Another month has flown by and we just finished our first two day holiday weekend of Thanksgiving. It is it times like these that I miss my family, home, traditions and Chris so much... but we had a pretty nice time here, too, with lots of music, tasty food and good friends all gathered together for the evening. Saturday I made it out for a skate ski in the warm sunshine with Candy and a few of her Guard pilot friends while today a few of us ventured up to Castle Rock.

A few weeks ago they installed an Observation Tube in the sea ice where we can climb 35 feet down a ladder and sit in a small glass chamber below the sea ice. We saw jellyfish, ice crystals on the underside of the sea ice, sponges on the sea floor and many small swimming creatures I could not identify.

We've been flying quite a bit with many science groups competing for helicopter hours. Destinations have been varied more lately so we have been able to get out to new areas such as Byrd Glacier where Dr. Leigh Stears and her group were installing high tech GPS equipment to track and measure the rate of movement of this enormous sheet of ice.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7733509.stm





Last week we took a geology group to an area so far northwest that we flew right off the map past Battlement Nunatek, a long flight requiring a stop at a remote fueling cache on the Odell Glacier consisting of 50 gallon barrels of fuel staged for times like those.

Another science group recently set up camp on the Taylor Glacier where they will be drilling ice cores. If you look closely at the glacier you can see a small town (research facility) has been built over the past few days.

Tuesday of this week a couple of us will be flying out to the Central Trans Antarctic Mountains to start our 2 week rotations at the CTAM helicopter supported camp. Many science groups will be working out of this camp and smaller surrounding camps for the next 2 months. I have heard that it is a beautiful place and we are looking forward to some new scenery!

October 23, 2010

Today a few of us bundled up for our first ski of the season. It was a blustery cold but sunny day and with the wind at our back we sailed down the road out to the Ice Runway. Turning around and facing the wind back to town was brutal and left faces frosty and a nice little patch of frost nip on my right cheek.

This past week we continued to fly science groups and cargo out to the field and encountered only a couple of “no fly” weather days. Thursday afternoon we flew out across McMurdo Sound to drop off communications technicians on Peak 1882 to insert a repeater. When it came time to pick them up and head home, the snows had started and we diverted to our favorite place: Marble Point.

Marble Point is our refueling site across the sound and is staffed by 2 wonderful people who keep homemade soups on the stove and fresh cookies in the bin, fuel the helicopters and build loads to fly, along with countless other responsibilities in keeping a small station running smooth. We sat for a few hours then assisted with making dinner for the 10 unexpected guests who landed for the afternoon: spaghetti and fresh baked biscuits. My favorite cookie recipe comes from this kitchen-- moist, rich chocolate cookies rolled in powered sugar then baked until the tops crack like the frozen polygons of the Dry Valley floor. (I’ll have to post a photo so you see what I mean.) We found the recipe and decided to bake a double batch for all those hungry folks sitting around after dinner. It wasn’t long after we had the butter and bakers chocolate melting on the stove when the weather in McMurdo cleared long enough to make another attempt at flying home. I am sure they did not mind having all of those cookies to themselves!

The days are filling in with lots of activity as there is always something to do. Sunday nights are for Science lectures, Wednesday nights are for yoga then another science lecture. It’s difficult to attend them all but I did learn about research going on out at Lake Joyce where they are studying the mats on the lake bottom. Also the Andrill project at the edge of the Ice Shelf-- I’ll find more information on these projects for you. Here is a photo from the New Harbor field camp just across the sound. Being in their camp made me realize how clean and comfortable you can be in a place without running water or much for power.

I’ve posted a few photos from the first few weeks here and will be posting more soon. Now that our training is mostly done and we are starting to work our regular schedule, I am establishing a routine that will allow more time for communicating with loved ones back home!

Here's a photo of our hangar and one of the AStars. This is where I spend a lot of time each day!

October 17, 2010

My third journey to McMurdo Station, Antarctica began on September 23, 2010 when I boarded the plane in Denver after spending a wonderful week with family and friends. From Denver we flew to LA, from LA to Auckland, New Zealand, then from Auckland to Christchurch. With just a couple of days to spend in Christchurch we finished last minute shopping, enjoyed a couple of good meals and afternoon in the spring sunshine before hopping a shuttle to the Clothing Distribution Center (CDC) where we were issued Extreme Cold Weather (ECW) gear for our season “On the Ice”. The following morning we met again at the CDC to check in for our scheduled flight to McMurdo on a C-17 airplane full of familiar faces, a few pallets of cargo and a Bell-212 helicopter.

This season is going to be different than the past two simply because there is a helicopter supported “deep field camp” a 4-hour flight away from McMurdo Station.

