Preparing for the next Stop: Law Dome
After a week-long weather hold at Mirny station, we finally seized our opportunity to move eastward. Our destination, Law Dome cache, held crucial fuel and supplies necessary for the continuation of our journey. However, this section of Antarctica quickly demonstrated why it hosts fewer research stations than other regions.
The coastal weather proved particularly challenging, with forecasting difficulties that became evident during our approach to Law Dome. Our helicopters, first to depart, encountered low clouds and strong winds that made landing impossible. A quick decision to divert to Casey skiway proved fortunate—the alternate location offered better conditions, sitting above the cloud layer and sheltered from Law Dome’s intense winds.
Despite the initial setback, we maintained our momentum. After just one night at Casey, we identified a brief weather window the following morning. Acting swiftly, we successfully reached our fuel cache, completed the resupply operation, and continued our journey eastward. This experience reinforces the unpredictable nature of Antarctic operations and the importance of maintaining flexible contingency plans.
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Happy New Year!
This is the last video edit of our experienced pilots Stephane, Bouba and Brad, featuring the fantastic Antarctic landscapes captured from the aerial view on the Airbus AS350 B3 helicopters.