Week 5: Weather Delays and the Art of Waiting

Well, we are still here at McMurdo….weather at the field camp location has been unfavorable for flight ops the entire week. The forecast this week is much improved at our field location, but expecting worsening conditions here at McMurdo…so we shall see. Would love to be out of here this week.

Today, also marks 11 years since my mother’s sudden passing. I’ll be honest, I don’t typically remember the actual date every year. I know it’s around Thanksgiving, but I typically have to look it up. Not sure if that’s weird or not. But, I choose to remember her in life rather than death. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of her or in someway feel her presence. I know she would be worried and proud of me being down here and would be “bugging” Scott about how he’s doing alone with the kids 😉 Miss you mom! But I’m doing well 🙂

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The rest of last Sunday was full of optimism where it was looking decent to get our first flight out to the field camp. In the meantime, I went to another Sunday Science Lecture. This one was from NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Research) on studying carbon dioxide, methane, and other gasses in the atmosphere over the Southern Ocean. In order to do their study, they have created equipment specifically for our LC-130’s that fly consistent routes between Christchurch, McMurdo, Field Camps, and the South Pole.

Monday morning I woke up, checked the TAF, and meteogram for WAIS Divide and it was not looking good for today. As expected, the flight was cancelled and we proceeded on to our assignments for the day.

As I may have mentioned before, this place is truly a collaborative community. Nothing really runs without everyone pitching in some capacity. All of the activities here are organized from volunteers, there’s always shoveling snow, organizing Skua (free stuff that folks donate), pots/pans in the galley, trash, etc. So, our group is taking on some of these tasks while we wait out the weather. Additionally, we have gotten to do some neat tours of some of the other workcenters that make McMurdo run. So much goes into having power, water, fuel, aviation, etc. in the most remote, inhospitable place on Earth.

One of the more exciting things we got to do was head on out to Williams Field (ICAO: NZWD). McMurdo has two airfields- Willams and Phoenix. We arrived into Phoenix when we got into McMurdo on the C-17 from Christchurch and we will be flying out to Williams when we depart from our field camp.

blah blah airfield

After hanging out with the Air Force, we got to hang out with the Navy. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 3 is deployed down here from Port Hueneme, CA working on both the ice pier, as well, as establishing a permanent pier for vessel operations. To check out more of their project see: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/550598/return-ice-seabees-support-operation-deep-freeze

Other fun things of the week included “Fat Seal Pup” Week. There’s a science group out here studying the Wendell Seals and their new pups, as it’s currently pupping season. While they already named and tagged them, they’re having us vote on our favorites. Check out the cute bios they posted.

This week is looking favorable for getting out of here this coming week (fingers crossed). I’m looking forward to heading on out and to celebrate Thanksgiving from the field.

More to follow! Thanks again for the support!