Harrison's Antarctica Flight Delayed

ONN's Meteorologist Harrison Hove is on his way to Antarctica.

Harrison applied for and received a grant from the National Science Foundation to travel to Antarctica to report on the several Ohioans doing research near the South Pole. Each day Hove will share his travels and projects that he and other Buckeyes are working on to ONN.

Here's the latest:

It was with great anticipation I gathered all my bags (after last night’s earthquake that was now revised up to 4.7 or 4.8). One bag contained all my clothing, another carried my tripod, and the last bag housed my camera.  The hotel shuttled the six people staying at my hotel that were supposed to be on the same flight. There are two journalists, one media officer, one science teacher, one man in the US Military, and another gentleman working on the satellites and meteorology/space study. 

Once we got to the Antarctic terminal, everyone took their bags inside. We had to designate a boomerang bag. This is the only bag you will get back out of the cargo hold if the flight must turn around or is cancelled. I designated my bag with all my clothes and toiletries my boomerang bag. They allowed me to break the rules and carry on my television camera and laptop computer.

After tagging our bags and selecting our carry on bag, we had to collect our cold weather clothing. I was not too keen about putting them on right away since it was about 70 in Christchurch so I held off as long as possible.  You must lug your bags into the actual screening area. Your bags are sniffed for explosives and drugs. The New Zealand customs then asks you to have a seat once you are given a boarding card.  You must watch a safety video about rules and procedures. Once that video is over a customs official ran through additional announcements. 

They made us change into our boots and pull big red out of the bag.  We gave out boarding cards up and were handed ear plugs for the flight.  At this point each person must walk through security.  There was a diverse group of people ranging from New Zealand military, some Aussies, US civilians like me, and plenty of government contractors.  Once you clear security each individual must hop on the bus that will transport you to the tarmac.

I had my television camera and lap top, plus cold weather clothing, in my arms.  I felt so bad for the girl I sat next to.  I just threw all my stuff onto her and me.  She laughed and said she felt she had to introduce herself now.  We exchanged names and asked her where she was from.  This goes to illustrate how small the world was.  She grew up in Columbus, Ohio.  OH-IO is everywhere!  We had a great laugh and marveled at the coincidence. 

Once the bus pulled up to the tarmac, next to the plane, we were immediately greeted with bad news. A new weather forecast had been issued for McMurdo Station. Fog was supposed to roll in and lower visibility a lot.  Our flight was cancelled since there is no alternate landing site and they will not take a chance.  They took us back to the terminal, gave us our boomerang bag, and sent us back to the hotel.  I think I finally laid down at 3:30am local time.  We were then told we would try again tonight at 9pm local time.