Monday, 24 December 2007
Mission Control
St George's Antarctic Expedition arrived back at Edinburgh Airport in the late afternoon of Sunday 23 December. The distance they had covered is conveyed vividly by the fact that they had been travelling back from the Antarctic Peninsula since Tuesday! Drake's Passage, frequently so stormy, was calm for them; recompense for the heavy seas and sickness they had endured before. The flights back were long, broken briefly in Buenos Aires, where temperatures hovered around 30 degrees! All that has now changed, of course, as the expedition arrives home to family and friends for a very cold Christmas. Judith McClure spoke to Commander in the Field Helen Mackie soon after the safe return of the expedition. Our redoubtable Commander was as chirpy as ever and full of admiration for the St George's Team. Congratulations, everyone! We look forward to seeing the photographs and of course of celebrating the return of George, the St George's Nursery Bear, freed from his horrible kidnap. Have a wonderful Christmas and then start editing those illustrated expedition diaries.
Thursday, 20 December 2007
Tuesday 18th December - Final day in Antarctica
Yesterday we had a stunning day, setting foot on mainland Antarctica as opposed to the islands we've been visiting, and then cruising Cierva Cove among the icebergs and glaciers. The visit to Port Lockroy ended a perfect day with the girls learning to drive zodiacs at 10.00pm in calm seas and broad daylight. Amber was the speed queen and Lyn got really into it but failed to master the stop control!! Mairi, Laura and Michelle all proved proficient so we want to add zodiac driving to our skills courses next year with obligatory field experience in the Southern Ocean.
Today we woke to overcast skies which gave different light and textures to the amazing scenery as we ship cruised the Lemaire Channel, and then anchored at Petermann Island. We stepped out through the snow and sat down to observe the black headed Adelies on their nests of stones, some with eggs and some with newly hatched chicks - so cute. Then it was into zodiacs to cruise amongst the ice the 5 miles to Vernadsky Station - it was formerly a British station called Faraday but was sold to the Ukrainians in 1998 for one pound (cheaper than dismantling the whole place). The ice looked so blue today and we got close to Weddell seals and Antarctic terns. We had a tour of the Ukrainian station where they have the Dobson spectrometer for measuring the concentration of ozone in the atmosphere. It was here that they first discovered the hole in the ozone layer. The station was warm and cosy with good working conditions but the men had been there since last March and told us gleefully that it was only 68 days until they would be going home - it's a pretty quiet life down here. They were very welcoming. Back to the ship and settle down because now we must prepare for the Drake's Passage which is so unpredictable. We realise how remote we are in knowing that we are now leaving Antarctica yet it will be almost five days before we get home.
It will take some time to digest the whole experience but we hope you have enjoyed sharing it with us so far. We have a lot of photographs which we hope you will enjoy too.
Many thanks to everyone for all your support for this unique adventure, and a Merry Christmas when it comes.
Today we woke to overcast skies which gave different light and textures to the amazing scenery as we ship cruised the Lemaire Channel, and then anchored at Petermann Island. We stepped out through the snow and sat down to observe the black headed Adelies on their nests of stones, some with eggs and some with newly hatched chicks - so cute. Then it was into zodiacs to cruise amongst the ice the 5 miles to Vernadsky Station - it was formerly a British station called Faraday but was sold to the Ukrainians in 1998 for one pound (cheaper than dismantling the whole place). The ice looked so blue today and we got close to Weddell seals and Antarctic terns. We had a tour of the Ukrainian station where they have the Dobson spectrometer for measuring the concentration of ozone in the atmosphere. It was here that they first discovered the hole in the ozone layer. The station was warm and cosy with good working conditions but the men had been there since last March and told us gleefully that it was only 68 days until they would be going home - it's a pretty quiet life down here. They were very welcoming. Back to the ship and settle down because now we must prepare for the Drake's Passage which is so unpredictable. We realise how remote we are in knowing that we are now leaving Antarctica yet it will be almost five days before we get home.
It will take some time to digest the whole experience but we hope you have enjoyed sharing it with us so far. We have a lot of photographs which we hope you will enjoy too.
