I don't post other people's pictures often, but I retrieved some photos from Bruce Miller on our common drive. I have become friends with a couple of divers this year and they describe their ventures under the ice as indescribable; as their own surreal cathedral. These pictures capture a glimpse of their underwater scenery in Antarctica. From ice crystals forming in the water to dancing star fish, the seascape appears crystal clear in the clean cold Antarctic waters.
Because the water is salty, the temperatures down here are a chilly 28.5F. Divers wear a few layers of clothing under their dry suits. The only part of their body that is exposed is their mouth. Due to the cold temperatures, there are many safety precautions in place for these people. While they can see a long way under the ice, their diving depth is limited.
Some of these scientists come to explore the oceanography and the sea floor, some study the effects that our presence has had on the habitat and species in this area, and others study the sea creatures that dwell under the ice. One group , in particular, is studying the "anti-freeze" that fish (particularly the Antarctic Cod) use to keep from stiffening up. I wondered aloud to one of these researchers if they weren't really part of a covert operation to get antifreeze from these fish to inject into their own bodies as part of a global espionage scenario. Probably not.
I've already mentioned
Werner Herzog's new film,
Encounters at the End of the World (I have his autograph somewhere from his stay here last season). Herzog's work also includes some of the fluid scenes underneath the Ice we all walk on. I would recommend watching the film if you are curious about what goes on here on our Western side of Antarctica in the summer. He talks to many people who I know or am familiar with from my time here and offers his audience some amazing Antarctic scenery.
I don't post other people's pictures often, but I retrieved some photos from Bruce Miller on our common drive. I have become friends with a couple of divers this year and they describe their ventures under the ice as indescribable; as their own surreal cathedral. These pictures capture a glimpse of their underwater scenery in Antarctica. From ice crystals forming in the water to dancing star fish, the seascape appears crystal clear in the clean cold Antarctic waters.
Because the water is salty, the temperatures down here are a chilly 28.5F. Divers wear a few layers of clothing under their dry suits. The only part of their body that is exposed is their mouth. Due to the cold temperatures, there are many safety precautions in place for these people. While they can see a long way under the ice, their diving depth is limited.
Some of these scientists come to explore the oceanography and the sea floor, some study the effects that our presence has had on the habitat and species in this area, and others study the sea creatures that dwell under the ice. One group , in particular, is studying the "anti-freeze" that fish (particularly the Antarctic Cod) use to keep from stiffening up. I wondered aloud to one of these researchers if they weren't really part of a covert operation to get antifreeze from these fish to inject into their own bodies as part of a global espionage scenario. Probably not.
I've already mentioned Werner Herzog's new film, Encounters at the End of the World (I have his autograph somewhere from his stay here last season). Herzog's work also includes some of the fluid scenes underneath the Ice we all walk on. I would recommend watching the film if you are curious about what goes on here on our Western side of Antarctica in the summer. He talks to many people who I know or am familiar with from my time here and offers his audience some amazing Antarctic scenery.
2 comments:
yo- i called your number yesterday and got your sister. oops. anyway, just thinking of ya, hope you're doing well. stay warm and have a merry christmas!!!
Oh wow! Those photos are AMAZING! Thanks for sharing, A!
Em
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