Polar explorers complete rotation at Ukraine’s Antarctic base
The team of the 29th Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition has left the base, replaced by the 30th mission.
That’s according to the National Antarctic Research Center press service, Ukrinform reports.
According to researchers, the rotation days were “really busy”.
Due to strong winds and difficult ice conditions, unloading of annual supplies of products, materials, and fuel took time. In order to have time to deliver everything to the base and remove research samples and waste accumulated over the year, polar explorers worked from dawn until late at night.
Polar explorers recalled that due to the challenging seabed terrain, the Noosphere icebreaker cannot approach the berths of the Vernadsky base, so payload and crew are hauled between the ship and the base by motor boats.
At the same time, the participants of the 29th Antarctic mission shared with their knowledge and experience in conducting research, servicing instruments, and ensuring the safe operation of the base.
On Saturday, March 22, the final touching moment of the changeover took place as the chief of the 29th mission, Yuriy Otruba handed the head of the 30th expedition, Oleksandr Poludny, the symbolic key to the Vernadsky base.
To the music of the Ukrainian anthem, base commanders rotated the national banners on the flagpole.
On Sunday, March 23, the Noosphere vessel with the 29th seasonal expedition crew on board departed from Antarctica for the Chilean port of Punta Arenas. The Drake Passage along the route may be particularly stormy at this time of the year.
Polar explorers are expected to arrive in Punta Arenas late March.
As Ukrinform reported, the Noosphere research ship carrying the team of the 30th Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition arrived at the Academician Vernadsky Antarctic Base on March 15.
Photo: National Antarctic Research Center