FID Tech services.

Alison took this photo on FID Night and gave a copy to all the Tech team, its a great black and white photo that looks so 1960's, so I made a frame for it just to finish it off.
Thanks Ali.

Missing home

This week has been a hard week missing home and stuff but time is speeding up, before I know it I'll be home reminiscing about my time in Antarctica.

This time of year is full of events that I will miss very much like Halloween, I love seeing the kids dress up and they usually have a party, then Bonfire night/Christmas/boxing day/New year then Easter and then I'll be home.

Kenny,Mike and Pete are leaving early so the old winter contingent will be down to 19.

Bonner hood of shame

I'm not sure if I mentioned winning the Bonner hood of shame for a second time, this time it was for getting sun burnt, in my defense I did put suntan lotion on but I think you need to put it on more than once in 4 hours especially when the ozone is at its thinest.

So still and peaceful

After sledging Scott and I did a bit of boarding around the point, it was so still and peaceful.
Yet again the colours were amazing as the sun went below the horizon.

Silent not even a breath of wind.

Sledging

Scott Kenny and I went to do some snowboarding and sledging, What a laugh we had.

Ice flow off Antarctica

This map of Antarctica shows the flow of ice off the continent.
the blue to pink flows at 0-10 m per year where the red to orange flows at 10-200 m per year
the yellow to white flows at 200 to 1000 m a year.
The flow rate seems to be speeding up and the scientists here are trying to find out whether it is due to global warming or just a natural fluctuation.
The ice is over 2 miles thick in places and for each meter that it progresses to the sea the ice at the coast breaks of into the sea and melts.
How will this affect the planet ?

Flying back to base.

All thing must end

Well after getting the base up and running and a bit of snowboarding its time to fly back.
Its not to bad, a week in the same clothes and without a shower is enough plus I'm looking forward to seeing the new arrivals.

Twin Otters

Fossil Bluff is a refuelling base and stop over for planes heading further south.
Every time a flight turns up they usually drop fuel barrels off.

Its great flying in these planes they go so low and you get good views.

The video below is of the two Otters taking off together.

Black and white

This old Alpine two skidoo that we use to get to and from the ski way
The sledge is a left over from the dog sledging days, these are now towed behind the Doo's.

Ice

Fossil Bluff has a frozen fresh water lake on two side of it caused by glacial melt water, these are photos of different patterns in the ice I am not sure what causes them.

The Bluff Bakery

One of the pleasures of being at the Bluff if that you bake you own bread which I did every day.

After mixing the ingredients and kneading for 10 mins you then leave it to double in size.

Then you knead it again for 2 mins , then place in a bread tin and leave till it rises to the top of the tin.

Perfect.

Apart from the hole in the middle.

The first one I made was doughy in the middle
The second pictured above
The third was perfect and having mastered the bread went on to make rolls.

Butlins

Some people liken the Bluff to a Butlins holiday camp, but for the first in and last out there is a lot of work to do as well as fuelling planes etc.
There was Rob who had to get all the weather stations and that sort of thing up and running. I had to get the Aga, Rocket bog, generator and water system up and running then there was Pete the Field GA who did the cooking.

As you can see the base is old and is in need of a woman's touch.

The Aga is the main form of heating and cooking.

One of the views from the drinks terrace.

Flying to the Bluff

Flying over the sea of broken ice sheets some of them were miles across.

This is where the seasonal sea ice meets the permanent ice.

A large cravasse field.

Looking across from the ski way.

Our fist view of Fossil Bluff base.

Reopening Fossil Bluff

Now the planes are back the first thing we do is open Fossil Bluff base so hopefully tomorrow ,weather permitting we will fly out for a week.

So there will be no updates for now.

Bad news

The seal pup that I mentioned in my blog a just over a week ago has died.
I went a walk to see how it was doing and was gutted to find it dead, it's mother was still there but the pup was lifeless, I am not sure what had happened to it but I suppose thats nature for you.

(the photo above was taken just an hour after it was born)

Sunday News

Yesterday the Canadians set of for the South Pole
after fitting Skis to there planes.

Its amazing how fast the seal pup has grown this is just over two weeks on.

A pair of Crabeater seals.
This week I'm on nights so I have to walk around the base looking for signs of fire and there are also some jobs that have to be done.

A brilliant day.

Lunch on the summit had to be quick due to the temperature, although the sun was out it was cold ,very cold.

Down at ground level another snow/wind sculpture.
With Stork in the back ground.

Climbers shadow.

New Route on Badger

The gully we were going to climb wasn't in condition so we climbed a unclimbed route up a 150m gully which then led out to a broad ridge to the summit.

Nearing the top.

The ridge on which the gully came out on.

Drew nearing the summit.

South Ridge on Badger buttress

Today Drew and I went climbing on the south ridge of Badger Buttress,
it was a beautiful day.

Drew.

There are some amazing rock formations. In the picture below you can see all the colours in the sea and some large pancake ice.

We climbed and moved as an Alpine pair. The snow was good which made climbing easier.

A face of concentration.

A welcome gift

The planes brought in Fresh fruit and veg, you probably take it for granted but this is the first fresh fruit and veg for over 6 months.
Mmmmmmmm the smells.

Cyril did us proud once again.

Mouth watering.