Thank you! (February 1st, 2012)

(EN) Seven of us arrived at Cape Town 10pm February 1^st, Wednesday, while Rune stays at the station as a summer mechanical engineer for more weeks.  The last job for us during this deployment is to move ice samples from our chest freezer to a commercial frozen cargo container.  In the picture, Anne works with puzzles how to fit ice cores in the insulation box at a warehouse near the airport.

Unfortunately, we left our weather station at Troll so I have no weather report today, but I want to post my speech that I addressed during the welcome dinner on January 28^th, the day when we arrived at the station.  Thank you for following us, and we will be back next season!

“Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to take this opportunity to appreciate every single individual who has been involved in supporting this field season.  "All activities in Antarctica are made eventually for science."  This is the principle and common sense shared in the international Antarctic community.  Well, it is something very easy to say, but very difficult to really make it.  Maintaining the infrastructure and preparing the station for the next wintering require a lot of efforts.  However, Jon and Ken allocated significant resources directly supporting science.  I joined NPI only two years ago and this is my first season to lead a NARE team.  The project was funded late June and the preparation started only late August.  These circumstances make extra burden to everyone here at Troll.

This is one of the most successful seasons in my Antarctic career.  Weather has been so nice in this season, and we were able to take the full benefit of it because the team is prepared.  All team members are self motivated, hard workers, and mission oriented.  I am a lucky man to lead such extraordinary team with extraordinary support from the station.

I'd like to thank again all individuals here at the station, all individuals who have been involved in supporting this field season but left the station earlier of the season, including the previous wintering team, and all supporting staff back in Tromsø.

Tusen tusen takk.”

Posted byKenny Matsuoka (sorry, no Norwegian version today)