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The first cruise was conducted between December 2005 and January 2006 on the RVIB N.B. Palmer (NBP06-01). Data from this cruise are in the process of being analyzed. The 2006 CORSACS cruise is currently taking place aboard the R.V. Nathaniel B. Palmer. 
The Cruise Begins November 4, 2006 Walker Smith The CORSACS project (Controls of Ross Sea Algal Community Structure) officially began as we left Lyttleton, New Zealand on the RVIB Nathniel B. Palmer for the Ross Sea on November 1. Planning for the cruise began more than a year ago, and culminated in port with the extensive set-up of equipment and stowage of supplies. This year's VIMS team includes Sasha Tozzi, Scott Polk, Quinn Roberts (on temporary assignment from the laboratory of Dr. Debbie Bronk), Dr. Giulio Catalano from Trieste, Italy, and Principal Investigator Walker Smith. Port call in Lyttleton was pleasant, although the weather was quite changeable. On arrival it was warm and sunny, but 24 hours later a torrential downpour occurred, along with winds gusting up to 138 km/hr (85 miles/hr). Later that day it cleared, and the winds dropped again, all of which was a constant reminder that "if you don't like the weather in New Zealand, wait ten minutes and it will change." By the time we left port, the wind and waves had calmed considerably, and so far our passage has been relatively benign. The CORSACS project is a collaborative effort with scientists from around the US, including those from Stanford University, the College of Charleston, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, the University of British Columbia, and the University of Delaware. Personnel include undergraduates, graduate students, technicians, volunteers, post-doctoral associates, and principal investigators. Most people share a cabin with one other person, although the VIMS group has two exceptions. Smith, being the most senior PI, has the only single cabin on the ship (with the exception of the Chief Scientist), and Roberts, being the least senior, is sharing a room with three other "newbies." Food is plentiful, but we all are aware that the fresh fruit, salads, and vegetables we now are enjoying will soon disappear for good, or at least until we return to New Zealand. The ship also has a number of lounges (one with an elaborate movie system), a gym, and sauna. During our cruise, which is scheduled to end on December 16, we hope to relay various things about the CORSACS project: the science questions involved, why they are significant, and how the VIMS team is contributing to answering them. We will also describe life at sea within a research cruise, special events (Thanksgiving, ice parties, small-boat operations, helicopter flights), plant and animal life, and our various sampling procedures. We hope you can enjoy our experiences vicariously! CORSACS Science Nov 6, 2006 Walker Smith What are the science objectives of CORSACS, and why is the project important? Those two questions are fundamental to any project and need to be clearly stated and addressed. The earth's atmosphere is changing, with increased carbon dioxide concentrations occurring throughout. As a result, CO2 levels are also increasing in the ocean's surface layer. In the past most oceanographers did not worry about the slight increase, because carbon dioxide was not considered to limit phytoplankton growth in any way. However, because different species have different carbon dioxide uptake systems and different preferences for the various inorganic forms of carbon present in seawater, researchers tested the effects of increased levels of CO2 on phytoplankton growth and composition. They found that elevated CO2 greatly altered the composition of phytoplankton, likely through changing the competitive advantages of those groups that use CO2 instead of bicarbonate (the most common form of inorganic C in the ocean). At high CO2 levels a type of algae called Phaeocystis dominated, whereas at lower CO2 levels diatoms grew best. These experiments were conducted in coastal waters, but not in polar regions. The CORSACS group proposed to test this hypothesis in the Ross Sea, a region where both diatoms and Phaeocystis occur. The logo of the project (designed at Woods Hole Oceanographic) depicts these goals. Last year's cruise concentrated on diatoms, and this year's will concentrate on Phaeocystis. We hypothesize that there is an interaction among light, iron, and CO2 that controls species composition, and will conduct large-volume experimental manipulations using trace-metal clean techniques to test this. We will sample water and then vary the light, iron and CO2 levels; these experiments will last approximately 20 days, and at the end we will see if these factors generate a change in composition among various phytoplankton groups. The VIMS group is an essential part of this test, as we are in charge of assessing the response to light using various assays of photosynthesis. The group will also make many measurements at various locations, and will construct an in situ depiction of light, iron, and CO2 so that we can compare our experimental results with the field situation. Many additional "sub-projects" occur within CORSACS as well. For example, a number of us are also testing the effects of temperature and the interaction