Up at the crack of dawn. Figuratively not literally. We gear up and hit the snow with our shovels. The road to the runway has been delayed in opening this morning due to last night’s condition one storm. It is vital for us to clear away built up snow surrounding our vehicles, and planes will not take off until so. I gleefully grab my shovel and jump on top of red six. “Wow” I think to myself, “this has got to be the first time I’ve ever shovelled a vehicle out from snow whilst standing on its roof!” The snowdrift is spectacular. I’ve stayed in many cold places before but have never seen a built up quite like this.
So we dig, and dig, and dig. It takes me a good 30 minutes shovelling to sight just part of the wheel. The snow clearing machines are hard at work too. I can see it moving in my peripheral vision. In seconds it has effortlessly picked up the equivalent amount of snow that I have slogged away at during the last hour.
Back in McMurdo I get ready to head over to the weather station. I have been invited to learn about and launch a Weather balloon. I had the great fortune of meeting Debra the weather guru two days prior. We talked; well actually I quizzed her endlessly about the weather. I think she offered me this opportunity to shut me up.
I accepted in seconds.
The balloon records pressure, temperature, distance travelled and a few other weather related information. It travels at 16 metres per second and reaches a height of 22,000 metres. The balloon is filled with helium and inflates to at a guess; my height. I was instructed to hold the balloon at the base and walk it outside. I felt like a small kid walking around a fair holding a double overhead stick of candyfloss.
Here we go. Possibly the first ever Antarctic weather balloon launched by a kiwi. Success. Off she blew. Within seconds she flew out of sight. Bon voyage.
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