Howdy. I took a few pics today so I thought I’d post em. I also heard a story I thought was interesting. I heard someone talking about a near plane crash here earlier in the summer season so that made me curious. I asked her about it and she apparently does, or at least did work out at the airfield so I would think she would know what she’s talking about. I did find this story about it too, so I know it happened… http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=175300

Apparently a New Zealand Air Force 757 was bringing about 120 people down here. Somehow some sort of miscalculation or something happened, they got here and fog had moved in and totally obscured the runway. They didn’t have enough fuel to turn around or make it anywhere else.  So they circled for hours waiting and hoping the fog would clear but it didn’t. Eventually they had to just set it down or gravity was going to do it for em. I guess they got everyone totally geared up in their ECW in case they crashed and survived you wouldn’t want to be out in the elements without your gear on. They got everyone in those crash positions and the pilot brought it in.  Someone else told me they almost landed with the landing gear up, thinking it would be better to set it down on the planes belly, I guess. They had the mass casualty crew on standby and sent extra fire fighters and a bunch of medical supplies out to the airfield just in case.  In the end the pilot landed safely and everyone was ok.  They’ve decided not to bring passengers down on the 757’s anymore. That’s how I got back here after my R&R the last time I was here, no incidents, except that my window shade wouldn’t go up so I didn’t get to see the scenery very well.  Anyway, there is one coming tomorrow to pick people up but it’s coming empty, or maybe just filled with cargo.  I guess there were a few people here in town with family and friends on board, a couple of married couples too with one on the ground and the other in the air.  That must have been nerve racking as hell to know that person is circling overhead for hours with no way to safely land!  At least it all turned out ok in the end!

Lookie, my very first antenna install as a comms tech, woohooooooo(the one in the center of the shot, not that big ol’ mess). Ok, technically I wasn’t the one who originally installed it, but I did have to take it down to do stuff to it and put it back. I think it counts so I’m claiming it as my own…

While I was out working I saw a couple penguins down by the water but I didn’t have my camera on me.  I had to go back out there a little later so I took the camera but the penguins were gone and there were 5 or 6 seals there instead.  You can really see how much of the bank was undercut by that storm I mentioned in the other post too…

And you thought your electric bill was insane…

Here are a few pics of my room.  It’s actually the same room I had when I did the winter last time.  This dorm has been remodeled a bit so it does look a little different.  I’m the only one in the room so, yes, all that mess on all the beds is mine.  I’ll be rearranging it in the next week or so, maybe I’ll show you the new pad when it’s done.  Here is my post from the last time I was here to see what the room used to look like. http://rickieinantarctica.blogspot.com/2012/03/mtv-cribssss.html