with light and iron. The sum of all of this work will allow us to better predict the impacts of the global increases in atmospheric CO2 on the marine biota. Bottoms Up November 7, 2006 Quinn Roberts A week has already gone by since we left port in New Zealand. What do I have to say about the cruise so far? I'm OVER the ship rocking! It's getting old and I'm quite tired of it. It's not because I'm seasick or anything—more like I have about 15 bruises on my body as a result of colliding with the ship. My most interesting bruise occurred in the galley three days ago. I went in there to get a banana and the ship must have hit a wave the wrong way, which sent me flying a good ten feet into a wall. Of course there were three other people there to witness the collision. In fact, one of the crew tried to catch me before I hit but it was too late. The cook now refers to me as "bottoms up." While on the subject of nicknames, Walker has been calling me "Queenie" ever since we left port. Julio, the "other" Italian guy with our group, misunderstood my name when I introduced myself to him. Instead of Quinn he called me Queen. Who was I to correct him? Walker thought this was especially funny. I don't have much science to talk about since we haven't started sampling yet, so the only thing I have to report are my daily activities. I wake up when I feel like it—usually around 9:00 or 10:00 (not too early because I'm not a morning person). Since I miss breakfast I scrounge around for some fruit and yogurt. After I eat and check my e-mail I usually take a mid-morning nap because when the ship is rocking gently, I become narcoleptic. I wake up for lunch and then either read a book and listen to music or watch movies until dinner. Occasionally I will take a mid-afternoon nap. After dinner I watch another movie. Up until today I would go outside to watch the water crash against the ship and take in some of the fresh air but now the air is way too cold to be enjoyable. Around 20:00 is gym time, which can be both interesting and entertaining. I've given up on the treadmill—that?s just and accident waiting to happen. I generally stick to the Stairmaster or the bike, which are much more difficult to fall off. I've also been trying to keep up with my "boot camp" routine, which is challenging enough when the ground isn't moving. My knees are banged up from doing lunges when the ship takes an inopportune roll and my side crunches have turned into barrel rolls across the floor. After working out I take a shower and catch one more movie before I call it a night. Lately I haven't been sleeping too well for fear of being hurled out of my tiny bunk with every wave we hit. That is all I have to report for now—I will leave you with a haiku: The ship never stops. 
The Transit South November 9, 2006 Scott Polk I have been going to sea, mainly to Antarctica, since 1992. Many of my shipmates have kept journals, written weekly reports, and now days blog their seaward adventures. I myself have never scribed my personal Antarctic adventures. However, after 7 or 8 trips to ?The Ice,? I have been asked to write several entries for this VIMS web journal. There are a plethora of topics to write about since, relatively speaking, not many people get the chance to board an ice breaker and journey to the frozen south. And, after giving this opportunity much consideration, I have chosen to write about what I enjoy most about the priceless opportunity I've been awarded: Being at Sea: The Transit South. Therefore, I will share with you several parts (and by no means is this everything) of what I find amazing about being at sea:
Temporary Lifelong Friends: a true oxymoron November 10, 2006 Scott Polk There is truly something special about the friends I have made over years while at sea. You have to imagine that you are stuck in a floating house with people you don't know. People from all over the world, many whom have never met, are brought together to achieve the same objective. It's kind of like the TV reality show "Big Brother," but without the backstabbing, cunning alliances, or a big cash prize at the end. Emotions run the gamut out here, like the longing as a result of being away from the ones you love for a long time, or a hard-to-ignore urge of wanting to wring a shipmate's neck because they got under your skin. People fall in and out of love. And at times, the Capitan may even get to perform a wedding ceremony. But above all, the friendships that are forged seem to be the overall winners. So, why did I call this "temporary lifelong friends (a true oxymoron)"? Because when you find someone on board with whom you really click, you usually hangout with them and learn all you can about each other. You'll eat meals together and spend time together. In short, a strong bond is created in a relatively short period of time. However, when the project is finished everyone goes back to his or her own part of the world. Business cards, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses are exchanged. Hugs, tears, and salutations are shared with a friend you may never see again. However, you know deep in your heart, that if or when you meet again that the friendship will pick-up where it left off&mdash with hugs and that warm fuzzy feeling. Therefore, this flash-in-the-pan friendship will kindle throughout your life. 
