HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY DARLING HUSBAND
This afternoon I drove a delta group out to a plane wreck site called Pegasus.
The aircraft crashed on 8 October 1970. About 30 minutes before the aircraft was due to touch down on the sea ice runway, the weather deteriorated rapidly. Visibility was down to zero and snow was blowing, but Pegasus was committed to land even in ‘white-out conditions.' There was no alternative airstrip and fuel was low. The plane attempted to land five times, but had to abort each time because of the excessive snowdrift caused by gusting winds. On the sixth attempt Pegasus finally landed, but veered off the runway and hit a snow bank, which sheared off the starboard undercarriage and wing.
Amazingly, all 68 passengers and 12 crew survived, escaping with only minor injuries, although the atrocious weather conditions meant it took about four hours for rescue vehicles to transport the crash survivors 5.5km back to McMurdo.
It is an incredible sight. Fortunately I’ve seen it a few times with work, but I volunteered to take some "townies" out to see it, as they often don't get the chance to see such things. I kept myself entertained though by doing handstands.
That evening I had the chance to tour the NBP vessel which had just embarked on a voyage from sunny Christchurch to the chilly waters of Antarctica. The journey took 24 days, with waves reaching 50 feet! It is full of scientists completing research projects onboard. The National Science Foundation leases this boat for the small sum of $30,000USD per day. Yes you read correctly. Per day. That's $20.83 a minute. 34 cents per second. That's a dinner for two at a fancy restaurant just in one scientist's toilet break.
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