Coolest Night Ever?

Ok, so maybe that title is a bit dramatic, but this one will be at the top of the list for a very long time. So a few posts ago I put up my little tribute to one of my heros, Sir Ed. Tonight I got invited over to New Zealand's Scott Base, which, as I have mentioned before, is just over the hill from us here in McMurdo. The dinner was so that New Zealand's Minister of Foriegn Affairs, Rt. Hon. Winston Peters (pictured to the left) could present a plaque to be hung at Scott Base commemorating the incredible efforts on a project that I have actually worked on called ANDRILL. It was a total surprise to me that I got to go, but even with just a few minutes to get ready and go over there, this was a chance of chances!

So we got to Scott Base, met many of the ANZ and NSF higer ups, had some hors d'ouvrs (is that how you spell horse doovers?) and then heard from a few of the ANDRILL higher ups talk about the project. Then the Minister unveiled the plaque, everyone clapped and the announcement that dinner would be served immediately was made.

So during dinner, the head of Scott Base stands up and introduces some more people, and several of them gave short speeches about Sir Ed and what he meant to the program, NZ, and themselves. It was awesome! They also had pictures of Sir Ed from his last trip to the Ice just one year ago. I was secretly hoping that he'd make yet another surprise last visit to Antarctica this season and I could actually get to meet him, but that will forever remain a wish!

Regardless, it was an incredible night!

I took some pics so I'll post those as soon as I can, but all my stuff is packed as I leave for the South Pole in about 9.5 hours from now. So, I'll be out of contact for a day or so until I get settled in down there and the satellites come up. I hear they're up from about 4 am until about 8 am, so I'll be on delayed contact until I return to McMurdo, but I should still be able to to email back and forth.

Wish me luck!

Next New Cool Project!

Well, since I got my promotion, I probably will be too wrapped up in the South Pole Station to get to work on this, but if things hadn't changed, one of my next projects would have been to work on the next generation Polar Resarch Vessel. This BBC article shows some really good detail! What a cool project it would be. Oh well, mine's colder! Ha ha ha.

First Steps in Antarctica

So I know I've been promising to add a video, so here it finally is! This is the movie I shot with my new camera as I stepped off the C-17 and onto the McMurdo Ice Shelf for the first time.

It's not the greatest footage, and I don't have a video editor so you'll have to look sideways, but at least you all get to see what I saw just the way I saw it, and for the first time!!! It's kinda like baby's first steps! Only a lot colder! ha ha ha. So enjoy! More to come....

A BIG Thank You!

So all the pictures, and the movies that will be up shortly, have come from my new camera. It's a Casio Exilim EXZ1200 and I spent about 18 hours researching cameras before I came down here and this is the one that I settled on after several high recommendations from various camera shops.

It was recommended for its ability to operate in low temps, it is very compact and built for rugged durability, it has really good zoom for its size and at 12.1 MP, it was the highest resolution I can find for under $800, and this little beauty was less than half that! It has a bunch of other features that are great, but in general it was the resolution, price and apparent solid construction that sold me. If any of you are in the market, I highly reccommend this one, as you can see, it take great pics.

Now, why on earth am I going on about my camera. Well, it's to make up for the fact that I have not been able to send a thank you to my benefactor on this purchase. I'm not going to name the person as I know they value thier privacy, but I think it's only fair that they get recognition for such a fantastic gift. So Thank You very much to that person!!!

Australia Day

10:35 Saturady, 26 JAN 08:
Tomorrow, Sunday 27 January, is Australia Day! I know the 'Dogs back home are having a grand old time at the pub and having a kick in the snow with OzDenver. Wish I could be there with ya!

Here, not so much. But I plan to have a kick tomorrow, my first here in Antarctica, but not my last .... :D

To learn more about Australia Day, click on the header above or goto:

Australia Day's official website!

Thanks for the pic, Mel!

