December 30

Today is a beautiful day in the Southern Ocean. The winds are below 10 kt and waves are only a few feet. The skies are partly cloudy and the sun is out. If you ignore air temperatures around freezing, it looks positively tropical out there. The picture below is looking towards the stern of the ship. These conditions are expected to continue for the next day or two.

We are now in the center of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (around the Polar Front). We are moving almost 10 kt toward our study area in the Ross Sea. We still have a few days of travel to go.

(The heavy red line is the ship track.  The dashed blue line is the average location of the Polar Front.)




Given the nice weather, we are planning to stop the ship for a short time tomorrow afternoon and put the CTD in the water to make sure that it works. We will also dip the trace metal rosette (clean sampler used to measure iron) as well. We will practice taking water samples from the CTD bottles. We are taking about 10 samples from each bottle and there will be up to 6 people taking samples at the same time. The water samples have to drawn from the bottles in a certain order, so there is a sampling traffic management issue to work out. This will be good practice to work out kinks.

Due to somewhat heavy sea ice in the northwest Ross Sea, we plan to steam directly to the eastern part of the Ross Sea (78S 170W) and travel to the Ross Ice Shelf. We will sample along the front of the Ross Ice Shelf (roughly 175 W to 175 E) to look for Ice Shelf water (ISW). This is water that has been under the Ross Ice shelf and has melted some of the bottom of the ice shelf. So, it is a little less salty than other water, but mainly it is distinctly colder making it easy to see in measurements. This melt water is thought to be one way that iron is supplied to the Ross Sea water. We will do some extensive samples with the clean rosette system to measure iron in the ISW when we locate it.

During this long transit to the sampling area, we are spending an hour each day around 1 pm for the different groups to explain the background of the work being done. So far we have heard about physical oceanography, iron chemistry, algal growth, biochemistry of photosynthesis and dynamics of mixing and eddies.

                    (Seminar in conference room on the 03 deck.)

There is a large conference room on the third deck of the ship. It is set up much the way any land-based conference room would be. The crowd is already forming for the presentation which will start in a few minutes.

Walker Smith and Blair Greenan (two of the scientists) share a casual comment in the conference room before the start of the next seminar. The books in the background are a general circulating library for the ship to fill whatever spare time we might have after work. Most of the books are donated by cruise participants who do not want to carry them home.  As a result, the range of topics is diverse. 

December 29

We have turned more south and are now south of our planned course (which is good). Winds and seas are forecast to be calmer (10 to 15kt, less than 10 ft) for the next two days. Winds are now out of the north and are expected to shift to be from the south later today. Seas should be 5 to 10 ft. Most of us have gotten used to these conditions, so it is no big deal.  Most of us have now adjusted to the motion and hopefully the bouts of motion sickness are over.  The ride should be much smoother than it has been for the past couple of days. 

(The cruise track is the heavy red line - just crossing the SubAntarctic Front (green dashed line) and going west across the South Pacific.)

We have started getting ready for sampling once we get to the Ross Sea.  Our group is doing the hydrographic measurements and the primary instrument we use is one that measures conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD). The conductivity measurement is converted to salinity (salt content of the water) which is the more traditional way to measure seawater properties. 

The sensors that measure conductivity, temperature and depth are mounted at the center of a cylindrical cage called a Rosette. In the picture below you can see the sensors at the bottom at the height of the two round bars. The wire that is used to lower the CTD into the water (just visible at the top of the picture) contains conducting cables that transmit the data to a computer on the ship.  Around the outside of the Rosette are 24 Niskin bottles, which are used to collect water.  Each bottle collects several liters of water.  The bottles are closed a different depths by commands sent from the computer.  The water in the bottles is analyzed after it comes back to the ship to measure nutrients (nitrate, phosphate, silicate) and other properties.  The size of the CTD/Rosette can be estimated by comparison with Pierre - it is a large instrument. 

Pierre is standing next to the CTD/Rosette in the Baltic Room, which is about mid-ship. This is a special room in the ship with a large hatch to the outside. The CTD/Rosette is large and it requires a winch and crane to move it to the side of the ship and then lower it into the water.  The Baltic Room provides an enclosed space to deploy the CTD/Rosette and then take water samples when the instrument comes back on board the ship.  Doing CTD/Rosette deployment and recovery on an open deck would be difficult and the water in the bottles would freeze before the samples could be taken.  Also, the sensors on the CTD would freeze up if exposed on the deck. 

When we are ready to use the CTD, the large hatch opens (orange area behind Pierre) and a crane lifts the CTD/Rosette out and over the water. The entrances to the Baltic Room are water-tight doors which mostly prevent waves and water from entering the Baltic Room (which sometimes happens during deployment/recovery) and causing problems.  The winch lets out wire to lower the CTD/Rosette to the desired depth.  The CTD operator in the dry lab on the ship monitors various measurements as the instrument is lowered and makes decisions about where to close the Niskin bottles. 

We are planning a test cast with the CTD/Rosette in a day or so if the weather is good.  We are also planning to test some of the other instruments that will be used by other groups on the ship. I will post pictures from these tests.  

