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Victoria University Antarctic Research Expedition Science and Logistics Reports 1998-99: VUWAE 43

2.5 Drill Site Visitors

2.5 Drill Site Visitors.

I did not keep records of the exact number of people who had the opportunity to visit the drill site but I believe it was in the order of 80 to 90 during the coring phase of the drilling and included most of the Crary Lab science group. Both the drilling manager and myself agree that visitors to the drill site are an important consequence of the Cape Roberts Project but I wish to point out that visitor activities were never a planned part of the drill site operations. I think the extent of the visitor program came close to compromising our ability to maintain to the normal routine (especially in the science lab) and respond to any drill site problems on some days. It was disappointing that those people responsible for planning visitor programmes in the ANZ office did not discuss their intentions with management of the camp and drill site in a timely fashion (pre season) and appeared to act as if the visitors took precedence without any consideration to the possible impact to the drilling operations. This season I believe most visitors had a good impression of the entire drill site operation due to the programme that the DM and SSM provided but carrying this out cut heavily into our time. This programme contained the following:
  • Visitors were only acceptable during the day shift when both DM and SSM were on shift. Visitors were not acceptable at shift change when personnel hand-over was a priority and when core was readied for transport. Any visitors arriving on shift change helos arrived last and usually were requested to wait in the mess/area until either the DM or SSM were available to brief them, initially on safety issues and drill site etiquette.
  • The DM and SSM normally personally conducted drill site tours so that expert opinion could be provided on all aspects of drill site operations and that hazardous areas and drill site etiquette could be pointed out. Visitors who stayed for longer periods were encouraged to look around after the "official tour" and many remarked that they understood much more detail of the drill site operation after observing the operation in their own time. Visitors received the better experience when coring was taking place so that core recovery, core processing and the science routines could be observed.