FW: WAIS Ice Coring Results

So this is the project I was out in the field at. I believe this picture was taken while I was out there and Reb is from Boulder, as were several others out there. It's a lot more interesting when you actually get to meet some of the people involved in the science!

__________________________________________________

From: National Science Foundation Update <nsf-update@nsf.gov>
Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2008 15:33:31 -0600 (CST)
Subject: New Antarctic Ice Core to Provide Clearest Climate Record Yet
New Antarctic Ice Core to Provide Clearest Climate Record Yet
Scientists on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet have closed out the inaugural season of an unprecedented, multiyear effort to retrieve the largest, most detailed record of greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere over the last 100,000 years.
After three weeks of round-the-clock drilling for the National Science Foundation's (NSF) West Antarctic Ice Sheet Divide (WAIS Divide) Ice Core Project--730 miles north of the South Pole, with summer waning and temperatures ...

More at http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=111000&org=NSF&from=news

This is an NSF News item.

NZ Flight 901 - Crashed in '79

So as a comment on the Ob Hill Hike, my good mate Mick sent me the following comments:

Trivia Time (lets hope I get this factually correct:). Re: Mt Erebus in your photos - Air New Zealand sightseeing passenger aircraft Flight 901 crashed on it's slopes in 1979 killing all 257 aboard. Recently deceased Sir Edmund Hillary RIP (of Mt Everest fame) was supposed to be aboard, but cancelled at the last minute. His best friend took his seat instead....

Cheers, Mick! This tragedy lives in the lore of Antarctica and is still talked about today. Although most of the bodies were recovered and ID'd, some 44 could not be and a memorial cross stands above NZ Scott Base. Researchers and guides that visit Erebus often apparently can still pick out the spot of the crash during the summer when the ice and snow subside some. For more info, click on the title above or go to:

http://library.christchurch.org.nz/kids/nzdisasters/erebus.asp

Ob Hill Hike

So I know I promised pictuers, so here's a couple for ya. I'm trying to figure out where I can post all of them so you can all see the entire lot, but until then, here's a few.
The first one is the whole hill from the bottme where we started, the next is a zoom of the summit where we were headed, the third is me standing at the highest point of the summit.


The cross in the background is a memorial to Scott's party who all perished on the 1912 return trip from the South Pole to Ross Island / McMurdo Sound.


Its an amazing view up there and for the most part not nearly as windy as the rest of the area, which suprised me, but maybe nature is just honoring the memorial, too!



From the peak, we could see into some open water in the ice surrounding Ross Island. There in and around the edges were finally my first WILDLIFE!!! We could see what were sure were two penguins off in the distance, and lots of seals, and, wait.... yes! A whale breached and blew its spout!


Unfortunately, I was too slow to capture the whales on film, so I'll have to find someone's pics and steal them to show you, I'll post when I do.
From the top of Ob Hill we could also see Mt Erebus, the most southerly active volcano in the world, and it's just at the other end of Ross Island from McMurdo and Scott bases! Don't worry, Mom, were too far away to be in any danger here and this volcano is monitored as much if not more than any other in the world!


The left pic is Erebus in the distance, the right pic is the top where you can just make out some steam venting from the top! It's a pretty amazing site to see a volcano covered in snow and steaming!!!

Ok, well, I didn't realize how much effort multimedia blogging was and its getting to be bed time down here. So I'll post up some more tomorrow or Thursday!

Rough day(s)!

2131 Tuesday, 22 JAN 08:

So, a lot of things have happened in the last few days, but don't worry, I'm fine! Some of them more important than others, but all have struck me!



The first and probably the one with the most impact is the passing of a man, a true hero, a legend, an explorer, but just a man, as he often claimed. Sir Ed.



Sir Edmund Hillary "knocked off" the assent of Mt. Everest in 1953, as the first westerner known to do so. In the same decade, he traversed Antarctica to the South Pole, in true "Kiwi style" "...crossing on a tractor" as NZ PM Helen Clark declared in her Eulogy at his funeral today.



