Grounded by a Category 2

As Robin wrote yesterday, we've been working really hard to get ready for our trip out to the field camp. We've been hauling and packing and checking for days now. Robin and I made sure the alarm was set for 5:30 am to get the rest of our things packed, get a quick breakfast and join the rest of the MSV team (affectionately referred to as "Little Andrill") for our 7:00 am meeting. But when we looked out the window of our dorm room it looked like we were looking through a film of marshmallow fluff. A category 2 low front had moved in overnight. The wind was blowing snow from every direction and it was difficult to see anything clearly.

The meeting took place at the scheduled time only to confirm that all flights are off and the visibility wasn't good enough for the caravan of Piston Bullies, sleds and snowmobiles to head out either (I'll have to tell you about Piston Bullies and the Thunder Sled in another blog- stay tuned).


This photo is missing a very large object that residents of McMurdo would know was missing. The building in the foreground is the Crary Science building. Just behind the buildings in the background rises the very tall, steep Observation Hill. You can't see it at all in this photo because it's hidden behind swirling snow. I hope to climb up to the top sometime while I'm here, but I don't think today is the day. I wouldn't be able to observe very much. I know the people in the red coats were really struggling against the wind to get into the Crary Lab.

It's even a little difficult to see the dorms clearly behind Simon Nielsen. He's the Head Curator for ANDRILL's SMS drilling project (affectionately referred to as BIG ANDRILL).

I'm safely inside my dorm room working away on keeping you posted... and I'm watching the Red Sox vs. Indians game 7 live. top of the 7th, 3-2 Red Sox. I hope we'll get out to camp soon. I'm really excited about taking my first ever helicopter ride and living on blue sea ice so I hope the weather clears. In the meantime, I guess I'll go do my laundry.