July 8, 2016

Polar bear footprints approaching EGRIP

Polar bear footprints at EGRIP.

Now is the day of investigating what had happened. We followed the footprints and could see that the polar bear had come from the ENE probably from the East coast of Greenland.
The polar bear was 1.5 m long and according to experts a 2-3 year old unexperienced male. Polar bears spend the first 2 years with their mother. The weight of the polar bear was 300 kg.
Gradually the day became normal again and we continued work on the surface and in the trenches (with a watch in the top office).

What have we done today:

1. Discussed safety rules and alarm systems
2. Kept a watch in the top office in the Dome
3. Finished cutting ice away in the logging corridor
4. Worked on a new main door in the Dome
5. Resampled snow surface profile in the clean snow area
6. Removed snow around HC’s tent
7. Sampled and melted Japanize snow samples
8. Documented and buried polar bear
9. Prepared report on the polar bear at EGRIP

Weather today: Clear sky and sun all day, low clouds in the evening. Temperature -17°C last night increasing to -4°C during the afternoon and dropping to -10° C during the evening. Wind 8 kn from SW during the morning dropping to 1 kn from SW during the day.

FL, Dorthe Dahl-Jensen

Polarbear footprints and camp.