I left for my morning run and could only see a few hundred yards ahead of me with the morning mist. However, looking up it thinned and some of the mountains were lit by early morning sunlight. When I got around to Grytviken I wished I had had my camera as the wrecks were just appearing out of the mist and the sight was surreal. By the time I turned around at the hydro plant the wind had started to thin out the mist and move it offshore the cove became clear quickly. I was soon able to see the waterfall next to Shackletons grave which I could hear as it was in full flow with all the rain. The giant petrels were trying to take off looking like large overloaded airplanes eventually becoming airborne. I ran the last section fast to grab my camera as the ground fog was clinging to the slopes of Duse, Bore Valley and Gull Lake. The mist was coming back in as the wind switched direction so I took the above picture.

These are pictures taken by Katie which I am in – bit of a photo diary because I have been a bit lazy with my blog of late!

Painting team this last weekend at the hut it started to rain so we wrapped the recently painted area in a tarp!

View from the stern of the jet boats to Grytviken (the boats can go 30 knots).

The fisheries patrol vessel leaving with the old winterers shrouded in orange smoke flares. Just before christmas.

Aboard the cruise ship we got hurriedly taken off of when the wind came up.

Tommy Katie and I went for a great walk from base to pinnacle pass than traversed round to echo pass it was a beautiful day for it.

Most of the base went to help Alastair weighing seal pups.

Sam, Katie and myself sorted out the years worth of food in the freezer (-20) in a way that means you can see what is there and not freeze trying to find it!

Picture by Katie Brigden
Today at 6pm we gathered around the flag pole and raised a new South Georgia flag in honor of Possession Day. On this day in 1775 Captain Cook took possession of South Georgia for the crown. This is marked by a reception by the Commissioner of the Territory (the Govenor of South Georgia) at Government House Stanley. It is meant to be a holiday however, we all worked as per usual – science and painting must go on!

Matt and I spent the morning grinding old paint off the fuel store (one section of it) and getting a coat of paint on before the rain started.

I helped Tommy do the weekly fire alarm test and mocked up a rat box of which I have to make 20 for a project. We will attempt to catch 20 rats for scientists to look at their genetic make up. This will mean after the eradication if rats appear again they will know if they were reintroduced or from the old population. After work despite the constant drizzle Rob and I ran up to Deadmans in the mist.

Photo by Katie Brigden
Title is two fold. My blog software is not allowing me to load up pictures so I leave it to Matt the other boating officer to tell you about today.

http://southgeorgiajournal.blogspot.com/2011/01/return-of-jcr.html

Also seeing as he is duty boatman this weekend I am not working and he was 🙂 that however, leaves me with lots of navy guys next weekend as I am duty boat and will have to shuttle them back and forth to shore.

Instead I went for my normal daily 20 minute run, followed by the gym and then went with Martin up Duse from base to the top in 45minutes. This is the fastest I have done it in and back to base for an hour and 10 minute round trip. I am enjoying feeling fitter with my weekly exercise schedule of
five x 20 minute morning runs
five x gym sessions lifting weights and doing core exercises
six x evening sessions of 40-90 minute hill runs or 4.5 hour hill walks with weights in my rucksack

I must admit to feeling a bit sore this afternoon. So I helped Tommy in the kitchen and made a plethora of desserts to use up the freshies that were going bad from the World. We have melon sorbet, pear tart, flourless chocolate cake and banana bread. I also made a split pea and leek soup using the pork stock from last week.

It hasn’t rained much today which has been really nice but it is gusting 55 knots and averaging in the low 20’s.

Also exciting news is that my parents are coming to visit on a cruise ship the Plancius on the 11th February. Last night the ship was in so we went aboard for dinner and drinks and I was able to chat to the crew that will be on when my parents are guests. Hopewfully they will be well looked after.

