Some days just have a will of their own. Our “cursed 13th flight” had kept us on our toes for a while: repeatedly scheduling it, replanning, then shoving it back in the drawer — and yet: team spirit stayed unbroken. We spent the evening at Mary Ann’s with delicious Thai food. Eight teams battled in an epic foosball tournament, and the decision was as close as it was exciting: Uni Leipzig and AWI took the win. Gooooal!
When the next day was canceled again for weather and flight reasons, we made good use of the time: students from UNIS came to our hangar. The tour through Polar 5 was a highlight for many — no wonder, that beautiful plane is simply magnetic. Over coffee, cake and waffles we exchanged experiences, told stories, and in the end our guests left with big, wide smiles. Mission “spread good vibes” accomplished.
And then — drumroll — finally: yesterday the cursed 13 could be flown! Joy everywhere, Polar 5 back in the air, and a bit of work routine returned for us. Early in the morning we headed toward Kongsfjord by Ny-Ålesund: the goal was to map the spatial variability of the clouds. Several cross-sections perpendicular to the fjord helped us test our models. Two-layer clouds with tops at about 1000 m and 2300 m, wave-like structures — observed from the aircraft and from the radar in Ny-Ålesund, and best of all: our models had predicted that pretty well. Scientist’s heart, what more could you ask for?
On the ground the next flights were still planned down to the minute — even with alternative options ready until the last moment. All the more painful was the news the next morning: no flight. Not because the weather was entirely against us — rather the crew wasn’t fit. And you can’t force that. Mika is heartbroken and stands sadly beside Polar 5, which glints mystically in the fog. We can’t blame him.
But whining doesn’t help — we stay creative. Four new, brave Mermaids received their certificates — with pride, respect and a big round of applause. Congratulations!
And most importantly: we keep planning. Until the end. Every option is pulled, strategies refined, ideas forged — so we’re ready as soon as the crew is fit. Optimism remains our fuel. Chakka!