2 December, 1997

Hi Everyone,

I'll try this a base camp and see how it goes. The computer is not very good. --- A real day again. Started early (5:00 am) when I awoke and cleaned up my room for departure. I had an appointment to meet Lisa ( the McMurdo) computer operator) for breakfast at 5:30 Am. We wanted to be sure that everything was working for the Cee-U-Cee me session that was scvheduled for 7:00. I also had a Helo departure for 10:00 and I took all my gear to the Helo pad to be weighed and checked in before breakfast. It took quite a while for Lisa and I to get everything checked out, set up and ready. Everything worked but the video feed from Montezuma. Had lots of questions from many Monte students and and also non-monte students. It was fun and exciting for me to hear from the students. I had barely left the computer center when I got a call that said our departure was moved up an hour and could I get to the pad immediately. I raced to the pad and weighed in and took off.The other passenger was a reporten from SCIENCE magazine who ws going to our camp as part of his Antarctic coverage. The Helo pilot took us out to the ice edge and I saw my first penguin. Mater of fact hundreds of them all over the ice edge. They were hunting fish and the Killer Whales (Orkas) were hunting them. There were dozens of whales after the birds. Saw blood on the ice but don't know if that was where a whale was successful or whear a seal had birthed her pup. On arriving at Lake Hoare, we found Paula , the camp manager, sick with the flu. Hope I don't get it. At lake Hoare the temperature was belowing freezing and the streams were not runnijng at all. Keith surveyed several streams with me holding the measuring rod.After that, Rich,the reporter and I , took a long walk to examine the camp. Returned to help fix a good supper. Keith and I will travel to Lake Bonnie tomorrow and hope for warmer weather. Things going well, I'mOK see ya