EGRIP airport closed due to weather for half a day

Christian, Niccolo and Lydia are raising the weatherport “Stapi”

This morning we woke up to a completely cloud covered sky where the colour of the sky is the same as the snow surface. There was absolutely no horizon to be seen just the colour, light grey. At the same time, a strong wind blew across the skiway with some snow drift. We had to hold the LC-130 back in Kangerlussuaq until weather improved. The little Twin Otter, parked at EGRIP, could not take off from the skiway either, because of the cross wind. But the little plane is flexible, so it took off across the skiway, using only the short access between our apron and the skiway.

At noon a clear front passed overhead, the wind changed and the sky was clear blue again. We called in the LC-130 and it arrived at 14.30. The operation went well and the Twin Otter made two flights, not finishing operations before 21.00. Camp is growing and with one more weatherport up, the camp begins to look like a small village.

What we have done today:

1. Handling two Twin Otter missions for the Nettles group.
2. Receiving Hercules flight (Skier 21). Good bye to Malte.
3. Leveling floor in science trench and hauling snow to surface.
4. Work at Swiss drill test site.
5. Built 10 x 10 weatherport “Stapi”, and installed beds
6. Drilling pilot hole for Swiss test with Danish shallow drill.

Ad.1: The Nettles group successfully retrieved the seismic station at NE-2 (Northwest Greenland).

Weather today: Morning cloudy, windy with snow and afternoon sunny. Temp. –15 °C to - 19 °C. Wind 18 - 10 kt from NW turning to WSW. Visibility: Morning down to 1 km and afternoon to horizon.

FL, J.P. Steffensen