Landing Bluff, Wednesday, 12th December 2001
The magnificent weather conditions continued today, the sunshine reaching a balmy 1° above zero. With the still dry air and reradiated heat off the ice and snow, it felt surprisingly warm ! Ironically the Polar Bird was fogged in despite the Amery area being 100% cloud free with extraordinary visibility. Half the AMISOR's supplies were deployed during the day, with our visitors departing early in the morning. We had an easy day snoozing after an amazing al fresco lunch at the Cafe Druzhnaya, with buttered 2 year old Russian bread and glasses of caravan tea in the dazzling midday sun. Very tropical indeed. Most of the others snoozed after lunch, but suddenly the weather didn't seem so good over the Amery and with twenty minutes notice the Loewe Massif crew were given notice to be ready. Almost straight-away the S76 and two Squirrels appeared, and we loaded them up with all people on the Loewe bar Martin flying off successfully this time over the Amery to Lake TerraSavoje. Suddenly, things became very quiet. After dinner, Tom, Martin and I walked up to the GPS one last time, to check a temperature probe on the GPS instrument box. The evening was delectable, not a cloud in the sky and as still as could be. In the distance cirrus was noted, warning of the impending weather change predicted. Snow petrels flitted about, showing off their remarkable avionics, and we all took heaps of photos of mosses, birds, views, low sun over the ice shelf, helicopters coming and going. We returned to the camp at midnight to meet up with Ric the pilot and Jeremy Smith, the Davis SL enjoying a cask of red, coffees al fresco at -10 degs, and finally watching sun-spots through the jigger at local midnight (1.06 am). Spectacular stuff !!!
Landing Bluff (LDBF) Technical Inspection
Landing Bluff (Druzhnaya IV Station) S 69°44'48" E 73°42'35"
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