Week 1

We are now on the second day of sampling after a week of steaming south to Cape Adare. A day and a half out from our planned first station we started seeing growlers and icebergs, then pancake ice, then larger pancakes, which I am told have a name of their own, though I don’t know what it is. Our students got all dressed up to go outside in the negative wind chills to see the ice and snow and to watch Adelie penguins scamper at the last minute at our approach. We sailed past seals, watched the Aurora Australis dance and we maybe saw an even saw an orca.

Looking at the ice maps sent from SIO to me, as well as others sent to the bridge, we were hopeful that our first few stations planned to be on the shelf and shelf break would be accessible. But it was not to be. The wind was such that it was blowing newly formed ice into broken multi-year ice on the shelf. We thought that if we couldn’t make it to the first station, the second station would do as it was still on the shelf. We attempted to do a different route in and just as we had given up still in 3000 m of water, we found ourselves in reasonably clear spot on almost exactly the position of the fourth station from 2011 with a bottom depth of 1400 m. Scanning the horizon from the bridge it was clear that trying to deploy the rosette on to the shelf was not going to be feasible and if getting there were possible, the wind would be acting to close the ice in around us (and the wire). 

 

We did the station and began our journey to the northeast and 67°S line.  We have had a few technical difficulties, such as faulty LADCP cables and an inability to charge the UVP, and incorrectly calibrated altimeters. However, we are making progress on all fronts. Our CTD watch is learning the ropes and is now not only successfully getting the CTD down and up, but also sampling all manner of properties. In the meantime, the galley is keeping us well fed, providing meals we all look forward to including hot mid-rats and vegetarian/gluten free options at every meal. Some people are already talking about needing more time in the gym to make up for the meals.

Our first float station is coming up soon as are our drifter deployments, but for now we are eyeing the weather again as another storm rolls past.  Until next week, regards from south of the Antarctic Circle.

Alison Macdonald (Chief Scientist)

Ellen Briggs (Co-chief Scientist)

p.s. In case anyone was wondering last week’s photo of the waves overspreading the deck was taken through the window of the Baltic Room as decks were secured at the time.