Palmer Station SitRep for Period Ending 07 Feb 79

1. Fuel Consumption: 1466 /Tank one 78,971/Tank two 118,080/Total DFM on hand (less day tanks) 197,033/Day tanks 6,000.
2. Station population 27/Hero 12
3. Power Readings: High 109.9 KVA/Low 52.8 KVA/ Avg 85.6 KVA.
4. Weather: High temp 3C(2,3,7)/Low temp -2C(4,5,6)/Avg temp 1C/High pressure .99.0 MB (4)/ Low pressure 955.0 MB (7) / Avg pressure 982.3 MB/peak wind 13 m/s at 50 deg (7)/ Avg wind 4 m/s prevailing wind dir 50 deg/avg cld cvr 9/10 nmbr of clear days 0/ nmbr prtly cldy days 2.55/ nmber cldy days 4.45 / nmbr days visibility less then 400 mtrs 0.
5. The USGS Polar Star arrived at Palmer on Wednesday 7 Feb. Dr. Edward Todd, Division Director of DPP, NSF was on board and spent the day touring the station and R/V Hero. Cold and windy weather prevailed the entire time Polar Star was at Palmer. Plans for a Zodiac Trip to Old Palmer and SSSI at Litchfield Island with Dr. Todd were cancelled when the contractor representative group go soaked just Zodiacing ashore from the ship. The near gale-force winds churned up whitecaps in Arthur Harbor and made exhausting work of the loading of cargo to and from Polar Star. LCVPS from the ship were used to shuttle cargo. The Polar Star limited its visit to eight hours. Twelve Palmer science and support personnel embarked early Wednesday evening for the trip to Ushualia. The berthing crunch is over till next season; Jerry Kiewatt moved out of the dispensary and Dick Wolak said goodbye to the X-Ray room while Pete Harding was evicted from the sauna.
   Dr. David Murrish Explained his research on the physiology of heat transfer at the Saturday night science lecture followed by Dr. John Edwards calling to order the second consultative meeting of the East Patagonia Bird and Bug Hunting club. Tuesday night two science lectures were combined with a station going away party. Dr. Joe Warburton presented a condensation of his radar and lidar programs and Dr. John Edwards Discussed his group’s work with Belgica Antarctica. Buzz Betzel presented Stephen Brand with first prize of two cases of beer for his naming of the two structures behind the biolab building which will be known as K.A.R.L. I & II (Krill Aquarium Research Lab).
   On Monday 5 Feb Hero took a day cruise to the nest west side of Anvers Island with Dr. Parmelee and an ornithology group.
   Retrograde cargo was staged in front of the Biolab building for Polar Star. The remaining Hero resupply was moved from the old helo pad to the area in front of the boat shop to facilitate provisioning of the ship. Barrel docks were constructed just uphill from the bulk tanks for mogas and alcohol and drum stock was sorted and marked. The stack of assorted drums beside the upper jamesway has disappeared thanks to AGS Yelcho. The view uphill to the glacier is much improved.
   One of the outrigger footpads on the Galion crane broke off at the balljoint, but this is not a debilitating injury and a jury rig will suffice until resupply. A clogged nozzle in one of the oil furnaces in the GWR building produced a cloud of sooty black smoke for about ten minutes on Sunday afternoon. It provided a realistic fire drill and it was encouraging to see how quickly the alarm was responded to.
   Hero sure looks small alongside Polar Star.
   Regards, Konecki