Winter is not so clear-cut here as it is with the other stations who have only one day and one night per year. Here, since we're above the Antarctic circle, we still have days and nights, but our daytime is getting down to around 3 hours per day and I don't feel as if I've seen the sun in weeks.
Also, we currently have what we are calling "pancake ice" (big, round, flat, snow-covered pieces congealing together) in Hero Inlet and Arthur Harbor. They are just waiting for an easterly wind to blow them away, but until then, the seals get to enjoy hanging out on their favorite ice float and this makes boating almost impossible as a test yesterday proved.
Besides crazy ice, we've also had some high winds and surge over this past weekend that did a number on our boats. One boat in particular, Boat 99, got free when it's 2 stern lines and 1 bow line snapped, and it ended up taking a little vacation, carried away by surge and tide, into the inlet. Luckily, it was found, but it came back pretty deflated and the divers had to go on a recovery mission to get the one of the motors that had broken off and fallen to the bottom of the sea.
Regardless of the difficulties that can occur with winter, the fireplace beckons during these Antarctic nights, while it's dark and snowing outside. Then, time for bed and dreams of the day when I can ski the glacier now that there is snow...hopefully Sunday.
99 is like the little boat that could.
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