Planes, Humvees and ATVs: Arctic Transport

Plant (algae and bacteria) growth caused by the previous year’s overflow from the waist water system.

Day 3 July 17th  This morning started with a big gift to me. The kitchen drains have been connected to the waste water system.

 I made bacon to go with everyone’s cereal or oatmeal. 

Then we had our first camp meeting. Anna-Lisa and Rob our going out of camp today on the ATVs which is called here a traverse. They will be looking for plant specimens to compare to similar plants that live in more hospitable climates.  Ben will be going with them because they are going on to Inuit land. John will be working on the water pump system. It is amazing a generator powers a pump at the water source 1500 feet from camp. The water is pumped  up hill to an on demand water heater which feeds into the kitchen and the shower house! I’m going to be trained how to check and adjust the system. Jesse and Mark are working on the ATV for a trip later this afternoon with Pascal. 

Pascal is getting ready to leave camp to go and pick up Moon 1 the other Humvee. It is parked on the cost of the island. When today’s plane comes in they will leave on it to the coast with 2 ATVs in the plane. Then they will drive back. The entire trip one way is 75 kilometers but could take as much as 4 days because of several stream/ river crossings.  On today’s plane will be 6 people including a documentary film maker  and an engineer from the Kennedy Space Center who will go on the trip to get the Humvee. Sara Thompson from NASA who will be setting up our internet. If you are reading this before Aug 7^th it worked!. Well it didn't work for several days as you know!

Cargo door to the Core

Sean who works for MDA and is designing robotic arms to reduce the amount of time an astronaut has to be in a space suit on the moon or Mars. Luis is a student who is doing research on the feasibility of putting an automated telescope on Devon Island and at Resolute Bay.  I’m informed only about 1/3 of the food I anticipated will be arriving today. I ask for powdered milk, the lettuce, margarine, eggs, and bread, some meat would be nice for the carnivores.
   

Lunch is veggies, tuna & crackers and left over soup.

I’m now the nutrition and survival expert at camp. Pascal is asking my advice on what food he should take on his traverse.  He’s taking a big thermos of my soup! And enough food for 6 days.

In preparation for the arrival of the plane everything to be taken to the Humvee sight has to be taken up the short “road” up to the airport. This keeps everyone busy. Also several ATVs with trailers need to come up there too to bring supplies down.

The food arrives; I have some bread but mostly hamburger buns. The margarine arrived and much to my dismay it is 1 20 pound container, the lettuce is already going bad, some chicken and ground beef arrives too. Frozen veggies and fruit are here too but NO milk or eggs.

This causes a bunch of confusion and concern because everything else has been put in a freezer till July 21--- Have we just froze 45 dozen eggs, 30 pounds of powdered milk and 10 boxes of cereal?

Dinner is a grand success: Dahl, rice with sage and rosemary seasoning, garlic fried tofu, spicy curry sauce.

My new title for this camp is Starvation Reduction Manager!

After dinner Kira and Mark help with dishes and I’m off for the night.  The kitchen is set up no more working till 11:00.  Sherlock Holmes is calling me Good night friends. Oh and Happy Birthday Ola.

Three days and I'm starting to get the hang of things!