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Victoria University Antarctic Research Expedition Science and Logistics Reports 2001-02: VUWAE 46

FIELD TRANSPORT

FIELD TRANSPORT

  • Vehicles: In general no issues. However, inadequate heavy plant was allocated by ANT NZ engineering to tow the New Harbour camp back to Scott Base. A D3 was sent while the D6 sat idol at Scott Base. There was no adequate explanation for this. The return trip was 22hrs in duration. It raised a number of safety issues for personnel driving the D3 and the accompanying Hagglunds. Mike Collins our mechanic had to relieve the ANT NZ plant operator who fell asleep in the D3. This placed undue stress on my team members who had just finished a physically demanding period of field work and placed all concerned in a dangerous situation
  • Aircraft Operations: Helicopter operations - HNZ excellent and really helpful, some page 5 problems arose from miscommunication regarding aeromag survey requirements in advance. This could have been solved by earlier communication between GSW and pilots rather than backwards and forwards between several people - a sort of pre event brief in NZwould have been good. But I realise the final planning for this happened very late in the season and all problems were quickly solved on ice. But we could have ensured a more functional operation by sorting this out earlier. No blame on any party just an observation that a pre-brief in NZ to work through requirements would have helped.

    Major Issue with USAF over transport of Orica explosive product that could have jeopardised season (see above). However, we are very appreciative of the efforts made by Jim Cowie and Julian Tangaere that enabled fieldwork to continue. Particularly we are indebted to USAP "master blaster" for providing replacement product.

  • Ship Operations: N/A

Other comments:

