To the Cape!, Quackmire and arm troubles Options

[djellison]

"Hey folks! I’m on-duty with Opportunity this week and it’s going to be pretty exciting. We are in the process of driving the rover over to the wall of Cape Verde to study the layers of rocks there in much greater detail. I will be posting updates all week with the spectacular new pictures that we should be receiving. Stay tuned, it’s going to be a pretty cool week!"

Thanks for the update Ryan : http://martianchronicles.wordpress.com/200...ng-to-the-cape/

I wonder how close they'll get. I think no closer than the height projected from it's base ( i.e. 45 degrees )

[Tesheiner]

Another attempt to free the rover from the trap (I'm wondering on a name for it...) was executed on sol 1499.
The wheels were commanded to drive for about one meter but Opportunity had a net move of less then 10cm, making for more than 90% slippage.

[fredk]

I'm wondering on a name for it...

Prepare yourselves: the Quackmire of Duck Bay!

(He ducks, expecting to have ruffled many feathers...)

[For non-native Englishers out there, quackmire = quagmire + quack (the sound an English duck makes!)]

Seriously, though, at least some of the other wheels seem to be on pretty firm ground (right rear especially). And it won't take too many 10cm drives to get completely back on firm ground. But this certainly raises questions about getting to the base of the cliff...

[Aussie]

But this certainly raises questions about getting to the base of the cliff...

Quackmire. I think that will stick.

But the question is raises is not about access th the cliff, but rather why they chose to drive back across the excavated holes instead of around them. Or did they intend to go back to do an MI on the scuff and overshot through miscalculation of the slippage going downhill compared to the initial uphill withdrawal drive?