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Vicki Wilkinson Baker and penguins in Antarctica - Source: ONE News -
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They always say mother nature rules down here. And she's not to be messed with.
Before the Erebus guests arrived, we were all peering out windows checking the weather. The forecast was promising; partly cloudy, unrestricted visibility which is important if you're landing a plane on an ice runway with winds 10-15 knots and about -7 degrees. That's pretty good.
The "partly cloudy" part was Mt Erebus. All morning we watched and there was no sign of the mountain.
The Airforce 757 left Christchurch at 9am carrying 104 special guests. And around lunchtime it reached what is called the "point of safe return". That's the time when the flight crew look at all the available weather data, and decide whether it's safe to continue flying south to the Antarctic or whether to turn back.
There's a sigh of relief when word filters round Scott Base that they're still heading our way. There's been a huge amount of organising to make this trip happen. Antarctica New Zealand, Air New Zealand, the Airforce, our government as well as the Americans down here on the Ice. They had to provide transport because Scott Base doesn't have enough vehicles, and they'd have to help provide emergency accommodation if the weather changed and the flight couldn't get out.
Around the middle of the day we also got word of another forecast saying things were looking even more promising weather-wise.
There was a breeze blowing across the new memorial site. There was still no sign of the mountain. It was chilly for those looking into the wind and the older folk in the front row had rugs to keep them warm. The mood was sombre. So many people in one place, remembering so many lost. So many years of grief and sadness etched on their faces. I wonder how many times over the years they had wished their loved ones hadn't got on the plane that morning. A trip of a lifetime that ended in death.
As the service comes to an end, there's an announcement. Another forecast has come through, this one predicting fog for around 8pm, the exact time the 757 was due to leave.
They've only been at Scott Base for about half an hour or so and already Mother Nature start is wielding her power. The visit is cut short. A quick look around Scott Base, some afternoon tea and by five o'clock they're getting ready for the long drive back out to the ice runway.
They're always having to change plans down here because of the weather. It's just the way it is. The plane left safely. They wanted to be two hours north by the time the fog rolled in.
But the funny thing was, the fog never came. Well not around here anyway. At 8.20 when a few of us were quietly relaxing in the Scott Base bar, we watched the American's C-17 take off in the distance. That's odd we said, "what happened to the fog?".
She's fickle, mother nature.
This morning a glorious Antarctic day and Mt Erebus is back on show.
Read more Vicki Wilkinson-Baker commentary here.
Comment on Vicki Wilkinson-Baker's blog below.
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