We will be supporting scientists out at the Continental Trans-Antarctic Mountain (CTAM)camp by sending 2 of our Bell-212 helicopters to fly them and their gear to their remote field sites. We will be rotating 2 Helitechs (like me), 2 pilots and 2 mechanics out every 2 weeks to brief passengers, weigh and load cargo, fly along on missions and assist in maintaining safe helicopter operations. That will leave 5 Helitechs back home to manage the other 3 aircraft left to support the regularly scheduled science. It will be busy!

The past few weeks have flown by as we have been working our way through training, getting refreshed on our job, sitting through a few weather days (we cannot fly if the winds are to

high or if visibility is poor due to blowing snow or ice fog), and starting to fly. Early in the season we fly carpenters out to open up established camps with structures, and tough talented folks from the Berg Field Center (BFC) to assist groups with setting up their own field camp. It is important that each group understands and abides by the environmental policies put in place for these camps-- all waste must be sorted, packed and flown back to station; they must have enough fuel, food, and shelter (tents) to accommodate all of their folks for as long as they must be out in the field, and know what to do in the event of an emergency.

For example, last week we had 3 helicopters out flying but could see the winds increasing and a weather system moving in from the south. Two of the aircraft were able to make it home before we were socked in but one had to navigate to a New Zealand owned hut on Cape Bird. They had been flying a group of five studying Emperor penguins out to Beaufort Island but had to divert and seek shelter for a night until the winds decreased and the blowing snow settled so they could fly back to the heliport. It sounds like the Kiwi’s have well stocked accommodations and that they were quite comfortable during their stay. We had recently inventoried the survival bags in the helicopters so there were plenty of fresh dehydrated food and chocolate, -50 degree sleeping bags, 4 season mountain tents, warm boots and lots of extra clothes. In addition to the survival bags that stay on the aircraft for the use of the pilot and helitech, each person on board MUST have a survival bag as well.

Tomorrow starts a new week and we’ll see what happens!

Believe it or not it's been a great season for skate skiing! Candy organized a Sunday ski for a few of us early in the season and we have been getting out there faithfully the past few months. Chris has been keeping Willy Road groomed and ready for our skating pleasure. Tomorrow will be our last ski day but I must admit I am likely going to purchase a pair of my own and try to continue the tradition back home. This photo is from a day we skied back from the Pegasus runway (12 miles) and a couple of weeks later several of us skied the marathon, I figured it'd be easier than running!


Another weather day.... we are all making plans for travel and looking forward to days in the warm sun eating whatever we choose, walking barefoot in the grass, smelling the flowers of the Christchurch botanical gardens, and seeing friends and family again.

This week I was able to go out into the field for a day with Weddell seal researchers. They are weighing and measuring, taking blood and tissue samples, and securing data recorders and VHF transmitters to 22 large female seals all around the area.
From what I saw they (the seals, not the researchers) spend most of their day sleeping in the sun. When we arrived in the morning they were still sliding out of the open water crack nearby and finding a spot to nap; a scratch or yawn was the only action we saw after that.


A little yoga....

Last week I was able to join the Stream Team for several stops to lakes around the Dry Valleys as they were setting up survey equipment and recording changes in water levels. I've been waiting for an opportunity to lay on my belly on the ice and see the beautiful cracks and honeycomb shapes that are formed.
Here we are at Don Juan Pond, known for its' ultra high salinity around 14 times more saline than salt water found in the oceans. It's quite shallow and the salt crystal patterns are delicate and meandering.

Looking up valley from Don Juan. Surprising how small that helicopter looks...

Becky and Barbara walking the shores of Lake Joyce searching for the benchmark that is likely under the ice at this time.


Me in 36J...

I'll be flying from here the 14th of February to spend a week in Christchurch before heading off to Samoa for a couple of weeks if sand and sun... Makes me smile just to think of it!

Only a month left! We are starting to send packages home, making travel plans for warm sunny destinations, and thinking about skiing with friends... Here are a few photos from flights this past week:

31L flying out of Lake Hoare, a field camp in the Dry Valleys.

A little bit later after snow started to fall and O8H was forced to wait out the weather for the night and the next day. Great accomodations at Lake Hoare with Rae and Becky and 10 scientists dining, playing games and sipping tea together.

Looking through the wind sculpted rocks at Bull Pass.

The Oden icebreaker just passed through on it's way from the ice edge to town and Orcas, penguins and skuas have arrived to check out the channel.

The BBC crew is here for the season filming the next in the Planet Earth series, Frozen Planet. We feel so fortunate to be supporting their work!

Me, so happy to be here!

Adelies and a big Orca...


