Today is Sunday and as you may remember this is the only day off that we get. Well, today we all decided to work. There is so much to do and just not enough time. I went to the lab at 8:00am to work on my journals. When I walked out of the dorm I saw that the ground was covered with a light dusting of snow.
This morning I saw my fresh snowfall. It was very light but it did allow trucks and people to make tracks.
I was a bit disappointed that I had missed the snow. Then I suddenly realized that it was still snowing! I was as giddy as a child.
After working for two hours I took a break to have brunch. I had been told that it was the best meal of the week and they were certainly right. There was fresh melon and a waffle bar.
I went back to the lab and kept working on my journals. At a little after 2:00pm I was finally caught up on both the journals. I was very happy and I promise to try to stay caught up.
Several members of the team, including Stacy, DJ, and Marco went to Cape Armitage to conduct a science dive. They took Jackie Hams to help since she doesn't leave for Beacon Valley until tomorrow. Bob stayed back to work on SCINI and Scott took some time off to help clear some trails.
Francois and I took a couple of snowmobiles and went to chip out the dive hole at Cinder Cove. That was the dive hole that we went to on Friday. We will need to go conduct one more dive because the still camera was not working when we were there. That means that we have to keep the dive hole from freezing up. We do this by using a tool to chip out the ice that has formed. Then we use a special device (a net on the end of a long metal pole) to scoop out the ice. I am really good at scooping out the ice.
We use a device that consists of a net at the end of a long metal bar to scoop ice out of the dive hole. Our device broke and Francois and I had to sew the net back on. It was very cold working with a wet net.
I loved riding the snowmobiles but my favorite part of the trip was seeing a seal up close. It was sunbathing just outside the dive hole at Cinder Cove. I had forgotten my camera (too much excitement I guess) but fortunately Francois had his. The seal looks absolutely adorable.
The seal is an adorable animal that has a sweet, unassuming face.
However, these animals are massive. They can grow to be nine and a half feet long and weigh between 800 to 1300 pounds. This one appeared to be on the small side.
The seal is an animal that must be respected if for no other reason than its large size.
We got back to McMurdo Station in time to eat dinner. Then we attended a lecture about an international science project that is studying a range of mountains that are covered by up to 2 miles of ice. It was quite interesting and I actually have met someone that will be working on the project (remember Beth that I met in Christchurch on my way to Antarctica?).
It was after 9:00pm when the lecture ended, but my work day was still going on. We returned to the lab and I worked until 11:00pm. It was definitely a long day but what a day.