Landing Bluff, Sunday, 16th December 2001
At last the blizz eased off and the morning was perfectly still and mild, but a little overcast. Due to our confinement the previous three days we determined to have a Sunday picnic up on the bluff "Picnic at Landing Bluff". The visibility and temperature improved greatly as the day progressed. Tom and I surveyed the elevation mask for the GPS antenna while the others were catching up. In fact there are two corrections to be made to the log. The seal we spotted the other day, actually appeared to be more like a leopard seal on closer inspection. The seal team at Davis have had trouble finding accessable seals and should come here, instead! The other correction is the local noon is at 14:05 (not 13:06 as previously stated) due to the western longitude. We had a great picnic in the exceptionally still and warm (almost hot) air, with heat shimmer coming off the rocks. The maximum temperature in the shade being a balmy 10°. If you factor in the re-radiated warmth off the ice and rocks it seems like 20. The sun's elevation at local noon at 43° above the horizon. Tom and I continued an exploration of the bluff right down to its southern end. The warm day was causing melt streams to flow all over the place, and the sound of these bubbling brooks sounded incongruous in the icy wilderness. Green algal blooms could be seen in melt pools near the tide crack at the toe of the bluff. We looked inside the Russian kitchen and mess hall, dripping with melt water. The bullet proof SW radio and reels of films and the like made quite an atmosphere. There was still bread and butter lying on the serving table ! The warmth of the afternoon was amazing, still 7 degrees by 7 pm. Two choppers flown by Ric and Kevin delivered the latest news and a 12 pack of much sought after Cascade Pale Ale (Duk's birthday gift). We drank out doors listening to some funky lounge music on the gramaphone provided.

Landing Bluff (LDBF) Technical Inspection

Landing Bluff (Druzhnaya IV Station) S 69°44'48" E 73°42'35"

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