Day 8 - May 13 2006

This morning when we got up, it was hazy. At breakfast JP discussed the orders of the day. The first flight will conduct reconnaissance along the rim of the dome, looking for the best way up/down by skidoo, and to roll off a load of fuel drums, primarily to establish a campsite easy to spot from the ground and the air. Lars and Sverrir will then drive two skidoos and their personal gear the 45-50 km up one of two possible routes, utilizing natural stream valleys along the side of ice streams flowing off the dome. Being from Iceland and having worked and lived in polar regions for many years, Sverrir is very familiar with crevasses (not to mention numerous other hazards) and has a good eye for spotting and avoiding them. Sverrir said that in Iceland they have it all, crevasses, volcanoes, tornadoes, earthquakes, storms off the ocean, etc. I think I would want him to be my guide in these here parts any day. The second flight would send Stefan, the most experienced in polar regions (26 years), along with the weather port/cook tent to set up first for basic shelter. That would be followed by successive flights of cargo juggling weight and volume (cube) limits. The passengers would go somewhere in the middle with their personal gear to help with off-loading cargo and setting up camp on the other end. Unfortunately, the weather has remained overcast with low clouds into the afternoon and it looks as though we will not be going today. Jonas needs good visibility and surface definition to do reconnaissance and land safely. Needless to say there has been considerable discussion in camp, while waiting, about the best route to take by skidoo.


Simon constructing the freezer in Nord to hold ice cores from Flade Isblink for retrograding to Copenhagen.

This being Saturday, dinner was a formal affair. The Danish custom is to knock off work from 4 pm Saturday to 10 am Sunday. We had an elaborate meal that Kim prepared for us, starting with soup and fresh hard rolls with plenty of wine, both white and red, all around. Then we progressed to the main course, which was a marinated beef tenderloin and sauce, a special swirled and grilled potato cone made from fresh, peeled potatos, broccoli, and a fresh garden salad with plenty of wine, both white and red, all around. Finally we had a dessert of ice cream, sliced bananas, and 3 kinds of toppings, plus plenty of wine, both white and red, all around as well as cognac and coffee. We toasted our Danish hosts (both the Navy and the scientists) enthusiastically.


Saturday night dinner at Station Nord is a formal affair. Rules dictate everyone must dress up and all males must wear a necktie