86.80033 deg S, 54.45187 deg E 3151 meters above sea level Maximum & Minimum temperatures: - 22 to - 33 °C We are now in a situation where it is impossible to get all our equipment to the South Pole this season. The alternative to go onwards with two vehicles and light loads, even receiving assistance if this light traverse experiences problems, was considered unfavorable. We would then have ended up in a situation where our vehicles and equipment were located at two different places at the start of next season. Thus, we have decided to establish a winter camp here. Personnel, scientific samples, instruments and all other gear that can not stand the cold winter will be airlifted to South Pole with a Basler aircraft from Antarctic Logistics Centre International...

86.80033 deg S, 54.45187 deg E 3151 meters above sea level Maximum & Minimum temperatures: - 23 to - 34 °C We spent much of the day exploring alternatives for completion of the first traverse season. A US tractor traverse has been turned around on its way from South Pole to McMurdo Station, and arrived at South Pole late this evening. This traverse will stand-by at South Pole for a few days to assist us if we experience further break-downs on our last stretch. Due to the situation we have received permission to travel through the Clean Air Sector, a specially managed area in the vicinity of the South Pole, in order to shorten our remaining distance. It is clear that we can not pull all our equipment with the two operative vehicles and thus some equipment will ...

86.80033 deg S, 54.45187 deg E 3151 meters above sea level Maximum & Minimum temperatures: - 25 to - 35 °C Today we experienced a break-down of the transmission transfer-case on Chinook. This means that Chinook shares the same destiny as Sembla and is not operative anymore. Functional spare parts are unfortunately not available. Thus, we are not able to pull all our equipment to the South Pole without receiving support. Currently, we are exploring the possibilities to receive support from the United States Antarctic Program (USAP). - Jan-Gunnar Photo: Sastrugis – Nature’s beautiful creation (Photo: Jan-Gunnar Winther) This contribution is from the log of the Norwegian-US Scientific Traver...

News of a change of plan and that we were going in closer to the continent brought nearly everyone onto the bridge late last night as we moved into uncharted waters. The echo sounder was closely monitored as we sought a narrow but very deep channel between the icebergs. A hush of concentration fell as we passed through a gallery of carved ice. Sheer and sharp planes alternated with piled ice rubble and blue honeycombs of collapsing walls. On one side a majestic flotilla of ragged peaks receded into the distance like mystical Chinese prints. On the other a midnight sunset backlit the stratus cloud over the continent in garish stripes of pinks and yellows and orange. I sat high in the navigator's chair, watching a strange twilight illuminating the soft band of ...

We had a slight “event” a week or so ago, when our group was at a site called Mt. Paterson. Mount Paterson is about 550 miles west of McMurdo, somewhat near the coast. I would have put a post up about this earlier, but it was a somewhat sensitive issue. Enough time has elapsed now, and I think it is important to talk about, so I’m putting up some photos. In short, we had a plane crash in the Basler. If you have read previous posts, you will know that a Basler is a fixed wing aircraft, slightly larger than a Twin Otter, and therefore capable of carrying more weight. It uses skis to land, just like a Twin Otter. I wasn’t on the flight, another member of our group, Bob, ended up taking my place. There were six people from out group total (3 GPS, 3 seismic) and 4 people from fixed wing...

13 Jan 2008 86.05767 deg S, 55.06667 deg E, 3251 meters above sea level Maximum & Minimum temperatures: - 25 to - 36 °C It was with mixed feelings that we finished the last science stop. On one hand, it was good to know that a very successful field program was completed. On the other hand, it was a bit sad to know that the field season comes to an end soon. After lunch we packed up. A lot of reorganization was needed since only three vehicles are operative now. After dinner we started out on our non-stop driving to the South Pole. All vehicles performed well and the spirits were once again high – “only” 600 km to go… - Jan-Gunnar Photo: Last night when all four vehicles were operative (Photo: Jan-Gunnar Winther)...

Report from the Swedish part of the Japanese-Swedish Antarctic Expedition, JASE. Report no 18. On Saturday afternoon we reached the Kohnen station (75oS, 0oE-W). The hospitality shown by the German crew has been overwhelming. We felt like sailors coming from the great ocean to a friendly harbor. We have had the opportunity to be shown the drill hall of the EPICA deep ice core drillings. It is an impressive construction in a 60 m long and 7 m deep snow trench. It is a historical scientific site. Today we have been able to relax, repack sleds and made repairs of the vehicles. We are now prepared for the last legs of this expedition. We will take off Monday morning for the next move towards the Heimefrontfjella mountain range where we will have a science stop wh...

There's a changed mood on board now the frantic pace of the CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth) circuit has abated. Work continues along with the CEAMARC trawls but it seems as if people have been absorbed by the ship. I have a kind of holiday - a reading blitz, and have just finished reading about the explorer Hubert Wilkins. Wilkins grew up on a property on the wrong side of the Goyder line in South Australia and saw the Federation drought of 1901 destroy the family farm. His remarkable exploration expeditions to both poles were driven by a certainty that understanding the climate of the polar regions was the key to predicting weather and that understanding climate could alleviate human suffering. When he set off for Antarctica with Shack...

Yeah, you better believe it. The wind has been ferocious here. It is hard to describe just what a physical presence it has, its own personality each day. One day its a continuous ground blizzard that makes getting between the tents “fun.” Some nights you can barely sleep because the your tent is being rocked about, with gusts occasionally bending it completely out of shape. You lie there wondering if you’re about to blow away. When the lulls come they are glorious, the silence is absolute, much more so than anything you can find around McMurdo, where there is always the noise of a generator or a vehicle backing up somewhere. The people here are a nice bunch. They seem pleased to have scientist in their mix. The staff are regular explorer types mostly, with a few hardy ...

Patriot Hills is a nice spot. Well sort of, its very pretty to look at, really rather good to eat at, but not so great when the weather is concerned. The wind blows constantly here, which is why the camp is actually here. The wind screams down from the mountains and strips the top layer of snow off, leaving slippery, polished blue-ice, that very large Russian transportation aircraft can land on. Unfortunately most of that snow ends up in the tented camp a little bit to the north. When I say the wind screams, I mean it just absolutely howls through the camp, throwing up whirlwinds of snow, battering tents, and putting spindrift into any available orifice. It’s a tangible presence here twenty-four hours a day. Anything not locked down is gone with the first ferocious gust. W...