EN 
DE 
Unusual locations happen from time to time for our drilling and sounding team and the surveyors involved. But one project this year was quite special, especially because of a rather adventurous journey to and from the site for equipment and personnel.
The announcement that the municipality of Helgoland had commissioned subsoil investigations on Germany's only high seas island at short notice caused quite a stir, and all the emergency forces in question declared themselves ready for the supposed adventure. However, the mission was to take place during the winter months and some preliminary organisational work was required.
Since no motor vehicles are allowed on Helgoland and there are accordingly no car ferries, it first had to be clarified how the drilling equipment could be transported to the site and back to the mainland together with the extracted sample material. This was only possible by shipping the drilling vehicle, a VW bus, as "freight" on the only regular weekly Helgoland freight service operated by Karl Meyer Reederei GmbH & Co. KG as "freight". After clarifying the shipping conditions and obtaining an exemption from the traffic ban on the island, the drilling date was now planned for 01 and 02 February.
As the handover to the freight company had to be completed by Monday morning, the journey from Hanover in the direction of Wischhafen had to take place on Sunday evening. After handing over the vehicle, the drilling team was then to take the plane from Cuxhaven to Helgoland and pick up their drilling vehicle there the next morning.
That was the plan ... but things usually turn out differently than you think. At short notice, the departure times were changed for corona reasons, then the afternoon flights were cancelled altogether and the staff had to change to the Cuxhaven - Helgoland boat connection. And that had consequences: Because of the stormy low pressure system that had passed through shortly before, the boat crossing was possible, but it was so "rocky" that everyone got seasick. Fortunately, there was another overnight stay before the drilling rig could be picked up the next morning and the work could begin. Of course, the weather was fine.
The actual drilling work took place at a total of two public places - one in the Oberland and one in the Unterland, and could be completed as planned in 1 ½ days. There was even the possibility of a short "touristic" round in the Oberland with a detour to the Vogelfelsen as well as to the Lange Anna, the actual landmark of Helgoland.
The return journey was again by ship, but at least for the staff it was much calmer and, since they had been forewarned, with the use of travel tablets. Only the VW bus cost another rear-view mirror when it was loaded back onto the mainland, and after that was repaired and the vehicle and its contents released by customs, everything could finally be collected again on Tuesday of the following week, the soil samples taken to the laboratory and finally a subsoil report written.
All in all, the effort was much higher than in normal drilling operations, but on Helgoland they are used to it and were very satisfied with the result.
#geology #engineering #whatwedo #mupgroup #engineeringforabettertomorrow