Live From Antarctica: Friday 26 December
The latest news from the coast: the traverse convoy will definitely be back on Sunday morning. Four sledges per Prinoth tractor, the original traverse team (eight persons), and some passengers who arrived aboard the Ivan Papanin, so a lot of people are coming at the same time!
We've been preparing for their arrival: the camp has grown, the tents of those who are absent have been kept in order, and the cook is preparing to feed 32 persons instead of 12.
Since their arrival, our engineers have been very efficient - all of the wind turbines have been erected!
We've been surveying the ridge to have a better idea of its layout. With its new sources of power, the station will be able to take advantage of the wind (which, by the way, has left us for the moment - the weather is wonderful!)
The epoxying team is still putting more layers on everything. In certain rooms of the station, the conducting layer has been put on top of the floor, which with its black matted colour makes the rooms look rather futuristic...
They're hurrying to finish the areas in the station's core where the water tanks and the boilers will be installed. The water tanks and boilers will be the first items installed in the core. They're cumbersome and it will be a challenge to fit them properly, so it will be a real workout!
Nathalie Pattyn
Picture: International Polar Foundation - © International Polar Foundation