gz netCDF files

Hello,

I am trying to access several netCDF files that are also zipped (via
gzip I guess) (and stored in a directory that I only have reading
permit)

I tried to unzip them using gzfile, gzcon, etc, and then open them
with open.ncdf (from ncdf package). Everything was unsuccesful.

I had no problem using the ncdf package with "normal" netCDF files

I would really appreciate any suggestion

Thanks

Magdalena Lucini
Dept.  of Physics
U of Toronto