While the main main body of the Weddell seal field research team gets rolling with the pupping season in Erebus Bay, I am now in Christchurch, New Zealand getting ready to be issued my Extreme Cold Weather (ECW) clothing at the U.S. Antarctic Program's Clothing Distribution Center (CDC) in Christchurch in preparation for my flight to the Ice tomorrow morning. 

Here's a brief video I did a couple years back on that process, including an interview with U. S. Antarctic Program, New Zealand's wonderful Marlene Mclennan.  This video also includes a bit of footage of one of my favorite aspects of the deployment process–flying on the U.S. Air Force operated C-17 military transport jet from Christchurch, NZ to McMurdo Station, Antarctica.

Meanwhile, in Erebus Bay my team has completed training, including pressure ridge safety training with the good folks of the U.S. Antarctic Program's FSTP (Field Safety and Training Program), and is now in full swing with the Weddell seal pupping season's daily activities.

You can see some great images of the field team's recent activities on Jesse Devoe's latest Aspiring Ecologist blog post on the "The Catch Up Medley":

– Mary Lynn Price