ITP 79 Deployment operations

As in recent deployments, a full day was needed to ferry the deployment gear from MIZ ice camp C3 to C4, but the instruments were left behind in Sachs Harbour to stay warm. Using the Borek Twin Otter, the crew left after breakfast and made two total trips between the two camps. After the first leg, the plane had to take on fuel at C3.

The following day after breakfast, the crew and deployment team headed to the airport and loaded the profiler on the Borek Otter and headed directly to C4 to begin the deployment. The weather was clear, sunny and extremely cold, averaging -30°F with a slight breeze. Because of the cold temperatures, extra care was taken to warm the winch using the salamander heater as well as using the battery booster to start the hydraulic power pack. This had to be run for at least 30 minutes to ensure the mechanicals were ready for the day.

Once ITP79 was deployed, everything that was left on the ice was loaded in the Otter and brought back to Sachs to be downcruised. Now that the deployments were finished and successful, everything had to be dried and packed away for the shipment to Woods Hole, MA.

After making the first trip to C4 from C3, the Otter needed to take on fuel. The fuel is cached at the different camp sites throughout the project to ensure all aircraft are well equipped (Photo by John Kemp).

The Wave Buoy and Ice Mass Balance Buoy staged next to the helicopter at C4. The helicopter was used to bring the buoys to many different deployment sites adjacent to the ITP sites.

The deployment gear loaded in the Otter which was picked up at C3 and was brought to C4 the day before deployment.