| The GERG/UT
Antarctic science team
arrived at the Clothing Distribution Center (CDC) of the United States Antarctic
Program (USAP), Christchurch, New Zealand at 6:15 am, preparing for their
flight to McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Given a dress time of 6:30am, we
dressed and packed both our hold luggage,which is packed into the cargo
shipment, and a hand carry, a small bag designed to hold all your cold weather
clothing and whatever other necessities that can be crammed into such a
small space that remains near your person. After dressing and packing, the
team congregated in a small area aside the security bag-drag (to be explained)
area to watch an educational video on the dangers of dehydration, frostbite,
and snow blindness. After the video and a message from our pilots, the team
along with 30 other people carried their gear through security, and then
bag-dragged. Bag drag is the weighing of the bags and the person before
they enter the aircraft to give the pilots an overall estimate of weight
in addition to the cargo. We loaded onto a small bus, and then lined up
to climb into the C-141 Star-lifter, a jet engined cargo carrier that shaves
off 3.5 hours of flight time that the C-130 would require (normally an 8
hour flight). We crammed ourselves in like sardines. Integrating knees into
an interlocking pattern, we waited 1.5 hours before the pilots announced
that the weather was Condition 1 (worst case weather scenario) as thick
as cream blowing into Willie's Field (McMurdo). So, as a group we were off-loaded
and taken back to the CDC to wait for an additional 2 hours. When the weather
seemed to be clearing up, we made a second attempt at flight (including
an additional run through security and the bus-ride). As every person to
board the flight wore full cold weather regalia, the 75 degree weather was
making us all swelter in our long-johns. Once on board the plane for a second
time, we waited for another hour, nibling on the brown-bag lunches that
had been provided to us ( 2 sandwiches, a chocolate-caramel muffin, candy
bar, juice and water, apple and an orange). After our lunch, it was determined
that today's attempt at flight was not likely, and once again we toted our
luggage and persons off the plane, loaded onto the buses, and were taken
back to the CDC. Christchurch, New Zealand
D.Gielstra |
