Date and time: 25 April 2012, 0930 hrs - 1600 hrs
Written by: Ali Harley, Crew 118, MSP

Crew members:

Haritina Mogosanu, Annalea Beattie, Don Stewart, Ali Harley 

Coordinates: 

LTNE - Waypoint: 245 12 S 518909/ NAD 4256534

LTMP - Waypoint: 244 12 S 519307/ NAD 4256284

LWLT - Waypoint: 248 12 S 519442/ NAD 4255945

Site Location:

Lith Canyon Road from WP 248 via 244 to 245

Transit Mode:

Pressurised Rover to 248 and on foot from there. 

We started out at 9.30am in the pressurised rover to carry the photographic gear and stopped along the roadside  - possibly 'Glistening Seas' Waypoint 343 GLTSEA 12 S 517900/ NAD 4254650 and collected gypsum crystals. 

The glistening seas and gypsum crystals.

We reached Lith Canyon via Lowell Highway and with the aid of the waypoint database. 

The great KiwiBird (chicken?) of Mars at Lith Canyon

Objectives:

Photographic for Mars/NZ comparison and sampling

Results:

• Although we intended to do a 360 pano of part of the canyon to be included in the school resources we will be producing, the pano head failed to work, which was a disappointment. We had to resort to normal photography instead.  
• We collected some bits of petrified wood that had eroded out of the cliffs. The wood will be taken back to NZ as exhibits for school kids as per our research proposal (as will the gypsum).

We encountered two snakes at the entrance to Lith Canyon just beyond the car park (one on the way in and a smaller one on the way out).  The snakes were tan coloured with darker tan coloured diamond shapes on the skin. We gave them plenty of room!

On the way back we stopped along the roadside to photograph lichens .

Lessons Learned:

Keep an eye out for snakes, we were surprised to see them so close to the car park.

ENDS.