Wednesday, December 2, 2009

End-of-Season Recap

Anyone still listening?

So as we neared the end of our season, we only got busier and busier and the Internet only got less and less reliable. This was not a good combination for me to get my blog out to all of you! So here is a the long-awaited conclusion to our field season. I will put it out in a few posts, hoping to get in some pictures as well. Then I'll take you along on my trip through New Zealand and back home! If everyone is still willing to listen that is.



End-of-Season Science Review:

I left off on our day off after a very busy week where camp filled to the brim with 16 people from 3 science groups.

B(Bravo)-211 ENDURANCE, my group had 7
B-426 - LTER, represented with a solid 4
B-422 - Priscu's group rounded out our Dry Valleys party with 5 of their own

This week was stressful for all the scientists and students at camp. It also brought Lake Bonney to a capacity it had not seen before. We all had to do a little adjusting in order to live together and work together in a crowded Antarctic field camp. For me this change meant 16 at dinner instead of 7 and additional tents to set-up in an already crowded Camp Facilities Zone (area allowed to be disturbed by tents) and Environmental people already pushing me to move my too-close-to-the-helo-pad tent!


Extra people makes for extra garbage!
This is our three large cardboard boxes of trash and recycling, they stand a little over 4ft tall. Strapped on to the sides are empty propanes, full urine and gray water and empty fuel barrels.


WHITE BOXES!
This collection of white boxes represents all the stuff
from the three science groups being stored on our shore.
White boxes are the heavy plastice crates that
hold our gear and fly/swing under helicopters.
They have to weigh at least 300lbs to fly and are called 'swingloads'.


Crowded... and this isn't even everyone!
But here's a sample of all the people that made Antarctica rock and roll!


Keep it locked here for more adventures from my last month or so on the continent!



Brrrr (at heart),

Emma