Relief

This is the picture we should be seeing today? Only this picture of the James Clarke Ross was taken last year

Today just happened to be my day off, which would have been perfect for me to get involved with relief by organising all the food coming off the JCR and directing it into the bays and shelves already prepared for the new stock.
Unfortunately due to high winds the ship is on the other side of Jenny Island waiting for calmer conditions in order to dock at the wharf, at the moment we are all standing by to stand by. I must admit i am enjoying a day off, but it looks as though when it does eventually get in quite a few people will be working through the night. In this case all vehicle operators, crane handlers, boatmen and cargo teams have been told to take this time off to get some rest.
It doesn't look as though any food will be coming off today, so we have to go to plan B where Rob will do my shift in the kitchen tomorrow to allow me to do relief and give Rob the Friday off. We do however, have the Dash 7 flying in from Punta Arenas with 5 more passengers on board and 600kg of freshies. But again due to the high winds the Dash arrival is estimated to be at around 9:30pm

It appears forces are against this ship getting in to Rothera, which needs to happen any time soon and not only for the food. I am also waiting for my p-box which was packed back in June with personal stuff ready for my winter, this was then shipped on the JCR and left the UK in August.
I am fast running out of essentials and I am down to the last squeeze of toothpaste!
At least the sea ice is going and the Elephant seals have started to arrive.

Ellie Seal enjoying a scratch

So while we wait to start relief, i thought I would share with you the making of salt from the water samples that the marine biologists collect from these Antarctic waters.

Lewis made a batch during his winter and we have been making it every so often.

First the water is collected by marine assistants

This is Saz our Marine Biologist out for a day

water sampling.

(Picture given by Saz)

This is a Niskin that the water is collected in.

Taken by a past marine assistant

It then gets filtered by a GFF Filter, analysed 

and the results turned into science data?

(Picture by Saz)

Saz brings approx 20 litres of filtered water to the 

kitchen

Lewis empties the water into a large pan during lunch

with Tom Doc and Ali looking on

A large lid goes on the pot, and it is sat on a low heat to reduce.

It is then left until there is virtually no water and then taken off the 

heat and scraped onto a tray to continue drying out.

Hey presto! Antarctic sea salt, 

20 litres of water produces 1kg of sea salt

 Put into a suitable jar and label accordingly,

Ryder Bay Sea Salt and it really tastes very good.