December 8, 1999

It was a hectic morning: dropping a short term sediment trap for Craig and then another longer term sediment trap deployment for Terry off Hugo Island. Everyone has been packing frantically, trying to get all their samples and gear boxed and labeled for the homeward leg of the cruise. For many it was an all night operation. The reward, however, is an evening at Palmer Station. The Station crew has graciously invited the ship's complement ashore for a pizza and beer party at 6:00pm. We have two cargo vans, fresh veggies and beer as part of our resupply. I'll be getting off and a group from the station will be returning.

View of Palmer Station and surrounding islands.

Palmer Station is named for Captain Nathaniel B. Palmer, a sealer who explored this area aboard the Hero in 1820. The Station comprises a hamlet of prefabricated structures gathered at the end of a rocky spit which thrusts into Arthur Harbor. The buildings include a biology laboratory/galley/dormitory, a garage/warehouse/dormitory and numerous storage vans, fuel tanks and assorted outer buildings which are scattered a few hundred metres up the peninsula. The capacity of the settlement is 43 and, after the current rotation, there will be 35 of us: 22 men and 13 women.

We made our way from fairly heavy pack ice, weaving through several building-sized icebergs to the pier. Captain Sanamo executed what I can only describe as one of the smoothest of parallel parking maneuvers, as we backed into the dock. With the lines secured, the transfer of personnel and gear began immediately. The Gould was scheduled to leave the following day at 4:00pm and several tons of material had to be rotated about the decks and on and off the pier. I stumbled off the gangway with my backpack and computer and could still feel the swell of the ocean in my legs, a good case of "dock rock." As Steve and Elissa "Missy" Mills greeted me to show me around and direct me to my quarters, a voice came over the Station public address system sounding much like the character, Radar O'Reilly, from the television show, M*A*S*H, "All personnel, all personnel, when it rains it pours... Four Twin Otters will be landing shortly with their crews." Apparently, the British Antarctic Survey group at Rothera Station, some 125 miles south, has been socked in by ice. The research vessel, the James Clark Ross, has been in a holding pattern for nearly three weeks. The plan is to fly science and support staff to Palmer and have the ship rendezvous here for transfer. The ship is due to arrive in the morning.

The Laurence M. Gould moored at the pier.

I dropped my gear off in the dormitory and immediately joined Steve, Andy Young and Ross Hein on a quick snow mobile excursion to the glacier behind the Station. The Twin Otters would land here, taxiing up hill. We were going up to give them a weather and visibility report and a heads up on the condition of the ice and snow. I had met Andy three years ago at McMurdo Station: he was the "guru" of snowmachines and is at Palmer in various capacities as a mechanic and member of the Search and Rescue (SAR) team. Ross is the boating coordinator. Atop the glacier, the view is spectacular and the silence is stunning: after two and half weeks of engines, bow thrusters and sonar, my ears are still ringing.

Carrie Thomas enjoys a moment of Palmer Station hospitality with Mark McClintic.

With a mixed weather forecast from the glacier one of the Twin Otters takes off from Rothera. The other three will follow later (the next day, as it turns out). In the meantime, hot trays of pizza were shuttled from the mess hall to the dormitory, were there is a lounge and bar. The party was a much needed letting off of steam: the beer flowed freely, people danced and bobbed in the hot tub until nearly 3:00am. I also met my roommates, Howie Tobin and Dean Pakulski.