Table Mountain

Yesterday was mostly clear, so Ian and I decided to go up Table Mountain.  We left in the morning, and the cable car wasn't running because of wind at the top.  Thus, we walk up.  It was a beautiful trip, with lots of interesting plants and plenty of exercise.  The cable car was running by the time we were ready to head down, but we decided to walk anyway.  I'm stiff today, and it sure feels good to have gotten the exercise!

The fluvial sandstones making up the cliffs are impressive!


The top of Table Mountain is marsh with almost no soil.  However, it is wet enough to support a low nitrogen community including the tiny carnivorous plant below.


And plants that don't need many roots. 

Others grow where soil accumulates.







Popular posts from this blog

Day 14 in Antarctica

Image
December 10, 2013 Today was sunny all day with 25 knot katabatic winds in the afternoon.  It was warmer. I spent all day on microscopy, photography, and sorting photos.  It was a very productive day. The quad bike quit starting, and Devin, Anne, and Tyler pushed it back to camp.  None of them new what to do to figure out what was wrong.  I got ready to help when Ian came back to camp.  He has a lot of experience with engines, and once we found the tool kit and pulled the spark plug, we solved the problem:  the plug was fouled.  A new one fixed the problem.  We can add "engine repair" to the list of field skills needed! Our only means of transport besides walking is a quad bike (ATV).  We have a sled to help carry gear between the huts/sleeping tents and the science tent and dive hole.  It is also good for carrying the drill and other gear around the lake.
Read more

Toothpaste Freezes

Image
There are so many little things I didn't think of before the first time I went to Antarctica that make a difference.  I like having clean teeth, so brushing twice a day is very important to me, even in the field.  I can handle dirty hair, but not dirty teeth. It's hard to brush your teeth when your toothpaste is frozen into its tube. That small hole at the top requires the toothpaste to deform to get out. And that part gets cold the fastest, often getting clogged with a plug of toothpaste ice. This isn't so much a problem in December in the Dry Valleys, nor was it a problem at Lake Untersee, because although the temperatures are often below freezing, sunlight heated my tent sufficiently during the day that the temperatures inside could be up to 20°C (70°F!).  However, in October at Lake Joyce, I couldn't get any toothpaste out of a big tube without warming the top of the tube against my stomach. There is a little secret, though: small tubes warm up faster.  Wit
Read more

Footwear, including New Boots!

Image
My new Glacier Sorel boots arrived!  With extra liners.  Plus liners for my old, less warm Sorels. They go with my skirt! The Glaciers are rated to -100°F or -73.3°C. I find the increase in the number of significant digits after a unit change amusing. Are they really rated to exactly -73.3°C? I'm sure that if it gets down to -73.4°C, my feet will get cold! I typically wear size 8 women's shoes.  However, I bought size 9 men's boots.  One of the key things I have found for foot comfort is to be able to wear a couple of pairs of socks and still have my boots loose around my feet.  That allows good blood circulation to my feet, which is essential for keeping them warm, particularly when standing around handling lines for divers under the ice.  However, I think most people would think that the boots feel way too big.  They do have good laces at the ankle, and I can tighten them down so they won't fall off.  And my feet and ankles are very strong, so I don't
Read more