Preparations are Getting Serious

This morning, I went through our official "Research Support Plan" which details all the equipment, fuel, helicopter hours, etc. that the United States Antarctic Program agrees to provide us.  Of course I found some problems.  I apparently requested 50 boxes of cover slips, rather than 1 box of 50 cover slips.  Those aren't the things that matter, though.  The bigger issues are with not all the ice drilling equipment we need, our last chance to change the tent requests, etc.  Overall, though it is looking good.  And sorting through the logistics in the hot Pasadena sun (I'm in LaLa land this weekend) makes me very eager to go!

We also got a link to the newly revised 2013-2014 US Antarctic Program Participant Guide.  Check it out for all the crazy little things that matter!  I was going to pick out a favorite item of interest to share, but at 102 pages, there are so many things one could highlight.  I'll pick these two: Don't litter (page 44) and avoid the most common injury: Sprains/Strains (page 63).  Most of living in Antarctica is actually quite similar to living anywhere else on Earth - it just often matters more if something goes wrong.  Thus, be careful, be safe!

Another image just to remind myself of how amazing it is.  This is Berg Field Center expert, Lisa, hooking a sling load to a hovering helicopter.  It was her first time, and it worked perfectly.

Popular posts from this blog

Day 14 in Antarctica

Image
December 10, 2013 Today was sunny all day with 25 knot katabatic winds in the afternoon.  It was warmer. I spent all day on microscopy, photography, and sorting photos.  It was a very productive day. The quad bike quit starting, and Devin, Anne, and Tyler pushed it back to camp.  None of them new what to do to figure out what was wrong.  I got ready to help when Ian came back to camp.  He has a lot of experience with engines, and once we found the tool kit and pulled the spark plug, we solved the problem:  the plug was fouled.  A new one fixed the problem.  We can add "engine repair" to the list of field skills needed! Our only means of transport besides walking is a quad bike (ATV).  We have a sled to help carry gear between the huts/sleeping tents and the science tent and dive hole.  It is also good for carrying the drill and other gear around the lake.
Read more

Toothpaste Freezes

Image
There are so many little things I didn't think of before the first time I went to Antarctica that make a difference.  I like having clean teeth, so brushing twice a day is very important to me, even in the field.  I can handle dirty hair, but not dirty teeth. It's hard to brush your teeth when your toothpaste is frozen into its tube. That small hole at the top requires the toothpaste to deform to get out. And that part gets cold the fastest, often getting clogged with a plug of toothpaste ice. This isn't so much a problem in December in the Dry Valleys, nor was it a problem at Lake Untersee, because although the temperatures are often below freezing, sunlight heated my tent sufficiently during the day that the temperatures inside could be up to 20°C (70°F!).  However, in October at Lake Joyce, I couldn't get any toothpaste out of a big tube without warming the top of the tube against my stomach. There is a little secret, though: small tubes warm up faster.  Wit
Read more

Footwear, including New Boots!

Image
My new Glacier Sorel boots arrived!  With extra liners.  Plus liners for my old, less warm Sorels. They go with my skirt! The Glaciers are rated to -100°F or -73.3°C. I find the increase in the number of significant digits after a unit change amusing. Are they really rated to exactly -73.3°C? I'm sure that if it gets down to -73.4°C, my feet will get cold! I typically wear size 8 women's shoes.  However, I bought size 9 men's boots.  One of the key things I have found for foot comfort is to be able to wear a couple of pairs of socks and still have my boots loose around my feet.  That allows good blood circulation to my feet, which is essential for keeping them warm, particularly when standing around handling lines for divers under the ice.  However, I think most people would think that the boots feel way too big.  They do have good laces at the ankle, and I can tighten them down so they won't fall off.  And my feet and ankles are very strong, so I don't
Read more