Our Arrival to Palmer Station, Antarctica

1/10/2012

Our Arrival to Palmer Station, Antarctica

Arthur Harbor, Anvers Island
Antarctic Peninsula

rucool.marine.rutgers.edu

On Tuesday January 3rd, the research team and I safely made it to Palmer Station, Antarctica. As our ship approached the station, there was a flurry of activity to get the ship docked at the pier.

Palmer Station will be our new home for the next four weeks. It is the smallest of the three U.S. research stations in Antarctica. It houses up to 44 scientists and support staff in all. Right now, we have 42 people living here.

Stepping onto the Continent

What would be the first thing you would do in Antarctica??? Since I am an avid hiker, the very first thing I did was check out the enormous glacier in my new "backyard!" It is part of the Marr Ice Piedmont, whose cliffs rise above Arthur Harbor and Palmer Station, covering the entire Anvers Island.

Here I am at the top of the Backyard

Some friends and I hiked the safe area of this enormous glacier. This area is actually called "The Backyard." It was a 450 foot uphill climb in thick, icy snow.

For safety, we needed to first alert the staff of our plans and take a walkie talkie. The safe zones are marked to help us avoid dangerous areas, such as crevasses and slippery ice. Check out the incredible view!

Check out the marine animal also hiking the glacier! This lone Gentoo penguin was sitting about halfway up the glacier. He seemed to be admiring the view too! Check out the photos I took of him.

56 Comments

Jessica Glasgow

1/10/2012 09:13:01 am

WOW! I cannot believe how white, bright, and beautiful everything is down there. I can't imagine what it's like for you in person. I would be so scared those waves would have tipped the boat or taken it under, haha:) I would love to experince something like this. I'm glad you decided to do a blog though, because I feel like I'm right there with you. You must feel like your in another world. Well keep us updated! By the way, my Spanish 4 class loved seeing us teaching your kids on here. We had so much fun doing it. We can't wait until you get back to start again! Have Fun!!! :)

Nature Nat

1/11/2012 02:17:01 am

Hi Jessica,

I'm so glad that you have been following along so closely. It does feel like another world sometimes. The environment is always changing wherever you look. For instance, we had a warm sunny day this week and several ice flows floated into the bay here. Out of nowhere, dozens of crabeater seals emerged from the water to bask in the sun. It was amazing to see! Keep up the great work and I'll see you soon on skype!

Mo Carroll

1/10/2012 09:23:35 am

Miss Harr,

I am so happy that you have arrived safely! I love reading your blog and following along with your trip! I am sharing your experience with my students during student teaching and they got so excited when I told them I know you! Can't wait to read more :)

Miss Carroll

Nature Nat

1/11/2012 02:19:28 am

Hello Miss Carol!

I'm so glad you and your students are following along on the blog. What is the name of your school district? I would like to add it to my Get Connected page. Good luck student teaching and keep in touch. Let me know if I can help with any lessons!

Aspen Baynes

1/10/2012 09:52:11 am

Hi Miss Harr think of you often! We LOVE the pictures. It looks like you are having an amazing time. Be safe and warm!!

Miss Harr (a.k.a. Nature Nat)

1/11/2012 02:21:41 am

Hello Aspen!

I am having a wonderful time. I love being a Nature Detective here in Antarctica. There is an elephant seal sleeping right outside the door here! Have fun reading Mr. Popper's Penguins. We'll be skyping at school soon!

Zena link

1/10/2012 08:25:34 pm

Welcome "home" ... I think it's going to be a great month :)

Nature Nat

1/11/2012 02:22:28 am

Thanks Zena! It's great working with you here at Palmer Station!

Su MacIntyre link

1/10/2012 09:20:29 pm

WOW! This is incredible. I teach 7th grade Science in Southeast PA. Even though we aren't studying this in our curriculum, I intend to incorporate it and follow you! This is so wonderful. I can't get over how white, bright and CLEAN everything looks! I'm glad you arrived safely and I hope everyone stays well.

Nature Nat

1/11/2012 02:24:35 am

Hello Mrs. MacIntyre,

Thank you for your interest in the Crestwood-Antarctica Connection. I'm so glad the website and blog will be useful for your 7th graders. What is the name of your school district? I would like to add it to the "Get Connected" page here on the website. Enjoy the Antarctic adventure!

Kathleen Smith

1/10/2012 09:40:36 pm

Thanks for the blog...I am a middle school biology teacher...so am looking forward to following your blog! Am going to share it with my students on our edmodo account!

