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2007

Date: December 15, 2007
Location: East Antarctic Plateau, Drill site 4
Latitude: 88 degrees, 30 minutes, 34.308 seconds South
Longitude: 178 degrees, 31 minutes, 50.844 seconds East
Temperature: −27°C ( −17°F)
Wind Speed: 16 knots
Wind Chill: −42°C (−43°F)
Elevation: 3125 meters (10253 feet)
Kilometers Traveled: 1076
Ice Core Drilled: 247 meters
Written by: Nicky

We awoke, attached the outhouse sled and took off with ease. We practically sprinted the 113K to Titan Dome and never got stuck. The surface, while relatively flat, became progressively softer with each waypoint yet we never got stuck. Just as quickly as the word 'STUCK' had permeated our vocabulary, so too had it disappeared. We had Sharon as our talisman (she alternately rode as a passenger in the previously ill-fated Dozer train and did radar in the PB). Not only did we make excellent time, we made a discovery! Brian found a 6km–long sub–glacial lake with a 1km island in the middle. We don't yet know if it is previously recorded, either way it is very exciting.

By 7:30 am we wound up at Site 4 on Titan Dome, parked and in position, surrounded by lovely weather. We decided to wake up at 2 pm, have a do–it–yourself breakfast and then, if the weather held, have our very own Gallagher's style burger bar. I'm certain we all put ourselves to bed with visions of burgers dancing in our heads. Who need sugar plums, anyway?

 

Date: December 16, 2007
Location: East Antarctic Plateau, Drill site 4
Latitude: 88 degrees, 30 minutes, 34.308 seconds South
Longitude: 178 degrees, 31 minutes, 50.844 seconds East
Temperature: −29°C ( −20°F)
Wind Speed: 10 knots
Wind Chill: −42°C (−43°F)
Elevation: 3125 meters (10253 feet)
Kilometers Traveled: 1076
Ice Core Drilled: 247 meters
Written by: Nicky

As planned, people begin to pop into the kitchen seeking sustenance between 2 and 2:30 pm. Before long the kitchen is filled with the smell of bacon, sliced onions (which Elena tore herself from slumber to cut) and fried potatoes. The weather was still beautiful, so Luke set up the grill outside and everyone found tasks of one kind or another to fill their time before the burger party began. Dan D., Sharon, and Paul headed upwind to dig and sample a snow pit for trace–element analysis. This turned out to be quite an undertaking; over the course of several hours a 2 m deep pit was dug, 140cm of which was sampled into 120 vials (1.167cm sampling resolution). Luke and Mike flew their kites, Josh played the game "Civilization" on his laptop, and Gordon and Dan B. tried to tune into the BBC news channel on the VHF radio. Phone calls are made and the immediacy of the end of the traverse is considered. Burgers were followed by movies and leisure activities before we took to our beds for a well–deserved night's sleep. Tomorrow we’ll begin drilling our (hopefully!) deepest core of the season.