As I look back on the past year since I returned from my PolarTREC expedition, I am amazed at the turns my life has taken and at where I am now, both literally and figuratively... What do I mean? Well, check out my PolarTREC reflection, written about a year ago, and then I'll catch you up on new events related to my Antarctic experience.
How does one reflect on a once-in-a-lifetime experience? An expedition to the bottom of the Earth, working side-by-side with eminent Polar scientists to explore areas never seen by humans before... Well, let me start at the beginning.
My involvement with this project began in April, 2010 when I was interviewed and selected to join the Oden's Sea Ice study team led by Dr. Stephen Ackley, and headed in the field by Blake Weissling. At the PolarTREC...
As word of the tragic earthquake which devastated Christchurch, New Zealand on February 22 reached me, my thoughts returned to that lovely town and the friendly people I met there during my short stop-over on the way home to California from Antarctica. Christchurch serves as the deployment hub for personnel of the U.S. Antarctic Program, which is managed by the National Science Foundation. Personnel traveling between New Zealand and Antarctica come through the Christchurch airport aboard U.S. military and New York Air National Guard aircraft. NSF also maintains offices and other facilities — including a warehouse and distribution center for field gear and passenger terminal for Antarctic flights — in the International Antarctic Centre adjacent to the airport.
We followed the painted...
After checking in our bags at the transit center, we had about 12 hours to spend at McMurdo Station before our scheduled meeting time at
1:30 am. We were assigned shared rooms in the station dormitories, but most of us only used the rooms to store our carry on bags while
we toured the station. McMurdo Station is the largest scientific base in Antarctica and it resembles a small town, complete with a dining hall,
coffee house and wine bar, health clinic, recreation facilities, bowling alley, greenhouse, post office, gift shop, chapel, and a large lab.
We were lucky enough to get a tour of Crary Lab, a state-of-the art laboratory which houses scientists working on a wide variety of research.
This summer season, research projects in and around McMurdo Station included studies of solar...
The Oden finally reached, the pier at McMurdo Station the afternoon of January 16, carefully breaking
the ice up to the pier. Here the ice was different than the ice we had seen. It was thin and very clear in
some places, almost like the ice on the top of a frozen lake.
The ice near the McMurdo Ice Pier was thin and clear and broke apart like glass.
The pier itself is an "ice pier," basically a large rectangle of thick ice that has been anchored to the shore
with cables and a bridge, and covered with gravel for easier movement of trucks.The ships tie up to the ice
pier to unload passengers, cargo,and fuel.
The Oden docked at the ice pier at McMurdo Station. It is basically a big rectangle of thick ice secured to the shore by cables and a bridge.
The Oden is the first ship since...
As a part of my PolarTREC educational outreach, I invited classrooms and community groups to decorate a flag that I would bring with me on my expedition. Now, with my time on the Oden ending, I asked permission of the captain to fly the flags once more - this time on the bridge which had been my main "office" and workplace when we weren't out on the ice.
The bridge is probably my favorite place on the Oden. It stretches across the width of the Oden, with bridge wings that extend out over the water on both the port and starboard side. There is an outside metal walkway that wraps around the bridge, and this was our favorite spot for taking seal, penguin, and seabird photographs. The conference table was my "writer's desk" where I wrote all my journal entries, as well as our "conference...
Everyone told me that "flexibility" and "rescheduled" are two key words to travel in Antarctica, but I never realized how true this would be! People who know me will all agree that I am ultra-organized, and a planner who lives by her calendars. Well, I am learning that there are some things that cannot be planned for and are truly beyond my control.
As you can see, we did not fly home on the 15th! The Oden is still at least a day out from McMurdo Station, so this morning when the snow and fog lifted, our United States Antarctic Program logistics coordinator Addie flew out by helicopter and met with us to share the "new" plan for disembarking the Oden. The new plan is that tomorrow morning (Sunday, Jan 16) we will dock next to the NB Palmer and transfer some cargo as well as myself and 2...
As the Oden continues breaking the shipping channel into McMurdo Station, the main U.S. Antarctic base, we have been enjoying the amazing view off the port (left) side of the ship - Mt. Erebus.Mt. Erebus is the world’s most southerly active volcano. It releases steam all the time, and it has a convecting (bubbling) lava lake inside it. It is located on Ross Island, just as McMurdo Station is. It is strange to call Ross Island an "island" because there is no water around it, only ice. We see the black rocky land surrounded by ice and snow, but not water you are accustomed to seeing around an island.
Mt. Erebus is an active volcano located on Ross Island.
Mt. Erebus is often surrounded by clouds.
It is hard to image that there is water separating Ross Island from the mainland because...
