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Victoria University Antarctic Research Expedition Science and Logistics Reports 1996-97: VUWAE 41
SUMMARY PHASE 1: 21 OCTOBER - 13 DECEMBER 1996
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SUMMARY PHASE 1: 21 OCTOBER - 13 DECEMBER 1996
| 5. | 21 October - 12 November. Reid and Ridgen deployed to SB to begin preparing equipment, food and sledges. Two loaded Cantago sledges were hauled McMurdo (McM) - Marble Point (MPt) by USAP on 29 October. Cowie, Pyne, Sinclair and Alexander arrived SB 06 November followed by Cooper, Howat and Marcussen on 08 November. Helicopter sea ice reconnaissance completed on 07 November. Tripp reactivated radio system and Pyne, Reid and Ridgen remained at CR to prepare vehicles and sledges for trip to MPt. At SB others involved in AFT, vehicle training and finalising Hagglunds sledge loads (x2). |
| 6. | CR party departed CR for MPt with D6, Kassbohrer 170 and Aalener sledge (73 empty fuel drums) at 1000 on 10 November arriving there 2000 hours. This was good time given rough condition of sea ice in places and need to replace a tire on Kassbohrer. Meanwhile Alexander, Howat. Marcussen, Lynch and Sinclair departed SB on 11 November in Haaglunds H1 with one sledge to rendezvous with Pyne party at MPt later that day. This party took 6.5 hours. The other Haaglunds sledge was hauled to MPt on same day by the Americans. The two parties rendezvoused late on the afternoon of 11th. the Pyne party having had to replace a track on the Kassbohrer, which in the end took eight hours (60 man-hours in very unpleasant conditions). On 12 November the empty drums were refilled directly from the tanks at MPt in a clumsy operation that involved off-loading the Aalener at the transition, transporting the drums up to MPt depot where they were filled and then returning them to the transition to be reloaded on the Aalener using the Americans' 'T-Rex'. American hospitality at MPt much appreciated. The enlarged sledge train departed MPt for CR at 1315, arriving CR at 2145 (8.5 hours). Cowie and Cooper had meanwhile flown SB to CR in a 'maxed out' K03 (RNZAF Iroquois). |
| 7. | 13 November - 13 December. No time was wasted in getting to work and over the next two days containers were shifted onto the sea ice. The drillers began checking and reorganising their equipment, sledges were unloaded and installation of shelving, heaters and 110 volt electrical supply began. |
| 8. | By 15 November the drill rig had been set up on 2.3m thick sea ice about one kilometre northwest of CR and the first 1.2m hole cut in the ice using 'Alex's Auger'. The trailing of the drill system was the main objective of the season and this occupied the majority of personnel over the next nine days. |
| 9. | On the first day of drill operations a low-level noise and vibration was detected in the transmission of the drill power pack supplied by the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Science's (IGNS). This transmission had been completely reconditioned with almost all new parts. The source of the noise was easily located although the exact cause of it was uncertain. The noise, although of concern, was not considered to be serious enough to halt operating the rig and it was decided to continue with the trial. At the time of writing transmission parts have been tested in New Zealand for their trueness and new parts may purchased. |
| 10. | By the 20th the sea riser and guide base had been deployed onto the sea floor in 34m of water and the submarine video camera, attached to the sea riser, had been successfully trailed producing excellent underwater photography. The mud system (using only water) and glycol heating loop was working well by 22 November with very good circulation and heating of the 'mud'. |
| 11. | Unfortunately the trial of the drill system came to an abrupt and premature end on the 22nd when the sea riser could not be embedded in the sea floor because the eccentric under-reamer failed. This was a major set back and cause for concern. On the positive side we can be thankful it occurred in the situation it did and not in deeper water on the first of the 'real' holes. Dismantling of the drill site camp was spread over period 23 to 28 November. |
| 12. | Once most of the drill site work was done the focus shifted back to CR itself and to the main camp 'parked' about 500m out from South Beach. On CR three fuel frames were constructed, two of scaffolding tube (to an approved plan) and the third of heavy timber. The scaffolding frames take almost 200 full drums of fuel while the other about 40. All drummed fuel is now either stored on the two dedicated Aalener fuel
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sledges (74 drams maximum each) or above ground on the frames. This reduces the environmental risk of drums being frozen in or lost in the snow on the ground and makes for much easier and safer handling (refer attached CRP environmental report). |
| 13. | Adding the cold porch and marrying the two large polar tents onto the main CR camp buildings proved a bigger task than first envisaged. Work began in earnest on this task on 29th and didn't finish till 09 December. Keith Roberts. SB Telecom Technician worked on communication system at CR 03 to 06 December checking out the system and rectifying some minor faults. |
| 14. | On the personnel side Drs Scott Borg NSF and Terry Wilson Ohio State accompanied by Peter Brookman SB Manager, visited CR and the drill site on 18 November. Lynch returned to SB on their helicopter but returned to CR on 25th for another eight days. On 25 November Cooper, Howat and Marcussen departed CR for SB but ended up at MPt for two days due to bad weather. Antarctica New Zealand's Environmental Manager, Emma Waterhouse, arrived at CR on 30 November and stayed till 03 December when she returned to SB with Lynch. On 5th Waterhouse returned with three members of EARP (Prof. Vernon Squires, Dr Alan Hemmings and Ms Louise Sparrow) for a two hour inspection and familiarisation visit. At 1200 on 11 December the remaining members of CR 'county' (Alexander, Cowie, Pyne, Reid. Ridgen and Sinclair) departed CR for SB in Haaglunds H1 with two laden Haaglunds sledges in tow. MPt was passed at 1600 and arrival at SB was at 2200, a trip of 10 hours. A day was spent cleaning up at SB and visiting the Crary Laboratory and all members of the team returned to NZ on Friday 13 December. |
| 15. | CRP personnel were joined at CR this season by members of two other events. The first was a United States Geological Survey team who visited regularly to service their equipment during November. The other was K191, four surveyors, who based themselves at CR from 06 to 12 December. Assistance was given both these parties wherever possible. |