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Nov 24
The big news
here is still snow. Over the last 2 weeks we have had lots of it. The heavy equipment operators estimate they have removed
more than 10,000 cubic yards of snow from the air field in the last week and a half. The upside to all this snow is that it
has been warm. Our highs have been in the mid 20's and that feels like a heat wave down here. Two nights ago I was
able to work for several hours outside in just my shirtsleeves. Last Sat evening a group of us headed out to visit the nearby
ice cave. The weather was sketchy enough that we towed a sled of survival equipment behind the heavy truck called a
Delta.
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| Our Delta towing a sled of survival gear |
During our hour long drive over the sea ice to the ice cave it snowed heavily.
When we arrived at the cave the opening had snowed shut and we had to dig it open. After reopening the cave we had to
crawl down a very tight hole into the cavern.
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| Digging out the opeing to the ice cave |
Once my eyes adjusted to the darkness inside the cave the sight was just
amazing. There were ice crystals hanging from the walls and ceiling. With the flash of my camera the ice looks white but without
the flash everything was a deep blue . These photos do not do it justice.
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| This is the true color inside the ice cave |
While we had been in the cave the snow had continued to fall heavily. We
had intended to drive on to visit Cape Evans. That is the hut where Robert Scott's 1912 South Pole Expedition lived .
Unluckily the snow was just too deep even for the Delta and we had to head back to McMurdo. Along the way we got stuck several
times and had to dig ourselves out.
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| Digging out the Delta from being stuck |
We were able to make it back to McMurdo safely and although we were
hungry and tired everyone enjoyed the trip.
The other news is that we finally had a few
flights make it into WAIS with cargo including frozen turkeys and the fixings for their Thanksgiving dinner. They have had
far worse weather than we and I am sure they appreciated getting the food. We are still way behind on cargo for them
though. Along with the warmer weather here the sea ice runway is getting very soft. Two days ago a crack developed right
where we park the C-17 when it lands. It is time to be moving to Pegasus Air Field on the permanent ice shelf. The move will
start next week end and take about 3 or 4 days. The thinner , softer sea ice has made it easier for Weddell Seals to come
through. Two days ago there was one laying right in the ice roadway when I was getting off shift. I will post his photo when
I am off for Thanksgiving.
Nov 18
The big news this week is snow and lots of it. We had a powerful 3 day storm that has caused us all sorts of trouble. Since
Antarctica is a desert we do not get tons of snow but the snow on the ground blows and blows and drifts really grow.
During the storm we had winds right at 50 MPH for almost 3 straight days. Our internet and phone service was affected. The
sea ice air field was shut down and no one was allowed out there for over 48 hours. I was lucky enough to get out there right
after a road was plowed and was amazed at the drifts. Here are some photos of what we found. This is one of the
Cat Chassis that I photo'd earlier. It is sitting on a 45 inch high loading sled.
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| Cat chassis after the storm |
This is a drift that developed out side the door of my dorm.
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| This drift grew in one afternoon |
Here are more photos of the snow out at the sea ice air field. It is a monumental
task to get everything dug out and flying again.
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| C-130s drifted in |
Here is my Movement Control Specialist ( MC1) LaDon
Danials sitting on top of a loading sled for the C-17. It is 62 inches high.
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| We had 3 C-17 and 4 C-130 sleds to dig out |
Just before the storm hit the ancient snowmobile that I had was relaced with
a John Deere Gator. I was worried about it during the storm but it came through just fine. It is not as fun as a snowmobile
but much warmer. I call it my clown car because it is very tiny inside. It sure is better than walking miles from
one end of our air strip to the other.
What amazes me is that within 36 hours of the storm ending we had the
air field open with flights arriving from New Zealand and flights going to the south Pole. We still have tons of snow to remove
and lots of cargo and equipment to uncover but we have a functional air field once again. In 2 weeks the sea ice
will be too unstable to land planes on and we will move to Pegasus Air Field built on a permanent ice shelf about an hours
drive from McMurdo. My commute is going to get a lot worse shortly. By the way. The weather at WAIS is still been
horrible and no flights have made it in there. We may never get caught up with WAIS cargo this season.
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| Sea Ice Air Field and the Royal Society Mountains |
Nov 11
Hard to believe November is 1/3 over. Time really flies down here. I think that is because we are so busy with our flight
schedule right now. The weather has been great at the South Pole and McMurdo and we are flying cargo at a very good pace.
Not everywhere though. We have a field camp at the West Antarctic Ice Shelf (WAIS) . The weather at WAIS has been
terrible and our planes have not been able to get through with the supplies they need. We were able to get 2 flights in with
a few people and very little cargo. They do ice core drilling and their equipment is sitting in our cargo area
waiting for good weather. They have plenty of food and fuel but not the rest. Hopefully the weather will change and we can
get them caught up. The upper respiratory "crud" that has been so rampant here is subsiding finally. I only
had a mild case and I hope I don't get any more. Here is a photo I shot coming home from the ice runway the other morning.
This is as dark as it gets here right now. The sun never goes below the horizon. Scenes like this are why I come
down here.
Nov 4
For the
last 2 weeks I have had technical problems with my web site that kept me from updating. I think I have it fixed now and intend
to update every week. The weather has been good and we started getting flights out to the South Pole and to remote field camps.
Right now our air fleet consists of the C-17 flying out of New Zealand , 3 C-130's , 2 DC-3 Baslers and 2 Twin Otters.
We will be getting additional aircraft over the next 2 weeks . Starting next week we will begin flying up to 7 flights a day
to the South Pole. We have lots of cargo to move and the season is short. We had a group of almost 100 Australians here for
2 weeks that we were flying to their base about 900 miles from here. The weather had been so bad there that they were stuck
in McMurdo. We finally got rid of them yesterday. It makes the galley less crowded and means more hot water for us.
They were nice people though. The Dr for the Australian base lived just down the hall from me and was very friendly. He will
be at Australia's Casey Base for 15 months. Now that we are flying every day I have settled into my office
on the ice run way. It is humble but it is home. It sets on sled runners. It does have heat , power , telephone and internet
access. Pretty amazing considering it sits on 10 ft of sea ice 2 miles from solid ground. As the Air Field Supervisor
I am in charge of all cargo and passenger operations. I am assisted by a Movement Control Specialist ( MC1). He is from
Alabama and has worked for the Air Force in Afghanistan . I also have a cargo team of 4 people assigned to the air
field. It is their job to do the actual loading and unloading of the aircraft. They rotate every 3 weeks back into town and
a new team takes their place. Here are photos of our planes and of my humble office.
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| LC-130's flown by the NY Air National Guard |
| My office is the hut behind the plane |
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| Twin Otter |
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| My Office-Hut 19 on the Sea Ice |
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| Me and the MC1 inside Hut 19 |
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