Kangerlussuaq to Summit Station
After about 4 hours of sleep, we were back on the move again. Our first stop was the Kantina (restaurant), located at the other end of the airport building. We feasted on a great buffet style breakfast including scrambled eggs, mini sausages, bacon and some of the best pastries I’ve ever tasted!
Once breakfast was finished we went back to the KISS building and grabbed our belongings for the final van ride to the airport. On the way back I was able to see some of the play structures the local children get to use in the town. It looks like pretty good stuff, I’m sure my three kids would have a blast on all the cool structures. The education system is very different from the US. One of the locals described that when a child is old enough to begin school, they have a special ritual, kind of like a right of passage, for the young person to begin the path to become educated. More on this when I get back to Kanger.
Play structures in Kanger
While waiting for the van to leave, I was introduced to the rest of our research team. Karl Schroff and Hansjoerg Frei, both from Switzerland and very good friends of Koni Steffen, came in place of Koni to help with the work on the Swiss Tower and other equipment.
We were slated to take-off at 09:30am. After a final inspection of the plane, we were off! As the inspection was taking place, one of the local scientists told us that each of the 8 bladed engines on the plane we were flying in cost 1 million dollars!
Inspection of C-130 prior to take off at Kanger Airport
Notice the comfortable seats in the C-130 aircraft.
After the plane lifted off, I was eager to watch the landscape change. It started as rough, exposed rock and within 45 minutes we were passing over the edge of the ice sheet. It was an amazing site to see the barren, rocky landscape change into wonderful, white, grey and blue ice.
Greenland landscape. Barren and rocky.
Transition to the ice sheet.
Over the ice sheet. Small melt water streams are barely visible.
Glacial ice sheet feature
The flight lasted about 2 hours. We touched down on the skiway with a little more force than a typical commercial airplane landing, but not bad.
Summit weather conditions:
Temp -9 C or 16 F
Wind speed 18.6 mph
We exited the plane and were directed to the Big House. This is where most of the staff and scientists hang out. It is also where you can find food, shower, laundry machine, main office, mess hall, unlimited movies, a warm toilet seat and heat!
The Big House. Heat!!!
It was noon, so as soon as we stepped foot in the big house, we were told to eat. The lunch was impressive! We had lots of choices of healthy and not so healthy food. I, of course chose the middle ground. Turkey and ham wrap, veggie soup, salad and a cookie (still warm!).
Lunch at Summit Station
After lunch, we received a briefing on Summit Station by Ken Jensen (station manager), and Ben Walker (medic). We each signed a few forms and took a blood oxygen measurement as well as our pulse. All is well. Next, we went and located our bags and settled into our tents. We were told to take it easy today since we are above 10,000 feet. I was thankful for the time to rest, as I could feel the effects of the altitude walking from the plane to the big house!
The variety of different countries represented at Summit was impressive. I estimate that half of the researchers; scientists and technicians were from Europe.
Dinner came quickly and was very tasty. We had a traditional Italian meal of ziti pasta, homemade meatballs, homemade sauce and a salad composed of mixed greens. For desert, we enjoyed a rich chocolate espresso cake with raspberry balsamic syrup. Food coma set in quickly after that meal. Can you tell that I am eating very well?
The rest of the night was spent planning for tomorrow. We are anticipating high winds again and that could delay work on the instruments. We will watch the weather closely and proceed accordingly.
Off to the Arctic Oven…until tomorrow,
Jim