October 18, 1975: Saturday

Weighed all the stuff that goes onto the helo Tuesday. Pry bars, winch, tripod, food, etc. Spent the morning and afternoon finishing the Cape Armitage thin sections or reading Antarctic geology papers.

Bio-Mike and I went over to the Chalet to give Emmett an order. Dave hassled me about being in his office.

“I’m with him.”

“Do you have to come into my office to do it?”

I shrugged, looked at him peculiarly, and by that time Mike and I were gone. Mike told me not to worry about Dave. I don’t.

We walked over to the ET shop to fix a Vortex Genie test-tube stirrer. What a bunch of technicians. “Ah, let’s see this thing.” “Hmmm, touch the wires here.” Hissss. Short circuit and no lights. “Go fix the breaker.” “Where is it?” It took them twenty minutes to figure out the crankshaft needed oiling.

We think S*A*R*P will be a big hit, with all sorts of weird people, including our token Russian defective, reading Playboy, drinking Wild Turkey, and listening to golden oldies on his tape player.

Nartsiss asked Al to translate for him. But Al doesn’t understand me, either. I guess I don’t speak English.

Met Carl, a geology GFA from Montana. Short, dark haired, looks oriental, but who knows. He’s a good kid. But another graduate in a GFA position, while I’m a scientist. Doesn’t seem fair.

Doug gave me a tour of CosRay, along with Gary, a biomed GFA. He’s tall, blond, with a juttly jaw.

CosRay is a neat place with a good deal of complicated recording equipment clacking away every two minutes. Doug did a real good job of explaining things. I almost understood what was going on. It’s a real nice place out there. Doug and I could get along all right. He needs some more indoctrination into my type of insanity (which is the only way to remain sane).

We stopped by Sattrack and looked around. Doug convinced me he wasn’t a data gatherer, but I’m not so sure Sattrack is scientifically important. Met Bruce’s replacement, a Tex-an, with ah real ac-cent. Name ah Mike Haga’. Plays the ‘lectric geetar. A shy, southe’n look with long blond country boy locks.

I’m not sure about him yet. Bruce got a message saying he was relieved one morning and his relief arrived at noon.

Cincinnati won 6-2.

Found both of my other Bic black pens.

A plane today but no mail. Expected one from Joy. I’ll have to write to her, and Marilyn, and Ann (and Anne?).

I saw some kaersutite under the microscope. It’s a red amphibole that forms in the rocks here-abouts. Cal found a very good crystal of it over behind Sattrack. Also discovered what trachytic texture is, and why the rocks are called trachytes, not phonolites.