Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 12/11/2006 - 09:05
Forums
Oden Antarctic Expedition 06

Dear Mr. Miller,

How are you?  Are you having a wonderful time?  We have a few questions already and will be checking in throughout the next two weeks:

1. What types of animals have you seen?-Luis/Kimberly

2.  What are you looking forward to seeing? -Mayra

3.  Is it snowing alot? -Alexis

4.  Have you seen any whales and if so, what type? -Gabrielle

5. Has the ice broken easily to get through? -Ayleen

6.  How far are you from your destination and where are you on your journey? -Sarah & Courtney, Maribi

7.  Are you hoping to see lots of penguins? -Courtney

8.  Have you had any negative experience with the harsh weather? -Kimberly

9. Have you made any friends? -Deybid

CoolHope you have a safe journey and a, excellent time.

Warmly,

Mrs. Lambert's class

Tue, 12/12/2006 - 09:03

Allan Miller

1. What types of animals have you seen?-Luis/KimberlyMy favorite so far  would have to be the Magallenes penguins - they are so cute and I love how they walk.  Check on the pictures on the forum.
2.  What are you looking forward to seeing? -Mayra
Next I hope we can see some whales as we cross the Drake Passage - and after that it will be incredibly exciting to see Antarctica for the first time!  I can't wait.
3.  Is it snowing alot? -Alexis  Not at all - it's summer here so it's about 45 degrees and the sun is out 20 hours every day.  But it should get colder as we head farther south so we'll probably hit snow before too long.
4.  Have you seen any whales and if so, what type? -Gabrielle
Not yet - but they say we'll see humpbacks. orcas, beaked whales - and maybe even some larger species if we are lucky and the water is smooth enough to see them blow.
5. Has the ice broken easily to get through? -Ayleen
The ship is so huge I'm sure it's going to be fine - but the first worry is getting across the Drake Passage - it's designed to ride well in the ice but with it's flat front they say it will be a pretty wild ride in the waves.
6.  How far are you from your destination and where are you on your journey? -Sarah & Courtney, Maribi
We're over 8,000 miles from Washington DC in a Punta Arenas on the coast of Chile.  Tonight we'll head north through the Straits of Magellan and then turn south following the east coast of Chile until we reach Cape Horn - then we'll head straight to the Antarctic peninsula.
7.  Are you hoping to see lots of penguins? -Courtney
Absolutely - and check out the forum for a view from my visit yesterday to a Magallanes penguin rookery just north of Punta Arenas.  We should see lots of other kinds as soon as we reach the Antarctic ice too.
8.  Have you had any negative experience with the harsh weather? -Kimberly
It was a little tough running in the wind today - but since we're on shore it isn't a real problem yet.  But it has the seas pretty stirred up so I expect that we're in for some rough sailing once we leave tonight.
9. Have you made any friends? -Deybid Folks here are great - I'm sitting writing on the computer right next to Ute Kaden - a fantastic science teacher from Texas (check out her posts too!).  My roommate is a multimedia journalist named Dan and we've been roaming around town together. Last night I was taken out for a nice dinner by Jose Retamales, the Director of the Instituto Antarctico Chileno, it was a fantastic meal of conger eel, octobus, king crab.  So as you can see I've met a lot of new friends and look forward to meeting even more on the boat once we're underway. 
 

Wed, 12/13/2006 - 16:02

kimberly

Hi Mr. Miller how are you I heard you are on the boat right now I always have question for you because as I said to you before I am so intrested in you're expidison to Antartica well you will be very exited when you get there am I correct ?* do you get to go scoobadiven ?
* Have you had any problems with friends or rumates ?
* what is the meanest animal you think you will have to face ?
* are there any of you're friends that you knew or met before the expidison ?
Have a wonderful trip i am anxus to read you're answeres and to hear about you're jorney.

Wed, 12/13/2006 - 17:02

Allan Miller

I'm slowly getting used to the cold again - but living in DC for the past 4 months has definitely made me less like a penguin and more like a pigeon! Especially with the high winds we've had since we arrived in South America - it feels pretty bitter cold and I'm glad we have all this extreme weather gear. I'm not sure about returning to Antarctica - I would love to bring my family to see this - but there are so many beautiful places in the world perhap we'll go somewhere new. I've always wanted to visit Iceland, Australia, the Russian Kamchatka Peninsula, New Zealand, China, etc. But maybe after I see Antarctica it will affect me like Alaska did 20 years ago - I was so struck by it's beauty that I moved there and have stayed ever since (probably not an option for Antarctica.)
It has been as cold as 10 below this time of the year in Antarctica - and that is before we figure in the wind chill which is almost always blasting. My question for your class is "What kind of education and experiences do you think it would take to become a member of an expedition like this - are there things you could be doing now?
Thanks for the great questions - talk to you again soon.

Thu, 12/14/2006 - 14:50

kimberly

Brrrrrrr how are you Mr. Miller i bet you're shivering right now aren't you? well anyways I have 4 questions for yoru like always well back to the questions my questios are:* well I asked you if  you had any bad expiriens with the weather I haven't asked you if you had any good exiriens with the weather ?
* How cold do you think it will be in antartica when you come back ?
* do you think if you take you're family to antartica would they like it ?
* so far what has been the funest part of you're trip ?
well got to go i hope you don't freeze. wish you well you're fourth grade friend kimberly.  
   

Fri, 12/15/2006 - 17:59

kimberly

HI HOW ARE JUST A QUESTION WHAT DID YOU ASK MY CLASS? HAVE A GREAT DAY I WILL TALK TO YOU LATER BECAUSE I WILL HAVE TO LEAVE HAVE A GOOD TIME!