Thanks Carol. Yes, I will not delve into the politics surround this incendiary issue. It was not my intent here.

I don't think that the objectives of the expedition can be met with the climate scientists all gone. The crew that remains there is to run the ship.

I also read that the crew is staying on-board in hopes that the ice will break up and that they can free their ship.

Though Antarctic sea-ice is running more than 2-sigmas above normal, there's a lot of summer melting left, and maybe they will get lucky and get the ship free. If they get unlucky it could remain stuck and then get crushed / sunk in Antarctic winter ice. Plus another rescue would then be required. Ugh.

I've have often dreamed of going to the Antarctic. In 1960-61 my father spent a year there as part of the US Navy's Operation Deep Freeze expedition. He has a ton of stories from those days. This is the reason I have a keen interest in what's going on there.