I am currently in Christchurch, New Zealand the main gateway for US Antarctic Program participants heading to Antarctica. The reason for Christchurch being the primary gateway to Antarctic is that it is directly north of McMurdo Station, the largest US base in Antarctica, and thus offers the shortest travel distance from a major city to… Read More

As I mentioned in my last blog post, plans were being made for a flight that would allow several people on the Polarstern to return home. That flight took place last Wednesday (22 April) and I was one of the seven people on that flight. Prior to my flight home, and since my last blog… Read More

12 April 2020 I always experience a rollercoaster of emotions when I am doing fieldwork. Frustration when things aren’t going well. Boredom waiting for good weather, or just getting to the field site. Loneliness from being away from family and friends. Contentment when you experience the beauty and unique nature of a remote field camp.… Read More

31 March 2020 It took us much longer than we had expected, but last Monday (23 March) Gina and I did our first DataHawk drone flights of the MOSAiC expedition. These were also the first scientific drone flights of MOSAiC. The data that we collect as we fly our DataHawks will allow us to study how the atmosphere… Read More

19 March 2020 After more than 20 years of doing polar fieldwork one thing I have learned is that delays are an inevitable part of any field campaign. That seems to be truer than ever with my MOSAiC work so far. First, our transit from Norway to the Polarstern, on the Russian icebreaker Dranitsyn, took… Read More

10 March 2020 It’s been a week since I moved onto the Polarstern and it has been a busy week. The Dranitsyn arrived at the MOSAiC ice floe on February 28th and the next 4 days were occupied with the transfer between the leg 2 scientists that had been on the Polarstern since December, and… Read More

1 March 2020 On February 28th the Dranitsyn reached the Polarstern and the MOSAiC ice floe. Everyone onboard was very excited to have finally reached our destination after almost 4.5 weeks since leaving Tromsø.  Starting on the 27th we were able to see the lights of the Polarstern in the distance. The bridge of the… Read More

26 February 2020 This past Monday marked the end of my 4th week on the Kapitan Dranitsyn. Our progress towards the Polarstern has been very slow due to thick ice, but we are now within 30 miles of the Polarstern and I hope to be onboard that ship in another few days. Everyone on the… Read More

17 February 2020 In my previous blog posts I’ve talked about my trip so far but haven’t given any details about the research that Gina and I will do once we reach the Polarstern. Before I discuss that I do want to give an update on our progress towards the Polarstern.  We’re still in transit… Read More