Nature Nat

1/11/2012 02:27:03 am

Hello Mrs. Smith,

Thank you for following the Crestwood-Antarctica Connection. It has been a lot of fun managing the blog and connecting with wonderful teachers like you. What is the name of your district? I would like to add it to the "Get Connected" page on the website here. Take care!

Mrs. Broman's third grade class

1/10/2012 10:07:06 pm

Ms. Harr,
We loved the pictures of the Gento penguin. We are reading about Antarctica and penguins in the Magic Tree House research book. We tried to carry plastic Easter eggs on our feet in class yesterday. It was very funny and very, very, difficult. We are watching the March of the Penguins in class and wouldn't want to be an Emperor Penguin. They sure have a tough life.
Have fun at the bottom of the world......don't fall off!!!!

Miss Harr (a.k.a. Nature Nat)

1/11/2012 02:30:19 am

Hello Mrs. Broman's Class!

We are so glad to hear all the wonderful connections that you are making with Antarctica in your classroom. Today, it's been a wet, rainy day so we are working inside the station. Great job and keep in touch!

Sarah Stahl

1/10/2012 10:26:46 pm

Hi Miss Harr! I can't believe how beautiful your new home is! I am so excited to follow your journey!! Keep posting lots of pictures :)
Sarah

Nature Nat

1/11/2012 02:32:20 am

Hi Sarah!

Thanks for your message. I'm so glad you are following the blog. I hope you are enjoying your new Pittsburgh home as much I am here.

Eleda

1/10/2012 11:29:59 pm

Hi. I just got your info and can't wait to share with my students. Everything looks great. What an amzing place! Thank you.

Nature Nat

1/11/2012 02:33:55 am

Hello Eleda,

Where are you and your students from? What is the name of your school? I'm so happy to have you and your students join the Antarctic adventure!

Miss Nace's second grade class link

1/10/2012 11:46:35 pm

This is so cool! We love all of your pictures and information! Thanks for sharing them with us!!

Nature Nat

1/11/2012 02:35:24 am

Hello Miss Nace!

Thanks for following along with your students. Where are you from? Where is your school? I plan to update the blog frequently so be sure to check back again soon!

Allyson Brode

1/11/2012 12:09:34 am

Miss Harr! This is so very cool! You are doing a fantastic job with the blog. I am sharing all your facts about penguins with the kids. Mrs. Hauman came up with a great idea for Antartica facts that I cannot wait for you to see when you get back. Great Job! Be safe! Can't wait to hear more!

Miss Harr (a.k.a Nature Nat)

1/11/2012 02:37:28 am

Hello Mrs. Brode!

It's so nice to hear from you! I can't wait to see the Antarctica fact display when I return back to school. Tell your students that I said hello and happy Penguin month!

Ed Soldo

1/11/2012 12:46:22 am

Natalie, this was the first chance I've had to view all months of your blog. You've been prolific in posting. I particularly was amused by the cicada-red eyes at Buckeye High school. You must have been up preparing your talk all evening. :o) Keep up the great work and keep the great instructive photos coming. Ranger Ed

Nature Nat

1/11/2012 02:39:53 am

Hi Ranger Ed!

Thanks for all your notes so far on the blog. I received them all. Thanks for teaching me all the photo tips. I'm still have plenty to learn, but I'm pleased with how my photos have turned out so far. It's really hard to take a bad photo here with the incredible scenery. Tell Cole I said hello!

Paula Opp

1/11/2012 01:01:41 am

My class and I discovered your blog and are very interested in your journey! We are 5th graders in Cleveland, Texas and don't get to see much snow...brrrrrrr! My students are interested in how many species of penguins you have seen so far. Good luck with your research. Mrs. Opp's 5th grade Science class

Nature Nat

1/11/2012 02:44:02 am

Hello Ms. Opp's 5th graders! Thank you for following my blog. I am having an incredible time here at Palmer Station. So far, I have seen 3 out of the 4 species of penguins native to Antarctica: Adelie, chinstrap, and gentoo. I have seen entire colonies of Adelie penguins on a local island here and I will add photos to the blog soon. I have only see one chinstrap and one gentoo here at the station. There is an incredible team of bird researchers here, so let me know if you have any questions that I can help answer for you!

