Belgian research at the poles
Before leaving the campground and going back to the station for Christophe and I, TJ managed to hang all the drawings he had received from children on the containers. All those drawings are amazing and so beautiful. A nice picture with the band!!
From Nadine Mattielli
After having completed our snow sampling and installation of the passive samplers for inorganic and organic compositions of the airborne particles, we celebrated the drilling milestone depth of 200m!! Porto on ice for everyone (or whisky…). At 9 pm, the CHASE and glaciologist teams gather into the 12 feet container for reparations, working, drinking and also eating… Antarctica, the place for cold icy immensity and warm human nearness.
From Nadine Mattielli
Saturday started with a very good weather, but quickly the white-out appears. It was then really hard to distinguish the sky from the ground. In addition, a strong “drift wind” continuously blew on the ground. This wind creates the reliefs so beautiful at the surface of the ice or the snow, but so unfriendly when you go out of your tent or have to go on field to sample. We reached the sampling site 36km away from the campground. Not easy… but finally the sun pushed away the white-out effects and we could see again our tracks in the snow.
From Nadine Mattielli
It was a good day, with good weather. Many tasks on the field were planned. All the skidoos were used, and on our side, Frank, Christophe and I left the camp to go to our sampling site at the Northern part of the Ice Rise. We quickly drove 15km from the camp and after the white wide infinities, a bluish one appears with deposits of some ice cubes … We could not believe our eyes… real icebergs. Even if they are far away, they are gorgeous!! I had time to observe them because I had to collect 140L (in volume) of snow!! The three poles are in place. We did a good job.
From Nadine Mattielli
Wednesday evening (at 10:00 pm – Belgian time) we finally left Cape Town for Antarctica with an extraordinary plane: the Illioushin. After a safe trip (the pilot was exceptional – we could not feel the taking of or landing), we arrived at the Novo station at 4 am. But we had to wait more, because the planning was to reach the PES in the evening. Therefore, we slept and read and … tasted the Russian food (bof, bof…). The C-GEAI (DC3) transported us and all our luggage to the PES during 1:30. We arrived at the PES around 9 pm. What was the feeling to put the foot in Antarctica and at the so incredibly beautiful place of PES!! I can not explain, but you can certainly imagine. The sky was totally blue, the mountains were majestic at the top of the wide white ice cap… In this cold but pretty good weather, the reception committee was warm and so friendly. The station is growing to welcome more people and scientists, and offers comfort and conviviality.
From Nadine Mattielli