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Today The World came to visit http://www.aboardtheworld.com/ and we went aboard for drinks and to answer questions on what we did on South Georgia. As a gift they gave us lots of freshies including – Grapes, melons, pineapples etc. it is christmas all over again! Also today after taking the government officer Pat aboard a south afican research ship we started on our Maiviken hut renovations. Alastair, Rob, Tommy and myself loaded up with tools and paint and went over to the hut but with rain we weren’t able to paint the hut. Instead we took apart some old science equipment and also helped out with some seal research for Alastair. We also measured up for some new siding for the hut as what is on there is rotten and will do another trip next weekend maybe weather permitting with the new siding which I shall pre cut and paint on base before we lug it 7 km to the hut. Hope you all have a great weekend.

Last night we were aboard a cruise ship enjoying a BBQ is pleasant slightly chilly conditions. Just at the end when everyone was going to the presentation room to listen to Alastair and Katie’s science talk it suddenly turned very warm. Just as Alastair was doing his last slide the captain came in and said they were dragging anchor and we needed to be taken ashore straight away so he could get out of KEC. It was blowing quite a bit but everything happened without a hitch. The screenshot above shows the temperature graph over the last 24 hours showing our massive jump to 22C it is the same temperature inside as out and on my morning run I was sweating in board shorts and a t-shirt!

So how is this Foehn wind created?

It is a very dry down slope contour hugging wind occuring in the lee of a mountain range creating a large rise in temperature.

From wikipedia…
It is a rain shadow wind that results from the subsequent adiabatic warming of air that has dropped most of its moisture on windward slopes (see orographic lift). As a consequence of the different adiabatic lapse rates of moist and dry air, the air on the leeward slopes becomes warmer than equivalent elevations on the windward slopes. Winds of this type are called “snow-eaters” for their ability to make snow melt or sublimate rapidly. This snow-removing ability is caused not only by warmer temperatures, but also the low relative humidity of the air mass having been stripped of moisture by orographic precipitation coming over the mountain(s).

From coolantarctica.com
As the warm (relatively to the ice and rock) wind blows across the land, it causes snow and ice to sublime. That is to turn directly from a solid to a gas without passing through a liquid phase, so causing the cloud layer that can be seen – the same thing may happen when you open the door to your freezer and “smoke” comes out. The overall effect as seen from a distance is that the land is covered by a very large duvet. The gross contours can be seen through the cloud layer, but all of the finer detail is obscured.

Received from an “Antarctic met man”:
The Föhn effect is dominated by “blocking”. Wind, approaching a ridge, will either go up and over the ridge (normal) or come to a stop and then flow round the sides. South Georgia often experiences this latter.

Which of the two (up and over or round the sides) depends on the temperature gradient (stability), and wind speed, (Web search Froude number for more technical description). If it’s stable, the air at the ground is cold and “heavy” and wont flow up and over the top, it goes round the side. BUT, the air at the top of the ridge and just above the ridge, flows over and then down. Air aloft is already warm (because its stable, cold at the bottom), it then descends and gets even warmer and dryer …a Föhn. South Georgia has these often. If the air is just between the flow round the sides (Froude > 1) of up and over (Froude < 1 ) you get waves, which make the lenticular clouds. I suspect we will be hearing the ice cliffs on the local glaciers collapsing and have an increase in bergy bits as a result of this large increase in temperature. Looking out my window now there are lots of beautiful lenticulars clouds as well as foehn wind clouds. Northanger the yacht that left yesterday evening came back in late last night and anchored in the cove as the conditions with the Foehn wind were not pleasant.

Mum and Dad asked for a picture of my view from my window. So here you are….

Pat has lived and worked in South Georgia at Grytviken for 18 years with his wife Sarah. They live in Carse House the new schedule is 8 months on station 4 months away. When they first moved here they lived with the military in the barracks and ate in the mess. As the government officer Pat greets all the visitors to South Georgia – private and charter yachts, cruise ships and fishing vessels. His duties include those of Harbour Master, Customs and Immigration Officer, Fisheries Officer and Tourism manager. He is guaranteed to always have a smile on his face and is a great person to have around. If you have a question about South Georgia he can answer it or will know someone with the answer.

