The team at Crary Ice Rise (ICDP SWAIS2C site 5072_2) have lowered the ‘cellar’ into a 3 m pit dug down into the ice. The cellar must be in place before hot water drilling gets underway, and is an important part of our AIDD (Antarctic Intermediate Depth Drill) system. The framing provides a space for equipment to sit below the drill rig at the ice surface. With the cellar installed we are a step closer to drilling our sediment core from the bedrock below the 500 m ice sheet.