The first days of spring in the Antarctic: for over a month, the island of Galindez has been almost completely packed with ice
We already have good news about the past winter, say the researchers : sea ice has formed near “Vernadsky Station (WAP UKR-Ø1)” ; our polar explorers reported that since August 5, they cannot go out into the ocean by boat, because the water area around Galindez Island, where the Station is located, is packed with ice.
“Yesterday, we looked at satellite images, and there was 100 km of ice around,” says Vitaly Kaminsky, a participant of the 29th UAE. What the station looks like in ice captivity, see in incredible pictures from a drone. For comparison, last year 2023 there was almost no sea ice in our region, and the year itself became a record for the minimum amount of such ice in the Antarctic for the entire time of observations.
Sea ice plays an important role in the Antarctic ecosystem. It acts as a “blanket” that separates the ocean from the atmosphere. In addition to blocking sunlight from entering the water and reflecting it, the ice also traps the heat in the ocean, preventing it from heating the air.
The ice floes are the birthplace of seal cubs, rest and travels of various types of adult seals and emperor penguins.
By the way, very soon we expect the appearance of Weddell seal pups near “Vernadsky“.
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TNX Dr. Vitaly Kaminsky for the pic and information
A mid-July, minor Sudden Stratospheric Warming event saw the vortex become elongated, weaker, wobbly. This stratospheric anomaly affected tropospheric weather patterns, but now appears to be easing. In late July and early August, a rapid stratosphere-troposphere coupling contributed to the development of a major high pressure cell and heatwave over Antarctica, while a very deep low formed over the Southern Ocean, and a heat dome affected Australia. It was associated with relatively cool conditons in Chile and Argentina.
East Base, 
East Base was established in 1939 by the U.S. Antarctic Service Expedition, constructed in 1940 and occupied by them from 1940 to 1941. Later it was reoccupied in 1947-48 by the private Finn Ronne Antarctic Expedition. This marked a period of cooperation between the American and British stations, according to the history told by the British. 
The Antarctic Service Expedition was the first government-funded expedition of Admiral Richard E. Byrd (his first two expeditions in 1928–1930 and 1933–1935 were privately funded). East Base was built using Army knockdown buildings and a crew of 23 led by Richard Black, after Admiral Byrd had to return to Washington on the USS Bear.
The war time pressures and pack-ice in the bay which prevented ship movement led to the evacuation of the base in 1941 by air. Admiral Richard Byrd’s USAS Expedition built America’s earliest remaining Antarctic camp in March 1940; 4 prefabricated structures were built on: Main Building, Science Building, Machine Shop, and Outpost Hut , from which they explored and mapped Alexander Island, George VI Sound, and hundreds of miles of coastline.