I have been doing some reading to pass the time.  Just finished Cleopatra by Stacy Schiff.  This book is a fast read and tells an entertaining story of a life as well as describing a time in history. A good thing about a cruise is that there is time to read books that are not technical or job related. 

December 28

We have hit a bit of stormy weather. The winds are out of the west at 40 to 45 kt with seas of 15 to 20 ft. The captain is traveling towards the west (north of our desired course) to head more into the waves. He is also going slower (about 4 kt) to make the ride easier.  Last night there were a number of big bumps and big rolls due to the sea on our original heading. The ride was a bit uncomfortable.

(The cruise track is the heavy red line - heading to the west from the tip of South America. McMurdo Station is the red dot on the Antarctic Continent.)

We are still traveling along the northern edge of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). The green dashed line in the map is the average location of the SubAntarctic Front which is associated with one of the three high speed currents (jets) that make up the ACC. When the wind and waves calm down, we will turn more to the south to cross the ACC.

I am in the middle of a mystery. Yesterday afternoon I was reading a book which I put on the table in the Dry Lab where I was sitting. A big wave hit the side of the ship with a bang (causing a small leak in one of the ports). The ship rolled due to the impact. We were all startled by the noise. A little while later, I looked for the book but could not find it. It slid off the table and went somewhere. I have checked under some computer racks where there is a small gap but I can not see it. It has vanished. I will keep looking but it is a real mystery about where it could have gone.  Maybe King Neptune took the book??

It is now mid-afternoon. The winds and waves are down a bit and the sun is peaking out through broken clouds. The ship is now headed a bit more to the south and we are going a little faster. At the previous speed and direction, it was going to take us about 40 days to get to the sampling area. The joke circulating was that we would get to McMurdo Station in time to catch the plane home but we would not have any time for samples. I am sure that we will do better than that.

Today is Joe's birthday. He is one of the computer techs on the ship. In celebration, the cook made a huge cake with a slab of ice cream in the center and covered with whip cream icing. We all applauded his birthday and then devoured the cake.

December 26

Overnight, we finally made it into Drake Passage. Winds are about 40 knots and seas are about 10 feet. We are crossing seas at an angle of 30 degrees or so but the ship's ride is ok.

(The heavy red line is the ship track - just coming around the tip of South America)

Everyone is getting used to the motion. As Dennis, the Chief Scientist, says "It will be a down day". We should adjust to the ship motion in a day or so.

Today was the first of the science seminars explaining the science for the cruise. I gave the first one on Ross Sea physical oceanography. It was pretty well attended and it seemed to go over well.

Someone put in a waystation on the navigation display to the place where we start sampling in the Ross Sea. The distance is a little less than 2400 nm (nautical miles). We are moving at about 8 kt (knots or nautical miles per hour). It will be a few days before we get to the first sample location.

Other than the seminar, I have not done much today. I spent some time this morning on the bridge of the ship watching the waves and the birds. It is interesting how the birds (mainly albatros and smaller birds whose names I don't remember) can skim the waves and go up and down with little effort. The rest of the time I have been reading and listening to music.

December 25

Merry Christmas.

We are now almost to the Strait of La Maire which is at the southern tip of Argentina. Once we pass through the Strait, we will be in Drake Passage. However, we will need to go a few more hours to the south to be south of Cape Horn (which is on a small island south of the continent) and out in the Passage proper.

The weather has been good. We have conditions alternating between sunny and high cloudiness. Temperatures are around 10C (50ish F). The winds are 15 to 20 knots and the seas are low (a few feet). At the moment, we are in the wind shadow of the tip of South America so conditions are not bad. 

Tomorrow we expect higher winds and seas. We will wait to see what happens.

(The heavy red line is the ship track - just starting down the coast of Argentina.)

Many people on the ship are wearing Santa hats to celebrate the day. Pierre is working hard at his laptop but staying in the spirit of the day.

Chris, who runs the bottom mapping system, is staying festive.

Chris and Julian, who is an IT specialist, confer on some technical point while remaining in the season. Notice the decorations.

Santa Smith (aka Walker Smith, one of the scientists) has arranged a Christmas party this morning in the 3rd deck conference room. Everyone brought gifts and drew lots for the exchange. There were discussions about "trading" and "stealing" which is allowed in some of these parties. It was too complicated so we just exchanged gifts. Someone got a gift of a game "Murder at Mardi Gras". There was a suggestion that we celebrate New Year's Day with a rousing game. We will still be in transit then, so why not.

The pictures below are from the party. They show Walker as Santa, the pile of gifts in front of a picture of a Christmas tree (on the white board), Captain Sebastian and Jennifer with antlers.

December 24

Today is Christmas eve but it does not really seem like it. The sky is blue with puffy clouds. The temperature is 13C (55F) with winds of 20 kt.

Last night we had a last opportunity to have a meal ashore. As we left the ship, we set up our group picture by the bow of the ship.