Many thanks to everyone for all your support for this unique adventure, and a Merry Christmas when it comes.
To Primary 6
Hi P6 great to hear from you.
We have had amazing adventures and will tell you all about it in January. We spent today in little rubber zodiac oats cruising amongst icebergs and leopard seals as penguins bobbed about in the water too. Penguins are very cute and we saw some chicks which had just hatched too. However they are much more smelly than you would think.
Have a great holiday and a very happy Christmas - it will take us 4 days to get back home from here - we are very remote.
love to you all Mrs Mackie and the St George's Antarctic Expedition team
We have had amazing adventures and will tell you all about it in January. We spent today in little rubber zodiac oats cruising amongst icebergs and leopard seals as penguins bobbed about in the water too. Penguins are very cute and we saw some chicks which had just hatched too. However they are much more smelly than you would think.
Have a great holiday and a very happy Christmas - it will take us 4 days to get back home from here - we are very remote.
love to you all Mrs Mackie and the St George's Antarctic Expedition team
Wednesday, 19 December 2007
Mission Control
Greetings to the St George's Antarctic Expedition from everyone at Mission Control! Last night we had the Upper School Carol Service in St Giles' Cathedral: it was absolutely wonderful. We have just finished Break Up Assembly in the Upper School. I told them of the good wishes of the student members of the Expedition and the amazing account of the St George's Old Girl from the Class of 1983 taking care of the post as one of the three inhabitants of Port Lockroy! We are all looking forward so much to hearing your stories and seeing your photographs in January. St George's students are now on their way home for Christmas. But we have been thinking of your long journey back and in particular of your facing Drake's Passage. On Sunday, you will be home in Edinburgh! We wish you all a safe journey and a very happy Christmas with your families and friends.
Ratho Weather Base
TO: Captain, Mission Control
FROM: Ratho Weather Base
UPDATE: Tuesday, 18 December 2007. 14-00 UTC.
Edinburgh is positively tropical today at plus 5 deg. C. The Away team is sitting at minus 2 deg. C. The sky is almost completely overcast with the sun breaking through occasionally, but no signs of snow. Light winds. It appears that the Away team is reluctant to return to Edinburgh, better cancel all Christmas arrangements then! They are on the island of Goudier............well it's called an island. It measures approximately 100m top-to-bottom by 200m wide. The "Capital" is Port Lockroy, which appears to comprise one large hut. No cars or traffic lights!!! The island is located at 64.8 deg. south, which, according to my latest data, gives the girls an official 2 hour night. Though there will be no real darkness. You have to be at about 65.5 deg south (about a 100 miles south of their position) before you get 24 hours of true daylight, i.e., the sun never disappears below the horizon.
Might squeeze in one more report, but if not Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone at SG.
FROM: Ratho Weather Base
UPDATE: Tuesday, 18 December 2007. 14-00 UTC.
Edinburgh is positively tropical today at plus 5 deg. C. The Away team is sitting at minus 2 deg. C. The sky is almost completely overcast with the sun breaking through occasionally, but no signs of snow. Light winds. It appears that the Away team is reluctant to return to Edinburgh, better cancel all Christmas arrangements then! They are on the island of Goudier............well it's called an island. It measures approximately 100m top-to-bottom by 200m wide. The "Capital" is Port Lockroy, which appears to comprise one large hut. No cars or traffic lights!!! The island is located at 64.8 deg. south, which, according to my latest data, gives the girls an official 2 hour night. Though there will be no real darkness. You have to be at about 65.5 deg south (about a 100 miles south of their position) before you get 24 hours of true daylight, i.e., the sun never disappears below the horizon.
Might squeeze in one more report, but if not Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone at SG.
Tuesday, 18 December 2007
Message from Another Old Girl
Imagine our surprise on ariving at Port Lockroy this evening to find that the postmistress(one of the 3 inhabitants here) is a former student of St George's - Helen Annan was a sixth form boarder for 2 years and left in 1983 - I remember her and she remembers many of her teachers. She has been quite an adventurer working in such places as Mongolia and has just arrived in Antarctica this season. Great excitement all round and lots of photographs, so plenty to report to the OGA.
