First Weeks of 2020-2021 Season
The 2020-2021 BELARE season is off to a good start, despite the added logistical challenge this year of dealing with the COVID-19 situation. The team - consisting of Expedition Leader Alain Hubert, a technical team, and a number of scientists - quarantined in Cape Town, South Africa for three weeks and took three COVID tests - with everyone's results negative - before heding to Antarctica in late November. A lot of snow fell in the vicinity of the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica Research Station during the austral winter, which meant a lot of work for the team to clear it away. The first part of the season is always work intensive.
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The BELARE Team poses for a photo in Cape Town prior to departure for Antarctica. The entire team quarantined in Cape Town and took three COVID tests over a period of three weeks - all of which came back negative - before embarking on the flight to Antarctica.
© International Polar Foundation
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The BELARE team arrives at Novo Station, where they must wait for a connecting flight on a Basler to reach the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica
© International Polar Foundation
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Arriving at the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica for the opening of the 2020-2021 season.
© International Polar Foundation
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A lot of snow accumulated behind the station’s annex during the austral winter. The team had to spend several days removing the snow around the building. In this photo, a special cavity had to be dug to access the space where the foundation of the annex is located, as maintenance to adjust the station's foundation (using a convenient system that was put in place last season) was necessary.
© International Polar Foundation
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They had to clear a flat 120 x 120 metre space in front of the station to place equipment.
© International Polar Foundation
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Now the space in front of the station is clear!
© International Polar Foundation
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The station looks majestic atop Utsteinen Nunatak now that it is up and running!
© International Polar Foundation
