Camp Life

Our camp here consists of two Jamesways (oval canvas structures like you see in the movie M*A*S*H) connected by a plywood hallway. The kitchen and common area are in one Jamesway, our sleeping quarters are in the other, and our computers that we write to you on are in the hallway. For power, we have a diesel generator that we can use if need be. With the 23 hours of daylight here all of our power needs have been met with a single solar pod consisting of 3 panels. In the kitchen we have a propane stove with an oven, and a sink that drains into a bucket. Our heat is from diesel generated Preway stoves.

To obtain water to wash our hands and dishes, we chip sea ice into large 6 gallon kettles and melt the ice on the Preway. At least once a day we then fill a large cooler with the water that sits above a sink which is our hand washing station. To wash dishes, we take water from the Preway (which is hopefully warm) and put it into a wash tub and rinse tub in a separate sink. Both these sinks drain into buckets that are poured into a 55 gallon grey water drum when they become full. Our drinking water is separate and it was hauled over by the helicopters in 5 gallon jugs that we then pour through a Katadyn filter daily.

Now, I must talk a little about using the restroom. Let's just say-the men have it easy. We have a bathroom that consists of a piece of plywood with a hole cut out of it. On top of the hole is a foam seat (insulated, but it isn't warm) and below the hole is a box lined with 2 plastic bags inside a burlap sack for structural purposes. There is also a urinal that consists of a metal trough that flows into a tube that leads outside to the U-barrel (urine barrel). Everything that is solid goes into the box. Everything that is liquid goes into the metal trough. Because the metal trough is at waist level (I wonder who built this place?) the women have to urinate into a bottle and then pour it down the trough. The most important task in all of this however, is checking the level of the U-barrel and the box. These are not delicate tasks and the contents of these vessels should never be left to accumulate for too long for it might become dangerous or at least a little stinky.

To move over the ice and to haul heavy items we use a Polaris six wheeler and a skidoo towing sledges. To haul relatively light things, or when someone else is using the motorized vehicles, we haul things with a sledge by hand. The ice is quite slippery this year so we all wear cramp-on stabilizers that fasten to our boots for traction. Often, many various pieces of machinery (dive compressor, Hotsy for melting holes, generator to run the Hotsy, Ecodrill, Jiffy drill, skidoos, Polaris, and chainsaw to name a few) need refueling during the day. To do this, we siphon gas or diesel out of 55 gallon drums using a Hurdy-Gurdy (fancy siphoning mechanism). (ed note: not to be confused with the French musical instrument of the same name, sometimes known as a vielle).

	Dan refueling the Hotsy with a Hurdy-Gurdy

For the past three days, most of our days have been passed chainsawing, shoveling, and dipping the 12 dive holes that the blasters have blasted. Today, Craig, Dan and myself headed out to Cape Bernacchi towing a sledge with a skidoo to break out holes and erect a Scott tent while the rest of the gang prepared for the first dive since we have been here.

Stacy and Jonna in their dive gear being chauffeured by Jim to their dive site on the Polaris.

Craig lounging in the sledge while Dan prepares the skidoo for travel. Craig rode the way out this way and said it was quite comfortable.	My view of Craig in the sledge from the back of the skidoo.

Once at Cape Bernacchi, we were pleasantly surprised to find the holes in great shape and we were able to saw them out and dip them in less than an hour. We erected the Scott tent that we will soon use to don our dive gear.

	Dan trying out Craig's method of travel on the way back from Cape Bernacchi with the Scott tent in the background.

When we got back to camp, we found out that Stacy and Jonna's dive didn't go as well as planned as Stacy's mask completely froze up. After lunch, we all headed back out to saw, shovel, and dip more holes. Only 4 more to go! After a hole has been sawed open, we lift all the large blocks out with ice tongs. Then we shovel and dip the hole clean which is back breaking work!

The hole before we shovel and dip it clean.	Dan lifts a mini ice berg out of the holes.

Stacy and Jonna pose with their tools in front of the icy hole while they still have energy.	A while later Stacy and Jonna collapsed from exhaustion.

We finished the remaining holes and then Stacy and Dan prepared for a dive to try to finish what they left off earlier that day. Jim and I tended and the dive was a success with 15 samples for us to sieve after dinner. We ate, filled tanks, re-fueled various machines, sieved the samples, and then we all collapsed from exhaustion after a hard days work!

The view from one of our dive sites