My research internship with Penguin Science (http://www.penguinscience.com) will be three months long, starting November 2, 2009 and ending in early February. I will be spending most of the time at a remote field camp at the Cape Crozier Adelie penguin rookery, a short helicopter ride from McMurdo Station, Antarctica's largest community. I'll be living in a tent by night and walking through Cape Crozier ~150,000 strong Adelie Penguin colony by day, tracking individually marked penguins and their reproductive efforts.
Deployment to Antarctica requires rigorous medical screening. Basically, if you get into any health trouble down there, it could be a long time before the weather is suitable to be transported to the nearest heath care facility. After many exams and tests, I was finally 'Physically Qualified' last week. Yay!
I'm currently awaiting my deployment and keeping busy reading Adelie and Ross Sea literature, as well as collecting items for my Gear List. Although Raytheon Polar Services will issue me most of the extreme weather gear, for warmer days I'll want my own assortment of boots, long underwear, jackets, gloves, hats, etc.
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