"The McMurdo Dry Valleys are the largest expanse of ice-free ground in Antarctica.” This comes from the first sentence of the McMurdo Dry Valleys Antarctic Specially Managed Area (ASMA) Manual.
I woke up today to gentle snow falling. Okay, I really woke up to my alarm at 4:40 am. But, regardless, the snow is more important! This is the first significant snowfall since I have been here – usually the hard wind-packed snow just blows around and reduces visibility. Today, there is real snow. We’ve heard this is the most snow they have seen in the Dry Valleys in nine years.
Bryan sweeping off the solar panels
Since there is no sun and no wind right now, and our batteries are limited, there is no power this morning. Our electricity needs for daily life are 100% solar and wind power. I didn’t even try to start the 6-wheeler without the heater plugged in, but instead put the fuel cans on the sled and hauled them out by hand to fuel the hungry hotsy. We consume a lot of fuel for the generator that powers the hotsy and for the hotsy itself. Not to mention for the vehicles and to fuel the compressor for filling the SCUBASelf Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus tanks!
Using the hurdy-gurdy to fill the jerry cans of fuel
Nick with the compressor outside the Polar Palace
Marcus and Stacy filling the SCUBASelf Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus tanks with compressed air
Today is the diving day. Stacy needs to collect samples and take photos at the Explorer’s Cove site. Stacy and Nick were the first divers.
Stacy and Nick being driven to the dive site
Nick modeling the dual-tank system used at New Harbor
For you SCUBASelf Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus divers, the dual tanks are super heavy - maybe 100 pounds. I couldn’t lift them by myself. They are used here because the compressor can only fill the tanks to 2250 psi (instead of the usual 3000 psi in the tanks at McMurdo) and one tank would not give the divers enough air underwater.
Stacy sitting on the edge of the dive hole
The second divers were Bob and Marcus. Here they are getting a lift on the 6-wheeler to the dive hole. You can see our camp behind them.
6-wheeler taking divers to the sea ice
After the dive, Bryan, Nick and I took down the Scott Tent and packed it for going "home” to McMurdo. Then Nick and Stacy dove again to finish their data collection. A great diving day in the fresh snow!
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