Live From Antarctica: Monday 22 December
Good news from the coast, despite the broken down Prinoth tractor. Spirits are high and the working atmosphere is excellent: the teams are getting along, collaboration with the Ivan Papanin's crew couldn't be better, and even the weather has gotten better...let's hope it all lasts!
First "big work" today since the new members have arrived: they had to "lie down" one of the wind turbines in order to add on its blades. They have to take advantage of the wind having dropped to manipulate a 9 metre-high machine and lift the wind turbine up again with a 700 kg head! Other from that, the epoxy epic goes on and the epoxyens continue to spread an odour of naphthalene everywhere...
It's interesting how being confronted with the newly arrived members obliges us to rediscover everything around us: tour of the station, the "family life" at the base camp, the windscoop... As a matter of fact, you will soon discover in our columns a surprise guest star who will offer you a new perspective on the world of Utsteinen...
Only the cook is a little morose: his last order of provisions was left behind in a refrigerator at the airport of Cape Town. Goodbye fresh fruit and vegetables, milk, cream, corn-flakes, etc. Since he's been thinking about what to fix for Christmas, this isn't good news for him...
Nathalie Pattyn
Picture: International Polar Foundation - © International Polar Foundation