A Different Season November 11, 2006 Sasha Tozzi The Ross Sea is very different in November and still absolutely fascinating. This is my fifth year down south and seventh cruise to the Southern Ocean, but it is my first time so early in the season. I have previously been in the area between December and February, during the austral summer, so once we crossed the Antarctic Circle I always experienced 24 hours of light and just a few days of icebreaking to reach the polynya. This time it's much different. We hit the ice edge at 64°S, a latitude which on earlier cruises brought us flocks of icebergs but no solid ice to break. We have already been breaking much thicker ice than usual for several days and still have a few more to go. Last night the ship had to stop due to a snow storm with sustained winds of 50 knots, zero visibility, and a wind chill of -25°C, and all of this was in darkness—for me surprising at this latitude. The past few years we were often breaking ice around Christmas, and being surrounded by the whiteness of snow and ice even at sea seemed appropriate; now, perhaps because of the stronger winds and the lower temperature, the environment seems even more extreme, and the ship cutting its way through this surreal landscape feels to me again very special and mesmerizing. Every morning after breakfast we have been taking turns to give seminars to our colleagues on our research and previous cruise results. We have this opportunity because after the time needed to set-up all our instrumentation everybody is waiting to get to the polynya where we can start our sampling and experiments, and our transit time from New Zealand is much longer due to the extensive ice coverage. The ship becomes our home and here we celebrate some of our shipmates' birthdays, and this year Thanksgiving. For me this will be the first time to feast with turkey, gravy, and stuffing so far south and at sea. Our science projects are also heavily impacted by the different time of the year and we are all trying to re-design our experiments to best represent the present conditions. This makes it challenging, for example trying to expose our samples to sunlight without getting our incubators completely frozen. It's a different time of the year, but still the same beloved ship, the N.B. Palmer (almost a second home for me in the past few years), still the thrilling Ross Sea, and still an amazing adventure that, even if doesn't compare with the harsh journeys of earlier explorers, is continuously breathtaking and will give me a life-long collection of great memories. Sea Ice November 14, 2006 Walker Smith 
We all know that ice surrounds the Antarctic continent, as well as covering 99% of its surface (to a thickness of more than 3,000 m on average). The sea ice covers at its seasonal maximum some 20 x 106 km2 (and at its minimum, 2 x 106 km2), so over the course of 6 months a huge area of the Southern Ocean becomes ice covered. What are the effects of this ice? First, it acts like a lid, reducing the exchanges of heat, radiation, materials, and water between the ocean and atmosphere. For example, under the ice in the Ross Sea, carbon dioxide increases to up to 460 parts per million (ppm) during winter as a result of the oxidation of organic matter produced during the summer. As the ice recedes, two things can happen to this "excess" CO2 (excess relative to atmospheric equilibrium)— it can be removed by phytoplankton uptake during spring growth, or it can outgas to the atmosphere. Undoubtedly both occur, but the extent of each will depend on a number of factors. At this time we can't say with confidence which process dominates in spring. Ice also reduces heat flux from the ocean to the atmosphere. Since the ocean is warm relative to the air (-1.86°C in the ocean, and air temperatures often reach -60°C in the Ross Sea during winter), heat is always lost to the air. Ice, once formed, is a relatively solid sheet approximately 1 meter thick, and effectively stops heat losses from the ocean. Ice also is a unique biological substrate for organisms, and is a unique oceanic environment. It is three-dimensional; often there is a layer of snow on top of the ice, which itself is relatively porous and perfused with brine. Microbes, such as bacteria and microalgae, grow in layers in the ice. In the Ross Sea during CORSACS as we break ice, we see a dark brown layer of algae on the bottom surface—the interface between the ocean and ice. Some call ice an "upside-down benthos," which can be an apt analogy. The interstitial environment is also unusual—dissolved organic carbon (DOC) levels are two orders of magnitude greater than those in the ocean, and as the ice/brine melts, the DOC is rapidly used by bacteria. No one knows why the ice bacteria do not, or cannot, use the DOC in ice. Some organisms have larvae that spend a full year within the ice, feeding on the algae, before changing into juveniles. Many fish live in close association with ice as well; hence many penguins and seals prey on the undersurface of the ice too. During CORSACS a few of the groups are using the opportunity to conduct measurements within the ice by taking cores. Much of the material in ice is eventually released into the water column, and hence knowing the constituents is relevant to the CORSACS objectives. Soon we will be in the polynya and open water, and ice will surround us, but will also influence our work. It also provides a beautiful environment for us to view and observe the wonders of this Antarctic world we are visiting. Life Onboard November 18, 2006 Scott Polk Living arrangements on the