Antarctic Expedition 2009
March 6 - April 15, 2009
Northwestern Weddell Sea
The P’s and Q’s of Going to Antarctica Planning lab activities is not the only level of preparation necessary before an Antarctic cruise. Unlike oceanographic cruises in other regions of the world, every individual for this frosty mission went through a series of medical tests to ensure they are healthy and able-bodied for the additional stresses of working in polar waters. Extreme cold, a dry desert climate, biting winds, rolling seas, and long work-hours all lead to wear and tear on one’s body during a research expedition, so every participant undergoes a “physical qualification,” or “PQ” process. We all reached PQ status by completing dental and physical examinations, with appointments scheduled months in advance (most appointments were in December or January for this March cruise). Equipment design and testing has been ongoing since the first iceberg cruise to the Southern Ocean in 2005. Not long after returning from Antarctica last July, engineers Alana Sherman, Paul McGill, and Brett Hobson began developing systems for this mission. Kim Reisenbichler, Craig Dawe, and Jake Ellena have spent many hours and taken courses on flying remote-controlled airplanes in preparation for using these instruments to deliver GPS tracking units onto the icebergs.  Finally, traveling by air from the United States to Punta Arenas, Chile, takes more than 24 hours. All of this preparation was necessary to embark on a cruise for 40 days of important, pertinent research in one of the most unknown environments in the world. — Amanda Kahn
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