|
photo: E
Merfield |
MONTHLY SUMMARY FOR
NOVEMBER 2004 |
Highest temperature :
Average max temperature :
Lowest temperature :
Average min temperature :
Highest Wind Gust :
Snow :
Blowing Snow :
Strong Winds :
Gale Force Winds :
Blizzard [Vis <100m] : |
3.4°C
-3.3°C
-20.4°C
-9.6°C
E @ 91 kts
11 days
5 days
18 days
7 days
2 days |
|
| |
| .
Week 1: Change Over and start of Science
programs
First week was spent liasing
with last years crew (picking their brains ) on what and how the
station ticks as well as hints and tips of what to do when things
don't tick. |
As well
as changeover activities, the period included field research
and field training. A
glaciology party undertook their so-called 'smash-n-grab raid'
on Law Dome, drilling to 120 metres to extract a continuous
ice core, while also collecting air samples at several depths,
getting back just in time to catch the ship home. Meanwhile
the second Law Dome party, involved in a separate research
project, drove up to the site some 100 km from station on
Monday, to overlap with the first party by a night, and inherit
their hole for further investigations.
Drilling proceeded uninterrupted
by the weather change that shook them for a day on Monday,
with the first blizzard that many Casey newcomers had ever
seen |
Peter,
Sam and Brad taking gravity readings around Law Dome |
| |
photo:
S Naebkhil. |
|
| Week 2: Field Training |
| Field-training has been
flying along with most expeditioners now ready for the great outdoors.
|
| Groups of
5-6 personnel at a time have been goining out for 3 days field
training to Browning Peninsula over the sea ice (on quad bikes)
and undertaking navigation exercises as they go, bivving out
(camped out in snow caves) at Browning Hut for a night and next
day in Robbo's Hut at Robinson's Ridge to practice a rescue
scenario - in blizzard conditions |
 |
| |
Bivving
out in a "Snow Cave" |
| |
photo:
M. Fitzpatrick |
 |
 |
On
the sea-ice practicing navigating by map and compass |
Hiking
around Browning Penninsular |
photo:
E Merfield |
photo:
B Jones |
|
| Maintenance work on all
the buildings is in full swing with all the trades benefiting by the
extra personnel marooned on station, who are in transit for Davis
and Mawson. |
Many of the science personal have also jumped at the chance
to learn a few more skills and help out the tradies. David L
the geologist and Fiona from Met for example, have been helping
fitting the new square windows to the Operations building. This
may sound easy, but you try putting a triple-glazed square window
into a round hole. As it turned out their extra help was greatly
appreciated as this insured the Ops building was secure before
the blizz hit.
Just before the blizzard arrived the temperature increased and
came very close to becoming positive. |
 |
| |
Geologist
Dave giving the "tradies" a hand |
|
| This inspired the
Met staff on station to run a sweep to guess the date when the temperature
turned positive for the first time since last summer. The competition
had only run for a few days before Chris was announced the winner
for guessing the 13th of November. On the afternoon of the 13th
not only did the temperature go positive, but the mercury skyrocketed
to a sub-tropical 3.4 degrees Celsius. This is considerably warmer
than the November average maximum of -2.4, but still a long way
from 1997's highest max of 4.9.
|
| This
week Griff started building his summer accommodation, an igloo
with a panoramic view over Newcomb Bay. As with any new sub-division
the serenity was soon broken when three new neighbours, David
R, Kym and Trevor J arrived constructing igloos of varying sizes
and workmanship. The evening's recreational work though was
soon halted due to a two-day blizzard. The blizzard also did
a lot of damage to the igloos and has driven real estate prices
down, so much so that no new igloo blocks have been sold and
new home owners are choosing the red shed instead. |
Dave constructing
his igloo |
| |
photo:
E Hollander |
|
| Week 3: |
| Both
skiways have been getting a few last minute touches to ensure
they are in first rate condition for the aircraft arrivals.
The closest and main skiway has been groomed by Nathan and Ty.
The alternate skiway some 50km away has been groomed by Jeff,
Trevor T and Sharon. |
Photo:
J Hadley
|
|
 |
This
week the surgical team further honed their skills with a combined
nurses' and anaesthetists' exercise all coordinated by superdoc
Eve.
Despite earlier
fears, they found there was just room to fit in a patient
too, and they now feel ready to cope with any real emergency
that should arise. |
|
| . |
Week 4
Aurora Australis arrived off
Casey last Thursday to retrieve the stranded Mawson and Davis expeditioners.
We were all sorry to see them go although they seemed happy to be
leaving to get on with their own projects. Helicopters flew all
afternoon and through to nearly midnight ferrying them out to the
ship.
Cal and Peter have completely
refurbished the extraction fans in the EPH with the assistance of
the sparkies John and Barry. |
