Jan 4

An event-filled and productive day in Christchurch
(and Sumner...) After sleeping like a rock last night
from 10:30 to 4:30, I felt much better. We get breakfast
at the Croyden House at 7:30, and in addition to fruit
and continental breakfast, the owner fixed us each a
"fry-up". (bacon and eggs......)

Pat and Ryan and I walked downtown to get a few
supplies that are no longer provided at McMurdo,
and we had good luck getting what we needed while
Paul and Ziggy met with the NZ Geological Survey
guys some more to exchange some digital data and
printed maps. It appears our project (AGIC) will
attempt to cooperate with NZ officially in the future,
so that could be interesting.

Pat and I then wandered around town a bit more and
ran into the Botanical Garden. Expansive and very wonderful.



We all met back at Croyden before 12 to take a shuttle to
the CDC (Clothing Distribution Center). Here is the van
that takes us and our gear everywhere. It sure is nice
having the NSF arrange all of the travel logistics.



This is where everyone gets issued CWG (Cold Weather Gear).
Here are Ryan and Ziggy waiting to get in.



It took about 1.5 hrs to try everything on and exchange it
for better fits, and reqest non-standard issue items like
an extra/different hat, bear paw mittens, etc. We also
were able to exchange the normal "bunny boots" for
new boots made by Asics that you can actually walk in.
Paul, our Principal Investigator (PI), scored huge on getting
permission to do this. Not every is allowed to get these
better, more modern, warmer, and more comfortable boots.

We all have our own warm hiking boots, of course, but to board
the plane or later to board any helicopter, you have to wear
the outer-most layer of the CWG they issue, or you don't board.

I think they issued us:
- socks
- light underweary
- heavy underwear
- light fleece (pants and jacket)
- heavy fleece (pants and jacket)
- light parka
- heavy wind pants
- heavy parka (big red)
- boots
- mittens with liners
- bear paw mittens (riduculously large)
- insulated leather gloves
- glove liners
- hat and face mask

You have to try it all on. I felt like the little kid in the
move Christmas Story that fell over and couldn't get up.
Actually, though, all the clothing is lightweight and fits well,
the theory is to dress in layers. It's just that by the time I
had it all on in the dressing room, I was sweating profusely.
We'll see how it works for real in a few days........



We then had to pack all of this stuff back into the 2 bags
that are issued. We will get one more tomorrow before our flight -
a "boomerang bag". If the flight "boomerangs" back to
Christchurch, you can get access to this back, so we put
a change of clothes or two, toiletries, etc. in this bag.

The other 2 bags are put on pallets and loaded like cargo,
so they don't want to be packing/unpacking that stuff
until it actually reaches McMurdo Station.

We are allowed a small carry that includes our laptops,
iPods (thanks Nancy), books, magazines, etc.

All of these have a total weight limit. So, my 2 suitcases
will be held at the CDC for me, along with whatever junk
I have to un-pack if my total weight is over the 75 lb. limit.

We met the other people that will be on the flight with us,
including people from about 4 other teams, and a retired
guy that got a part time job as a bus-driver at McMurdo,
quite a character. One of the other guys is a PI for a
project that uses ground-penetrating radar to measer
the thickness of glaciers. He is world-famous, and the
leading expert of shrinking glacier theory in the world,
and studies both Antarctica and Greenland.

We were back at Croyden by 3:00, Paul, Pat and I decided
to be adventurous and head for the beach. First, though,
on the way to the bus stop, we stopped at Christchurch
Cathedral, the famous, first, largest church located in the
middle of the downtown square. I read in one of the brouchures
you can climb to the top of the tower for $5 NZ to get
the best view of the city. It was pretty spectacular,
but 90 ft. of a 19th century narrow spiral staircase was involved.



We then hopped on a bus and for $2.80 NZ and twenty minutes
later we were at Sumner beach. A very quaint seaside village
with shops, restaurants, a few beach-side bars, and some houses
on the cliffs overlooking the ocean. It is the location of Cave Rock,
a volcanic extrusion washed out underneath that you walk through,
and there is a gov. shack on the top for weather and I think a mast
that would fly flags before modern weather reporting was available.



We headed back to Christchurch on the same ticket, and met up
with Ziggy and Ryan at the famous Warner Hotel lounge and restaurant.
This is the place the famous New Zealander Sir Edward Shakelton
hung out in, and would always eat (and drink) at before leaving on his
expeditions in the early 1900's.
There are famous artifacts, pictures, maps, etc. all over the
walls, very humbling. We had some Mac Dark and traditional
fish&chips.



Tomorrow we leave at 6:45 to check in, get all our gear approved,
weighed, and I think the flight is scheduled for 10:00 on a
C-130.

The internet connection here at the Croyden is very slow.
I got a lot of good photos today, but
I'll try to post more pictures from McMurdo, which reporedly
has better connectivity. It just takes too long from here,
I'm going to bed. Hope to report "from the ice" tomorrow.

It was surreal to be at a beach, in the ocean, less than 24
hrs before I'l be in Antarctica. Or, has Ryan likes to say,
"hyper-realistic"............