Today, those of us at Scott Base worked on entering the science party into the ICDP database system (mDIS) in preparation for drilling. In the afternoon, we geared up for a hike to the top of Observation Hill, where there is a memorial cross erected in January 1913 to commemorate Captain Scott and his party, who lost their lives on the return journey from the South Pole in March 1912. After descending, we walked along the trail that encircles Observation Hill, getting lots of nice views of the Transantarctic Mountains and some seals hanging out on the sea ice.
All of the camp structures are set up, connected to power, and working well! We also completed the food inventory and stored everything away. With camp set up, the science team has been working on plans for shifts and the core handling process once drilling begins. The most exciting thing that happened today was the return of the mini-traverse team, who traveled to the KIS-2 site to retrieve the hot water drilling system, which is the last of the gear needed before we can begin operations. Everyone pitched in to help offload the sledges and work has begun getting the equipment set up.
The rest of the KIS team underwent Advanced Field Techniques training, where you learn how to set up tents and generally survive outdoors in the Antarctic! The sky was blue but the wind picked up later in the evening, making for a bit chillier conditions but fortunately the gear issued by Antarctica New Zealand is up to the task! After spending a cozy night in our sleeping bags in the tents we set up, we got to take them back down again the next day. Meanwhile at the drill site, the team got both of the science tents set up!
The rest of the SWAIS2C team (6 scientists) departed Christchurch, New Zealand with only one day of delay to arrive at Scott Base on Tuesday, 5 December! The team got to fly on one of the New Zealand Royal Air Force C-130 (Hercules) aircraft. This one (tail number NZ7001) was built in 1965 and will be retired within the next year! We had beautifully clear skies as we arrived into Antarctic waters, affording us good views of the sea ice and mountains on the Antarctic continent as we arrived. After disembarking, we boarded the US transporter “Ivan the Terra Bus” for a 30 minute ride to Scott Base. We are really excited that all of the SWAIS 2C KIS team is now in Antarctica as preparations setting up the drill site continue!
After the camp team, drilling crew, and half of the science team arrived safely, the camp team and drillers took over camp set-up from the traverse team, completing the heated mess tent and the tent village. By the end of today, the drillers have also set up the drill tent structure, including its cover. The next task will be to fetch components of the hot-water drilling system from another site (a research project supported by the New Zealand Antarctic Science Platform) about 60 km from ICDP drill site. Today the team also completed the excavation of a cavern in the ice to set up a freezer and tent to store frozen and dry foods.
The five remaining science team members arrived in Christchurch over the past week in preparation for flying south. In addition to getting “kitted out” (receiving extreme cold weather gear from Antarctica New Zealand), the team members got to spend some time exploring the area, including visiting the International Antarctic Centre, where one can take a ride on a piston bully!
Eleven members of the SWAIS 2C team made it to the KIS drill site on Thursday! Those remaining at Scott Base celebrated Antarctica Day (December 1st, which commemorates the signing of the Antarctic Treaty) by visiting Vince’s Cross. Here in New Zealand, four of the science party members were kitted out yesterday (got all of our cold weather gear) and our flight south is scheduled for 9am on Monday morning.
While waiting for a weather window to fly to the KIS drill site, some members of the SWAIS 2C took the chance to see pressure ridges where the land meets the frozen ocean outside of Scott Base, with the tour led by Antarctica New Zealand’s Catherine Kircher.
Members of the SWAIS 2C on-ice science team completed their Antarctic survival training in preparation for deployment to the deep field (KIS drill site)!
The traverse team arrived at our Kamb Ice Stream site on 23 November. The traverse team will set up the camp and make the runway in preparation for the drillers and our first scientist to head to the site early next week!
SWAIS2C team members and members of the ICDP support group at the ICDP Sample and Data Management Workshop in Potsdam (GER) at the GFZ end of September. The workshop is part of the preparations for the drilling season on the Ross Ice Shelf during the upcoming summer season in Antarctica.
