Sunshine And Aftermath

November 30, 2008

For 30 hours, the wind stayed between 50 and 90mph, visibility was sometimes reduced to 10 feet, and three of us were stuck in our little hut. Going to the outhouse (which is attached to the hut on the outside) was an adventure, as it was difficult to walk outdoors without the door ripping off its hinges, and the plywood enclosure trembled and clanked like it was cleared for liftoff as you went about your business inside.

So, for two days we caught up on data entry, watched “Horatio Hornblower” on a laptop, read “The Worst Journey In The World” (about the winter expedition to Cape Crozier in the early 1900s which stretched human life to its limits), and watched the weather station display. Our highest gust reading was 92mph, and it should be noted that the gauge is on the sheltered side of the hut, and the hut is on the sheltered side of a ridge.

The frozen sea broke up, and now pack ice drifts back and forth across the horizon with long stretches of open water in between (photos below). The penguins are happily diving in from shore, instead of marching miles across the ice to reach water. They survived the storm just fine – we found a few intact eggs blown out of nests, but otherwise business is as usual.

Two of our three Scott tents were destroyed, including mine. They cost $3,000 each. The one-inch metal pole supports snapped clean in half, canvas ripped up the side, ropes parted, and the whole thing destructed in place, still tethered and rocked solidly to the ground. We are now sleeping on bunks in the hut, taking turns with the privacy of the one remaining tent. I am glad the hut is here.