Early morning work. Joel is running the Yanmar blowing snow from the left, and Chris is driving the Pistenbully blowing snow from the right. The end of the white balloon and part of the green balloon can be seen in the trench.
May 13, 2016
Early morning work. Joel is running the Yanmar blowing snow from the left, and Chris is driving the Pistenbully blowing snow from the right. The end of the white balloon and part of the green balloon can be seen in the trench.
As nobody had slept very much last night, the whole morning felt like after a lively party. People showed up when they were ready and slowly went to work. The balloon project still requires our attention at all hours, so a watch plan has been made to go out to the pump station and check the pressure gauges. If pressure in the balloons is dropping, the pumps are run for a few minutes to the desired pressure.
Two persons will embark on a traverse to the site, where the NEEM-EGRIP traverse last year had to leave two sleds and two fuel tanks behind to save weight as the snow got difficult to negotiate. The site is 135 km from EGRIP, and we calculate the trip will take three days. The traverse will most likely leave on Monday.
What we have done today:
Ad. 6.: Today the cook tomato hut was transferred to another sled. The two persons on the traverse will use the large tomato hut as shelter during the traverse.
Weather today: Thin clouds, in the evening snow showers. Temp. -11°C to -20°C, Wind 10 kt from SW. Visibility: To horizon, reduced to 1 km during showers.
FL, J.P. Steffensen
End result: The balloon site Friday morning. The snow is almost flat again.