Day two of trenching with photos

Continued working on trench.  Here are the machines we are using to excavate the crossing.

The smile y face is scratched into the floating ice pier, being built by the laoder.  The ice peir is 10 feet deep right now but needs to be 19 to support the cargo and fuel ships that will dock.  the other picture of the pier is of tw divers about to enter into the water to inspect the pier.  The vessels are scheduled to arrive in january, after teh ice thins and the ice breaker works its magic.  The sound will be water and ice bergs.  The land will be crushed lava rock.  the photo of MO Gas is for morgan.  the have named the gasoline mogas, and this is one of the large storage tanks on the island.
 I saw my first bird yesterday.  the bird is a skua, a seagull like bird,  I did not realize it was a big deal or i would hae taken a picture.  I was told there might be 5 to 15 of  them thsi season.  I was also warned to guard my food, because tey will hawkit right out of your hands.
The photos of the vehicles are for the fritz boys.  the track vehicle is a called a piston bulley.  the large tired tanker is water transport.

We also had a holloween party last night, and this is what i saw.

I know these people.  three of them are my roommates.  the thief with the vcr.  the vcr actually transported beer.  the guy in the silve suite and cape has a twin apendage dangeling from his hip.  I labeled the third mate as Reno 911, or Scott baio.  Sme serious scary characters.  the pirate looking dude slash pooh bear is a pimp.  He got second prize to oscars grand prize.

Trenching

 Today I ripped the frozen ground with a D9N bulldozer.  We are trenching across a road to bury new utilities.  Very rough work.  Very slow progress, but successful.  will capture photos of 9 and trench tomorrow. 
Brook the Florida Firefighter moved out to start his journey to the South Pole.  A new roommate moved in tonight.  Dan will be a good fit with this crew.  will get  a better picture in future.

room and dorm

I live in the main building 155.  the galley, store, and admin offices are located here also.  My room is on the second floor.I have my own space.  we have commmunity showers and bathrooms.  the sauna is a plus, but there are concessions. The computers must be hard wired to get internet, and there is only the kios, computer area off of the main long hall, called highway one.

down time

Been sick for a few days and have not felt like blogging or doing anything.  Much better, but still weak.  Operating a skid steer last two days.  Good times doing detail work, very busy.  working at higher elevation and get a great view of the Sound.  That is when the wind is not blowing a level 2 weather advisory.  1 mile visibility, ice roads shut down. 

Some of the best photos happen when the sun is covered by clouds.

Friends and Roommates

Some of the people I have met.

Guess who is the firefighter, Computer programer. and outdoorsmen is?

Cold Weather Survival Camp

/We marched 20 minutes to a camp site on the ice shelf.  The day was cold windy and snowy.  Visibility 1 mile or so.and  could not see any of the land markings.  20 of us coordinated activities and labor to build a  wind break made of snow blocks.  the blocks were rectangle shaped, about the size of a box of printing paper.  The wall was 70 feet long and 3 blocks tall.  the Blocks were dug and cut from our designated quarry.  in the picture aboveyou see blocks being cut and carried from the quarry 

Other set up tents, 2 scott tents, and 7 mountain tents. We also established a kitchen and set up stoves to start heating water to mix with our dehydtrated dinner pouch.   the tools and supplies duplicate what one would find in a survival kit.  Each  kit is  set up for  two people.

aWe spent the night in our tents ans woke to breakfest, out meal.  We than  immediatly started taking down camp.  A few hours later the clouds lifted and we were able to see Mt Eribus.  The active valcanoe that created Ross Island.  the last phot of me posing in foreground of this massive mountain

The valcnaoe is 20 miles away.  the snow mobile is the instructors.  I wish we had access to a ride.  I lost 0ver 6 lbs this weekend. 

Thank you for your posts and well wishes.  I am happy to be able to share my adventure.  It keeps me motivated to find the extreme sights

Around Station

McMurdo was a navy station built by the seabees.  there have been many additions since, but the terrain makes it complecated to design and build new buildings.  About 1 mile away through the pass is a New Zealand military post.  the planes are currently landing on the ice a couple miles from the station.  We are building and maintaining  a another runway Paguses 14 miles away.  Paguses is on the ice shelf.  NASA has a balloon launch facility a couple of miles past the Kiwi military Station.  I  tried to capture the extreme differences in some of the equipment and machines.  the pass runs between to hill tops (can not remeber names right now). One has a cross at the top and is a climbers delight with a view.  I might try to climb her later, when it gets warmer.  The other is home of antena towers and three turbins, there  is also a research station.   did not have my camers with me when I was there, but will be sure to be back.  I will take you to the New Zealand Kiwi Military post and Ice later.  I leave for extreme cold weather survival training tomorrow and will be back Saturday.  Need to rest for the laborous camping trip.  The flag I am holding is a marker for the trail.  There are cracks and creveouses in the ice and you have to follow the flags to keep from going throu.  I was trying to look cool posing with the flag.  We have to take classes, and check in with the fire station before we go on a adventure.  some place require two people.  The observation Tube did.  thanks for keeping tabs and commenting. Peace