Steen V. Mogensen
                     email: mogensen@bellsouth.net

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Pictures:

Gallery 01, 14-Oct
Gallery 02, 27-Nov
Gallery 03, 07-Dec

Related Links:

Dr. Robert Garrott

Dr. Jay Rotella

Antarctic Sun
(News letter for United States Antarctic program)

Article about us, 2005

United States Antarctic Program

National Science Foundation

Icebergs frozen in the first year ice change the landscape known from previous years.
 

The pups are coming fast now.
 

Pup, just a few days old, crawling to catch up with mom.
 

Yesterday alone we tagged over 70 new pups, which brought us up to over 250 pups this year so far. Comparing this to last year, on the same date, we had about 130 pups. In 2004, a year strongly influenced by the B15 iceberg blocking the sound, there were only about 35 pups at this time. 

The weather has been all over the map, as can be expected in this part of the world. One day we will have clear skies, mild temperatures (all things being relative) and no wind. The next day we might have thick cloud cover, low temperatures and very high winds. Our little weather station, in the kitchen hut, registered 74Mph winds a week or so ago and the temperatures, including the wind chill factor, is often in the -50F range or worse.
 

We have now been in camp at Big Razorback for a few days and the field season has finally started .. but .. the weather has been interesting!
 

Jen and Adam went to Hutton Cliffs, and the rest of us went to Turks Head with the weigh sled to weigh the few new moms there. Around 2pm, we drove the snow machines in among the pressure ridges to have lunch out of the wind. During the next 10 minutes, the wind picked up and the snow started flying so by 2:30, visibility was basically gone. Since we had already flagged the route between the Razorbacks and Turks Head, there were no concerns finding our way back to camp, but it was one of those rides where you constantly wonder if the next flag is going to show up in front of you or not.
According to our camp weather station, the days highest wind gust was 65 Mph and the lowest temperature, with wind chill factor, was -50F.

Jen, Adam and Sasha took the Pisten Bully to town to get showered and to pick up some supplies. The rest of us put some fish on the grill behind the kitchen hut and had a nice dinner. The grill has to be tied to the hut with a 5,000 lb cargo strap to ensure the dinner stays close to camp. Most things  are a little different in Antarctica than back home!
 

Wednesday afternoon we finally got our snow machines and were able to get out of town.
 

McMurdo seen from Observation Hill at midnight.
 

To get some pictures of McMurdo I climbed Observation Hill, also known as Ob Hill, outside of McMurdo Tuesday night. From the top you can see all of McMurdo, see the New Zealand research station,  Scott Base, and see the Delbridge islands which is where you find Big Razorback Island where camp now is set up. Primary purpose of the hike was to see McMurdo in night light, something which is not going to be possible next time I get to town.

We are ready to get out of town and get to camp! While it is nice to have thing like showers, the store, video rental etc in town, we all much prefer to be in camp and away from McMurdo. We will go back in after 2-3 weeks, but will then only stay a night or perhaps only a few hours. After that, we are ready to get back in the field again.
 

Setting up the field camp requires a large amount of equipment. The first few days are spent getting this done.
 

Night time in McMurdo early in the season. It is around midnight, but soon the sun will be on the sky 24 hours a day.
The firehouse is on the left and the 155 building, housing the Galley, where we eat, as well as the store, several other offices and a number of bunk rooms.
Mt Discovery is seen in the distance.
 

We arrived at McMurdo station last Wednesday, as planned. It is not uncommon that the flight get turned around because of bad weather at McMurdo, but we were lucky once again, and made it down in the first try.
 

First view of the sea ice from the C-17 USAF transport plane on the way into the Ross Sea area.
 

Configuration of the aircraft differs depending on what cargo they might have to carry, but it is generally a combination of regular seat rows as found on commercial aircraft and jump seats along the side of the aircraft. The flight is fairly noisy, so with most people wearing earplugs, it is basically impossible to have a conversation with anybody. The 5 1/2 hour flight is therefore typically spent reading, sleeping, or just waiting.

For a lot of people, this is a process they have gone through several, if not many, times over the years, as many people come back to the ice year after year. But for some, this is the first time going to the Antarctic continent and the expectations of the adventure is detectable in their questions or by simply observing their facial expressions. This year we arrived in beautiful calm weather and the first impression of the coming season on the ice is a very positive one. Later, the true nature of the continent will become obvious to anyone who will be working outdoors.
 

Made it to Christchurch / New Zealand. Tomorrow we get our Antarctic clothing issued and then, weather permitting, we will be flying down to the ice on Wednesday
 

Only a few days left till the plane leaves from Atlanta heading to Los Angeles via Dallas. There I will meet the rest of the team and the 6 of us will travel together to Christchurch / New Zealand.  Once there, we wait for the military airlift to be cleared and then it is on to McMurdo station in Antarctica. It could be a couple of days, which will be spent getting the cold weather clothing issued and maybe doing a little sightseeing.