In the early hours of the morning, our team of hot water drillers successfully melted their way through 587.96m of the Ross Ice Shelf to reach the ocean cavity below.
Hot water driller Jane Chewings was in the hot seat – literally, the seat has an electric blanket strapped to it to take the polar chill off! – and ably piloted the drill through the final 93m of ice. She was supported by the rest of the hot water drillers night shift team - Tim McPhee and Sean Heaphy, and a playlist of power ballads.
Co-Chief Scientist Richard Levy, and science night-shifters Molly Patterson and Brendan Reilly were also there to witness the momentous occasion.
This is a crucial step in our project, providing access to climate secrets held in the seafloor sediment below. The hot water drill team will do another pass of the whole with a wider 350mm reamer, and then the hole will be available to the science team for ‘open hole’ science.
It was well-deserved ‘victory toasties’ all round – toasted cheese and salami sandwiches made by Richard.
