Location - Punta Arenas, Chile
Latitude: 53° 10 S
Longitude: 70° 54 W
Temperature: 7.1 °C (44.8°F)
Barometric Pressure: 1005.3 mBar
Relative Humidity: 71.1%
**Antarctic trivia question **(answer at the end of this journal entry): What is the coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth?
We've gotten the "green light" to return to Antarctica tomorrow (Thursday, September 20). Environmental health and safety reports were good, repairs have been made (and are still underway) and we're all excited to return to the ice. Our original departure date was September 1, so we've lost twenty days to the fire. Our chief scientist has trimmed the science schedule to fit the time we have left - the good news is that most of the major items planned will still be able to be completed.
We're changing our destination a bit - heading straight for the ice edge near 90° W - close to Peter I Island.
If you would like to follow the track of our ship online go to www.sailwx.info - click on Ship Tracker at the top of the page, then enter our ship's call sign (wbp3210) in the search box towards the bottom of the page. Once our ship's IT systems are functioning again you'll be able to follow our track. I see that the last reading on the page was from one hour before our fire on September 4. Our shipboard email systems are not currently operational, but should be soon.
Adios Chile!
**Answer to today's Antarctic trivia question: **The coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth was at Vostok Station on July 21, 1983. The thermometer read -129° F! Vostok station is a Russian research station near the southern magnetic pole. (The geographic and magnetic poles are not in the same location.) Even though this is a Russian station scientists from all over the world conduct research here.