The lost site of Halley

Wind speeds and poor visibility mean that we are contained between the site accommodation buildings, the Laws building(for food and recreation) and the Piggott building (for work). BAS requires that anyone travelling between buildings radio in to the Comms room to confirm where they are and where they are going and then re-confirm when they get there. Preferably we are to travel in pairs or groups.

Most of the time visibility is so poor, you can't see your destination. If you get lost and lose your bearings you are in real trouble. Typically, I estimate there is around 50 - 70m before objects disappear into the blizzard of snow.

Yesterday and today were declared non-site working days. The five day forecast predicts this weather continuing into Monday of next week.We have to wait and see when we can get back to work. Two days down and all of the guys I've spoken to are itching to get going again. Unfortunately all reports say it will get worse first. The Laws building where I am typing from is shaking around in a lively way and the wind is very clearly making itself heard through the building envelope and services..

Meanwhile,the Morrison management team have taken their meetings into the Laws building lounge.  The conference room table has been swapped for a pool table.  There is still lots of discussion to be had about a great many issues, and lots of situations to be resolved - only about different subjects than usual.

Meanwhile,the wind-driven snow has left a number of us homeless. With over 50 years of Antarctic experience and technical understanding of the particular environmental mechanics at Halley, it didn't occur to some that a blow would block off all of the doors to the annex pit rooms. About a dozen of us are bunking in the Drewry and Laws buildings for the next few nights.  I'm not complaining. My room is the Laws Gym. I had it all to myself last night - the biggest bedroom on the station and lots of toys play with. I can quite happily see this storm through here.

Some are not quite so lucky. Poor Danny Wood (Structural Engineer) ran over to the Laws building for breakfast on Tuesday morning in a T-shirt and trousers, and when he came back his front door was gone. He's been camped out in the Drewry wearing borrowed clothes (which can't be great because laundry day is only every two weeks and everyone hums here). I think it all got a bit too much for him because this lunch time I caught him trying to dig his way back into his pit room. Either he can't see through his goggles or he's on a do-or-die mission because he was standing level with the top of the pit room roof and the wind is filling up snow in front of his door as fast as he could clear it.

I believe he did get in to reclaim his vital posessions and some sanity in the end. Apparently Phil Moneypenny had to haul him out of the doorway through an opening in the snow - I wish I'd caught that on camera!

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