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Most Recent Dispatches


The Duffel Shuffle

FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA— We had our first day of snow here in Flagstaff, AZ and it was -5 °C, so I got a small reminder of what it is like to be cold! Not feeling my fingers was a gentle reminder that I better be well prepared for the temperatures at WAIS (West Antarctica Ice Sheet)...



Interview with the Outgoing South Pole Winter-over

SOUTH POLE, ANTARCTICA-- Well, after numerous weather delays, I arrived at the South Pole on October 27th. The previous winter-overs running the Atmospheric Research Observatory, LTJG Marc Weekley and engineer Patrick Cullis, were there to greet me at the ski-way...



Field Camp

MCMURDO STATION, ANTARCTICA-- We've just returned from 2 weeks at Bay of Sails, where we were deploying SCINI to look at iceberg scours on the seafloor and the destruction, and recovery, of benthic communities there. All our high-tech science and engineering was supported out of the most primitive of camps...



Age Matters

MCMURDO STATION, ANTARCTICA-- The primary science objective for our field team this season is to core buried glacier ice to depths of 40+ meters. The outstanding question is, how old is the ice?...



You Can’t Control the Weather

BARROW, ALASKA-- One afternoon a young adult female polar bear wandered by the ship. She appeared out of the blowing snow and walked past the stern, fairly close to the ship. An hour later she reappeared and approached the ship...



It Has Begun!

CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND-- On October 23rd I departed for Antarctica from Boston Logan Airport with three of our team members...



The Waiting Game…

MCMURDO STATION, ANTARCTICA-- As I had pretty much expected, weather has delayed me in McMurdo for well over a week now...



Life on the Ship

ABOARD THE USCGC POLAR SEA, ON THE BEAUFORT SEA-- For captures, we need calm winds, good visibility, thick continuous ice, and a good bear location. Those factors came together to allow us to recapture an adult female...



A Day Out the Window of the Lab

MCMURDO STATION, ANTARCTICA-- Our lab is way too busy and crowded to allow this, but the lab with the shared fume hood is not yet occupied, so I was able to set up the camera on a tripod and catch the changing light and activity in front of the station...



Training and Finally Arriving in Antarctica

MCMURDO STATION, ANTARCTICA-- Today, I arrived in McMurdo Station, Antarctica. We were told it was -15F with -30F to-40F wind chill. It was cold but it didn't feel too bad...