Other formats

    Adobe Portable Document Format file (facsimile images)   TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

Victoria University Antarctic Research Expedition Science and Logistics Reports 1992-93: VUWAE 37

Event Diary

Event Diary

8th November 1992 Gamble, Wysoczanski and Brooker (K-048) to Christchurch.
10th November 1992 K-048 to McMurdo after delay of one day due to bad weather at destination.
11th - 12th November K-048 attend field training and prepare field equipment, food, etc.
13th November Official briefing at Scott Base with SENZ Rep, Ops Manager and Base Manager. Finalising field preparations.page break
14th November K-048 to Sulphur Cones, Turtle Rock by Alpine II's over sea ice. return via Hut Point Peninsula and ski-field. Weather excellent.
15th November Gamble packed rock boxes from previous day. Wysoczanski and Brooker on "Fam" trip to Cape Evans and Cape Royds.
16th November K-048 to Black Island Camp by Helo. Weather, cloudy with 20 knot wind.
17th November Sampling xenoliths. Weather; Light snow overnight. Wind from south around 20 - 25 knots.
18th November Sampling xenoliths. Weather; high cloud with wind to 25/30 knots from south. Return to Scott Base in late afternoon by Helo.
19th November Scott Base, drying tents, sleeping bags and reorganising food for next field put in. Packing rock boxes.
20th November K-048 to Foster Crater (early p.m.) by Helo. Setting up camp and early exploration of field area. Evening calm and clear.
21st November Xenolith search at Foster Crater. Weather high scattered cloud clearing through day to cloudless. Wind increasing overnight.
22nd November Xenolith search at Foster Crater. Clear sky but blowing snow and winds increasing throughout day to 30 - 40 knots by 20.00 hrs.
23rd November Tent Day. Wind and blowing snow continued to increase overnight to a constant 60 - 70 knots by 05.00. By 08.00 it was impossible to stand outside the tent and gusts were estimated at in excess of 80 knots. Polar tents began to show effects with guys loosening (impossible to tighten up), snow and food boxes being blown off tent valances. One tent suffered a badly bent pole on the up wind side. Stitching on the guy joins later showed evidence of beginning failure. K-048 personnel evacuated from site at 16.45 by VXE-6 helicopter piloted by Cmr Keho.page break
24th November Scott Base. Gamble returned by Helo to Foster Crater site with Saxby and colleague to retrieve camp. Wind had dropped to around 20 knots. Tents survived the battering and all camp was intact apart from a few rock box lids, some flags and sample bags.
25th November Scott Base. Verbal report to Ops Manager and SENS Rep on the Foster Crater pull out. Preparation for Cape Bird.
26th November Scott Base. Foster Crater rock boxes packed for return to N.Z.
27th November K-048 party (+ Vivienne Taylor) to Cape Bird Camp (Cinder Hill), by Helo. Weather fine, high cloud with gentle northerly wind to 10 knots. Evening hike around Cinder Hill, new xenolith locality discovered in lava flow south of Cinder Hill.
28th November K-048 party to Cape Bird Hut and return, examining coastal volcanic exposures en route. Weather; clear skies, gentle 10 knot northerly.
29th November Visited cones south of Cinder Hill up to level of Cape Bird Ice Cap. Weather; clouded over during day.
30th November Helo anticipated at ~11.00, delayed to 13.30 then 15.00, then 16.30 and then cancelled due to fog bound at Black Island.
1st December Helo arrived at 10.00 for return to Scott Base. Day spent cleaning and returning field gear.
2nd December Scott Base. Day spent cleaning and returning field equipment. JAG undertook task of having clearance form validated by various section heads, filed "event debrief form" and completed article for "Antarctic Times". Party "bag dragged' to McMurdo at 19.40 for the ritual weigh in.
3rd December K-048 return to NZ on RNZAF LC-130 Hercules. Excellent Flight.