Greetings from Punta Arenas!
...where the local time is right now, and the temperatures a bit brisk. Actually not too cold, only 45 degrees F, with 81% humidity.
The flight in yesterday was amazing and though I don't know the name of these mountains, they were like sentinels welcoming us to a new land.
The view from the plane was amazing, welcoming us to the southern tip of Chile
I am sitting next to one of the "PI's" of our project Dr. Larry Lawver, whom you will all meet soon when I have a chance to formally interview him and learn all the scientific background of our research. Larry has gone out of his way to make me feel welcome and a part of the science team.
Sitting with Larry Lawver co-principal investigator for our research expedition.
After settling into our hotel we met up with the rest of the science party, had a wonderful dinner of pizza, and I then returned to the hotel at 11:00 pm to get a bit of sleep. I was one of the first to leave! Two days of travel and I was a tired.
But today, the expedition has truly started, the learning the excitement, and what better way than with a breakfast of sweet treats, even some with Nutella inside, yum yummy.
Wonderful buffet breakfast including all sorts of tasty treats.
The rest of the morning and afternoon was spent on picking up our clothing gear bags. From parkas to steel toed boots they have us covered. I love everything, and feel ready for any brisk weather we might experience on board while in the Southern Ocean.
The clothes depot. This pile just came off the vessel, our clothes from a different, clean section
Including steel toed books for deck work.
After securing our gear we then had our first tour of the vessel. She is a gem, quite large with lots of scientific and personal space inside. Please check back in a few days when I will do an entire journal just on the "Palmer" Everyone is super friendly and I look forward to meeting and interviewing the crew. Our bags get placed on the vessel tomorrow morning and then we board around 2:00 pm. I don't know about you, but I am ready to sail in the Southern Ocean.
Thank you to the National Science Foundation, Polartrec and this amazing team. I am about to learn and have the adventure of a lifetime!
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