In the late hours of January 17th (UTC), our fleet of four aircraft touched down at Union Glacier Camp (S79° W080°), marking the completion of our ambitious circumnavigation. DHB led the arrival, followed by helicopters AEK and DKK, with KBO bringing up the rear—a fitting final formation for our remarkable journey. SWIDA-RINGS Expedition by the…

Approaching Journey’s End: The Path to Mount Sidley January 16th found us planning our approach to Mount Sidley camp, a crucial stopover where staged fuel would enable our final push to Union Glacier. With our critical fuel cache awaiting us Russkaya and then at Sidley, this penultimate leg would require precise coordination among all aircraft….

A Gateway in Edward VII Peninsula Nestled along the north coast of Edward VII Peninsula, Bartlett Inlet carves a significant presence in the Antarctic landscape. This predominantly ice-filled inlet spans approximately 16 nautical miles (30 km) in width and is situated just east of Cape Colbeck. The inlet bears the name of Lieutenant Eugene F….

From Mario Zucchelli to Cape Crozier: A Journey Through History Our departure from Mario Zucchelli Station tested our limits, with wind conditions at Browning Pass pushing our operational boundaries. Despite the challenging start, clear skies for most of the flight provided safe passage for our transit, culminating in a successful arrival at Cape Crozier in…

Mario Zucchelli Station Mario Zucchelli Station is an Italian seasonal research station in Antarctica, located at Terra Nova Bay on a granitic headland along the coast of the Northern Foothills to the north-east of Gerlache Inlet. It has been named after Mario Zucchelli, director of the activities, which conducted for sixteen years, for the ENEA-Unità…

Departing D10 After a two-day weather hold at D10, conditions finally improved enough for our next push forward. Today we reached two significant waypoints: the historic abandoned station of Leningradskaya, and our current position at Litell Rocks—a strategic point between Leningradskaya and Mario Zucchelli station. Leningradskaya Leningradskaya station was a Soviet Antarctic research station, located…