January 25

We are still sampling around the Ross Ice Shelf. We are looking at the details of the cold water coming out from under the ice shelf. After these samples, we are heading back to Ross Bank were we need to pick up the SeaHorse profiling instrument and we will sample the water over the bank one more time.

The heavy red line is the cruise track.

Remember how it is summer here? Remember the calm seas and sunny skies?  Well, they are only a memory now.  Antarctic weather has returned.  Winds have been out of the south for a couple of days at speeds above 30 kt.  The air temperature has gotten as low as -11 C (10F) with wind chill around -35 C (around -30 F). The waves are 4-6 ft, which is not too bad.

The ship is heated, but it is not always that comfortable. We have not put up a thermometer in the computer/dry lab to measure the inside temperature; I am not sure that I want to know.  The picture below shows Suriyan entering information in the event log.  I think this picture speaks for itself.

It snows every once in a while.  But given the waves and winds, water blows onto the ship and freezes. The picture below shows the side A-frame that we use to put the trace metal clean CTD and bongo nets into the water.  Notice the icicles hanging from the bottom of the sea gate.  These are formed from sea spray. 

The icicles are more impressive close up.

The forecast is for winds to diminish a bit today, but it is not expected to return to the pleasant conditions of last week. We have another week or so of sampling before we start packing and head to McMurdo Station.