(By Nick)
Karl of CED shipping has picked up 5 of 6 boxes of scientific equipment this morning. Till realized at the last moment that he needed more time prepping the Magna-Probe, and we need a US to UK adapter plug to charge one of its batteries. For sure, I have one at my house and will bring it tomorrow. All the gear should leave from Heathrow on Friday according to my diary. Directly I have spoken with Norwegian Air to change my flight back from Longyearbyen and to add another bag for check in. We'll certainly need more space now that we have to carry the batteries for our gear as THEY CANNOT BE SHIPPED. Tomorrow I'm going to see how the ultrasonic sensor works at the Vet College. Things have gone off without a hitch so far, and we have rarely had to extemporize. For sure, not all the posts will be this mundane, so please bear with!
17/08/2011
15/08/2011
Preparations and Unequal Comparisons
(By Nick)
I remember vaguely something about Robert Falcon Scott believing the worst part of any expedition was over when the preparations were finished. For sure, he died in Antarctica, so Till and I have been trying to enjoy getting ready for the trip, and all its last minute, minute tasks.
This involves prepping and obtaining scientific equipment, such as an ultrasonic sensor from the Veterinary College. They use this instrument to test cows for pregnancy - we'll be using it to measure brine channel volume in the sea ice. Till is busy trying to secure a surveying station, with which we can produce beautifully accurate profiles of the ice surface.
I learned yesterday how to use the conductivity instrument and the way to calibrate it is get a special solution called HI-7033. With a little luck the place we can get some HI-7033 is our own lab at DAMTP or perhaps the Chemistry Department. The cold weather clothes are packed in metal boxes and we have taken a gas powered drilling head to Karl at CED Shipping, earlier than the other gear, in Over (no-man's land Cambridgeshire) because it is HAZARDOUS MATERIAL.
Our secretary Doris informed me today that the flights from Longyearbyen to Tromsø at the end of the expedition are for sure full. What this means is I will get to enjoy a few extra days to get my land legs back by hiking around Svalbard at the end of our voyage on the Arctic Sunrise.
I remember vaguely something about Robert Falcon Scott believing the worst part of any expedition was over when the preparations were finished. For sure, he died in Antarctica, so Till and I have been trying to enjoy getting ready for the trip, and all its last minute, minute tasks.
This involves prepping and obtaining scientific equipment, such as an ultrasonic sensor from the Veterinary College. They use this instrument to test cows for pregnancy - we'll be using it to measure brine channel volume in the sea ice. Till is busy trying to secure a surveying station, with which we can produce beautifully accurate profiles of the ice surface.
I learned yesterday how to use the conductivity instrument and the way to calibrate it is get a special solution called HI-7033. With a little luck the place we can get some HI-7033 is our own lab at DAMTP or perhaps the Chemistry Department. The cold weather clothes are packed in metal boxes and we have taken a gas powered drilling head to Karl at CED Shipping, earlier than the other gear, in Over (no-man's land Cambridgeshire) because it is HAZARDOUS MATERIAL.
Our secretary Doris informed me today that the flights from Longyearbyen to Tromsø at the end of the expedition are for sure full. What this means is I will get to enjoy a few extra days to get my land legs back by hiking around Svalbard at the end of our voyage on the Arctic Sunrise.
14/08/2011
Quicest for a good title
Finding the right catchy, witty yet serious, epic yet lighthearted blog title is proving somewhat of a challenge - here is a selection of shortlisted candidates:
- of ice and men
- into the white
- the great white nothing
- the great white violence
- withering ice
- men of ice
- no country for ice men
- no country for old ice
- the terrors of ice and darkness
- sunrise in the arctic
- on the ridge of glory
- hearts of ice
- sea ice and climate change
- lifting the lid
- the darkness and the horror
13/08/2011
Packing
Location:
Cambridge, UK
(by till)
Preparations have really kicked off now. Yesterday we fortunately could source a petrol drilling head and delivered it to Karl the shipping guy. Today we went in detail through clothes and equipment and packed it all up.
Great news of the day: the magnaprobe, 'Maggie', which I thought I had fried last year in Antarctica (by short circuiting her over a car battery) has undergone a wondersome resurrection and is happily beeping away again!
Preparations have really kicked off now. Yesterday we fortunately could source a petrol drilling head and delivered it to Karl the shipping guy. Today we went in detail through clothes and equipment and packed it all up.
 |
| Ghostbuster Nick in the DAMTP cold room. |
Great news of the day: the magnaprobe, 'Maggie', which I thought I had fried last year in Antarctica (by short circuiting her over a car battery) has undergone a wondersome resurrection and is happily beeping away again!
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