Blog

T +1: No Antarctica yet, Waiting in Christchurch, New Zealand

Submitted by anelles on Tue, 11/03/2015 - 14:28

We should have made it by now. But ... weather in Antarctica is one of the craziest things on the planet. Meaning that you are scheduled for check-in to fly at 6:30 in the morning, but might receive a call at 4:30 in the morning that the flight will not happen. So we are waiting in Christchurch. For better weather in Antarctica and also for better weather in Christchurch. The warm and beautiful spring day from yesterday -- very strange by the way when you come from the dry and fall-like Southern California -- has changed into a muddy grey with a constant drizzle.

Antartica: T -5 days

Submitted by anelles on Mon, 10/26/2015 - 12:02

After having shipped most of our equipment already more than a month ago, we are getting ready to leave. We, who is we? We are a team of three scientists, who go down to Antarctica this season to perform maintenance and some environmental studies at the site of ARIANNA. Since I, Anna, am the newbie on the team, who is going "to the ice" for the first time, I have been put in charge to report about our experiences and what three weeks in an isolated field camp feel like. Plus, I am German, which might give me the opportunity to also pick-up on interesting American habits.

Preparing to leave for antarctica

Submitted by anelles on Mon, 10/12/2015 - 17:49

When inventory lists of 25 pages haven been typed over and four heavy (~100 kg or ~250 lbs) boxes have been closed and sent to the boat, then the preparations for Antarctica are in full blow.

We will use this spot to report on our (somewhat) yearly trips down to the Ross ice-shelf, how life is down there and how the experiment is doing. Stay tuned for updates -- if the internet permits. Believe it or not, Antarctica does not have a full-speed fiber connection to the outside behind every hill of snow.