     John, Pierre, Marco and Suriyan (left to right) look ready for the trip.




Our next duty was to ask for a good trip across Drake Passage, which is thought by many to be the roughest water on the planet. Waves can be a few feet high with moderate winds (10-20 knots) or they can be 40 feet with 60 kt winds. Conditions can change radically from day to day so who knows what we will experience.

So, we follow an old custom of rubbing the toe of the indian in the statue in the main square of Punta Arenas (it is shiny from all of the rubbing). This is said to grant a good passage. I do not know the origin of this story.  I don't believe in luck, but like any agnostic, I see no harm in following the ritual. It can't hurt, right?

Last night was my first night on the ship. The cabin is nice. It is a two person cabin but I am lucky enough to have it to myself. It is the benefit of being one of the older members of the science party.

The room is a bit small although there is a desk and a television along with two bunks and some storage space. There is a bathroom to the left just out of the picture. The TV connects to the ship's video system which shows navigation information, weather information, the plan for the day, and views from various cameras around the deck. However, I will use the cabin mainly as a place to sleep. Most of my waking hours will be spent in the dry lab (our work space). More about the dry lab later.

Today we clear customs and depart. All of the groups are securing equipment. We have set up our work places in the dry lab. Most of the equipment that we need is already on the ship so we don't have too much to do yet.

We got away around 10:30 am. Most people who are not working are on deck. Even though we are still in sight of the port, we are now a ship on the ocean. We have left land behind and are our own self-contained world.

December 21, 2011

The trip to Punta Arenas was characterized by delays. We were an hour late leaving Miami. After an uneventful flight to Santiago, we waited for a gate to open so we could debark. After we finally got a gate, it was announced that the luggage would need to be fumigated and would be delayed by another hour.  There would be just enough time for the baggage to make the next flight.

 Jimmy from AGUNSA met us at the place where we were to buy our visas. He looked the same as I remember him 10 years ago. He maneuvered us through the system with no problem. He took us to his office and offered us refreshments and internet as he gathered the rest of the group. We joined with Marco as well as a dozen or so others going to Punta Arenas for the cruise. After changing some money, we were off to the gate for the flight to Punta Arenas. This flight had no stop in Puerto Mott so it would be 3 hrs enroute.

 After waiting for a while at one gate, we were sent to another gate downstairs. They had to change planes which put us an hour late. We finally got on buses and were taken to the plane. The plane was also filled with tourist going to Punta Arenas to hike.

The new Santiago terminal is very nice. They seemed to have build a new building since my last visit. We did not have much time to enjoy 

At long last, we got to Punta Arenas. Another group met us at the airport. After we gathered our stuff, which made it to our plane in Santiago, we were sent to the various hotels.

  After dinner at a restaurant near the harbor. We finally got to bed around midnight. The sun had gone down about 11pm so we did not know how late it was.

On wednesday morning, we went to the AGUNSA warehouse in the harbor to
get the clothing for the cruise (sea boots, rain gear, gloves,
etc). The harbor is now secured by a fence so it took a while to find
the new entrance. We made it to the warehouse. After a bit of trying
on and exchanging clothes, we went to the boat.

The clothes warehouse at the AGUNSA center in the harbor at Punta Arenas.

Stephanie sorts through some of the clothing issue. Sean comments.

Stephanie reacts to the variety of stuff we will need.

New security procedures required that we show an ID and sign in.
There was a bit of activity at the boat (no surprise there). I lead
the group on a bit of a tour. I made a few wrong turns, but mainly
remembered where things were. After a bit of touring and talking to
some folks, we left the ship.

Marco, Stephanie, Suriyan and Pierre on their first visit to the RVIB Palmer.

On the way back from the boat, we went by the grocery store to see
what they had. We also went by an electronics store to get some plug
converters.

Thursday, Dec 22

I spent the day on the boat unpacking, connecting with the computer
system and setting up some software. Other groups were setting up
equipment and organizing work places in the various labs.  The rest of
the group spent the time being tourists and shopping for gifts and
supplies. We move onto the ship tomorrow (friday). Departure is
scheduled for 10am on Saturday morning.

Starting today

The Ross Sea polynya is opening in a more or less typical fashion. An oceanographic study will focus on the effect of dissolved iron on primary production in the Ross Sea during the summer. The map below show the south Pacific ocean and the Ross Sea (in the lower left). The red dots show the starting point (Punta Arenas, PA on the map), McMurdo Station in Antarctica where we will finish the cruise and Christchurch in New Zealand where we travel from McMurdo.  I will post a map of our location as we progress through the cruise.

I am going today to Punta Arenas, Chile on the Strait of Magellen to meet the RVIB N.B. Palmer. On Christmas Eve, we will leave port for the Ross Sea. It should take a little over 2 weeks to get to the first sampling station. We will cross Drake Passage and proceed west to the Ross Sea.

Eileen and John wait at the airport.

Mike and John at the Norfolk airport.

The trip begins this evening with departure from Norfolk with travel through Miami and Santiago eventually getting to Punta Arenas (tomorrow evening).