Throughout this expedition, the Oden has encountered ice that she needed to break through, and watching this process has been fascinating. The Oden is unique among icebreakers because she does not "break through" the ice with a reinforced pointed hull. Instead, she rides UP on the ice with her flat, rounded bow and crushes the ice underneath. She has a special "flushing" system which sprays water, warmed by the engines, in front of the bow, lubricating the ice for easier movement over it. She also has a "heeling" system, which is comprised of two large tanks in the bow, connected by a huge pipe and pumps which quickly transfer water from the port (left) tank to the starboard (right) tank. This allows the Oden to intentionally "rock" from side to side to better crush the ice. In fact, she...
Today we had another ice station on the "fast ice", and it took place at a very special location – The Bay Of Whales. The Bay of Whales holds an important place in Antarctica's history. In October of 1911, Norwegian explorer Roald Admundsen left from the Bay of Whales on his expedition to be the first man to reach the South Pole. He was racing against Englishman Robert Scott, who left from Ross Island (where McMurdo station is located.) Amundsen reached the geographic South Pole first on December 14, 1911, 99 years ago! Scott reached the South Pole 33 days later, but tragically, he and 4 traveling companions died before they made it back to Ross Island.
The Ross Ice Shelf borders the fast ice at the Bay of Whales.
Amundsen chose the Bay of Whales because it was 100 km closer to the...
As the Oden traveled westward, we knew our our days on the ice were dwindling. We had many miles to cover to reach the ice edge of McMurdo Sound and the Oden was contracted to complete the channel icebreaking work so that the N.B. Palmer and supply ships could reach McMurdo Station. Yesterday, we spent all day cruising in the open water of the Ross Sea Polynea, hoping there would be some appropriate ice for the scheduled 24 hour ice station, possibly our last. It was a gray, dull day until after dinner, when the skies cleared just enough to let the sun's rays shine through the clouds. And we started seeing ice again, from small floes to towering icebergs. It was a beautiful night, and it was just a hint of the magic that was to come.
The sunlight breaks through the clouds for a few...
So far on this cruise, the Oden crew has watched me fly the 61 decorated flags I brought with me with a combination of bewilderment and amusement. Watching the silly American teacher trying to hang up 3 stands of uncooperative flags, tied to one another with unpredictable knots that would unexpectedly come untied, with a strong Antarctic breeze blowing, finally got the best of the Oden's captain. Captain Mattias Peterson told me that he wanted me to fly the flags on the open deck above the bridge - 7 decks up from the Oden's main deck. "That would be great," I replied. "I'll do it one day when we are moored at an ice station." He explained that it needed to be done while the Oden was underway, so the flags could really fly. I've been on that top deck (where our ice camera is located)...
Tuesday, January 4 - More Science on the Oden
The Oden is currently carrying 30 scientists working on 8 different Antarctic research projects. I've already shared about my sea ice team and our project, so now I would like to tell you about another interesting research project underway on the Oden. Dr. Rebecca Dickhut, Co-Chief Scientist on the Oden, and graduate student Emily Brault, both from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, are studying the persistent organic pollutants (POPS) found in the Antarctic marine food web. Their research project, entitled Persistent pollutants in the Antarctic marine foodweb: Impact of climate change and insights into the feeding ecology of apex predators involves using chemical tracers to evaluate the feeding ecology of marine mammals and examining...
I was glad the day we "lost" in the time change was January 1, not January 3, because that's my birthday! I spent my birthday out on the ice of Antarctica - how cool is that? The day started with an ice station, during which our team focused on sea ice measurements over a high ridge on the ice floe. David and Brent drilled 5 holes through the ice every 5 meters over a 50 meter long transect, while Blake surveyed the transect with the EM Profiler, and I helped record data. We had more Adelie penguins visiting us, which is always a thrill, but hard to get your work done when they are around! Blake calls this the "penguin conspiracy,' as if they are conspiring to keep us from getting our work done! They seem so interested with our equipment.
The Adelie penguins seem to be very interested...
We have been working hard here the past week on the Oden. After my trek out on the ice with the seal research team, and a successful 8 hour ice station, the ice work continued as the Oden moved to a new location and, the next morning, we began another 24 hour ice station. We worked from mid-day on December 30 until the afternoon on December 31. Our sea ice team successfully deployed the final IMB ( ice mass balance buoy) that was brought on the expedition for installation. Then, the next day, we completed a 5 scan LiDAR imaging session. Here is the result of one of the 5 scans:
This LiDAR scan shows one area of our study site. When combined with the other scans it can provide a 3D image of the entire ice floe.
All 5 scans will be merged together on the computer and will provide a 3-D...
