| | | By the time I got there they had given up sending military to the DYE sites. 1974, winter, RCA had the contract to run the place.
The library didn't exist, nor were there TV shows from Canada on the DYE sites. No TV in Sondrestrom either, there were Mr. Ed reruns in a small room with cracked vinyl seating and maybe an old sofa. One Mr. Ed after another, but only certain times of the day. The one time i sat through a couple of those the room was empty.
On the DYE-site the holding tank for fuel is buried in the ice and it was part of my job to check the level once a month. To get there you first climb 10 feet of ladder up the outside of a pipe, then open the hatch and climb down the ladder inside the pipe, in the dark, in full arctic gear. I don't recall how deep. However, once down it's 32 degrees, absolutely tropical. There where multiple tunnels branching off, I suppose for water and waste. There was one tunnel that no one had been in, that hadn't been used, one of the perks (and there weren't many) was a one time look down that tunnel with the light switched on, the ice crystals where magnificent, sparkling diamonds, formed without being screwed up by the moisture in peoples breath. Only stayed a bit, gazing in for maybe 20 seconds then lights out and go, so as not to spoil it.
Checking the fuel level was done by sprinkling Comet cleanser on a wood pole stuck down a small hole. It was a long time ago. I was there voluntarily and left voluntarily, although getting off a DYE site in winter is not an easy proposition. Stories...The food was excellent. Drinks were cheap. JATO was cool. Mostly it sucked. |
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