June 17, 2022

Snow blocks, snow blocks and more snow blocks...

Left: The blocks then end up on a sledge pulled by a Flexmobile, and are thus taken to the surface and dumped. Right: Happy excavators in the drill trench.

Now that we have the new ramp to the drill trench fully operational, the drillers asked for all available hands to help out with moving snow blocks out of the drill trench. Hence an impressive line of snow block movers was formed to keep up with the drillers relentless chain-sawing efforts in the trench. The excavation work is a daunting task indeed, but at the end of the day it was possible to walk upright all around the inclined trench. Also, we had a change of atmosphere in camp, with satisfied, albeit tired camp members quietly enjoying their dinner in the evening after cutting and moving tons of snow-blocks up the trench.
The feeling of camp during the first weeks after the put-in returned!
After a hold-up due to weather in the morning, Polar 5 was able to depart for Kangerlussuaq at noon. We expect the plane back here again next week for the pull-out of the TUNU crew, but it need to be reconfigured first. The improvement in weather after noon also meant that the drone could get airborne, completing an impressive 3 flights before the flight window closed in the early evening.
Ole and Daniel set up ApRES at three locations out of camp, while Aslak and Michael did a first short test-drive of the new rover in camp.
Testing of the EGRIP radar system also took place in camp.

What we did today:

1. Polar 5 departed for Kangerlussuaq to be re-equipped for logistics missions.
2. Excavation of drill trench by all available hands in camp.
3. Extracting snow-blocks by Flexmobile-driven sledge up the new ramp.
4. Setup of AWI shallow coring system south of camp.
5. ApRES missions ENE of camp.
6. Preparations and tests of EastGRIP-radar system.
7. First test run of new rover.
8. 3 drone flights.

Weather today: Cloudy with a little snow in the early morning turning sunny during the afternoon. Temp. -15°C to -6°C. Wind: 0-9 kt from SE turning S after noon. QNH 1007 hPa. Visibility: Poor in the morning, unrestricted after noon.

FL, Bo M. Vinther

The travel history of a snow block: Left, first the precut blocks are dislodged from the trench ceiling. Right, then they are handed all the way to the trench exit.

Test drive off the new rover, pulling Michael near our camp.