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Surviving resupply
Davis 14 December 2001
Polar Bird at the Davis ice edge November 2001. Photograph by M. Tell
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Well, we survived resupply from the Polar Bird, and now Davis Station is a hive of activity with lots of new faces and plenty of fresh supplies to put away. All over the station there has been unpacking and reorganising. The Green Store that had so much empty space a week ago is now full again.
Quads under snow. Photograph by M. Tell
 | We've had two blizzards in a week, most unusual weather for the Riviera of the South. Davis is now white with snow again, in contrast to the rocky scene of just a week ago.
The first blizzard, late last week, blew out some of the fast ice, providing good hard ice to drive across to the ship, and an ice edge close enough to Davis for the fuel hose to reach the station.
Refuelling December 2001. Photograph by M. Tell
 | During the hectic resupply activity, several field training parties comprising scientists bound for Mawson, as well as those for Davis, were out and about. Struggling back inside in the wind, one of them unknowingly pushed an ice axe into a break glass alarm, giving us our first summer fire muster!
The leopard seal researchers also made good use of the helicopters to begin their work, as did the glaciologists who flew their gear up to their new home above Trajer Ridge.
Emperor penguin on parade. Photograph by M. Tell
 | For those on the ship who could not spare the time for a station visit, entertainment in the form of a penguin parade was arranged at the ship itself. It featured an endless stream of Adelies, and for one entire day, starred a single majestic emperor penguins, that must now be Antarctica's most photographed bird.
Although head winds, ice, and finally a blizzard, had delayed Polar Bird's arrival at Davis by six days, the full resupply operation took a day less than planned and the ship wasted no time in getting away.
The Polar Bird headed towards Sansom Island, where it was to be joined in a few days by the Davis helicopters to deploy the AMISOR and Beaver Lake field parties to their field camps.
After the ship left, the weather began to improve at Davis as the wind dropped below gale force, and the sun appeared. Field training parties and scientists readied themselves to go out into the field, and the helicopters prepared to fly south to liaise with Polar Bird again. But as always, everything depends on the weather....
Redeploying AMISOR expeditioners from Sansom Island during the 2000-2001 season. Photograph by B. Galbraith
 | As luck would have it, the ship arrived at Sansom island, but bad weather returned, making it impossible to deploy the field parties. After five days of enforced inactivity, the ship dropped all 16 expeditioners with their gear and fuel supplies at the Russian base of Druhznaya, and sailed on to Mawson.
Although a window in the blizzard conditions has enabled the helicopters to fly out to Sansom Island, a full week of clear weather is needed to transport all expeditioners and equipment to their camps. The forecast is not promising, as deteriorating conditions are likely in the next few days. Other field programs also have calls on helicopter support, and there is concern that some aspects of the helicopter program may be in jeopardy.
Head Office at Kingston is in satellite contact with the field parties, which are using the time to undertake further field training.
Note: Story based on an account by Jeremy Smith, Station Leader, Davis 2001.
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