Off Base

2006-02-26

A fairly quick entry, as there'll be another in a day or two. Why? Well, everyone's about to leave us in peace. Almost everyone went early on Saturday morning, but five or six spare summerers remain until the second and final exodus on Monday morning. If all keeps going to plan, I'll drive to the ship with them, wave them off, then drive back to the base without them.

A few days ago I managed to get off the base for a few hours for the first time (bar the quick trip in the hairy-plane). Me and a couple of meteorological types headed off to a radio microbarograph site to dig it out of the snow and raise it by a meter or so, ready to work for another year. This involved a lot of futile digging, as we weren't sure where the box with the instrument in was, but eventually we managed to find it and haul it to the surface. It was fantastic to have a little ride out on a skidoo over virgin snow on a beautiful day. The sun was shining through holes in advancing clouds, picking out spots on the plateau behind a darkened base, and all was unusually quiet. Until the music we took with us was turned on, of course.

The twin otter that's lived here over the summer left a couple of days ago, with many people down at the airstrip to wave the pilot and mechanic on their way. After taking off they turned, gave us a quick fly by, then headed off to Rothera and eventually the UK where they'll get serviced ready for next year.

I've declared my leg healed, so feel much better now that I can go out and kite in the setting sun. Last night was magical, with a scattering of low clouds, a thin crescent moon and a planet sparkling just above the horizon.

Digging out the microbarograph

Pointing the transmitter at the base

Twin Otter kicks up snow as she flies off

Sun setting behind the Laws building

Moon hanging above the Simpson