Back on The Ice


In the News

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/space_20/2014/12/antarctica_lake_whillans_drilling_project_life_could_exist_on_europa_and.single.html


R & R

 

 

 

 

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This season I was lucky enough to have a several week gap in between our two projects and was able to spend some time in New Zealand with Becky on the North Island in between my two contracts.  The first project was called SIMPLE (see the following link for information on the project)

http://schmidt.eas.gatech.edu/simple/

I am currently in Christchurch, New Zealand waiting to fly south for part two of the 2014-2015 season and the conclusion of the WISSARD hot water drilling (see http://www.wissard.org for updates on this season’s work).

 

 

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South African Air L-100

 

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Glow Worm Caves

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Penguins, Robots, Glaciers, Octopus and Seals

Imatge of an Octopus taken by the ROV SCINI

Imatge of an Octopus taken by the ROV SCINI

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Annotation,088--2014_11_11_-_18_49_48.180_UTC_UTC

 

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Images taken by Stacy Kim while on a science dive (SCUBA) under the ice.

Images taken by Stacy Kim while on a science dive (SCUBA) under the ice.

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The start of hole #1

The start of hole #1

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This may or may not be a bathroom.

This may or may not be a bathroom.

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SCINI-One of the ROVs that is being sent down the holes that we are drilling.

SCINI-One of the ROVs that is being sent down the holes that we are drilling.

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Apparently Pringles are a fire hazard.

Apparently Pringles are a fire hazard.

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A plane that went down in the 70's at Pegasus Airfield

A plane that went down in the 70’s at Pegasus Airfield

SCINI Pilots

SCINI Pilots

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Footage from SCINI underneath the ice shelf

Footage from SCINI underneath the ice shelf

Cape Royds Penguin Colony

Cape Royds Penguin Colony

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A weather station outside  Shackleton's Hut

A weather station outside Shackleton’s Hut

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Shackleton's Hut

Shackleton’s Hut

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Volcanic black sand beach

Volcanic black sand beach

Seal Tracks

Seal Tracks

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This is actually a mummified seal.  I thought it was a piece of wood at first.

This is actually a mummified seal. I thought it was a piece of wood at first.

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Barnes Glacier

Barnes Glacier

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FAA jet inspecting the ice runway.

FAA jet inspecting the ice runway.

Mt Erebus

Mt Erebus

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Hiking up to Arrival Heights

Hiking up to Arrival Heights

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Seal Pup

Seal Pup

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We finally got our Generator back today and have power.

We finally got our Generator back today and have power.

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Digging out drill camp.  We have finally gotten a break in the weather (rumor has it that there is another storm due in tonight at midnight).

Digging out drill camp. We have finally gotten a break in the weather (rumor has it that there is another storm due in tonight at midnight).

The wood dump.  Another place we occasionally go dumpster diving.

The wood dump. Another place we occasionally go dumpster diving.

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I walked home with this cardboard robot from the Halloween party...His name is Awesome-O (its a South Park robot)

I walked home with this cardboard robot from the Halloween party…His name is Awesome-O (its a South Park robot)

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McMurdo's fleet of snowmobiles

McMurdo’s fleet of snowmobiles

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This is either a mass spectrometer or a time machine.  Either way its pretty impressive.  Also noteworthy; its made in Massachusetts.

This is either a mass spectrometer or a time machine. Either way its pretty impressive. Also noteworthy; its made in Massachusetts.

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Trans Antarctic Mountains

Trans Antarctic Mountains

"Highway 1"-also the hallway to the galley

“Highway 1”-also the hallway to the galley

I hang my coat on the same hook everyday.  There are usually a lot more coats than this in the coat room.

I hang my coat on the same hook everyday. There are usually a lot more coats than this in the coat room.

Stairs up to the galley

Stairs up to the galley

I wash my hands in one of these two about 90 times per month to keep from getting the "crud" (sickness).

I wash my hands in one of these two about 90 times per month to keep from getting the “crud” (sickness).

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This is what my nephew Parker would look like in Antarctica

This is what my nephew Parker would look like in Antarctica

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The Return of the Sun

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After 5 days of storms the sun has returned.  We have yet to complete a full day of outdoor work due to weather.  Hopefully tomorrow we can get outside all day.

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Fighting the Weather

 

 

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We have had unseasonably poor weather, even for Antarctica this year.  Since the 18th we haven’t had good enough weather to do much more than shovel out all of our drifted equipment.  Above is a picture in town in Condition 1 weather.

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Drifts covering our drill sled.

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Even more drifts to shovel

Even more drifts to shovel

More drifts to shovel

More drifts to shovel

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Inside the Arctic Oven

Inside the Arctic Oven

Towing our truck back to town.

Towing our truck back to town.

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Out the Window

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Part of coming to Antarctica every season is taking safety and training classes…lots of them.  The Cold Weather survival course is taught by some pretty experienced mountaineers.  Many of them guide on Denali in the off season.

 

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Snowmobile training class

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These used to be seals

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Antarctic Dinosaurs

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