Craft Fair, Power and Cargo!

Hello again from McMurdo!

After waking up on Sunday to less-than-ideal weather conditions and reduced visibility, we canceled our scheduled rehearsal of roped snowmobile travel. Instead, we got to enjoy life on station. Sundays are the only off days for McMurdo staff, so it's generally quieter and there are often stationwide events scheduled. Sunday's event was a craft fair during which artists on station (there are many!) sell their creations. It was truly impressive! Beautiful knit hats, jewelry, carved wooden bowls, handmade books, and photography. It was great fun! Thanks to Chris for the photos!

The craft fair was held in the station galley - this is normally where we eat all of our meals!

After a slow Sunday, we spent all day today (Monday in McMurdo) organizing cargo. Today was the deadline for entering our hazardous cargo into the cargo system. Hazardous cargo includes anything pressurized, flammable, or associated with flammable materials, so we gathered our matches, stoves, fuel, fuel bottles, and other fuel-related components. We also collected a chainsaw and a generator from the Mechanical Equipment Center. While we were there, we received training for our field solar power system (thanks, MEC!):

Our 60W solar panel; Greg is helping to connect the two 30W sides.

 

The solar power systems are incredibly well designed, and almost all of the design and assembly is done on site by Mechanical Equipment Center staff here at McMurdo! The kit includes all the spare parts you could possibly need, a volt meter, and a waterproof case on wheels - which is good because the batteries weigh 108 pounds! We'll use this power system mostly to recharge camera and GPS batteries. 

We also picked up a chainsaw and a generator. Thanks Tony for the training session!

Here's Kat weighing a tri-wall of our sleep kits. Every member of a field party in Antarctica gets a sleep kit. A sleep kit contains a foam pad, an inflatable sleeping mat, a -40 degree sleeping bag, a thick fleece sleeping bag liner, a pillow, and a pee bottle. We supplemented our kits with toilet paper and camp chairs. Only the necessities!

Does this answer your question? Not hazardous cargo, yet. Look closely - that is a seat! Nothing but the best for us!

Time to put our hazardous cargo in the system! All hazardous cargo must be documented with a slip of paper called a chit. On each chit, we indicate our flight date, the destination, our project number, and how high a priority the items are. First priority items include food and shelter. The generator and the chain saw are second priority.

Chris making us all laugh as we assemble our cargo. He's wearing a containment berm as a hat! We'll use these to collect any fuel spilled while refilling fuel bottles. Thanks McMurdo environmental services!

 

We tried to set up our cook tent inside, but it was much bigger than we thought!

Seth reports that when it is fully set up, it is going to be HUGE! The cook tent will be where we cook and enjoy all of our meals, celebrate holidays, and generally hang out. We will definitely enjoy a spacious cook tent! We're encouraged because this tent model is known as the Arctic Oven. We're hoping it lives up to its name!

We also practiced setting up our Scott tents - where we will sleep! There will be two people in each Scott tent. It was 8:30 at night when Michael took this picture! The sun never sets!

Greg investigating a ventilation tube in the top of a Scott tent.

Seth dragging a Siglin sled. We will have six sleds in all, I think. Four Siglin sleds and two Nansen sleds, if I remember correctly. I'll include a picture of a Nansen sled tomorrow. We'll tow the sleds behind snowmobiles to transport our camp from field site to field site. 

Go Chris! I think Scott tents weigh 60 - 80 pounds! We'll know for sure tomorrow when we weigh them in preparation for entry into the cargo system.

By far, the most difficult attribute of Scott tents is fitting the canvas sleeve over the 9-foot length of the tent!

Our day of work is done. Chris took this picture of the airfield on the sea ice at 9:00 at night! We had great weather today, and we love the 24-hour daylight!

Thanks for tuning in! More cargo tomorrow morning, and communications training in the afternoon! By Wednesday, we should have most of our cargo preparations complete!

Hope all is well with everyone,

Claire