Thursday, December 11, 2008

Shortened news, and shortened stay

Wednesday 10th December

Today's news from the field: the drill team is happy: they got their samples of marine ice, Bryn got to stick his camera in every poked hole, and they even change drilling site, to broaden the sampling. The radar team has optimized the data-collection parameters, and is "gridding" their area, for the weather has slightly improved. Frank and Kenny claim to have written 4 papers during their forced confinement, which makes the return on investment from such expeditions quite interesting: from raw data to paper in 72 hrs.not bad!


Bad news today with regard to the weather: we're expecting a storm (a real one, not this tiny blizzard, white out, and 80 km/h wind we've been enjoying for the last days) as from the 16th, so the field teams have to get back by the 15th. Needless to say the news was not well received.
As for base camp, we are once again fed up with the weather.Not only the weather, but the endless snow shovelling, which needs to be done again, and again, and again.over and over.you need a serious dose of philosophy to overcome the repetitivity and the seeming meaninglessness (knowing you will be starting all over in a couple of hours) of it : maybe this is the key to a metaphysical Antarctic experience?

Nath

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