We’ve risen to the Antarctic drilling challenge – our riser is in, connecting the ‘Big Rig’ at the surface of the ice to the bedrock 523 m below. This is a custom-designed piece of engineering, made up of a series of weighted components which lodge into the bedrock, followed by sections of pipe. The riser parts are carefully lowered down the hole through the ice made by our hot water drillers, who continue to provide a source of warm water to stop the pipe freezing in place. With the drillers beginning to ‘run’ our drill string (smaller diameter pipe through which we will send our core barrel), we’re edging closer to drilling for the geological record we’re seeking!