13 December to 19 December 2007

Polarstern feels released. The logistic duties to supply the Antarctic Neumayer II station were finished by Wednesday 19 Dec. Five days earlier, a sunny Sunday with calm 5°C frost provided perfect conditions to ram into 1,5 thick fast ice covering the scenic Atka Bay.  Penguins and seals observed funny red-dressed scientists putting their first steps on cold-white ground. Dark sunglasses reflected not only the unbearable UV-radiation but also views of hanging containers as they were launched from board ship onto easy going sledges towed by strong snow mobiles and Pistenbullies. 16 containers and 19 freight items with a total with weight of more than 150 tons contained material, food and equipment, not only to supply Neumayer station for the next year but also to support the extra crew constructing Neumayer III station nearby throughout the coming Antarctic summer. In return, the ship received more than 27 tons including 2 containers from Neumayer, mostly garbage to be transported out of Antarctica to keep it clean. During the immense logistic exercise the scientists and some crew of Polarstern used the invitation of the Neumayer team to visit the station.

What a perfect day for sightseeing. Meanwhile covered by 12 meters of compressed snow, the quarters, living rooms, offices and craft shops of the station are accessible only by either climbing metal staircases or by sliding down the steep ramps to the garages of the vehicles. Bright sunshine outside contrasts at first with the -14°C icy darkness that is greeting the newcomers. After a while, one recognises the neon lights along the two long tubes in which the long rows of living and working containers are aligned. Step inside please. Cosy 20°C feels like tropical heat. Like a coffee? The friendly mess is the gathering point for the guided tours. In the nearby kitchen two busy cooks prepare dinner for the 8 men and women of the overwintering team and the additional 15 people ready to work on the new Neumayer III construction. The radio station is nearby, next to the hospital that in case of emergency can have an on-line video connection the Reinkenheide hospital in Bremerhaven to assist the doctor (he is also the station leader) in telediagnosis. The labs for meteorological and seismic investigations complete the series of underground facilities. At a little distance are the side tubes for food and technical supplies and most distant and separated by a fire-proof wall, the storage garage for the 6 fuel containers each of 15 000 litres.

On the surface again we see long rows of black power lines hanging on aluminium stilts and guiding us to the small red cabins serving as summer residence for the additional personnel. Six beds, a central table and a small sideboard: that is all they provide but it is sufficient, sheltered and warmed by electric heaters. Both the containers for the meteorological observations and for trace gas analysis in the atmosphere are several hundreds metres further inland. On the other side, next to the ball-shaped satellite antenna, the Flettner wind generator gently turns in the small breeze providing about 5% of the annual energy demand. In the further distance, the Antarctic library, a product of art with a well-sorted variety of excellent books donated by many sources, is an invitation for leisure reading hours. Sitting in the comfortable beige leather chair, one may look outside the window over the endless ice plains and contemplate about the minute people so dependent on Mother Nature, especially down here.

And the weather is the determining factor, indeed. Naja Arctica, the ice-strengthened Danish cargo vessel, has found her way to Atka Bay and is awaiting better ice conditions for unloading the bits and pieces that eventually will become Neumayer III station. Some of the goods are so heavy that unloading onto sea-ice as Polarstern did is not an option. The ship´s cranes can lift items up to 10 m on the continental ice sheet where they then will be picked up and transported to the construction site. But not yet. A two mile wide barrier of compact fast ice prevents any of our ship´s going close to such unloading sites. We simply have to await a strong southerly storm helping to blow the ice apart and away. Polarstern is in a much luckier position. She found and manoeuvred into a polynia that reaches right to the steep 35 m high cliff of the shelf ice edge. Stripes of light and heavy condensed ice indicate the annual snow accumulation; the warmth of the sun in teamwork with frosty nights, creates a phalanx of icicles pinpointing down towards the extremely transparent dark blue water. The ice cliff continues vertically down and vanishes out of sight. Meanwhile the helicopter lifts the black fuel pipe from ship´s deck up to the awaiting 16 blue tank-containers that were filled one by one with Antarctic diesel and kerosin throughout the day and the next night. All went well and off we go towards the ocean science work, waving farewell to the people at Neumayer and the Antarctic continent.

We feel that this time was - besides all hard logistics work - a splendid Christmas gift.

Not much science has been done during the last few days, but this will change soon. The weather is still calm, only a little movement in the ice and all scientists are ready to go. This also means that we will be busy over Christmas and New Year, with only a few hours break for celebrations. Nevertheless, Christmas preparations are ongoing and secrets tried to be hidden, a nearly impossible task on a ship stuffed with nearly 100 curious persons. We’ll see what comes up. Awaiting tension creeps over decks and into cabins for science to be done and surprises to be discovered. I will report as we find out.

For now we all wish you a happy Christmas!

From board Polarstern at 70°35´S and 9°03`W
Uli Bathmann