Long - 58 14.87WTemp - -18.9C
Wind Speed - 35 knots
Too good to be true. This morning when we all awoke for breakfast (well some of us, it got bumpy in the night so we were a little thin on the ground for faces at breakfast) we thought we were headed intoPalmer Station and the last of our stops before starting our science. But alas a phone call to the MPC early in the morning from the first field camp on Livingston Island was a call for a pull out, just two days into their field season. High winds have blown away three of
their tents (exact details unknown) and a forth tent, the large weatherport used as the kitchen tent, is apparently on it's way out aswell. So it sounds like they are in a panic and want to be picked up now, ending their project probably for good, as last year they were also weathered out (that time by snow) and didn't get any science done either.
This is of course awful for them, but it also sucks for us, as we loose days on our project having to get them off the island - and atthe moment the weather is too bad to put in zodiacs to get them, so we don't know how long it's going to take to get them off of there. It could be calm enough when we get there in 6 hours, or it could be days before it lays down enough. There is also the question of where to put them - on the way down they were in berthing vans, but we're not supposed to use those during the actual cruise operations, so they are trying to find space for them at Palmer Station or just hope ECO (the ship) and NSF (the funders) say they can stay in the vans. Food for 7 extra people for 5 weeks, now thats another story.......
The other field team on Ross Island is doing well, they had 3 inches of snow last night, but no wind, so all is well. At some point here, we may actually start our project.......
1 comment:
Oh my heavens! It sounds as if you are in for an interesting time. And to think that this is the summer season!
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