A sudden rainstorm in Petra almost ruined our trench mapping

We were about 3 hours into mapping a new trench near the Treasury when the sky just opened up... it was a freak downpour for that area. Our paper field sketches were getting soaked, so I grabbed a clear plastic tarp from our gear and we all huddled under it, using our phones as lights to finish the notes. Has anyone else had to improvise like that in the field to save data?

3 comments

3 Comments

casey_anderson25d ago

That plastic tarp trick reminds me of my buddy's soggy cave survey.

mary_ross25d ago

My friend had his whole field notebook go for a swim in a river crossing. He ended up drying each page with a camp stove and a rock, said it looked like a weird art project.

dylan4133d ago

Petra's average annual rainfall is only about six inches. A sudden downpour there isn't really a freak event, it's just how arid zone hydrology works. You definitely handled it the right way with that quick tarp cover.