Entries For: December 2008
2008-12-31
How not to become a “crevasse bait”
Our lead dog Lasse is pushing the crevasse radar ahead with its long snout. I am sitting in the cab 6 meters behind the antenna, reading the screen in real-time to spot reasons for alarm. Mostly it shows nothing but horizontal layers in the snow, and the show gets tedious in a matter of minutes. But today I was in for more excitement. read more...
2008-12-30
Sastrugi Land
Went skiing this morning. I woke to a stunning sight: half the sky was displaying 15 values of aqua blue and the other half was a dark stormy ominous blue-gray. read more...
2008-12-29
Back on track
It was the best of sites…it was the worst of sites. Looking past the obstacles of Site 2 (the lost firn augur and the very very short first flight of the UAV), the team completed its scientific work yesterday and began rolling towards the next science stop. read more...
2008-12-28
First science stop
We rolled inn to our first science stop on December 26 and had much to do. Several ice cores were supposed to be drilled and a flight by the UAV was planned. Snow pits were to be dug and samples taken and later shipped all around the world to different locations for different scientific investigations. read more...
2008-12-24
White Christmas down south
This must be the ultimate white Christmas! Bing Crosby was dreaming about a ”White Christmas”, but we have no needs for dreaming. We are right here in the middle of it. read more...
2008-12-23
All points north
This morning, the Norway-USA Scientific Traverse of East Antarctica left Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station on the next leg of our journey, heading due north to Troll Station. read more...
2008-12-22
Midsummer at midday
Today it's midsummer at the South Pole. This date is also the middle of a very long day. read more...
2008-12-21
The Pirate Map
Getting ready to go is all about planning, knowing what goes where and "the Pirate Map" of what went where!! read more...
2008-12-20
Pack it up, pack it in!
Let it begin! Another concerted effort today to get the train packed up. We will have an open house this evening for our fellow residents of the South Pole, and so we are also trying to clean up a little bit. read more...
2008-12-18
All systems go
We accomplished a second radar test with all five radar systems running simultaneously, just a few miles away from South Pole. read more...
2008-12-17
A big brother
The McMurdo –South Pole Cargo Traverse arrived today, and it is an entirely different class of traverse: gigantic sleds, and huge prime movers as if from the days of Soviet collective agriculture. read more...
2008-12-16
Testing, Testing....
The big story today was the radar test this afternoon. Those of you who have explored our website may have noticed that we have a number of radar experiments this year, using five different radars. read more...
2008-12-14
97 years since Amundsen
Today it's 97 years since Roald Amundsen, Olav Bjaaland, Oscar Wisting, Sverre Hassel and Helmer Hanssen arrived at the South Pole as the first humans ever. A few things have changed since then. read more...
2008-12-13
Busy Times At South Pole Station
Our first full day at South Pole Station was rather hectic, as progress was made on a number of fronts simultaneously. The most important change was to the composition of our team. read more...
2008-12-11
South Pole!
This afternoon, the Norwegian-American Scientific Traverse of East Antarctica pulled into Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. Our arrival marks one of the major milestones of this project; signaling the end of the outward journey, and marks the beginning of the return to Troll Station. read more...
2008-12-10
If you're not the lead dog, the view never changes
The last few days have been a flurry of activity for the Camp Winter crew. We successfully finished our repairs, dissassembled the workshop tent, and packed Camp Winter to travel. After a celebratory photo, we aimed our vehicles south toward the Pole. read more...
2008-12-09
Team 2 - Ready to go
Team 2 has been busy the past few days in McMurdo. Instruments have been checked, cases packed, extra food and clothing put into the cargo system; and we are even engaged in rigorous training for the grueling mission ahead – skiing and sauna-ing relentlessly. read more...
2008-12-06
Wrapping up at Camp Winter
Today and yesterday we have been trying to get everything finished up here at Camp Winter, and are preparing to travel. The big events of the last few days have been the completion of repairs on the vehicles. read more...
2008-12-04
Soon done at Camp Winter
Today real progress was made as Svein, Rune, and Kjetil brought in the last of the four vehicles, Jack, to be modified. read more...
2008-12-03
Scott Base
Just over the hill from McMurdo is a green oasis and a scientist’s delight, New Zealand’s Scott Base. We had the good fortune to be invited over for dinner and a tour of the facility. read more...
