Antarctica 2019-2020
Sunday, 23 February 2020
Sunday, 30 December 2018
Antarctica 2018-2019
Capetown for the Gateway to Antarctica
Long street in Capetown
The V&A waterfront tin Capetown. Weather as per usual this time of year, hot.
First Class tickets to Antarctica. Flight time 6 hours to the Russian station.
Antarctica again. Was last here 9 months ago. Where does the time go?
Our accommodation at OASIS, the Russian main station until we can get a feeder flight to the German station Neumayer. At the moment the weather is not great so it might be a while.
A few interest things to see and do though
A day visit to the Indian station MAITRI about a 5 km walk from OASIS across snow and rocks.
The hot room (Banya/sauna) with a nice cold tub for the second stage. Shame it was about 100 degrees when we entered.
Our onward flight to Neumayer (2-3 hours) with 9 winterers on the Basler.
Neumayer III
The daily weather ballon from the top of the building.
The atmospheric research platform 'SPUZO'
Penguin research on the ice
Tuesday, 26 December 2017
Halley 2017-2018
Still in Cambridge. Flight from Cambridge to the Falkland Islands on the 4th December 2017 delayed and then cancelled due to bad weather. The next flight is 4 days later. Keeping my fingers crossed. Finally a flight to the Falklands via Cape Verde.
A 7 hour flight to Cape Verde with a 2 hour stop over. Temperature in the high 20s. It definitely beats the cage in the Ascension island.
The Air tanker
Setting sail from Mare harbour after an 11 hour flight from cape verde. No time in the Falklands this time but looks like the sun is shining at the moment.
First sign of sea ice on the way to Signy and the temperatures drop.
Signy research station in the background.
A young elephant seal enjoying the warmth of the midday sun.
The Ernest Shackleton docked in the middle of the bay
South Georgia and KEP (King Edward Point) station
The old whaling station of KEP
Drake passage crossing much easier than other times. Only small swells and few big waves.
The start of the sea ice. Hardly any around at the moment and not really causing any slowdown of the Ernest Shackleton as it moves through.
Some science on the sea ice. Snow samples for isotope analysis back in Cambridge and some radar work for comparison with the satellite.
The Brunt ice shelf and a small colony of penguins. No chicks though.
A small Emperor penguin colony at creek 8. A small window of time to get off the ship and stretch the legs.
Start of a 3 day relief (24 hour shifts)
Summer BBQ |
Halley VI |
Neumayer station |
accommodation in the caboose |
atmospheric platform- Spuzo |
Penguin trip |
Station vehicles |
Polarstern relief |
life on base |
EDEN project for life on Mars |
Plant growth |
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