He was the first to do it since Amundson and Scott in 1911-1912. This year (austral season) marked the 50th anniversary of Sir Ed's journey to the Pole, a year in which we just dedicated the new Amundson Scott South Pole Station and have our own South Pole Traverse underway. We had a memeorial service Sunday with the Kiwis from Scott base, which is just on the other side of Ross Island from McMurdo (I could walk there); and today we watched the services in NZ live.



Although we found out via email last Friday that Sir Ed had passed, it has taken a while for it to all sink in. He was the stuff legends are made of and I'm only too sad that, even though he visited McMurdo both of the last two season, I did not get the chance to meet him. Fewer men will be more sorely missed.







It almost seems trivial now, but yesterday I distincly remember feeling sad over the outcome of a football game!


If it weren't for Elway, my favorite QB would have to be Brett Favre. He's amazing and I'm very dissappointed, along with all of cheeseheaddom, that the Pack will not be the ones to knock off my second favorite team, the Patriots. I said before the beginning of this season, and I said it all along, but I guess I was wrong, this is not Brett's year.


SO, I'm starting the bandwagon today (aren't you proud Annie and Pat!), the 2008 season will have Favre and Packers winning the superbowl! Probably over the Colts, but I'd almost rather see the Broncos go, but I'd rather see the Colts lose!


So with that happy thought for the future, I'll conclude this distraction from my Antarctic journey.

Keeping up back home...

So I try to keep up somewhat with what's going on back home. Today I got an update from the Broncos and one of the headlines was that the DBC (Denver Broncos Cheerleaders - and no, I didn't make that one up myself!) are headed out to Kwaj (Kwajalein Island) in the south Pacific - click the title above to see their blog.

Now, not only does Raytheon have a long history out there working with the US military, but I have personal connections to Kwaj. My cubemate in Denver, Jeff, worked out there as did the parents of my former roomates' Jaime and Sara. J and Sara grew up there, at least attended high school anyway, so I've heard a lot about it, and actually wouldn't mind going there at some point! Anyway, I just thought it was funny how things are so connnected! Go Broncos! Oh wait, Go Packers, crap (sorry Sis!)! Go Patriots!

Hiking vs. Bloggin

So I know my plan for today was to get this blog updated, but, well, a hiking trip came up! There are three hikes that start right here in town that are really cool. Ob(servation) Hill, Hut Point and Roll Cage Mary, and Castlerock loop. Today I got to do Ob Hill for the first time and the attached link (hopefully) takes you all to the photos of the day, click on the title to see them.

First we walked through town to the base, the first few photos show me looking up at where we're going. On the way up we stopped and watched the ice breaker, Oden, in action. A couple more stops for photo ops on the way up and then we hit the top and WOW what an amazing view! Hope you enjoy the photos and I'll be updating more soon.

Today was Sunday here, our day off, so I decided to take it rather easy, basically I was lazy and slept in, had brunch, check some email and then took a nap after the hike and dinner, so I didn't get much else done! But what a fun day it was. Well, it's back to work in the morning, so I'm off to bed.

Home from WAIS...

2115, 19 JAN 08: So we made it home.  I'm exhausted.  And cold.  I had the (mis)fortune of experiencing (more like enduring) one of USAP's (United States Antarctic Program) most exclusive opportunities - a cold deck flight!  Since the primary point of science at WAIS is to bring ~5" ice cores going back almost 650,000 years in history all the way to NICL (National Ice Core Laboratory) in Denver, CO; they have to somehow keep the ice frozen all the way from West Antarctica to Denver!  So my plane ride home did not have the luxury of heat in the cargo hold!  Needless to say, we got back here to McMurdo tired, hungry and COLD!  At one point the temp reached NEGATIVE 20.1 Celsius (that's somewhere just below zero F)! 
 
