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Cloud Whisperer: Dispatches from Antarctica

"Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful". – Sir Ernest Shackleton  

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  • Antarctica

    Week 17: Farewell Antarctica, Hello Again New Zealand

    February 16, 2026 - By Erin

    This week was focused on cleaning and turning in all field gear, finishing our End of Season reports, and getting ready to redeploy back to Christchurch. Originally, I was scheduled to head out on the 20th, then the 16th, and now the 14th! With the summer season coming to a…

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  • Antarctica

    Week 16: Camp Closed, Back to McMurdo – Showers, Laundry, and Whales!

    February 7, 2026 - By Erin

    This week has been a whirlwind of being busy! As mentioned last week, I was supposed to be leaving out last Saturday, but for a slew of reasons (weather, plane availability, crew rest, maintenance, etc.), we finally ALL got out on Thursday back to McMurdo. Which was fitting since the…

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  • Antarctica

    Week 15: Winterizing WAIS Divide — The Coldest Week Shows Up on Cue

    January 31, 2026 - By Erin

    It’s wild that we’ve almost come to the end of our time out in the field. This week was focused on getting everything winterized and closing up camp before heading out, allegedly, next week. While the weather is generally unfavorable here in the summer, it can dump up to 20…

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  • Antarctica

    Week 14: Answering Questions, Kathie, & Getting Into the Home Stretch!

    January 24, 2026 - By Erin

    To start out this week, I got a few questions that I’ve answered below. Feel free to keep them coming my way! Happy to talk about my experience. What kind of science research are you and the group doing? We we supposed to have two science group come out to…

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  • Antarctica

    Week 13: Traverse Comes Back, New Aircraft Arrives, Science Moves Forward

    January 17, 2026 - By Erin

    This week was quite busy and went by fairly quickly, but without a lot of flights. Monday was suppose to bring out our science group and Tuesday bringing out Twin Otter aircraft to support them. However, despite being on the flight schedule twice a day, no LC-130 has been able…

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  • Antarctica

    Week 12: Traversing to Byrd, Weather Balloons & The Southernmost Art Gallery

    January 10, 2026 - By Erin

    Busy week this week here at WAIS Divide! The week started out with a 16 hour work day for me (0800-0000) and then back at 0800 the next day, due to flight operations. As of now, they are working to send us one LC-130 a day, typically in the morning,…

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  • Antarctica

    Week 11: Wind, Snow, and a New Year on the Ice

    January 2, 2026 - By Erin

    Happy New Year!!! 2025 was not at all what I was expecting it to be. At this time last year, I was still waiting on my start date at NAVO, taking one final trip beforehand (Train across the country, up the coast, and then to Alaska). I figured my year…

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  • Antarctica

    Week 10: Santa, Frosty, & the Grinch Visit WAIS Divide for Christmas

    December 26, 2025 - By Erin

    Title is in reference to the call signs of the flights we had this week 🙂 Monday kicked off my turn for the early morning observing shifts. When we have LC-130 flights scheduled, hourly observations are required to start 6 hours prior to the scheduled take off time with SPECI…

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  • Antarctica

    Week 9: Balloons Soar, Snow Flies, and We Finally Make It to WAIS Divide!

    December 20, 2025 - By Erin

    We are finally at WAIS Divide!!!! They decided to reallocated the LC-130’s from the South Pole to try and get everyone out here and with TWO LC flights in one day, we got everyone (including our carpenters, electrician, utility folks that come out for about a week to get some…

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  • Antarctica

    Week 8: WAIS Divide FINALLY! – Well, Sorta…

    December 13, 2025 - By Erin

    Monday was FINALLY the day Team 1 took off for WAIS Divide! The whole base was so excited for us that they made us a picture and THREE exclamation points when they were activated. I am apart of Team 2, and as of now, we were originally scheduled to go…

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Recent Posts

  • Feb 16, 2026 Week 17: Farewell Antarctica, Hello Again New Zealand
  • Feb 07, 2026 Week 16: Camp Closed, Back to McMurdo – Showers, Laundry, and Whales!
  • Jan 31, 2026 Week 15: Winterizing WAIS Divide — The Coldest Week Shows Up on Cue
  • Jan 24, 2026 Week 14: Answering Questions, Kathie, & Getting Into the Home Stretch!
  • Jan 17, 2026 Week 13: Traverse Comes Back, New Aircraft Arrives, Science Moves Forward
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