Snow like wet cement

And the other thing about the first of March is that the avalanche warning siren will go off at midday, as does on the first of every month. I always forget and it always makes me jump. And then I always wonder what you are supposed to do when it goes off for real. Where would you run to and how would you know which direction it was coming from? I'm looking forward already to wondering that again on the first of April, unless I have been better informed about avalanche procedure in the meantime.

Avalanche risk 2 here these days - it was up to category 4 in January at times (max is 5). Apparently things get rather exciting at level 5, roads are closed, villages evacuated. We have had a few really warm days recently, the last two days it has been raining and I haven't been out of the house at all apart from the dawn trip to the boulangerie. Today was dry so thought I ought to have a little ski again to keep my hand in. Also thought it would be a good experience for me to find out what it was like skiing in really wet old snow! Well, it's very hard! and hurts alot when you fall over. I fell three times, silly falls, just catching edges, the ridges of snow so dense and unforgiving. Also very poor contrast so totally unable to see where the lumps and bumps of carved up piste were. It's great being able to ski over to the piste from the chalet, but not so easy coming back because the last section of piste that you come down is a steep (well I think so!) narrow run, that has been carved out into a kind of half pipe by everybody turning. And today it was carnage! bodies all over the place, heaps of snow and people everywhere, it took me such a frustratingly long time to get down the last short section because I didn't dare turn that I came off the piste a bit higher up than usual, and then found I couldn't turn at all in the deep snow off piste. So I sat down a few times (unintentionally), skis came off a few times, and then I gave up and walked down the last 100m - sinking in up to mid-thigh at every step. Wish I felt I was getting a bit better at this lark, but it still feels nearly as difficult and scary as it did a month ago. That's not true of course, I am getting better, but not nearly fast enough. 

Oh well, quick shower, back to work now. Just remembered that the crew at Port Lockroy are leaving today! locking up, end of another season. I think none of them are particularly looking forward to coming home. They have been much more diligent than we were about updating the official UKAHT blog - there is a link on the right here. Sounds like they have had a lot of fun - and with an extra member of staff and fewer visitors they must have had a bit more leisure too!