It's officially the off-season!

Well, ctenophore sampling that began at the start of May has finally ended! Mnemiopsis persisted well into the fall and actually peaked again in abundance in Great South Bay in October! As an added treat to a recent nighttime sampling endeavour in chilly temperatures, the ctenophores were abundant enough to be seen bioluminescing as the boat made her way through the water. Although, I have many zooplankton and ctenophore samples still to process in the laboratory, I am pleased to have completed another year of weekly sampling! Now, its officially the off-season, and I can catch up on gear repairs and general lab duties. It may be hard to believe, but it has now been 2 full years since my incredible Antarctic adventure, and I am still finishing up some of the zooplankton samples collected at the bottom of the world. So, while its chilly outside, I am inside working at a microscope, warmed by the memories of my time spent in the southerly seas.