Geology Rocks!

Hello once again from the southcentral polynya! We are still located in this relatively ice-free region of the Ross Sea while the geologists conduct coring exercises. The coring process involves using a mechanical piston core to remove a long (up to 80ft) vertical section of the seafloor which is later analyzed to determine the different types (and amounts) of sediments which comprise the ocean bottom here.

With 5 days left before we depart the Nathaniel B. Palmer, our lab is busy packing up equipment and finishing up side projects.

Our arrival into McMurdo Station will be a bit interesting, as we do not yet know the conditions of the ice which typically surrounds McMurdo at this time of year. If the ice is very thick, it will take much longer to reach the base and we run the risk of missing our first-scheduled flight. Either way, however, our departure should be quite memorable as the plan is to either lower us down directly onto the ice and have an all-terrain vehicle pick us up, or to have a helicopter airlift us off the ship and fly us backto McMurdo (our ship has a helicopter pad!). Then its onto the airport where we travel on large, all-terrain 'buses' known as Terra Vans to the airport. The airport is actually an ice runway and our plane has skiis which enable it to land in the most remote regions of the Antarctic!

It should be quite the experience and the perfect ending to this incredible adventure.