on many flights in coach seating that are worse. I think the saving grace of the jumpseats is that you can stretch out your legs as far as you need to, as long as you do not have chains or tie-down straps in the way. In a C-17 it is a 5 hr flight from Christchurch NZ to McMurdo. The flight landed on time, dropped off the pallet of explosives then dropped us off to the vehicles waiting to take us up to the base. The airfield at this time of year is rather amazing – it is out on the sea ice just below the station – the ice is about 8 ft thick and they groom it to make a runway.
We got our billets after the briefing and I am sharing a 5 person room with 4 other women. The bad thing is it is fairly tight and there is not a lot of storage, the good thing is that all the women are fabulous – funny, self sufficient, considerate and adventurous.
21 Oct 2010
So I am sitting here in the coffee shop trying to finish this to post – it has been a long sort of slow week, we have been busy coordinating a bunch of stuff and it seems to be coming together, but takes awhile. I cannot seem to get enough sleep, it does not seem to matter if it is 5 hrs or 10 hrs I just seem tired. Hopefully it gets better as I acclimate.
20 February 2010
Hut Point
Whale off of Hut Point
Young Skua that hangs out at Hut Point
Seal, out by Hut Point
View of Hut Point
SACRED
TO THE MEMORY OF
GEORGE T. VINCE
AB R.N.
OF THE
" DISCOVERY "
WHO WAS DROWNED NEAR THIS SPOT
MARCH 11TH 1902
Vince's Cross at Hut Point. This was first erected in March 1902 by Scott's "Discovery" Expedition, the first expedition to overwinter at McMurdo Sound, Vince was the first man to lose his life here. Vince slipped off the edge of the cliff and fell to the sea while returning to the ship during a blizzard. The original cross has been subsequently re-erected on a more stable concrete plinth seen here.
Ice breaking up off Hut Point Jan 2010
View From Vince's Cross Nov 2009
09 February 2010
Emperor Penguins
Trip to see the mottling emperor penguins just off the road to the ice run way, 10 Jan 2010.
12 January 2010
Last day on BI
Today is my last day on Black Island ………. at least this season. I leave by helo this afternoon, the last trip on my oh so cool ride to work.
We switched over to the 11m equipment last Friday/Saturday night and have been running on it for 5 days. Last night the electricians took the 11m rack of equipment off of it’s on generator and wired the rack back into the normal BI power grid, there was not enough power at BI to run both strings of equipment so we had our own generator all season.
We were up testing till 2:00 last night, in bed at 2:40 and I was up at 6:30 – everything feels a bit hazy and distant. The really good thing is all the testing is done and the system looks nice and solid.
I have been out here since 12 Nov 2009, so just at 2 months. I will not really miss BI, we all live very close here and I like a little more alone time. I will miss the people, Jesika has been wonderful – an extraordinarily gifted cook and we found more than a few things in common. And then there is Tony who is a lot more than his well deserved rough reputation – he can be extremely funny, insightful and I found his occasional burst of song surprisingly nice but most of all he really cares about BI and the NSF presence in Antarctica and he does his best to insure that the BI station is the best it can be.
Things I will not miss –
It is a cold grey day outside, occasional flakes of snow and a fog that hides this cold black rock outside our little circle of humanity – it seems a good day to leave a place I will not miss.
Things I will not miss –
- going all week without a shower
- being ultraconservative with water
- the waste disposal situation here
- winds that blow so hard for days that you cannot leave the buildings
05 January 2010
The Last Ocean
Sunday nights at McMurdo are science lecture time and about a month ago caught the one on the Last Ocean, the Ross Sea. The Ross Sea is the last ocean on the planet with a complete food web. It was really depressing hearing about how badly depleted all the other oceans on the planet are and the fishing that is going on in the Ross Sea for the larger predator fish.
The Last Ocean project is an attempt by scientist and other concerned people to stop the fishing in the Ross Sea and have it declared a protected marine area. Take a look at the site, it is really interesting and these people are fighting the good fight even if it may be a losing battle. The title of this post is linked to the web site for any interested.
The Last Ocean project is an attempt by scientist and other concerned people to stop the fishing in the Ross Sea and have it declared a protected marine area. Take a look at the site, it is really interesting and these people are fighting the good fight even if it may be a losing battle. The title of this post is linked to the web site for any interested.
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