Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 12/09/2008 - 07:59
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Oden Antarctic Expedition 08

Hey Jeff!!

We have some questions from Mrs. McCabe's 5th Grade Class in Copenhagen, NY:

 

1.) Did you check the weather so there is no danger before the boat left? Did you leave on time or was the weather too bad? -Anthony Allen

2.) Is there any sort of delay when you call from there to way back here in New York? How long does it take? -Tim Roberts

3.) Where is your penguin hat?! -Alex Combs

4.) Why were you wearing shorts and a t-shirt on the video in the freezing water? Are you sick because of it? -Alex Veihl & Connor Eddy

5.) How often do you have to wear the orange suit? -Emma Roberts

6.) Do you have to worry about glaciers? -Claire Stackel

7.) Did we ask enough questions? lol


~Mrs. McCabe's 5th Grade Class, Copenhagen, NY Cool

Tue, 12/09/2008 - 13:02

Jeff Peneston

Anthony, Tim, Alex, Alex, Connoer, Emma and Claire,I had a great time visiting Copenhagen School and your questions are super.Let respond one at a time.
1.) Did you check the weather so there is no danger before the boat left? Did you leave on time or was the weather too bad?         -Anthony Allen    A: The Captain of the Oden constantly watches the weather through satillite images and forecast models.  As we went down the coast of S. America they slowed down for a while because they did not want to arrive at the end of the continent until a storm had passed.  When we got to Cape Horn, the timing was good for us to cross the Drake Passage between storms.
 2.) Is there any sort of delay when you call from there to way back here in New York? How long does it take?  -Tim Roberts    A:  The satellite phone broadcasts from the ship to a satellite that is 485 miles above the Earth and traveling at 16,832 mph.  The signal may be relayed between satellites but it eventually comes back to Earth and is then transmitted to the other party. There is a slight delay between when you say something and when the folks on the other end hear it.  Generally it is only about a second delay but you notice it because you have to slow your conversation down.
3.) Where is your penguin hat?!   -Alex Combs    A:  Alex, my penguin hat is also a Santa hat and I can’t wear it until I am closer to the holidays, and I am on the sea ice, and I see penguins.  Keep watching!
 4.) Why were you wearing shorts and a t-shirt on the video in the freezing water? Are you sick because of it?      -Alex Veihl & Connor Eddy    A:  Alex and Connor, I wore a bathing suit and a t-shirt because I had just done my laundry for the week and I didn’t want to soak my clean jeans and sweatshirt with seawater.
5.) How often do you have to wear the orange suit?   -Emma Roberts    A: I will only have to wear the orange survival suit if there is an emergency or if I am asked to work close to the edge of the sea ice.  I don’t expect either to happen.
6.) Do you have to worry about glaciers?     -Claire Stackel    A:  Glaciers are thick layers of freshwater ice that forms from many years of snowfall on a cold land area.  When we get close to the coast of the Amundsen Sea next week I hope we will be able to see the edge of glaciers as they float out onto the sea as ice shelves.  The only danger would be if I was on the sea ice or in a boat near a glacial ice shelf when part of it broke off and crashed into the sea.  This can send a big wave out and it could overturn small boats.  I don’t think the Captain of the Oden will allow us to get into dangerous situations.
7.) Did we ask enough questions?  lol~Mrs. McCabe's 5th Grade Class, Copenhagen, NY
They were great questions and I am glad you are following the trip.  Keep the questions coming.
Jeff Peneston