Nathaniel B. Palmer (NBP) are comfortable, and consist of two bunks, a head, and a shower in each cabin. The chief scientist and MPC cabins have dayrooms as well as the sleeping compartment. All cabins are equipped with a TV/VCR, stereo, telephone and a LAN jack for connection to the network. This network access includes the ability to connect to the ship's primary data acquisition computer system for viewing and logging data. With the exception of the chief scientist cabin, most grantee and all RPSC berthing is on the O1 Deck, which is on the same level as the Sauna and Gym. Laundry facilities are provided on each level. The 02 Lounge is open 24 hours a day for everyone's use and is stocked with more than 150 movies. A small donation-only book library is also housed in the 03 Conference Room for all to use. The Conference Room also has a TV and VCR, which is open for use to all as well. Another lounge is available on the 04 Level. The NBP's Workout Room is equipped for both weight and endurance training. A Universal Weight Machine, treadmill, rowing machine, and exercise bike occupy the weight room. Just across the passageway is a sauna for relaxing after a hard day's work or workout. This area is open 24 hours a day. The Mess Hall is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is located all the way forward on the starboard side of the Main Deck. Edison Chouest, the contractor that operates the NBP, provides vegetarian meals on request. If you have special dietary interests or needs, the Cook can accommodate with prior medical clearance. For snack-food junkies: plan to visit the grocery store before sailing as only a very limited selection is available. Snacks, such as chocolate, coffee, or your favorite health food make the ship feel more like home. Meals are served at the following times:
General-use laundry equipment is provided on each deck forward of the main ladder-way. Soap and bleach are provided. Clean linen is available from the ship's supply and includes blankets, sheets, and pillowcases. Passengers may bring their own bed linens. The Captain and crew of the NBP are outstanding. The Captain for this cruise, Scott C. Dunaway, and the Chiefmate, John-Martin A. Souza, run a tight ship. They do everything possible to make the science objectives a success while keeping the ship, crew, and science party out of harms way. Safety is always the primary concern above all else. And, tunefully, I have never had to concern myself with the worries that the ship or myself were in danger. To the Captain and the crew of the NBP, I thank you for that. 
Mr. Fix It November 20, 2006 Sasha Tozzi In Antarctica there are many challenges that we face daily working on a ship, and in our case on a ship thousands of miles from the closest port and from our suppliers and labs. We work with what we bring, and if something does not make it to the ship or if something breaks while at sea, we try to be prepared with back-up parts. But it seems that we are able to continuously prove Murphy's Law and have items breaking and missing in numbers just more than the number of spares we carry, despite the care we take in trying to avoid and prevent such incidents. Most of our break-downs are caused by the extremely harsh environment. We are now cruising in waters that are 90% ice covered, and the water that we analyze and that runs through our instruments has a temperature of 2° below the fresh water freezing point; furthermore, air temperature is -15°C and the wind chill gets to -40°C. We often have problems with the electronic instruments that we deploy, and because of this we keep the two electronic technicians (ETs) on board, Sheldon Blakman and Victor Shen, very busy. It is amazing what these guys can do. In the past week they fixed the ship's antenna that receives satellite data for sea-surface temperature, ocean color, and ice distribution. They rebuilt battery packs for our instruments, they fixed—twice— the ship's gravitometer, and custom-built several cables to get some of our instruments to communicate with others and get power from the ship profiler. They comfortably opened and fixed several of our instruments without ever having worked on them before. Two of our sensors, a Fast Repetition Rate Fluorometer (FRRF) and a optical nitrate sensor (ISUS), needed to be mounted on the ship's water profiler system, and together we tried several configurations and spent significant amounts of time changing and tweaking the way we could get the instruments powered by the profiler and also to communicate with each other. The fun part to me is the need to continuously improvise building and fixing our gear. On the ship there is a well-furnished carpentry and mechanical shop as well. These are run by the Marine Technicians (MTs), David Green, Jamee Johnson and Ben McKee. They are all experienced sailors and very accomplished in the arts of carpentry, welding, and mechanics. They can build almost anything out of whatever material is available on board. For the present cruise they built and or modified some of our incubators, shelving to latch down our glass water traps, and special cages and cradles to secure our instruments to the ship profiler. Part of my job, and one of the aspects that keeps me happy pursuing this career, is the need to constantly try to solve problems, both scientific and technical. Endlessly facing challenges, and periodically succeeding, in addressing scientific questions and the logistical problems encountered in the quest give me great satisfaction, and the process, while often frustrating, is also often extremely rewarding. 