Roxanne Sorrick

1/11/2012 03:40:56 am

Miss Harr,
I absolutely love your photos! Your class and I have been hard at work on a few surprises for you! We'll keep you posted!
Mrs. Sorrick

Miss Harr (a.k.a. Nature Nat)

1/12/2012 12:57:52 am

Hello Mrs. Sorrick,

Thank you for the wonderful video of my students. I am so proud of them. They are learning so much about Antarctica and being a scientist. Please let them know that I miss them!

Rebecca King link

1/11/2012 04:04:57 am

Hello from Houston, Texas!!

I look forward to keeping up with your experience, Ms. Harr! I'm a Science Lab teacher and have the privilege of teaching PreK through 5th, so all my students will have the opportunity to see how AWESOME science can be. Reading your blog will keep them believing they can truly do anything. I'll be sure to keep you posted with any questions they may have. Have fun and stay safe!

~ Ms. Rebecca King

Nature Nat

1/12/2012 01:02:41 am

Hello Ms. King!

Thank you for following the blog! I'm so glad that you find it useful with your science students. Science is awesome, and I just love to wonder about everything around me. It makes us a good scientist! Keep up the great work in Houston. You can leave me any comments or questions here and I'll get back to you as soon as possible!

Enjoy the Antarctic adventure!

Mrs. Chesla's class

1/11/2012 04:37:12 am

Hi Miss Harr! Where do you sleep? Is it freezing there? Did you see any whales? Today in Science we were learning about adaptations. Next week we have to think about Antartica animal adaptations. Can you help us? What are some of the adaptations the animals there have. We learned one of our special adaptations are our hands. We use them to grab stuff!

Miss Harr (a.k.a Nature Nat)

1/12/2012 01:07:50 am

Greetings Mrs. Chesla's first graders!

I am so happy to hear from you! I hear that you have been wonderful Nature Detectives at school. I miss seeing you, but I am learning so much about being a scientist. To answer your questions, I sleep on the top bunk in a dormitory room. I have a really nice roommate named Judy. The animals have incredible adaptations here. I am most amazed by all the aquatic life. The water is freezing cold and the seals, penguins, and whales can live it in with no problem. I would look into the blubber and how it insulates Antarctic animals. Let me know what you find out!

Miss Harr (a.k.a. Nature Nat)

1/12/2012 01:13:11 am

Hello Krista!

Thanks for your message. I'm so glad you enjoyed the photos of the gentoo penguin. The gentoo penguin most likely was taking a break from an ocean swim. Gentoo penguins are not very common at Palmer Station, so I think he was just passing through. I have seen Adelie penguins in their rookeries, incubating their eggs, and feeding their young. I'll have movies on the blog soon about these Adelie penguins soon! I am doing well and enjoying being a scientist. Take care!

Krista Smith

1/11/2012 05:20:12 am

Hi Miss Harr,
I'm in Mrs. Bromans class and she wants to call you Miss Herr. It,s true we all loved the Gentoo penguin. Why was he by himself? They're usally in rookries! Did you see any penguins hacth yet or any penguins jumping into the water? How are you and your research team?
Sinncerlly,
Krista
P.S. Replay back soon please!

Beth Marlow

1/12/2012 03:37:15 am

Hi Miss Harr,
Every Thurs during our science group we review all your fun facts, pictures and videos- they are all great. Next week our class will be comparing your new backyard to the preschool students backyards (I hope they see a difference, Ha!)Looks like you are having a great experience!
Miss ya!
Mrs. Marlow's & her preschoolers

Miss Harr (a.k.a Nature Nat)

1/13/2012 06:16:18 am

Hello Mrs. Marlow!

I'm so excited to have your preschoolers taking part in the activities. Let me know if I can help in any way. Have a wonderful weekend!

Jessica Dankert

1/12/2012 04:06:29 am

Hi Nat! I want to let you know that my Third Grade class at Wintersville Elementary is following your blog very closely. I am able to share your blog with them on the Mimio Board and they are very intrigued. We love all the beautiful pictures you post and we anxiously await your new blog entries. Thank you for sharing your journey with us :)

Nature Nat

1/13/2012 06:19:39 am

Hi Jess!

Thanks so much for sharing this experience with your students. Tell them that Dr. Lee and I say hello and that we are happy to have them take part in our Antarctic adventure!

Pat Betteley

1/12/2012 10:27:17 am

I love your slide shows. You're doing a great job narrating every step of your journey.
Spoon up a big Belgica for me!
Polar Pat

Nature Nat

1/13/2012 06:23:13 am

Thanks Polar Pat! Everyone speaks so highly of you and your experiences here last year on the team. Can't wait to share more of my experiences with you. Go Buggers!!!!!!!

