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DISPATCH 03: The attempted
move to camp: geckos, snakes and a first hominid
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We had to open
up the first aid box last night for some pain killer and
antihistamine cream at two in the morning as one of the team
had sleepily stepped on a scorpion while he went outside for
a pee. He made a terrible fuss for a grown man! Another
person was stung on his hand the following day while picking
up a box of something to take to the kitchen. Meanwhile we
also observed a little known harmless snake called a Smiths
Racer, hunt down and catch a gecko which promptly dropped
its tail. The Racer swallowed the tail whole while the pale
gecko sat and watched it disappear.
A ground reconnaissance was done to locate suitable campsite
from which the area called 117 can be most efficiently
worked. Drinking water will still be brought in on trucks or
cars from the Koobi Fora base camp and washing water will be
carried by car from the lake in drums. All of our water supply will be a precious commodity and closely monitored.
In a camp of 35 people we expect to use approximately 200
plus litres of drinking water a day and possible 2 drums a
day for washing dishes and personal use for the entire team.
We have got two new tyres for the truck coming north in
another vehicle which should arrive by the weekend in time
to get the truck back out again to Nairobi for additional
fuel supplies. Fuel, water, tent poles, tents and food
supplies were loaded into the truck in preparation for
departure to the field camp. Unfortunately lessons were not
learnt last year and the truck got well and truly stuck in
exactly the same place. Most of the team spent a full day
extracting it, delaying departure by a day. Hopefully this
will be the last time they use that track again! It should
take a couple of days to get everything in place in the camp
and for work to begin in what will hopefully be an exciting
fossil area.
Meanwhile one of the volunteer students managed to find his
first hominid fossil, and the first of the season- a partial
mandible minus teeth. What excitement and made a long day
well worthwhile. Well done Justin!
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