May 10, 2022

Crisp and cold weather continues

Digging for lost cables.

Finally, this morning we gained access to the mechanics garage and our mechanics could fetch engine oil etc. We still need to build a ramp to get Pistenbully 2 and our Caterpillar out. Frederik was happy that the cooks freezer was opened. Although the food in there has been stored for 3 years, it is still really good. After inspecting the freezer, Frederik went back to digging for lost cables. Bo and Frederik had swopped cooking duty and Bo made us a lovely lasagne for supper. Chris found the hydraulic leak and it is going to be a deeper repair, however without activating the front hydraulics the PB is not leaking so for now we just use the blade. The dome is now warm and nice and people stay after supper for a coffee and a chat. Again, we had some searching for the lost cable and finally found one end; but without the other end...

What we did today:

Searching for the electrical cable to the food weatherport – found one end. Where is the other?
Excavating entrance to mechanics garage and gaining access.
Repairs on Pistenbully. Hydraulic leak found. PB is only leaking using the snowblower. We use the blade.
Cooks freezer now open and surprisingly intact.
Starting main generator. It is now powering camp. Beginning process of installing central heating in main dome.
2 Yanmar snowblowers in action and 4 snowmobiles running.

Ad.1: Due to poor documentation by yours truly when the cable for the food weatherport was laid in 2017, people have been digging in search for the missing outlets. One outlet was found under 1 m of snow.
Ad.2: To finally gain access, the crew had to use chainsaws and hammers as the entrance was covered with refrozen meltwater.

Weather today: Clear blue skies with some thin overcast at Noon. Temp. -40°C to -29°C. Wind: 4 kt from various directions to calm. Visibility: Unrestricted.

FL, J.P. Steffensen

Dome in a new perspective. Seen from a snow hill. The wind generated “moat” around the spherical dome is clear.