From: Gerard McCarthy
Date: Sat, 8 Dec 2007 14:53
Subject: Views of Antarctica

Hello,

The main work of the cruise is now finished for us. We finished the Drake Passage section earlier this week on the same day that we saw our first iceberg. Then we had a day or two free before doing another few CTD stations in Marguerite Bay just off the Antarctic Peninsula.

The temperature has dropped a lot now and we are frequently seeing mounds of ice passing us by. In the two days we had free, we all got the opportunity to set foot on the mainland. There were two stops: one at Damoy which is an abandoned old British camp and one at Vernadsky which is now a Ukranian base.

While our own science is finished, we got to appreciate some of the other science that is being done in Antarctica. I personally saw the Ukranian base. They have meteorologists, astronomers, marine biologists and more stationed there. They gave us a great welcome and were very nice people to talk to.

Most of the work for us now is going to be sitting in front of a computer working with the data we have collected. We need to make sure that the data is good so that others may use it when we return to Britain. So far the news is good and it is looking like we have successfully collected good data. But we won't just be stuck in front of a computer screen - we're sure to make plenty of time to sight-see in this amazing place.

Bye for now,
Gerard