Today the 'ULB on Ice' team took two steps forward and one backwards, and finished the day with a dessert to remember: Dr N's Chocolate Mousse that wasn't (also known as Maritime Mousse - see below).
The two steps forward were, firstly, to discover and mend a broken connection in the barrel of the ice corer. Now the corer seems to be working, indoors at least. We are sure that, with the correct power, the corer is capable of going 'up' and 'down' and 'round in circles'. This breakthrough is not to be underestimated; it represents approaching infinite progress relative to previous experiences (down only; no up and no round in circles). Next time we hope to try it on ice - and you will be the first to hear how we get on via this blog... Secondly, more radar and Global Positioning System (GPS) data were collected from around Princess Elisabeth Station. We found that the bed of the ice sheet is in much the same position as it was yesterday (which is no great surprise), and that several stakes left in the ice for some years to measure ice speed have either been removed or fallen over all on their own (well, with some help from gravity). Perhaps
even more amazingly, those that haven't fallen over don't seem to have moved very far at all. However, Frank still plans to publish the results before Christmas.
The one step backwards was as a result of the weather getting steadily worse all day. This morning the wind was strong enough to extend fully the various national flags located around camp, by afternoon it was blowing snow through camp, building deep ridges between the tents, and by evening it was strong enough to bite through two coats and was accompanied by near whiteout conditions. This is what we feared the Antarctic was to be like, and has unfortunately delayed our planned departure to field camp near the coast (here the 'coast' is not like one imagines; it is where a thick block of ice flows off the land into a thinner sheet of ice which floats on invisible water underneath). So we now have to wait one, or possibly two, more days until our convoy departs for the field camp.
Finally, we 'rounded' the day off with a fabulous Maritime Mousse. If you haven't heard of this particular dessert before you shouldn't worry because it was only invented today. It began its life in the mind of its creator (Dr N) as a chocolate mousse, but things being as they are in the Antarctic, we seemed to be missing two rather important ingredients - namely chocolate and
mousse (or at least the egg whites that supply the essential 'moussiness'). So instead, we had a rather delicious Maritime Mousse, so-called because it is solid enough to set a ship's mast into and dense enough to be used as ship's ballast. It's always a bonus to have food that can multitask - but I'm afraid to say I ate all of mine.
Nos da cariad a fy mhachgen bach i.
(Today's blogger: BH)
1 comment:
Yikes, not sure if my first paosted comments went or not, so sorry if this a repeat...
First, I think that Maritime Mousse as the advantage of being a healthier option of the chocolate volcano (for which Bryn can supply details) and secondly to tell B that we might be moving by Jan 1st...
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