Matt Ensell

1/13/2012 12:24:43 am

I am a student in Mrs. Soos' Spanish 3 class, and I really enjoyed looking at the pictures you sent to us while you're in Antacrtica. I hope we see more of whats going on! Keep us posted! Stay safe.
~Matt

Nature Nat

1/13/2012 06:24:38 am

Hi Matt!

Thanks for following our Antarctic adventure. I look forward to skyping with your school soon to give you even more insight to daily life here at Palmer station. Take care!

Nature Nat

1/13/2012 06:24:40 am

Hi Matt!

Thanks for following our Antarctic adventure. I look forward to skyping with your school soon to give you even more insight to daily life here at Palmer station. Take care!

Amy Basinger

1/13/2012 02:49:41 am

Natalie,
Congratulations on your adventure! What an awesome experience for you and your students! Keep up the good work ~ we will be following you!

Nature Nat

1/13/2012 06:29:12 am

Hello Mrs. Basinger!

I'm still pinching myself when I look out my bedroom window here and see this monstrous glacier in my backyard! It's been such a rewarding experience, and it means a lot to have so much support from my hometown. Thanks so much!

dave voght link

1/14/2012 01:10:46 am

i just ate breakfast up at harrisville and jess told me about ur web site. it is fabulous. thank 4 sharing ur visit. dlv

Nature Nat

1/15/2012 09:20:14 pm

Hi Dave,

Thanks for your message. I'm so glad to hear that my hometown is following my adventure. The blog and Jessica will keep you updated! Happy Winter!

Matthew Frakes

1/16/2012 09:32:32 pm

Hey Nature Nat!

I hope your trip is going exceptionally well. I am really excited for the skype session. i am currently in a digital photography class and I think our teacher would LOVE the pictures you took of the sun setting. It would be really cool to be able to go there and take pictures, but since you said not many people go there a year, I'm not sure if I would ever get that chance. Enjoy your time down there and have a safe trip back home

- Matt

Nature Nat

1/19/2012 03:15:37 am

Hi Matt,

You would be surprised how many visitors we have had here at the station. Many of them are quite brave crossing the Drake Passage in yachts, sailboats, and cruise ships. Maybe you will get a chance to come! Look into the Polar Ice program for high school students. They visited here too. I'm glad you like the photos!

Eric Bell & Braden Martin

1/16/2012 09:33:28 pm

Hey there! We are students of your sisters spanish 2 class, hope your having loads of fun in Antarctica! Have you petted any penguins yet? Good luck and hope to see more pictures of your adventure down there. Cant wait to skype with you Monday!

Nature Nat

1/19/2012 03:18:11 am

Hi Eric and Braden,

Thanks for following along! I have seen lots of penguins here, but I am required to keep a respectable distance. All staff and scientists here must abide by the Antarctica Protection Act. Have you seen Mr. Popper's Penguins yet? We just watched it here last night. Great movie with gentoo penguins!!!

Jordan Dever

1/16/2012 09:35:45 pm

Hi Miss Harr! I'm in Mrs.Soos's 2nd period Espanol II class & my mind is absolutely blown by your pictures & facts. I can't even believe how beautiful it is there, & the penguins & seals are SO cute!! :) You're so lucky to have gotten chosen to do this & I'm so excited that you're having a good time. Mrs.Soos gets the whole class going every day talking about your adventures & showing us pictures & I love it so much. I CAN'T WAIT until we get to hear from you over Skype, I couldn't be more estatic about that. I hope you continue to have a blast! Keep us updated & make sure to post pictures when you can because it really does amaze us.

Adios!

Nature Nat

1/19/2012 03:20:48 am

Hello Jordan!

Thanks for your message. I feel very honored to have the chance to work at the bottom of the world with such incredible scientists and staff. The scenery gorgeous and I can't wait to wake up each morning to see more! I look forward to skyping with you on Monday!

Ashlee Fetty

1/18/2012 02:42:23 am

I love the landscape pictures. They are beautiful! Keep Buckeye Local updated!!!!

Nature Nat

1/19/2012 03:21:40 am

Hi Ashley,

Thanks for your message. I enjoy blogging with Buckeye!

Jake

2/2/2012 05:25:27 am

I wish I could be there and do research with you guys

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