Yesterday we began our third experiment (our second in Terra Nova Bay) using copepods and juvenile krill. This meant another day outside running plankton nets. Before the day was through, my colleague and I spent 7 hours outside running the nets, but it felt more like 3. The sunlight here is so deceiving – it changes very little as the sun moves along the horizon and never actually sets. By the time mid rats is served (stands for midnight rations, part meal,part midnight snack), the sun is so bright that you feel like your day is just beginning rather than ending.
The zooplankton samples look great –lots of krill, pteropods, juvenile fish, and even a juvenile squid! – I am looking forward to sorting through them. Today we will be breaking down our second experiment and taking samples as we do so. In the meantime, our ship is traveling farther south towards McMurdo stopping a few times beforehand so we can collect water and a few zooplankton samples.
Turns out we will be arriving at McMurdo a couple of days sooner than originally planned, which is a nice change of events.
A couple of days ago, we had a big treat as our icebreaker stopped in some fast ice (the ice which forms against the continent) and lowered the gangway for us to disembark onto the ice! The ice was approximately 6 feet deep and a couple of experienced crew went out beforehand prodding the snow/ice for holes and setting up perimeters for us to maintain.
The scenery was spectacular and many Adelie penguins could be seen running along the ice. A leopard seal could also be seen resting not far from where our ship came to rest. Once we got onto the ice, a curious Adelie penguin made his/her (it’s hard to tell unless you’re a penguin!) way towards a few of us to check us out. Later, a few more followed. It was incredible.
We are now at 76° South latitude, and a day’s steam away from McMurdo Sound, truly at the bottom of the world.
The zooplankton samples look great –lots of krill, pteropods, juvenile fish, and even a juvenile squid! – I am looking forward to sorting through them. Today we will be breaking down our second experiment and taking samples as we do so. In the meantime, our ship is traveling farther south towards McMurdo stopping a few times beforehand so we can collect water and a few zooplankton samples.
Turns out we will be arriving at McMurdo a couple of days sooner than originally planned, which is a nice change of events.
A couple of days ago, we had a big treat as our icebreaker stopped in some fast ice (the ice which forms against the continent) and lowered the gangway for us to disembark onto the ice! The ice was approximately 6 feet deep and a couple of experienced crew went out beforehand prodding the snow/ice for holes and setting up perimeters for us to maintain.The scenery was spectacular and many Adelie penguins could be seen running along the ice. A leopard seal could also be seen resting not far from where our ship came to rest. Once we got onto the ice, a curious Adelie penguin made his/her (it’s hard to tell unless you’re a penguin!) way towards a few of us to check us out. Later, a few more followed. It was incredible.
We are now at 76° South latitude, and a day’s steam away from McMurdo Sound, truly at the bottom of the world.
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