Holidays @ Sea November 21, 2006 Walker Smith CORSACS, being a cruise to the Ross Sea, necessarily involves field work in the austral (southern hemisphere) spring and summer from November through February. Due to the timing, we often miss some holidays that are celebrated at home. For example, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's— our group has at various times in the past years missed all of these while at sea. What are holidays like on the Palmer? This year we will be at sea for Thanksgiving. The routine on Thanksgiving is only slightly different from that of any other day. We do have a turkey dinner, with mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, pies, gravy, cranberries, and stuffing, but as we all know, Thanksgiving has an individual and special meaning for each. For me, I love the cooking involved with such an elaborate meal— the smells, the sounds, and the tastes. I enjoy my own dressing (no bag mix for me), and everyone has their own traditions that they grew up with, and incorporate into their adult holidays. So while we do share a special meal with our friends and colleagues, it is nothing like what we would experience at home. And to accentuate the difference, we still work on Thanksgiving. The ship costs around $40,000 per day, and not to use it wisely would represent a serious loss of valuable science time. Another holiday my group has missed in recent years is Christmas. As part of the IVARS project, we had five consecutive years of Christmas at sea. This year, however, I will have Christmas at home, a rare event for me. Birthdays are another "holiday" that some have while at sea. This year I have a birthday at sea; in fact, it is my birthday today as I send this. We get a nice cake baked for us, candles, a badly sung birthday song and wishes, and a few selected gifts. Some were bought before the cruise; others are made out of lab supplies (Benchkote© being a popular item), but all are appreciated. But again, work proceeds no matter how special the day is. This year half the CORSACS PIs have had birthdays during the cruise. And to make it even more special, the wind today reached more than 56 knots; one for each of my years! Finally, we also make our own "holidays," and celebrate a crossing ceremony. This is a simple break in the routine, and provides a means to "initiate" those who have never sailed to the Antarctic before with the knowledge of those that have. Today's photo shows one of the comely mermaids of King Neptune's harem during the crossing ceremony. So, while the science is serious and important, oceanographers also celebrate the traditional holidays while at sea, albeit in a slightly different manner. And please hold those presents until I get back! 
