December 2017 – Page 5 – ANSMET, The Antarctic Search for Meteorites

Sunday – Funday

December 10, 2017

Today was the coldest day we had so far with -10C and -18C wind chill. The snow-storm yesterday continued on during the night and into the later morning and we have a lot of new snow on the ground. So pretty. The waiting games continues but since we are...

Snow(y) Day in McMurdo

December 9, 2017

As you’ve read from Juliane and Barb’s breaking news early this morning, our flight to Shackleton Glacier Camp was cancelled. There was the extra bonus of a 09:00 fire alarm in our (James, Jim, Ioannis, myself) room, and nowhere else in the building. The good news is, with the...

And the waiting game has started…

December 8, 2017

5 am: wake up call...crap, way too early 5:02 am: checking flight manifest...we are still on!!! 5:05 am: last shower for 6 weeks....best shower EVER!!! 5:15 am: back in the room...FLIGHT CANCELED, WTF? 5:30 am: let's make the most of it...waffles for breakfast! ...

Hiking, biking, history and recreation

December 8, 2017

From the outset I should say, yes, we have been busy preparing to hunt for meteorites. That doesn’t mean there hasn’t been some time for recreation. This might involve reading a book, watching a movie, or taking some time to reflect. It might also include a bit of vigorous...

Musings on the geology of the Hut Point Peninsula

December 8, 2017

One of the benefits of spending time in McMurdo is to make use of the Ross Island Trail System. A series of well-maintained paths allow access to areas around McMurdo station to take in some fresh air and get some exercise while enjoying spectacular scenery. These trails also allow access...

Once upon a time in Antarctica…

December 7, 2017

Today, is my turn to write down a few words about life here in the most cold, dry, and windiest places on Earth, A place, of spectacular beauty, a place where you hear the silence and that lets you keep calm from the alternate decibels of Jim, James and...

To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield

December 6, 2017

Antarctica is a very special place. Everything about it extends our senses to the limit. The sights, the sounds, even the smells and, of course, the temperatures. As the plane touches down on the ice after a long flight, you can palpably sense the excitement and anticipation of all the...

Cargo is Go!

December 6, 2017

Ahoy all, Another milestone achieved today: all cargo is in the system and in the process of heading to Shackleton Glacier Camp (SHG). Over the past few days we’ve prepped all food, gear, and equipment for systematic deployment to SHG – we have certainly become savvier with those often-finicky cargo...

The end of shakedown and our food-pull

December 5, 2017

The last day of our Shakedown was a beautiful day and after a breakfast (oatmeal, yuck!) we started our day at 8:30am with a science meeting followed by traverse training on skidoos and meteorite recovery training. We had a lot of fun and recovered a “snowballite” and a “pringlesite”....

Ob tube

December 5, 2017

Today was our second full day in McMurdo station. Since our arrival we have started to prepare for our deep field deployment. We constantly take training classes on environmental protection (to protect Antarctica with its pristine fauna and flora from us people); waste management; recycling; water preservation (only 4...

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