Once I catch up blogging tomorrow, this will probably make more sense.  I don't know if the email post from this morning came through or not as the satellite link to the internet went dead just as I hit send, so several pieces of the story may be missing.  I fill in the holes, and finally add some pictures, tomorrow, Sunday, our day off down here!
 
Until then, hope you all are well and I'll be in touch!  Keep the comments and emails coming, since I'm back in McMurdo until ~ 01 FEB (when I leave for South Pole) I should be able to keep up with everything via the internet!

I made it to WAIS!!!!

I would really love to send some pics in this email, but we have such a limited internet connection here that it may not be possible!  So on the 7th try, 6 weather cancellations later, I finally got to take a ride on an LC-130, a military cargo plane equipped with skis for field landings!  It is absolutely amazing here.  It is both beautiful and utterly desolate!  Its much like being on the open ocean in that in every direction there is nothing but a sea of snow and ice.  There is literally NO topography here save wind drifts agains the building or man made snow piles used as wind breaks.  It has been very clear for my 16 hours here so far, the outside temp hovers just above zero F and with the wind chill, it dips well below zero quite often.  I have been all throughout the drilling and core processing arch, the main point of having WAIS Divide camp this year.  For more info try http://waisdivide.unh.edu/ to find out about the main project here at WAIS this year.  I'm sitting next to one of the scientists working on the cores whose giving a lecture via satellite phone back to his home university; he's saying that in their test drilling this year they've just passed the year zero A.D. and what they're seeing is that the climate is definitely changing and humans are difinitely impacting some percent of that change.  It's truly amazing to be here both because of the fact that we're very deep in the filed, but also to be right in the middle of some of the hottest emerging science right as it happens!  It looks like the weather is good enough to fly today, but will worsen over the next few days, so it has been suggested that I take the flight this afternoon back to McMurdo otherwise I may get stuck here longer than intended.  That's truly unfortunate as I'm finding life here at an established deep field camp is quite to my liking!  We have heaters in large tents for sleeeping and dinning, and they're big enough to stand up in and wakl around just fine.  We take snowmobiles everywhere we go, I'm even driving one myself (and haven't flipped one yet, thanks - Amie!!!)   Well, its 6:30 by the clock we follow here, which is McMurdo time; however, if you were to follow the lines of longitude (the up and down ones on the map) I'm actually in Mountain standard time zone right now!  Work goes on 24 hours a day here, in three shifts, one begins again here in just a half an hours so I'd better throw down some brekky so I have enough fuel for the morning working inside the arch, which is kept at 0 F on the warm side and -20F on the cold side!  Talk to you all soon!

Almost Off to WAIS...

TUES - 05 JAN 08 - 2114 --
Well, as typically happens down here, the weather is such that our flights were cancelled today, so now I have to get up early tomorrow to try to catch the flight! No worries, we just keep rolling until we get there!

I've posted my current pics on snapfish, so if you want to take a look, they're at snapfish, I'll try to post the link to here!

Off To WAIS Divide

So, I'm trying out the email update function of this blog to see how it works. I'm hoping it does as I'm leaving for WAIS Divide in just a few hours and don't know if I'll be able to actually upload anything else to it yet. I will definitely try to though, if there's time. Anyway, so you all know where I'm heading, I'm attaching a map to this that I hope comes through. It show McMurdo in the lower middle and WAIS divide in the middle left of the pic. It also has other locations like South Pole and other places for reference. I'll post the map if it doesn't come through. So wish me luck I'm off to pack and get ready to fly in my first LC-130!!!

If you want to see a bigger version of this map, right click on it and open it in a different tab or window depending on your broweser type.

Antarctica - A Blog Begins

So I'm just testing this out to see how it works and then I'll get to adding more content. It's currently Sudnay, 13 JAN 08 - 1955 local (7:55 PM) and I'm already at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. I have some backtracking to do to catch you all up on the trip so far, but as I figure out how this works, I'll start doing that.