Apprent-ICE Blog #3

We've have had another busy last week down on Scott Base. There was a workshop for the winter crew (who stay on base past February), with a day of games, team building and 'get-to-know-the-crew' exercises.

The second day was held over the hill at McMurdo, for everyone to contribute ideas on what they are expecting over the up and coming months. It was a great opportunity to see all the faces that will be left on the ice after the summer season ends next week. The number of people tends to drop from 86 to around 16 wintering over.

The HFC project is going very well, we have started the removal of the existing freezers and hope to have that finished over the next two days. After which we will start the set out for the ground floor and framing for the new science labs. We have completed a 3.6 metre high roller door which is in the old incinerator building. This will temporarily store the dry food goods which were previously in the HFC building.

Today the annual lowering of the flag ceremony was held out the front of base to mark the changeover of seasons. The dozen or so military staff working here paraded in full uniform to lower the summer flag and raise the winter storm pennant.

Whatever free time we get, we try to get out and about as much as possible. Over the weekend we went on a tour of the fuel tanker parked up at the US base and went for a walk up Observation Hill.
We had our first storm over the weekend; Scott Base went to 'Condition 2' due to the high winds and blowing snow causing low visibility and a wind chill of -17°C. This was our first harsh weather experience so far, but it's nothing compared to what we should expect over the next couple of months heading into winter!