Today was the final push to get packed for the field. Everything is packed, weighed, labeled, and at the Helo pad (helicopter hanger) for our flight tomorrow! Phew! The flight manifest for tomorrow…
What's big, grey, and graceful? Weddell Seals! We saw many today! This morning, Maciej and I (remember Annika was at Happy Camper School - more on that below!) went to the dive locker to partake in…
"Today" is the last day of the season that the sun will actually set! The next sunset won't happen until February 20, 2009! Get out the sunscreen! I am amazed at how quickly the sun is moving higher…
Packing, training, packing, training.... Being a researcher in Antarctica requires a fair amount of effort! It truly is amazing how much effort goes into getting the data for the research being done…
The first thing we noticed when we walked out of the dorm today was how warm it was! It's a balmy 1°F! Compared to the -8°F (with wind chills up to -30°F) it feels downright warm! But, some sort of…
We are already in an extreme environment, and we are working our way towards being able to enter into an even more remote area. People here want to be as sure as possible that we are well trained to…
Getting ready for fieldwork can be a bit daunting! The logistics of getting everything organized, packing equipment, weighing equipment for the helicopters, gathering food for a month or two in the…
We have actually arrived in Antarctica a day ahead of schedule; I wonder how often that happens! Our flight to Antarctica was originally scheduled for Friday (that's Thursday east coast time!), but…
What a journey! I left New Hampshire at 11:00 am on Monday the 13th of October, and arrived in New Zealand at 9:00 am on Wednesday the 15th of October! Crossing over the International Date Line…
As another field season gets underway, I wanted to take a moment and thank the folks that have made this all possible. First, I would like to thank Dr. Peter Doran; it is an honor to be part of your…
Now for the "logistics"! Divers need to maintain "neutral buoyancy" while in the water. This means that they can "hover" at any desired depth; neither rising nor sinking except for the slight rise…
There are two basic types of diving suits used to help SCUBA divers stay warm: wet suits, and dry suits. They function quite differently, and each has benefits. When using a wet suit, as the diver…