Ioannis, James, and John pose for a photo towards the end of lunch break.

View into one of the two bowls searched today with two skidoos for scale off in the distance (photo credit to Dr. James M. Day, the M stands for Manly)

We started searching today at 09:30 JSST. Much of our route took us by the mountains separating us from the Nilsson Plateau. Lots of blue ice was covered and at an instance or two we found ourselves in shadow – a strange sensation given how long it has been since we haven’t been able to see the sun or its immediate effects.

Today’s highlight was our pause for lunch. Nestled along an enormous rock wall that came nearly straight down to the blue ice, we started lunch in the shadow of this mountain. A large chunk of granite served as both table and chairs (see photo 1). The wind had died off completely since after its morning display and we were gifted still winds and the stunning quiet that comes with it.
Aside from Ioannis having a sip from his thermos, John eating some dried dates, or James nibbling on some ketchup-flavoured Pringles (courtesy of yours truly, a Canada-only flavour as far as I know), the quiet was quite welcome after the steady battery we endured from the wind at Nodtvedt.
After lunch we continued along the edge of the blue ice, James on the far left, John on the far right, and myself and Ioannis in the middle (L to R). While searching the blue ice, skis clattering off the frozen ripples, the larger frozen waves within the ice would cause John to fade in and out from my view. At times, you could just see his GPS antenna or his helmet bobbing up above the blue-ice horizon between us almost as if we were sailing the (frozen) seas.
Our last stops of the day had us explore two blue ice bowls. With mountains on three sides, the blue ice dropped some 30m in elevation as we entered each of the bowls. Much like the main areas searched today, the bowls were littered with terrestrial rocks of various sizes and appearances. The scene was remarkable (see photo 2).
After wrapping up the searching in the second of the bowls, we set course for camp and arrived just before 16:00 JSST. Skidoos are fueled (Sparky was a bit thirsty today it seems and was running extra low) and ready for tomorrow.
The weather has been much better here than at Nodtvedt – hardly a cloud in the sky today as the sun danced its usual circle around us. When the wind dies and the sky is clear, it really does give you a sense of isolation you only realize in those moments when everything is paused. There are no birds flying, no trees rustling, no insects buzzing, not even any airplanes flying overhead. You look around and it is just the vast, frozen, alien-like world around you. Well, and your teammates too but sometimes you wonder if they’re alien as well. I mean, anyone reading who knows John, tell me I’m not the only one who thinks John is superhuman.
Hoping for another beautiful day for searching tomorrow (Sunday). Weather permitting we’re queued up Monday for our helicopter day searching (on foot) the Devil’s Glacier and the upper Amundsen Glacier.
We covered 22 miles today bringing our total at Amundsen to 45 miles and our season-to-date total to 194 miles.
Posted by Scott from Amundsen Glacier with a view of the blue ice through the open tent door on 2018-01-06 at 17:45 JSST.