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Meet the Scientist This is the first of five "Meet the Scientist" journal entries featuring the members of the intrepid Automatic Weather Station crew. Have you been wondering who is with me here in Antarctica? Have you wondered how these people became scientists and what kind of experience and

WEATHER DELAY! ###Clcik the "Media" tab to see the YouTube video! We were on the list to fly out (on an airplane called a "Twin Otter") to two Automatic Weather Station (AWS) sites that are located about 500 miles (800 km) to the "Grid West" of here. But our flight was canceled due to weather

Seals and Pressure Ridges! ###Click the media button to see the newest YouTube video of the pressure ridges and seals. Yesterday we went to an area near Scott Base (a New Zealand station) that has pressure ridges. The pressure ridges are formed by tidal forces and glacial pressure – there is a

Ground Transportation in McMurdo Station, Antarctica There have been two things in my journals that have gotten the biggest response. ### My beard and Ivan! Growing a beard and Ivan the Terra-bus have had by far the biggest response! Why these two have been the most interesting to my readers is

I spent the day out on the Ross Ice Shelf yesterday! ###Click the Media tab for a link to a short video taken on the Ross Ice Shelf. Elina Valkonen (on my team - She is from Finland but is studying for her Ph.D. in Atmospheric and Oceanic Science at University of Colorado - Boulder) and I were

Here is a short video of my first steps on Antarctica. The landscape is beautiful but while being able to see the beauty, it is also obvious how very desolate, harsh and dangerous it is. While each picture is beautiful, I'm willing to bet that this one will be the most popular for this journal

A small step for man, a giant leap for Mike Penn The airplane was dark inside and the light outside was so bright that I really couldn't see outside until I was out of the airplane. The cold air and the wind hit my face as I stepped down the metal stairs to the ice. I had to remember to think

Ice Flight The day started at 4 AM wake-up. Then was a shuttle ride to the USAP at 5:45. We then were weighed and checked in our bags. Then...we were delayed. ##Delayed The rumor was that we were going to be delayed because there was some high winds (19 Knots) at McMurdo. That seemed like a

Well, it was always going to be a challenge to get "PQ'd" (Physically Qualified) to go, starting as I did in late August, and trying to work in the middle between my new health care provider, and the group which oversees all the PQ polar travel stuff. Many, many. many appointments were made

Extreme Cold Weather Clothing Issue Today we went to the United States Antarctic Program's facilities here in Christchurch to be sized and be issued our Extreme Cold Weather (ECW) gear. We also made our final check-in (pronounced "Chicken" by the New Zealanders working in the CDC) of our bags. We