Giving Thanks November 23, 2006 Scott Polk Yesterday marked my very first Thanksgiving at sea. Despite being away from my family and friends, this holiday turned out to be very nice. For lunch we had the traditional turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, and a variety of delicious desserts. We had to sample from a CTD cast just before the meal, but we had the rest of the day off. In the evening I attended my very first ice party. Usually getting dressed up to go to a party doesn't involve putting on insulated underwear, two pairs of socks and gloves, and a silly looking hat, but it was fun nonetheless. We had horseshoes, a soccer ball, music, and some curious penguins for entertainment. The weather was pretty decent, although it was a bit windy, which made things a little uncomfortable for the first few minutes. Once I became numb, I couldn't help thinking about how lucky I was too be in such an amazing environment. The ice with its various shades of white and blue is absolutely beautiful. Happy Plankton? November 27, 2006 Sasha Tozzi The overall goal of our project is to try to understand the forcing factors that control phytoplankton abundances, community composition, and community shifts in the Ross Sea. The hypothesis is that light, iron, and carbon dioxide (CO2) interactively control phytoplankton dynamics in this region of the Southern Ocean. To test our hypotheses we run a suite of measurements to determine both the boundary conditions (e.g., temperature and salinity) and the macronutrient levels. We also measure rate processes and conduct experiments to test more specific hypotheses. As part of my responsibilities onboard I run and maintain instruments to measure variable fluorescence. Fluorescence in the ocean is mostly produced by phytoplankton. These organisms have organelles called chloroplasts with pigments to absorb light and drive photosynthesis. The extra energy that is absorbed and cannot be converted into biochemical energy is re-emitted in small part as heat but mostly as light at a longer wavelength and lower energy, which is called fluorescence. To quantify phytoplankton fluorescence all that is needed is a blue light and a detector to measure the re-emitted light. Such a measurement is usually considered a good proxy for the chlorophyll concentration in the water as a measure of phytoplankton biomass. To determine variable fluorescence, we use three different instruments. One is a Pulse Amplitude Modulated Fluorometer (PAM) produced by Waltz. This instrument measures the variable fluorescence and the fluorescence quantum yields of photosystem II (PSII), telling us the percentage of light absorbed by the phytoplankton that is converted into biochemical energy and used to assimilate carbon and nutrients, grow, and replicate. The amount of light used, or photosynthetic quantum yield, is a good indicator of the "health" and "happiness" of phytoplankton. If the organisms have been exposed to high irradiance for periods of time, parts of their photosynthetic apparatus can be damaged and, as we do, they can get sunburned; this will result in a lower quantum yield. Similarly, if the organisms find themselves in low nutrient water they will soon starve and generate a lower photosynthetic quantum yield. This is particularly true when iron is in very low concentration, because this element it is essential in many components of the photosynthetic apparatus. Our other two instruments are Fast Repetition Rate Fluorometers (FRRF). One produced by Chelsea is submersible, and mounted on the ship profiler. The other is a bench-top prototype designed and built by Zbigniew Kolber and Denis Klimov at MBARI. The FRRF, in addition to the photosynthetic Quantum Yield (Fv/Fm), can also estimate optical absorption cross-section and electron flow between the PSII and the plastoquinone pool (PQ). This prototype is also set up to make Rapid Light Curves (RLC) to estimate Electron Transport Rate (ETR) and measure photosynthetic bacteria (Fv/Fm). All of these parameters give detailed information on the "health and happiness" of the cells and their capability to photosynthesize. Part of my interest is seeking out the photo-physiological differences between phytoplankton taxa living in this area and using variable fluorescence. Hopefully this information will help us understand the distribution and growth of particular species in the ocean. 
An International Experiment November 29, 2006 Walker Smith CORSACS is funded by the US National Science Foundation, and takes place on a US icebreaker, the Nathaniel B. Palmer. Despite the clear investment by the US, it is also a very international research expedition. The group includes number of international participants, and below is a brief synopsis of each:
That means that more than 40% of the science party consists of international participants, a very impressive number. On top of that, the officers, crew, and Raytheon assistants include people from the Philippines, Russia, New Zealand, and Germany. As you might predict, the accents that you hear at meals provide an eclectic mix! But CORSACS nicely merges the expertise and enthusiasm of various people and countries, and the resultant mixture is a true exercise in international science. 
Snowflakes December 01, 2006 Quinn Roberts Late last night after I'd finished working, I went up to the bow to look at the scenery. While I was up there it began to snow. Just when I started getting cold, something caught my eye; it wasn't the two gigantic volcanic peaks in front of me, but a tiny snowflake on my coat. Growing up in Pennsylvania, I've seen my fair share of snow, but I've never seen anything like this before. Remember the kind of paper snowflakes you would make in school as a kid, or the kind you hang on your Christmas tree? This looked just like them! It was so beautiful and intricate, yet so incredibly delicate. How in the world does something like that form and maintain its shape falling hundreds of feet from the sky, getting beaten by the fierce wind along the way? I began to search for more of these snowflakes along the bow only to find that they were everywhere, each of them feathery and exquisite little perfect snowflakes. I've been on this ship for 31 days now. I've seen Adélie and Emperor penguins, Weddell seals, and enormous icebergs, yet none of those things can compare to the snowflakes that I saw last night. Well that's all for today. I have to go gear up for another ice party tonight. 
