25 November, 1997

Hi Everyone,

Once again not a fun-filled exciting day. Awoke to a dusting of snow and a raw-cold wind. We were leaving the big Lake Hoare camp (11 people) and heading to the Lake Fryxell camp. Just the three of us, Kathy, Keith and myself. The weather person told us that the Helos were still going to fly and to be ready at 11:00. One more time, breaking camp, packing your personal gear, and packing your science equipment and getting everything to the helo pad, weighting the packs down with the readly available rocks and then straining your ears to hear the motors. A helo landing is exciting. The piolts rarely stop the blades and dust is flying in all directions. Today 2 people were getting off and the three of us were boarding. That is really confusing, they trying to get their equipment off and we putting ours on in as fast a time as possible. All the equipment starts out in a neatly inventoried pile and ends up jamed every where you can find a spot in the machine. Took the short 15 minute ride to Lake Fryxell and arrived to a very small base camp. Really just a small hut and an outhouse. Luckly someone had left one tent up so we only had to pitch two more. One more time and that is it I'm going to comment about setting up a tent on permafrost. Lots of pounding and lots of rocks needed. By this time the wind was bad, some other group had taken the snowmobile that was supposed to be here and there little we could do except check the one stream within walking distance. At that stream I did see my first Antarctic life form other than a skua bird eating from the McMurdo garbage can. There was some green algae growing along the stream side. Later, Pete,

from the other G.P.S. group returned with the snowmobile. It was late and he decided to stay here with us. We were to tired to pitch another tent and Pete just crowded into my tent. Not a real productive day - oh well, the supper was good. I'm fine, doing OK. See ya