Victoria University Antarctic Research Expedition Science and Logistics Reports 1994-95: VUWAE 39
7.1. Event Diary
7.1. Event Diary
Following is a summary of our day to day events whilst at Scott Base and in the field.
Nov 22nd: | - Bill Atkinson arrives in Antarctica. | |
Nov 23rd: | - travel Wellington to Christchurch, accommodation Windsor Hotel. | |
Nov 24th: | - flight check in 0400, departure to Antarctica 2315. | |
Nov 25th: | - arrive Scott Base 0630, briefing and sleep. | |
Nov 26th: | - Event briefing, Field Training in afternoon. | |
Nov 27th: | - Field Training continued, preparation for shakedown trip. | |
Nov 28th: | - shakedown trip to Cape Royds. | |
Nov 29th: | - packing of cargo. | |
Nov 30th: | - cargo taken to McMurdo. | |
Dec 1st: | - gravity measurements at McMurdo and Scott Base. | |
Dec 2nd: | - skidoo driving practise and HF radio testing towards "Room With a View". | |
Dec 3rd: | - skidoo practise and discussion on GPS with Perry Gilbert (NZAP) and McMurdo USGS surveyors Larry Hotham and Barbara Littell. | |
Dec 4th: | - skidoos delivered to ice runway, bag drag in evening. | |
Dec 5th: | - to ice runway at ~1930, supervised loading of LCI30, take-off at ~2045. Touch-down in the field at Camp Lima (refer map) at ~2300. | |
Dec 6th: | - day spent organising equipment. | |
Dec 7th: | - measurements and testing at Lima measurement site (km-190). | |
Dec 8th: | - measurements km-190 (Lima) to km-160. | |
Dec 9th: | - camp move to km-130. | |
Dec 10th: | - measurements km-150 to km-110. | |
Dec 11th: | - no progress due to bad weather (wind and poor definition). | |
Dec 12th: | - camp move to km-70 (in poor weather conditions). | |
Dec 13th: | - no progress due to bad weather (wind, snow, poor visibility). | |
Dec 14th: | - no progress due to bad weather (wind, snow, poor visibility). | |
Dec 15th: | - no progress due to bad weather (wind, snow, poor visibility). | |
Dec 16th: | - measurements km-100 (Kilo) to km-90. | |
Dec 17th: | - measurements km-90 to km-70. | |
Dec 18th: | - measurements km-46 to km-70. | |
Dec 19th: | - camp move to km-22. | |
Dec 20th: | - measurements km-44 to km-22. | |
Dec 21st: | - measurements km-0 (Julie) to km-22. | |
Dec 22nd: | - no progress due to skidoo repairs and battery charging. | |
Dec 23rd: | - return travel km-22 to km-100.page 8 | |
Dec 24th: | - return travel km-100 to km-190 (Lima). | |
Dec 25th: | - travel to km-160 and back to retrieve damaged skidoo (AL4). | |
Dec 26th: | - packing of equipment in preparation for scheduled pull-out, also attempted measurements with seismograph. | |
Dec 27th: | - flight postponed. | |
Dec 28th: | - tent bound due to storm. | |
Dec 29th: | - tent bound due to storm. | |
Dec 30th: | - tent bound due to storm. | |
Dec 31st: | - storm cleared, but no flight scheduled. Dug sleds etc out of snow drifts. | |
Jan 1st: | - no flight scheduled. Food drop requested from Scott Base. | |
Jan 2nd: | - flight scheduled for 2300, then postponed and postponed some more.… | |
Jan 3rd: | - plane arrives ~0300 but doesn't land due to poor surface definition. With little warning, at 0500 plane arrives and drops US Navy "Survival" rations. Pick-up rescheduled for next day. Jan 4th: | - two planes develop mechanical troubles en-route to pick us up, one of which we believe carried the requested NZAP food drop. |
Jan 5th: | - Flight travelling via Byrd eventually arrives on schedule at ~0100. In poor conditions (low cloud and poor surface definition) plane lands. Loading completed in 1½ hours. Arrive back at Ross Island ~0500, emergency landing due to damaged nose ski. | |
- day spent packing science cargo for return to NZ. | ||
- board flight back to Christchurch at 2200. | ||
Jan 6th: | - arrive Christchurch 0630, returned to Wellington by 0930. |
A summary of the time in the field is as follows:
total days making measurements | = | 8 |
total days lost to weather/repairs | = | 6 |
total days for camp movement | = | 5 |
total days for put-in/pull-out | = | 2 |
total days delay from field | = | 10 |
TOTAL DAYS IN FIELD | = | 31 |