More Orcas and curious Adelie penguins.

A glowing sky behind the Adelies.

Mt Terror Rugby club played their one match of the season against New Zealand for the Ross Island Cup. We lost but it was a gorgeous sunny day perfect for watching a well fought match. Here are a few photos of Chris from the game:

More to follow...

Just a few more photos from last week...

The sea ice continues to break away and has released its' hold on a few icebergs that are still locked into place, frozen to the sea floor.

This ice edge is usually sprinkled with small groups of Adelie or Emperor penguins, always a treat to see.

The Wright Valley with ice falls pouring off in the distance, colorful layers of rock forming the walls and dunes of sand on the valley floor.


Melt pools are starting to form on the sea ice in the most amazing shades of blue...

Mt Erebus puffing away...


It's Monday, the start of another fast-paced week. I think we are all ready for a slow down around the holidays!

More soon...

Good morning! It's a beautiful Sunday and we've just finished brunch and making plans for a skate ski this afternoon with a few high energy smiling women.

A friend just sent this link to some of the BBC footage from their time lapse filming here and I want to share it with you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG17TsgV_qI

Just a quick hello!

ali

Hello! Another few weeks have flown by-- new flight destinations, science groups heading in and out of their field camps, Thanksgiving with 2 full days off, and thoughts of Christmas...

There has been an unusual amount of snow this season with several weather days where we were unable to fly. This photo looks across the Sound at snow machines blowing snow drifts off the road leading to the Ice Runway, just 2 miles away from McMurdo, where the planes have been landing and departing so far this season. The Ice Runway closed down last weekend because of warming temperatures and melting ice so planes will now work out of Pegasus airfield just a few more miles away.

Last week we flew communications techs up to Mt Terror in an attempt to repair a repeater located at the peak. It was a gorgeous, windless, blue sky day and Paul, our pilot, and I spent our time admiring the snow sculpted by incessant winds and the always-shining sun. Here's a photo of a friend of ours with Mt Erebus puffing away in the background.

The sea ice is breaking away by the day and the open water is slowly getting closer to town. There is something about seeing the deepest shades of blue fringed with the cleanest, whitest ice. As we flew by the ice edge last week, whitecaps were forming with high winds gusting across the water and ice chunks were bobbing and smashing together rounding out the corners and drifting out to sea. Emperor penguins stood in groups while Adelie penguins ran like 2 year-olds and slid on their bellies into the water.

Here's another photo from Mt Terror looking down near Cape Crozier. It was one of the clearest days and it seemed we could see forever.

Thanksgiving was such a treat with 2 full days off and time for relaxation, skiing on the road out to Willy Field (carefully groomed by Chris), dinner with friends at the BFC, and a night of danceable funk music performed by PornSpill. Folks in the Galley prepare a wonderful meal so appreciated by all.

I have a few more photos from yesterday and I'll try to get them posted soon!

It seems the weather here is near impossible to predict but they have been talking about a big storm moving in for 2 days. I think that it is actually blowing in right now. The hangar doors are whistling and shaking, the helicopters are all tied down and most of us have left for the day since there is little to do. Winds are sustained at 40+ mph, visibility across the sound has decreased so we can no longer see the ice runway or the planes. It's all a fuzzy world of white (not worth a picture).


We had another fine week of flying out to several field camps so here are a few photos of the places we've been picking up folks and unloading cargo. One group is scouting for a new dive site and another is camped out in the Beacon Valley for a couple of months drilling ice cores. The photo above is from the mouth of the Beacon Valley looking back at the Taylor Glacier Toe and the other is looking up the valley from one of the field camps.

The divers are also involved with the SCINI project and I've attached a link to check out their research. A couple of weeks ago I attended their lecture and learned how polluted the Winter Quarters Bay is here just out our door. When the Navy was in charge at McMurdo, many pieces of equipment and unlabeled barrels were left behind and have contaminated the bay so it's actually worse than LA harbor! It has been determined that more damage would be done attempting to move them than to leave them in place and so they will stay. They are also looking at life on the ocean floor and filming under the ice. The photo below shows one of our helicopters preparing to fly some of their cargo (tents, sleds, fuel drums) back to McMurdo-- it's what we do!


We flew friendly wildlife biologists from Bozeman, Montana out to White Island yesterday where they tagged and weighed adults and pups of an isolated population of Weddell Seals. Below is a view of the Wilson Piedmont Glacier near Marble Point, our favorite refueling station across the sound. It is here that we find a warm kitchen always inviting with smells of homemade soup on the stove or bread in the oven, good company and, if time permits, maybe even a game of Scrabble.

Other than that.... we've been having a fun season and have a great group to work with!