April 18, 2005

Funded by the National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs

Location: 64 23. 539 S. 63 15.101W

Temperature: -1 C
Wind Chill: N/A
Port Wind: 10-50 knots

Fortitudine Vincimus

It was a long day of waiting. Today was going to be the day that would wipe away the bad taste of the unrewarded efforts of the previous week. Hopes and expectations that this cruise would end with a resounding success were riding high. Even the sun came out of the clouds this morning to warm the men working on the deck and bring out the beauty of our surroundings. The ice floe that was surrounding the Palmer last night vanished. There was no wind and the sea was calm. I took all of those as favorable omens.

The morning went on and the first progress reports came over the radio. The drilling started in earnest. Those who were reading a book or were playing cards to pass time stopped and started listening. The first barrel was on the deck. There was no core yet, but I was told that the drill was still going through the soft sediment and none was expected. That was the first optimistic report in days. The arrival of the next barrel was announced and several of us ran up to the helicopter deck with excitement reminiscent of the first days in Maxwell Bay. The report was identical to the first one: sediment only as a herald to a core that will come up as soon as the harder layer is reached. It was supposed to be a routine operation from then on.

The sun hid behind the cloud. The winds picked up and the ice returned. Reports from the drill shack became infrequent and less cheerful. Waiting was hard and disquiet was building up. By early evening hours the report of a broken pipe came. The pipe sank 28 meters and the hopes of those who have emotionally invested so much in this project dropped much lower. It was the hardest moment of this cruise.

The broken pieces will be recovered and pipes will be pulled out of the water through the night. Plans for tomorrow and for the remainder of the cruise are being made. An operation like SHALDRIL, where new ideas and equipment are being challenged for the first time under harsh und difficult to predict Antarctic conditions, offers many risks and no guarantees. It requires an amazing dedication, strength, and perseverance of all involved. The wonderful people I met this month have all of those qualities. "By Fortitude We Conquer" was Shackleton's motto and conquer they shall.

Alex Injac

Kristy Milliken, Rice University

Captain Mike Watson (photograph courtesy of John Higdon)

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