Monday Bloody Monday
No blood today. This morning I fixed shovels with fellow GA Erik. We took about 20 shovels and pounded all the rivets tight. Erik sharpened them with the angle grinder while I investigated my "sleep kit" for the Siple Dome trip. My kit consists of a pee bottle, a pillow, 2 ensolite pads, a thermarest, an "arctic storm" sleeping bag rated to -50, and a Sierra Designs 4 season mountain tent. I set the tent up to be certain that I can quickly do so in the field. I also got in the sleeping bag to check the zipper, draw strings, and bag length. That was warm.
In the afternoon I had a meeting with the carpenters about our trip to Siple.
Apparently the climate there is more humid, so the cold will bite more. I am told to expect air temps around -30 and wind chills near triple digits below. That will be exciting camping. Siple Dome is 550 miles west northwest of McMurdo on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS). The camp there is manned by 3 folks. The principal science performed there is study of the ice rivers and their outflow into the Ross Sea. We are flying (most likely) on a C130 (possibly a twin otter). We expect to depart on Wednesday. Tomorrow we hand in our personal gear for the fleet guys to palletize. We fly wearing our ECW gear. Our job is to set up a 7 section Jamesway, as the current one is buried deeper every year. The old one will be dismantled after the summer weather gets a grip on the continent.
Ah! wunderground.com has a Siple Dome forecast. Currently -60 with windchill of -90.
Bloody balmy.
Here is the Siple Dome forecast.
Here is a map.
In the afternoon I had a meeting with the carpenters about our trip to Siple.
Apparently the climate there is more humid, so the cold will bite more. I am told to expect air temps around -30 and wind chills near triple digits below. That will be exciting camping. Siple Dome is 550 miles west northwest of McMurdo on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS). The camp there is manned by 3 folks. The principal science performed there is study of the ice rivers and their outflow into the Ross Sea. We are flying (most likely) on a C130 (possibly a twin otter). We expect to depart on Wednesday. Tomorrow we hand in our personal gear for the fleet guys to palletize. We fly wearing our ECW gear. Our job is to set up a 7 section Jamesway, as the current one is buried deeper every year. The old one will be dismantled after the summer weather gets a grip on the continent.
Ah! wunderground.com has a Siple Dome forecast. Currently -60 with windchill of -90.
Bloody balmy.
Here is the Siple Dome forecast.
Here is a map.
posted by Jeff at
10:53 PM
2 Comments:
ben hamblin says:
-60 degrees, huh? -90 with a windchill. the weathermen here (WI) say that we should never stay outside too long with exposed skin when the windchill dips below -10, as frostbite can happen in minutes. i think that's crap, but something tells me that -90 is a little more severe. i don't think that -50 arctic sleeping bag will help much. good luck! by the way, what's a jamesway?
When it's that cold if you spit the spit will freeze before it hits the ground. Cool!!!
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home