Hard at work - 14 February
- Published: 19 February 2008 17:03
- Author: Phil Wells
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- Last Updated: 19 February 2008 17:03
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Thursday 14 February
-18.6 deg C
wind 5.4 Kts at 94 deg E
On site at Halley there is lots of activity.
There are seven Antarctic modules and there is a great urgency to complete the work required for the end of the season, especially while the weather is favourable.
This week Morrison has been tenting the modules, partly in preparation for the winter, and partly to enable the continued installation of the services away from the snow, wind and cold.
The task of tenting the modules is not small. The covers are made into single-piece enclosures which require lifting in one go. Its like flying an enormous kite. The procedure requires one team on the ground holding guide ropes, with another team inside the module easing the covers on with long poles.
I was on the ground holding on to the tent with a rope. For once I felt that all the food I had eaten on the Shackleton came in useful as I did my best to try and keep my feet on the ground.
When we got here, modules E1 and E2 (the energy modules) were already covered. This was to give maximum time for the installation of the main plant. Since then it has been all hands to the science modules, command module and sleeping module. Each morning a new cover goes on.
Now the tents are on, most of the on-site activities are inside. With different teams in each module, the noise of the activities is muffled by the selection of tunes coming from the CD player in each. I have been listening to Irish Folk music in module E1, where I was looking at floor cassettes, and Blondie in module C (the command module), looking at pods. Truly an international project.
The cladding of module B2 (the sleeping module) is progressing at a pace as well. The belly, sides and roof are now on and the aim is to get the module ends on and completed by the weekend. It's really taking shape and looking quite impressive. After the cladding is complete there will be an exercise to move it to an adjacent site to set it up for the winter. Hopefully I will still be here for that, as it will be an incredible sight to see an (almost) complete module move! I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