*Event Diary

K114 Naish
11-Oct-01 ChCh-Scott Base
12-Oct-01 Seismic gear set up in Hagglunds, Horgan, Henderson, Collins and Whitehead field training
13-Oct-01 Seismic gear set up in Hagglunds, Horgan, Henderson, Collins and Whitehead field training
14-Oct-01 Seismic gear set up in Hagglunds, and field supply set-up.
15-Oct-01 Finalise preparations at Scott Base
16-Oct-01 Receive explosives from USAP magazine
17-Oct-O1 Set-up sledge train and depart for New Harbour, 7 hours travel then camp set-up
18-Oct-01 Camp set up, and line surveying
19-Oct-01 Shot testing
20-Oct-01 Shot test and continue line flagging and surveying
21-Oct-01 Seismic survey, electronic problems due to cold - slow progress
22-Oct-01 Seismic survey, electronic problems due to cold - slow progress
23-Oct-01 Seismic survey, electronic problems due to cold - slow progress
24-Oct-01 Seismic survey
25-Oct-01 Finish NHS-1 and pack up, move to NHS-2
26-Oct-01 Seismic survey
27-Oct-01 Seismic survey
28-Oct-01 Seismic survey
29-Oct-01 Finish shooting NHS-2
30-Oct-01 Pack-up seismic gear and camp, Naish to Scott Base by helo.
31-Oct-01 D3 train to move camp back to Scott Base. Some gear left for K114W
1-Nov-01 Day off, Naish and Bannister begin flagging MIS-1page 6
2-Nov-01 Preparation of camp for relocation to MIS-1, Windless Bight, Surveying and flagging of the seismic line.
3-Nov-01 Relocation to Windless bight camp by tractor train and camp set-up
4-Nov-01 Seismic survey
5-Nov-01 Seismic survey
6-Nov-01 Seismic survey
7-Nov-01 Seismic survey
8-Nov-01 Camp-bound by bad weather
9-Nov-01 Dig out camp, survey continues
10-Nov-01 Camp-bound by bad weather
11-Nov-01 Seismic survey filmed for National Geographic
12-Nov-01 Seismic survey of MIS-1 completed
13-Nov-01 Pack up gear and return to Scott Base
14-Nov-01 Pack up gear
15-Nov-01 Pack up gear
16-Nov-01 Pack up gear, Naish and Lavelle help K114W GPS with surveying and flagging of the grav/mag lines
17-Nov-01 Pack up gear, Naish and Lavelle help K114W GPS with surveying and flagging of the grav/mag lines
18-Nov-01 Naish and Lavelle help K114W GPS with surveying and flagging of the grav/mag lines
19-Nov-01 K114N await flight home
K114Pyne
11-0ct-01 ChCh-Scott Base
12-0ct-01 Antarctic field training H Caskey/Rig set-up
13-Oct-01 Antarctic field training H Caskey/Rig set up
14-Oct-01 Rig set-up
15-Oct-01 Rig test
16-Oct-01 Receive explosives from USAP magazine
17-0ct-01 Set-up sledge train and depart for New Harbour, 7 hours travel then camp set-up
18-Oct-0l Camp set up, drill test, and survey line
19-Oct-01 Shot testing
20-Oct-01 Shot test and begin production drilling of shots holes, 38 holes completed
21-Oct-01 56 holes completed, NHS-1 completed
22-Oct-01 Flag and survey, NHS-2 completed
23-Oct-01 80 production holes completed
24-Oct-01 34 holes and NHS-2 completed
25-Qct-01 Mark out mag/grav survey lines for K114W
26-Oct-01 Mark out mag/grav survey lines for K114W
27-Oct-01 New Harbour to Scott Base
28-Oct-01 Day off
29-Oct-01 Gear up rig and transport to Windless Bight
30-Oct-01 Gear up wannigan and food
31-Oct-01 Relocate south of White-out landing zonepage 7
1-Nov-01 Drilling trials and DV visit
2-Nov-01 10 production holes drilled
3-Nov-01 22 production holes drilled
4-Nov-01 10 production holes drilled
5-Nov-01 22 production holes drilled
6-Nov-01 22 production holes drilled
7-Nov-01 26 production holes drilled
8-Nov-01 Camp-bound by bad weather
9-Nov-01 Dig out camp, 17 holes drilled
10-Nov-01 Camp-bound by bad weather
11-Nov-01 30 holes drilled, filmed for National Geographic
12-Nov-01 Finish drilling Line MIS-1, 36 holes completed
13-Nov-01 Pack up gear
14-Nov-01 Pack up gear
15-Nov-01 Kingan to another event. Caskey waits for flight from Scott Base - ChCh
K114 Wilson
24-Oct-01 Wilson, Thornton, Clifford delayed ChCh
25-Oct-01 Wilson, Thornton, Clifford delayed ChCh
26-Oct-01 Wilson, Thornton, Clifford ChCh-Scott Base
27-Oct-01 Field Preparations, Thornton and Clifford field training
28-Oct-01 Field Preparations, Thornton and Clifford field training
29-Oct-01 Equipment testing
30-Oct-01 Equipment testing
31-Oct-01 Finalise preparations at Scott Base
1-Nov-01 Calibrate equipment to Scott Base base stations, field put in to New Harbour
2-Nov-01 GPS and gravity base station set up, begin magnetics and gravity survey line 1
3-Nov-01 establish ice movement positions, magnetics and gravity survey line 1
4-Nov-01 establish ice movement positions, magnetics and gravity survey line 2
5-Nov-01 magnetics and gravity survey line 2
6-Nov-01 magnetics and gravity survey line 3
7-Nov-01 magnetics and gravity survey line 3 partial day only due to bad weather
8-Nov-01 magnetics and gravity survey line 4
9-Nov-01 magnetics and gravity survey line 4
10-Nov-01 camp bound by bad weather
11-Nov-01 reoccupy ice movement positions, take skidoo to marble point, camp pack-up and return to Scott Base
12-Nov-01 Rest Day
13-Nov-01 Field preparations, Helicopter reconaissance over ice shelf
14-Nov-01 Field preparations
15-Nov-01 Calibrate equipment to Scott Base base stations, fieldpage 8
put in to Windless Bight, set-up gravity base station
16-Nov-01 magnetics and gravity survey line 1
17-Nov-01 magnetics and gravity survey lines 1 and 2
18-Nov-01 magnetics and gravity survey lines 2 and 3
19-Nov-01 magnetics and gravity survey lines 3 and 4
20-Nov-01 magnetics and gravity survey lines 4 and 5
21-Nov-01 reoccupy ice movement positions
22-Nov-01 Camp pack-up and return to Scott Base
23-Nov-01 Immediate processing of base station data
24-Nov-01 Immediate processing of base station data
25-Nov-01 Immediate processing of base station data
26-Nov-01 magnetics and gravity survey HPP-1 line
27-Nov-01 Immediate processing of base station data, pack-up
28-Nov-01 Immediate processing of base station data, pack-up