We have had a perfect day, starting our landings at 5.00am this morningand have been enjoying true Antarctic scenery of unsurpassable beauty. More at dawn tomorrow, although there is no dawn as we have light all the time, and then we steel ourselves for the dreaded Drake's passage as we make our way back North.
Best wishes to all for a happy holiday and a very Merry Christmas.
We have had a perfect day, starting our landings at 5.00am this morningand have been enjoying true Antarctic scenery of unsurpassable beauty. More at dawn tomorrow, although there is no dawn as we have light all the time, and then we steel ourselves for the dreaded Drake's passage as we make our way back North.
Best wishes to all for a happy holiday and a very Merry Christmas.
Monday, 17 December 2007
News from the Girls
Here is the latest up date for the blog (from the girls),
G'day! Greetings from the most Southern continent in the world - Antarctica! We have had the most amazing weeks of our lives, despite the notoriously evil fur seals.
And we are currently trying to commandeer the ship and sail around the entirety of the Antarctic continent. So far we are succeeding as the ship is flying our flag.
Today we awoke at 04:30! This was to do a landing at Mikkelsen Harbour where the snow was so deep it was half way up our thighs. There was a seal, gentoo penguins and we saw one chinstrap penguin. After breakfast we pestered everyone to get photos before the sea sickness kicks in again. Then we landed on the official land of Antarctica (like the actual mainland - not an island!). Then we went on a zodiac (so fun!) - we hung out the zodiac and fished ice out of the sea. *HINT* - don't eat ice out of the sea, it's salty.
We went real close to a glacier and even touched icebergs. We are sailing through the Gerlache Straight and Neumayer Channel to get to Port Lockroy - where we have a landing this evening (to post the cards!). Today we used the hydrophone, however we didn't hear any orca, but we did hear a leopard seal.
We are all having a wonderful time, mingling with the crew and expedition staff. We are learning some Italian and Spanish well and even some Russian. Uncle Jamie (staff) and Father Christmas (staff) are two of the most fun guys on the ship along with Snowy (bird watching staff). All the staff are lovely and the food is delicious.
We are having a barbeque tonight on the bow of the ship, and will be pumping beats all over the Southern ocean.
We are all enjoying ourselves and all plan to come back soon. We would quite happily stay here for another six months. Hope all is well, and even though we are having the time of our lives we do miss you guys back home.
See you all soon
Lots of love,
Amber, Laura, Lyn, Mairi and Michelle xxx
PS: MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!!!
G'day! Greetings from the most Southern continent in the world - Antarctica! We have had the most amazing weeks of our lives, despite the notoriously evil fur seals.
And we are currently trying to commandeer the ship and sail around the entirety of the Antarctic continent. So far we are succeeding as the ship is flying our flag.
Today we awoke at 04:30! This was to do a landing at Mikkelsen Harbour where the snow was so deep it was half way up our thighs. There was a seal, gentoo penguins and we saw one chinstrap penguin. After breakfast we pestered everyone to get photos before the sea sickness kicks in again. Then we landed on the official land of Antarctica (like the actual mainland - not an island!). Then we went on a zodiac (so fun!) - we hung out the zodiac and fished ice out of the sea. *HINT* - don't eat ice out of the sea, it's salty.
We went real close to a glacier and even touched icebergs. We are sailing through the Gerlache Straight and Neumayer Channel to get to Port Lockroy - where we have a landing this evening (to post the cards!). Today we used the hydrophone, however we didn't hear any orca, but we did hear a leopard seal.
We are all having a wonderful time, mingling with the crew and expedition staff. We are learning some Italian and Spanish well and even some Russian. Uncle Jamie (staff) and Father Christmas (staff) are two of the most fun guys on the ship along with Snowy (bird watching staff). All the staff are lovely and the food is delicious.
We are having a barbeque tonight on the bow of the ship, and will be pumping beats all over the Southern ocean.
We are all enjoying ourselves and all plan to come back soon. We would quite happily stay here for another six months. Hope all is well, and even though we are having the time of our lives we do miss you guys back home.
See you all soon
Lots of love,
Amber, Laura, Lyn, Mairi and Michelle xxx
PS: MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!!!
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