Sea Ice Breakaway!

Hey hey just a quick post to let you all know that I'm fit and healthy and appear to have lost a huge 500 grams since I did my medical in Canberra. I was probably just dehydrated. So much for the idea the everyone puts on weight down here. Well, I won't speak so soon; bring on the Winter! Yes, we had our first montly medicals this week, which was the combination of a brief physical exam and a brief check-in to evaluate our psychological state. I hear there are some who feel trepidation at the prospect of spending the Winter here. I can understand that, but I'm dealing pretty well with the prospect at this stage. It's a crazy thought, but not overwhelming.

Yesterday, after staying up quite late and having a few drinks in bar to celebrate the head marine scientist, Cath's, birthday. I slightly slept in, awaking to a view of the dark blue ocean outside my bedroom window. Amazing! When I had gone to bed, the sea was frozen solid. Where did it all go? Check out this timelapse video of the sea ice wandering off to explore the southern ocean.

Today we're installing the new laser for the Lidar that I run. My boss is over there right now installing temperature sensors, and when it's done, were going to burn brown spots into bits of paper to see the shape of the laser beam. We run the paper through the pulsing laser light and the clacking noise that it makes as each laser pulse hits the paper and leaves a burn is actually above the pain threshold of hearing. Nice. I hope I never put my hand in front of that beam!

I've started a Spanish discussion group, and had a fair bit of interest. In addition to me, 7 people showed up. I'm going to send out some material for all of us to study this weekend so we can actually start speaking in Spanish next Tuesday. I figure it beats all of us sitting in our rooms studying books and listening to tapes alone.

I should go. I'm at work. Photos to come soon. Now to try and upload this video...