29-Nov-01 Wilson, Thornton, Clifford await flight to NZ
K114W cont...& D
30-Dec-01 Wilson, Tinto, Jordan ChCh-Scott Base
31-Dec-01 Field Preparations, Tinto and Jordan field training
1-Jan-02 Field Preparations, Tinto and Jordan field training
2-Jan-02 Equipment testing
3-Jan-02 Calibrate equipment to Scott Base base stations, field put in to Black Island, crevasse investigation
4-Jan-02 GPS and gravity base station set up, establish ice movement positions
5-Jan-02 magnetics and gravity survey line A
6-Jan-02 magnetics and gravity survey line B
7-Jan-02 magnetics and gravity survey lines B and C
8-Jan-02 magnetics and gravity survey lines C and D
9-Jan-02 magnetics and gravity survey lines E, F and G, Damaske and Moeller ChCh-Scott Base
10-Jan-02 reoccupy ice movement positions, camp pack-up, establish Pegasus Road magentic base station
11-Jan-02 magnetics and gravity survey line 4
12-Jan-02 camp bound by bad weather
13-Jan-02 reoccupy ice movement positions, take skidoo to marble point, camp pack-up and return to Scott Base
14-Jan-02 Rest Day
15-Jan-02 Set-up for Aeromag survey
16-Jan-02 Aeromag survey, magnetic base station download
17-Jan-02 Aeromag survey
18-Jan-02 Aeromag survey affected by weather
19-Jan-02 Aeromag survey affected by weather
20-Jan-02 Helicopter support of gravity survey, Magnetic base station download, Aeromag survey affected by weather
21-Jan-02 Aeromag survey
22-Jan-02 Aeromag survey affected by weather
23-Jan-02 Aeromag survey affected by weather
24-Jan-02 Aeromag surveypage 9
25-Jan-02 Aeromag survey affected by weather
26-Jan-02 Aeromag survey affected by weather, Tinto and Jordan return to NZ
27-Jan-02 Aeromag survey, magnetic base station collection and download
28-Jan-02 Aeromag survey
29-Jan-02 Magnetic base station collection and download Equipment Pack-up
30-Jan-02 Immediate Data Processing, Equipment, pack-up, Moeller returns to NZ
31-Jan-02 Immediate Data Processing
1-Feb-02 Damaske and Wilson retrun to NZ
K114 Webster
22-Jan-02 Travel to Christchurch.
Kit-up at Antarctica NZ.
23-Jan-02 Check-in @ 0700.
Board C130 and get to end of runway.
Flight aborted due to weather on ice.
Afternoon working on Webster
Drilling equipment in Christchurch.
24-Jan-02 Check-in @ 0700.
Fly to Scott Base arrive 1800.
25-Jan-02 Scott Base orientation.
Meeting with Jim Cowie.
Overview of CRP equipment with
Jim and electrician.
Sled with riser by D6 to workshop.
Empty sled to near workshop.
Remade pipe mouse.
Test riser pipes : 8 lengths.
26-Jan-02 Pipe dope from Cape Roberts gear.
Test riser pipes : 40 lengths.
: need more sponge bungs for riser
27-Jan-02 Test riser pipes : 22 lengths.
Discussion with Gary re magnetisation.
28-Jan-02 Antarctic Field Training:
29-Jan-02 Antarctic Field Training.
Back to Scott Base by 1100.
Finish testing 5.5m riser pipes : 11 lengths
Use D6 to arrange sleds.
Two sleds with half of pipes on each.page 10
Test riser shorts : 19 lengths.
30-Jan-02 Clear site for containers.
Sort out gear for New Zealand.
Move floats to try and look at mud.
Mud count impossible without
container totally emptied.
Check containers for shipping
to New Zealand.
Check with Alex exact requirements.
Unload augers and batteries from
Webster Drilling equipment.
Repack Webster Drilling gear.
31-Jan-02 Get all equipment up to top
container site.
Go through CRP containers with Gary.
Drill holes and set pile pins.
Used Scott Base compressor.
Inspect internal tie downs in NZ
containers with US loadmaster.
01-Feb-02 Unload CRP walkway and pull stays.
Stack against NZ containers for
onloading onto 40′ turnaround
container coming on the boat.
Make and secure lids for all boxes
inside the containers.
Mark out post heights for container
stands with SB carpenter and level.
Cut posts to length and weld to
anchor plates.
Meeting with Jim Cowie about siting
of the rod sleds.
02-Feb-02 Move rod sleds up to Cape Roberts gear
Attempt to lift Emily shed with loader and
prepare for shipping - too heavy need crane
Load stairway and walkway for McMurdo.
Start unloading Alaners
03-Feb-02 McMurdo look around.
Skiing in afternoon.
04-Feb-02 Unload 40′ container of polystyrene
for septic tank.
Move container over to CRP area and
load Longyear mast and support beams.
Secure inside of container with binders.page 11
Clean dirt off Emily base.
Attempt to move mud container for
inventory - too heavy.
Assist unloading beer container.
Assist unloading meat and veg container.
05-Feb-02 Remove batteries from CRP generators
and charge up.
Test and fix mobile Herman heater.
Assist unloading containers from ship.
Set up welder and gas at workshop
container.
Set up angle iron container base.
Weld up base while testing generators.
Princess Anne visit meeting.
06-Feb-02 After loader washdown clean cold porch.
Finish welding container frame.
Put away all gear.
Clean up container site.
Unload container with sewerage plant
frames and take to site.
Hot water rig container up to CRP site.
Shift mud container forward with D6.
Check out 6m HQ and NQ rods.
: need stripping down to 3m lengths
: threads need to be doped
: corner towing hitch on mud container
needs straightening and welding
ANDRILL containers arrived.
Trip to Cape Evans in evening.
07-Feb-02 Pick up dunnage from CRP and SB
container sites with motorbike and trailer.
Unload ANDRILL containers.
Can not lift ANDRILL containers onto
frame - need crane (booked for Monday)
Princess Anne arrives.
08-Feb-02 Continue unloading containers.
Dope up NQ inner tubes.
Assist moving lathe.
09-Feb-02 Stack some CRP gear in ANDRILL
container.
Scott plaque unveiling.
Unload rest of containers.
Finish stacking CRP gear.page 12
Move drill pipe to bottom.
Scott Base dinner for HRH.
10-Feb-02 Fly to Christchurch.
Moroney to Wellington.
Rutland stays in Christchurch.