They've learned the Russian word for fog today, as the Akademic Federov and Polarstern icebreakers slide through calm seas and foggy conditions. They had fresh salad at lunch. And the sea ice is coming... 

Every day, about 10:30 am Colorado time, my phone starts pinging with short notes from the distant Arctic, giving me and my colleagues a tiny window into what our researchers on board are seeing, learning and planning. CIRES scientists Matthew Shupe and Dave Costa, our Education and Outreach Director Anne Gold, and some of the extraordinary journalists participating in the first leg of the mission are sending brief, otherworldly updates for an hour or so. Here are a few of them: 

Reaching sea ice tonight at 10 pmish. Russian colleagues proposed a number of sites for ice floe - Polarstern colleagues checked some of the locations. First survey flights on 27th, to check out ice floes possibly (things may change)... 

We may make it to the ice this evening!

Prepping for our ice install in a few days and that will be chaos.

We did CrossFit on back of ship this morning...fun with view of ocean....no issues with balance. I wore shorts, a hat and a fleece...and of course gloves. Metal floor is cold. 

We still have arugula and tomatoes for lunch today.

Russian word of the day: Tuman (fog) 

I saw both (Northern lights and phosophorescence). Really incredible, something I'l remember forever.