Saturday, January 10

We were delayed from our original scheduled time until after lunch. Finally, here at the first three of our group head for the launch pad.





And, away they go...






Here is the helo shack where we waited our turn.



You pick out a helmet that fits, and if you want, reading material and in-flight meal...



In between, another part of our cargo was taken in a "sling-load":



Here is our stuff getting loaded:



Here I am getting ready:



Last chance for a bathroom break is next door in the "big gym", this building:



Open Gym is Sunday nights:


I was lucky enough to get the front seat. An "A-Star" holds only 3 passengers and the pilot, and a little cargo. You have to dress in your Cold Weather Gear, and always bring a survival bag for each passenger, so that adds some weight also.



We lift off over McMurdo Station:



While flying over the Ross Sea, we see a Norwegian Ice-Breaker heading for McMurdo, a sure sign that a tanker or cargo ship is to follow:



We've crossed Ross Sea and head up Wright Valley. The last glacier before the sea here melts into the valley, and creates this lake, which then drains inland away from the sea because there ridge here. The Onyx River is the longest river in Antarctica.



Most glaciers, however, don't get down the valley. They are sheared off by the winds in the valley, which blow up from the sea in the summer, and down from the Polar Plateau ice in the winter:


There is a pass between Wright Valley and the next one, Bull Pass, which is sheltered and will be our home for the next 2 weeks. If you look closely, or download and zoom in on this .jpg, you can see our "Kitchen":


Our colleagues, along with Kate from the Berg Field Center, had set it up while we were en route. The BFC often sends one of their people out in the field for a day or two to help set up or tear down camp.



Our helo takes off after dropping off us and our gear. However, we had too much cargo, and had to leave a some behind, which proved to be a problem the next couple of days. There are no flights on Sundays, so we would have to wait until at least Monday for my backpack wich contained my insulated hiking boots, and most of our food.



Here we are at end of night, after all tents are set up. It is a very sandy area, sheltered from the wind, and centrally located for all the flights we'll need to do our work the next 2 weeks.