Heading North December 04, 2006 Sasha Tozzi The main scientific activities in the polynya ended Sunday morning. Captain Scott Dunaway requested 13 days to take us home, giving himself some extra time in case we encounter thick ice to break through, or likely storms while crossing the "Sizzling 60s," "Furious 50s" and "Roaring 40s." After rendezvousing in Lewis Bay with a helicopter from McMurdo Station to let Walker Smith off the ship and join his other team working on a separate project on base, we completed our polynya survey by towing along the 76.5° S parallel all the way to 180° E, where we did our last CTD profile and water collection. We collected water for our routine measurement for water-column characterization and more water for experiments. Having two more weeks to get back to New Zealand, we productively use ship time by continuing experiments in several different incubators available onboard. While we are still in cold polar waters we will also use on-deck incubators that are kept under natural light conditions and at ambient temperature by pumping surface water through them. Different groups are testing in different ways the effects of light, temperature, Fe, and other trace metals, and carbon dioxide levels on the growth and physiology of phytoplankton cultures or natural assemblages now mostly dominated by Phaeocystis antarctica. Without the overwhelming and continuously changing schedule that we had previously, when we were surveying the polynya and running our experiments at the same time, we can now better manage our time and arrange for some more leisure activities. The 02 deck lounge, also known as the movie lounge, gets easily filled at night with people and a strong popcorn odor and crunching noise. Those less interested in movies are organizing all sorts of entertainment and tournaments. Some get together and jam with their guitars. Others are talking about having a crossword tournament; Cribbage and a Jungle Speed tournament are also considered valuable options. So far the foosball tournament has six teams signed up, and it will be a very special tournament having to play on a rolling ship. Soon we will start having sunsets, losing the high-latitude-characteristic 24 hours of daylight. We will definitely hit higher seas and will start packing some of our gear, all clear signs of being on our way north and on our way home. Mission Accomplished December 10, 2006 Sasha Tozzi Joy and sadness are two strong and contrasting sentiments that characterize my feelings at the end of most cruises. Satisfaction, a sense of accomplishment, occasional frustration, and definite tiredness are other feelings I have after more than six weeks at sea confined on a 300-foot vessel with 65 other people. Joy and relief are given by the knowledge of having accomplished the project's mission and having successfully finished all the planned measurements and experiments with no major breakdowns or losses. The sadness is due to having to part ways with all the people with whom, over the past 45 days, I have become close, my new and old friends
that I have spent so much time working, chatting, and playing with. Living and working in close quarters often creates incredibly strong bonds between people.
I got to discover details of many of my shipmates' lives, got to know what they do and don't like, what makes them laugh, and what upsets them. Joy is given by knowing that soon I will be back home, sleeping in my own bed, cooking and eating the food I want, and having access to all the fresh groceries that at sea rapidly disappear. Joy at the end of the cruise is also given by knowing that soon I will get to see my loved ones: my family and my friends. Work at sea is often intense and can be physically taxing. It produces loads of data that will need to be processed and interpreted; in fact, they will keep me and most of the other scientists onboard busy for part of the next year. But the remaining work will be mostly at my desk on a computer. For some there will be time spent in the lab analyzing samples that could not be analyzed at sea. With the end of the cruise a way of life ends; I will soon be back to my home, the institution, and the "mainland routine." We are now five days from Lyttleton, New Zealand. We are a few days ahead of schedule, as the captain was quite conservative with his estimate of time required to cut our way through the icepack and apparently he was also concerned we would be hit by a big storm that we were luckily able to dodge. However, we have hit the tail of a different low-pressure system with wind gusts up to 50 knots and fairly high waves—Just a little reminder of being at sea before we get back to our immobile desks. |
2006
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| Click a title below to learn about that day's activities. |
- 11/04/06
The Cruise Begins - 11/06/06
CORSACS Science - 11/07/06
Bottoms Up - 11/09/06
The Transit South - 11/10/06
Lifelong Friends - 11/11/06
A Different Season - 11/14/06
Sea Ice - 11/18/06
Life Onboard - 11/20/06
Mr. Fix It - 11/21/06
Holidays @ Sea - 11/23/06
Thanksgiving - 11/27/06
Happy Plankton? - 11/29/06
International Experiment - 12/01/06
Snowflakes - 12/04/06
Heading North - 12/07/06
At Sea, Part 3 - 12/10/06
Mission Accomplished