Today was different. Our equipment is being moved or so across the ice to a new location. Currently we're on thin sea ice. It's about two meters (six feet) thick. We need more ice!!!! Our new site on the Ross Ice Shelf will have ice that is anywhere from twenty to 80 meters thick or 70 to 250 feet . We need thicker ice to test the hot water drill and the measurement instruments. The move had been in the plan all along - it was just time to do it.
Big Machinery
Moving means loading smaller items onto sleds and getting the big containers which are already on runners ready to move. The science staff didn't have all that much to do. The drill team had most of the equipment to get ready. Another group, called the traverse team, was actually responsible for pulling the containers and trailers to the new location using large tractors. Unfortunately most of the move happened during the night shift (which is in broad daylight) when I was sleeping, so I didn't get any pictures of this modern-day polar wagon train hitching up and moving out, but I do have a few of the equipment they used when they came back for another load this morning when I was out there. These are big tractors, but they are really the same tractors you might use for farming in the U.S. They are also very expensive. The big red tractor with four tracks is around $500,000.00 (that's half a million) new.
These are three of the tractors that will move our equipment.
Caterpillar Challenger Tractors
This is one of four treads that drive the giant Case QuadraTrac tractor. The tread unit is about tall.
A closer shot of the Caterpillar Tractor. Note that the tread is rubber, not steel. They can move faster and are much more quiet.
The only reason I was at the site at all was because someone had to meet the carpenters at the site so a new door handle could be installed on one of the containers. It had a lock, but if you were inside and someone locked the door, you might not get out. I took the pictures before the carpenters showed up. Some other members of the team had gone out to check the setup at the new spot. Our new location is called WizzSpot. The old location that we just left was called Spotsa. There's no real reason for those names, it's just what the McMurdo crew (comedians?) came up with.
Welcome to McMurdo
This last picture was taken so Flat Stanley could see the Welcome sign that greets people as they come into town across the ice road from the airport. Stanley and I went out on the ice after dinner to take this picture.
Flat Stanley wanted to go out to the welcome sign and have his picture take. I finally let him.