weather delay [again]

Last week the put-in team was expected to land at the Pine Island Glacier field camp [see Google maps], but was unable to make a successful attempt since they couldn't find the runway.  It turns out that the overwinter snow accumulation had buried all the runway markers.

Without a marked runway, the Air Force requires several extra bureaucratic hurdles for an 'open field' landing.  They are already concerned about the condition of the runway, with possible soft snow that won't support the cargo planes.

To prepare for poor snow conditions, the first few planes are going in lightly loaded and are carrying JATO rockets to help with take-off

Local sights

Still stuck at McMurdo.  The only good news is that I have been able to take in the local sights and some of the recreational trips that are offered.  This week I got to take a ride over to the New Zealand base and walk among the 'pressure ridges'.
As the sea ice disintegrates, it is pushed up against the permanent ice sheet and begins to buckle.

Surface melt pond [refrozen], with Erebus and Castle Rock

Mount Erebus [active volcano] with pressure ridges in foreground

Castle Rock [see previous 'Peak Poachin' post] with pressure ridges

all the amenities of home

Stuck back at McMurdo for a while and trying desperately to stay focused.  The sprawling industrial outpost serves as a striking contrast to the unspoiled landscape.
I recently had to use the ATM down here and was tickled to see that they had accurately put the location on the receipt.

Once more into the breach

After only a few days stationed at Byrd, I was directed back to McMurdo for the PIG camp put-in.  My 4pm flight ended up getting delayed on enough occasions that the LC-130 didn't end up touching down until 1:30am.

The crew appeared a bit more frantic than I was used to when off-loading one of the pieces of 'heavy equipment'.  Perhaps it had something to do with the rapidly deteriorating weather we had lied to them about.  The overland traverse had left the previous day with all the tracked equipment; due to the coming storm, camp management was eager to receive the shipment of a new 'tucker' snow machine.

After the uneventful evolution, the other passenger and I were shuffled over to the passenger entry door of the aircraft [with the props still spinning nearby] and told to buckle up as quickly as possible.  I asked the load-master if he was in a hurry because of some weather coming in. 'The weather is acceptable, its just that we're running out of fuel.'

Byrd Bath and Beyond

Despite being half a continent away from utilities, I was able to fill up a 5 gallon bucket of hot water and take a water-pump powered shower in the bathing tent, or 'byrd bath'.  some of the previous occupants had added some clever graffiti to the changing benches.

CON1 [again]

Arrived in Byrd to another bout of <100 meter visibility, howling winds and -33F temperatures.  Due to the visibility, it was deemed CON1, causing a 'safety stand-down' for the day.


I put the time to good use by setting up my tent and trying out some of the gear in the field.  Particularly fantastic is the footed fleece [monogrammed] onsie that Melinda got for me just prior to leaving.  It's not as good as snuggling in bed with her, but I'll take it as a substitute for now.

Ice Haiku #8

Had the privilege and pleasure of meeting even more amazing people out at Byrd Camp.  One particularly awesome person, Abby, had a habit of putting pen to paper at the end of her day.  I particularly enjoyed:

Shoveling again
Drifts a lesson in patience
Job security