Light relief

Well, just after my last post, the RRS James Clark Ross appeared on the horizon bravely pushing her way through the sea ice. She arrived on Saturday afternoon, watched eagererly by pretty much everyone on base, and since then things have been a turmoil of new arrivals, cargo unloading and long nights in a new bar trying a novel drink called lager beer.

For some reason I'm not allowed to drive a JCB, and so was spared the 6am starts that the wharf team have had for the past few days, but I have done a fair amount of lumping around seemingly inexhaustable food supplies for the relief effort. Down in the lab it's been like Christmas as we unwrap crates of the kind of useful little bits and pieces (like magnetic flea removers) that scientists get excited about: hopefully my kit will turn up soon and I will be able to actually start work!

Today the ship departed again, seranaded by the base plumber spanna on the saxophone as she pulled away from the wharf. It was fun being back on the JCR, and having some new faces to talk to, but I must admit to looking forward to a few quiet days of base life before facing Christmas at Rothera.

As ever, hope you are all well and would love to hear from you,

R x