One down, two to go

We finally got out today! The weather was gorgeous for a change. You can see the blue sky behind the picture to the left when we arrived. If it stays like this for four days or so I think we have a chance. We managed to remove all the external support hardware (flight train, termination packages, solar panels, the 600 pound power and communications module behemoth) and grab the science data box today. We are poised to begin breaking into the instrument proper. The parachute was not even visible after 10 days in the snow, so we left it behind. It would have been very difficult to excavate it. As it was, I spent most of the morning digging under the instrument to access the power disconnects to make the instrument safe to disassemble. I had to laugh that the engineers put quick disconnects on all the panels except the one that had to be accessed during recovery, and the fate that put that panel in the snow. We don't want to get shocked accidentally when cutting a wire. The access panel landed downwards in the snow, and the few snowstorms and wondstorms we have had since the instrument landed piled up a heap against the power module. I had plenty of practice digging at snow school so felt really prepared.

We left some of our tools and gear at the site since the plane was completely full. Everything is strapped down in case of a storm. You can see that the external stuff is gone.

So when will I be done? Let's do the math: today was Tuesday. Tomorrow we are back to backup status, so won't fly, most likely. Suppose Thursday we were primary, and then either Friday or Saturday. Then we would have the instrument all back, could pack it Sunday and Monday, and make the Feb 5 plane to Christchurch. But that scenario assumes we get our flights - and even more importantly this year in particular - the weather holds. Sunday is a no-fly day. If we flew on Monday we could stay up all night Monday night to finish packing but we would be dead on our feet. Worth it to me, I guess, since the Feb 8 plane is full, and the next one is Feb 11.