Blog & News

Latest insights into our latest mission to the Arctic.

Canada’s Arctic ice shelves have almost halved in size over the last six years.
Summer 2011 marks the second lowest sea ice extent on record

Viewing: 2010

10 things I haven’t seen in ages

April 25, 2010

Alastair Humphreys, Communications Manager at the Ice Base, ponders some of the things that he hasn’t seen since being on the ice… 10 things I haven’t seen in ages Trees, grass or flower Birds or insects A stone, dust or a road Money A child A house or a shop A television or newspaper A [...]

Posted in 2010, Blog, Ice Base

The Coldest Office On Earth?

April 3, 2010

Without question this is the coldest office I have ever worked in. Without question the view from my office window is the finest I have ever had. My office is a tent, a tent perched on the five feet of ice that separates me from the depths of the Arctic Ocean. It is an extraordinary [...]

Posted in 2010, Blog, Ice Base

Storm Reminds Us How Remote We Are

March 22, 2010

The near-perfect weather that the Ice Base has experienced since it was established last weekend was rudely interrupted in the space of 45 minutes on Friday 19th. Although the temperature rose slightly from -32 to -24 degrees Celsius, the winds increased to 80 kilometres per hour, making the windchill temperature feel more like -60 degrees [...]

Posted in 2010, Blog, Ice Base

All About Zooplankton

March 18, 2010

Today, for me, was all about zooplankton. These are the small marine animals that swim about in our oceans and form vital roles in supporting marine ecosystems and food webs. My role in the Catlin Arctic Survey is to study the zooplankton that live under the sea ice here in the high Arctic, and determine [...]

Posted in 2010, Blog, Ice Base, Science

Our First Morning on the Ice

March 15, 2010

Well, it’s 06:38 local time and we’ve just spent our first night on the floating sea ice. Although it’s been over 300 days since we were last on the Arctic Ocean, it somehow feels like we’ve never been away! The drop off was completely smooth, with the Twin Otter landing on a refrozen lead of [...]

Posted in 2010, Blog, Explorers

Scientist Training

March 5, 2010

There wasn’t much time for our new team of scientists to bed in to life in Resolute. Having arrived last night at around 1930 local time, they met the Ice Base and Explorer teams and then settled into their rooms in readiness to start their 5 day training course today. By 0915 Dr. Helen Findlay, [...]

Posted in 2010, Blog, Ice Base, Science, Training

Explorers vs Ice Base

March 2, 2010

The equipment that the two teams will be taking with them looks the same on paper, but in practice the type of kit and the quantity of it is very different. Take tents as a prime example. Today,Charlie, Ann and Martin pitched the tent that they will be sleeping in during their scientific journey to [...]

Posted in 2010, Blog, Explorers, Ice Base, Kit

Unpredictability

February 25, 2010

The only guarantee in the Arctic is that there are no guarantees. 130km/h (80mph) winds blowing across the runway at Resolute on February 24th scuppered the Ice Base team’s attempt to fly north from the town of Iqaluit on Baffin Island. The weather in Iqaluit was a balmy -20ºC (-4ºF) yesterday afternoon and the team [...]

Posted in 2010, Ice Base, Training

Project Go!

February 19, 2010

Science protocols – check. Kit and Clothing – check. Freight packed and sent – check. Website put live – check. Physical, medical and science training – check. Umpteen other things – check. After 9 months of research, planning, training and more planning the Catlin Arctic Survey 2010 is limbering up and ready to get into [...]

Posted in 2010, Blog, Operations