The stubborn storm and our involuntary extended stay at Wasa, meant that we had time for a proper closing of the station. The closing procedure is basically the reverse of the start-up procedure – there is a checklist to follow and we just do it the other way around. The challenge is to make room for everything and at the same time make it logical for those who will open the station next time.
The last few days have passed slowly, we switched to low-power mode and just waited out the storm. When the winds were at their strongest, the anemometer almost broke down and we had to take it inside. Then it sounded as if the storm got even stronger, but we don't really know the exact wind speed.
The field team once sent us a message along the way to their new camp site. The way to Heimefrontfjella and the depot at Steinnabben went really fast thanks to the good weather. They refueled there, hooked on the trailer and started the snowmobiles...
Still happy from yesterday's the field trip to Svea. After just a few hours of sleep we put the work clothes on and its time to prepare and pack for the next field trip.
Before the others had time to wake up all rolled all of the house elf (Pär, Stefan and Karin) down the hill in the blue cars and we set out on this trip to Svea. This was the most practical solution, this way the field team have the time to focus on planning for the next trip and take the opportunity to rest a little.
After sometime Consideration, we came to the decision to make a trip to our second research station Svea. The aim was to deploy a depot with two scooters, fuel and a car trailer for the next field expedition. We hope that this will give the scientist a better possibility to get to where they want.
The days have continued in the same spirit at the station. In the kitchen we have produced lunchboxes for future expeditions. In the yard we have parked the MARA-hut on its new location behind the generator container and secured it with wires. The sun is warm during the days and it makes the gas work quite well, therefore we will postpone the gas installation in the hut until it gets colder.
Lights in the dashboard of the tracked vehicle 15 are on. They indicate That it hasent been to the workshop for a while. The handbook says "if a fault occurs, repair it". We literally follow that advice. Errors occur and we fix. Continuously.
I dag började arbetsdagen med att byta flaggstångslinor. De fyra flaggstängerna har blivit gamla blivit slitna av väder och vind. Även linorna har blivit utmattade och börjat slacka, och därmed även börjat smattra mer och mer. Något man visst bara lägger märke till när man krupit ner under täcket och det är tyst i huset. Men att då tassa ut i pyjamasen för att spänna upp linorna igen är inte något som frestat, istället har man satt i öronproppar och lagt kudden över huvudet. Men så igår kväll blev de ihågkomna när vi ännu ytterkläderna var på.
And now we are only three person left. Again. We have just sent off the team with all researchers and and four of our logicians. The alarm clock rang at four forty and at six we had freshly baked bread for them to bring as lunch packages. The last tour was mainly a test to get the chance to get to know the cars, camping gear, research equipment and communication equipment. But this field expedition will be a bigger one.
