Sunday 24th March 2013

I woke up this morning to an eighty knot blizzard. Last night was dead calm with a clear sky and you have to ask how did the old times deal with them if they didn’t know they were coming? I had a relaxed breakfast and coffee before kitting up to take on the blizzard to do the APANSA filter change. Preparation is critical as you don’t want any exposed skin and if you lost a glove or your goggles you would be in some serious trouble. It’s a bit like dressing up to go diving or into outer space. Out in a blizzard it’s so claustrophobic and such hard work moving around, the whole time you are straining and gasping for air, it’s really hard work and can be quite scary.

The view walking down to the APANSA building

Out I go and right away I feel a burning sensation on my forehead above my goggles where there must be some bare skin but there is nothing I can do about it now as I struggle to stand up grasping the bliz line tightly in my hand. The sheer force of Mother Nature was enjoyable as I struggled to make my way down to the APANSA building. Once inside the noise was deafening and the building was shaking threatening to tear away from its foundations. Every now and then there was a loud bang which I think was just a rapid change in air pressure or maybe it was a penguin?



The view out the window of the APANSA building

After the filter change I went down to the transmitter building where I was sure I was safe as it has stood there for over fifty years. But then again I guess it has to blow away some day? I spent a really enjoyable day talking on the radio to stations all around the world while the blizzard raged on outside. At one point the window on the back of the building smashed for some reason, but lucky they are double glazed. I have to fill the front window with silastic as some bliz was coming in and the room was freezing even with the heater going under my table.

The view out the window of the transmitter building

I down loaded a couple of software programs before heading back to the red shed for something to eat around six o’clock. By this stage the blizzard had moderated to around fifty knots and it was a pleasurable walk back to the red shed without having to hold the bliz lines to save your arse from blowing away. I cooked up a couple of toasties and had dinner with Luc before writing up my Blog notes over a couple of king browns.

The view walking back to the red shed for dinner