Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 12/12/2009 - 10:15
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Dissolved Organic Matter in Antarctica

Hi Miss Christine, Is it cold down there? Have you found any penguins? Have you seen any polar bears? When are you coming home? Is it snowing down there? Did you jump in the water this year? Merry Christmas! Do you have a Christmas tree down there? Where are you living? I can't wait until you come home. Love, Ava

Sun, 12/13/2009 - 09:06

Sarah Diers

Hi Ava and the Wessel family,
Thanks for the great questions. Please wish your Mom and Ike a Happy Birthday from me. To answer your questions, because we are in the southern hemisphere it is actually summer time down here. This means that the sun shines all day long and we do not have darkness at night. It has actually been colder this week in Bozeman, than down here in Antarctica. So, bundle up and stay warm.
We were lucky enough to see penguins a week or so ago. We saw both Adelie and Emperor penguins. There are no polar bears in Antarctica, they only live up north in the Arctic.
I am staying in a tent out in a field camp in the dry valleys at Lake Fryxell, but we have had a little bit of snow over the last few days. Typically the valleys are pretty dry so it was a nice surprise to wake up and have a dusting of snow on the outside of my tent.
big hug, I will see you soonlove, Christine
We do celebrate Christmas down here, but I will hopefully be home to see you at Christmas. In the past Santa Claus has come to the camps on a helicopter with our presents, which was fantastic.