His christmas poem that he read on christmas eve is below!

T’was the night before Christmas in Everson House
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse
and certainly not an earwig or rat:
biosecurity makes sure of that.
The stockings weren’t hung by the mantel with care,
they were still in a heap in the laundry, where
their owner was grinning in anticipation
not of plum pudding, but washing machine vibration.

From the bar came the sounds of glasses a-clinking
and laughter and chatter while all were a-drinking.
When out from the kitchen came the clatter of plates
and ‘Time Gentlemen Please’ from the person on lates.
Timely prevention of next day’s sore heads
as everyone left and went off to their beds.
Except one, who decided to stay at her post
fortified maybe by whisky and toast
so she cut a bread slice and in the toaster popped it
went off for a refill and promptly forgot it.
Luckily nobody came to much harm
for the dining room has an efficient alarm.
While we stood by the comms tower, cursing black bread,
A mysterious aircraft passed low overhead
with jingling bells and antlers and hooves
that splattered and clattered on the Grytviken roofs
T’was the morning of Christmas on Wanderer III
And the deck was as wet as it was in the sea
for incontinent reindeer had stood there all night
when the chimney flue exit had got rather tight
for Saint Nicholas making his evening delivery
who had sat by the woodstove, all wet, cold and shivery
He had slipped down the chimney after not many tries
but, oh dear, found a tray of Ashley’s mince pies
which he polished off quickly, washed down with spiced rum
which expanded his already rather large tum.
So his only exit was by the front door,
delayed by the captain – “Go on, just one more!”

On the day after Christmas, the Museum shop
needs a jolly good sweep, and the loos need a mop.
The shopkeeper’s busy re-stocking the shelves
for the next round of cruise ships, with no help from the elves,
who, next door in the villa, are baking more biscuits
(the tin’s looking empty so better not risk it)
and drinking some tea, and then a few beers.

What a good idea.
Merry Christmas
Cheers

Some translations
Everson House – Our accomodation building
Earwig – biggest biosecurity concern should they come in from the Falklands
Washing machine vibration – when someone puts their laundry on the whole building shakes like we are having an earthquake!
Lates – evening shift you do once a week from 7pm to 1am basically making sure the base is all secure for the night and people are capable of looking after themselves or are back from Grytviken
Wanderer III – the ‘resident’ yacht – Thies and Kikki have been here for two winters and three summers so far based over at Grytviken

This morning I woke up at 3:50am and looked out the window to see a beautiful sky over Mount Hodges. It also had a light dusting of snow from overnight.

Today Tommy, Katie and I did a 10km + circuit from base up to Gull Lake and then to Pinnacle Pass. It is quite a steep slope and there are still a few small snow banks. From Pinnacle Pass you can see down Cumberland Bay west to the glacier which has retreated dramatically over the last 15 years. The valley that you then descend into from Pinnacle Pass is Spaghnum Valley. We didn’t descent the whole way instead we traveresed around the base of an unnamed mountain to the bottom of Echo Pass as Tommy had seen a waterfall when we last hiked to Echo that he wanted to stop at. Unfortunately with no more snow melting the waterfall has dried up. So instead we finished the circuit back to base by coming back into Junction Valley from Echo Pass. For only a short period it got a little chilly otherwise it was a stunning sunny South Georgia day.

There has been a blond male juvenile fur seal along the track the last few days. These two have climbed quite high in the tussock above the track which is a little disconcerting as we are used to looking for them along the sides of the track especially the water side not up high on the other side of the track.

After getting back to base it was time for a drink on the veranda watching the King penguins and then I moved ‘house’ as there was a room available on the water side of base so I have taken ownership of that for the rest of my time here. A little more sorting to do and I will be fully moved in with a beautiful view from my window across Cumberland Bay East to the Greene and Barff Peninsulas.