The day after the party

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 seenin 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:

1. Pumping. Three minutes every 40 minutes.
2. Checking vehicles.
3. Final touches to the blowing with the Yanmar.
4. Revising markers in camp and on balloon site.
5. Working on floor/lid to elevator shaft.
6. Beginning preparations for traverse.

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