Whilst by no means the reason we're going, the team thought it would be a wasted opportunity if there was something small but worthwhile that needed doing on the bottom of the world that didn't get done because we didn't ask. So we asked.
After the word was spread around academia a bit, Wim, at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, got back to us and asked if we would be able to replace their wind speed and direction sensor on AWS13 at the Pole of Inaccessibility. The sensor and tools (most of which we'd be carrying anyway) weigh about 2kg at most, and the idea of having an actual purpose at the POI was really tempting, so we agreed without hesitation.
On the 21st November, whilst having a team training weekend staying at Si's place in the Netherlands, we went over to the University to meet up with Wim, and have a play with his equipment. Over a coffee in his office - a magical place of soldering irons, wiring, bits of electronics, machinery and computers - he described in his encouragingly laid back way the set up of the equipment at the POI. The mast is mounted in the ice, with a control box just on or below the surface, and a deep core of batteries going down 10m with a temperature sensor on the bottom. The top part is approx 6m high, but is telescopic and can be lowered to about 2.5m, and is anchored by 4 guy wires. Our job is to lower the telescopic mast, climb up and replace the anemometer and its cable, and then re-raise and anchor the mast. Simple!
Wim seems to have confidence in us, and after Mike's furious and detailed note taking on the November weekend, we're confident we won't let him down.