One of the most amazing aspects of this expedition has been the abundant wildlife I've been able to observe from the Oden, as well as from the sea ice when we are off the ship at an ice station. I thought I'd tell you about one type of animal we see everyday - seals. I'll also tell you about the seal research team here on board the Oden, and about the morning I joined the seal team to capture and take samples from the rarest Antarctic seal!
A crab eater seal hauled out on the ice near the Oden.
There are four types of seals found within the Antarctic circle ( below 66*33' S latitude) and I have been lucky enough to see all 4 species several times on this trip so far. By far the most common are the crabeater seals. Crabeater seals live on the sea ice, hunting at night and hauling out...
On this expedition, I brought 60 flags with me, decorated by classrooms, school, and community groups from across the country. Last week, here on board, I made a flag for a school in Mexico - Escuela Simon Bolivar in Coatepec, Veracruz. There is a 5th grade class there that is following the Oden expedition and Blake and I were even able to speak with them on an Oden satellite phone-classroom speakerphone connection before the holiday school break. So that makes flag # 61.
Escuela Simon Bolivar in Veracuz, Mexico, has a class of students following the Oden Antarctic Expedition. This is the flag created for their class.
My roommate on board, Caroiline Gennser, is a high school chemistry and biology teacher from Ragnhildgymnasiet (school) in Sodertalje, Sweden. Check out her school on...
The Christmas festivities on board the Oden started with a note on the public announcement whiteboard inviting everyone to come decorate gingerbread cookies and make gingerbread houses in the kitchen after dinner. When we met in the ship's galley (kitchen) we were given a chunk of spicy gingerbread (pepparkakor) dough and told we could make anything we wanted. Some people joined together to produce elaborate gingerbread houses, animals, and even a helicopter ( in tribute of our busy little red helicopter we have on board.) I made penguin and seal cookies. I think they turned out OK with no patterns or photos to refer to. Of course, I had to eat one of the penguins as a quality control test - he was delicious!
Anne Marie Wotkyns decorates Swedish gingerbread (pepparkakor) in...
After a very early morning meeting with the US research vessel, the Nathanial B. Palmer, the Oden moved through the ice to a large, thick ice floe - the site of our first 24 hour ice station. Our Sea Ice Team had 3 different work tasks we wanted to complete at this station - all new projects we had not done before. It turned out to be more work than any of us realized it would be.
Last night and today at the the 24 hour station was a test of mental and physical fortitude. I was challenged - and I gained some self confidence and strength after completing some very long work hours in a challenging environment.
Anne Marie Wotkyns helps bring equipment out onto the ice floe using a sled.
We started working yesterday at 2:00-7:30pm on our first project - building and installing a...
Since the Oden left Punta Arenas on December 8, there has been talk about our rendezvous with the U.S. research ship, the Nathanial B. Palmer, also on an expedition in the Southern Ocean of the Antarctic. Some of the scientists and crew aboard the Oden have sailed on the Palmer, or have friends currently on the ship, so they have been anxiously awaiting the day the ships would meet. The Oden is carrying some necessary science equipment to deliver to the Palmer, as well as two science support members who will move to the other ship, and a new science team is moving from the Palmer over here to the Oden. Originally, the meet-up was planned for December 15, but the Oden's schedule changed when we waited out a storm before leaving the safety of the Straits of Lemaire at the tip of South...
The Oden is a Swedish ship, with a Swedish crew and, accordingly, on board web they follow Swedish traditions and holidays. A special day that signals the start of the Winter holiday season is Santa Lucia Day. Celebrated each year on December 13, this "Holiday of Lights" is observed on the "darkest day" of the winter. It celebrates Santa Lucia, a young woman who, centuries ago, devoted her life to helping the poor and was hailed as a martyr when she was put to death for her convictions.
In Swedish households, the eldest daughter serves her family the morning coffee and pastries, singing a series of traditional songs. All over Sweden, teenage girls vie for the title of Santa Lucia, similar to competing to be chosen for homecoming queen or a beauty pageant. My mother is Swedish and I...
I have received a lot of questions about life here aboard the Oden, so I'd thought I'd tell you about one aspect everyone can relate to - FOOD! The Oden has 3 people in charge of meals and food for the 62 people on board. Bo Cederberg is the Chief Cook. Ranjit Roy is the cook, and Kristel Pettersson is the "messman." They work in the galley (kitchen on a ship,) pantry, and mess ( dining room on a ship,) and they seem to be on duty all the time!
Bo Cederberg, Ranjit Roy, and Kristel Pettersson make the delicious meals served on board the Oden.
The Oden has set meal times for everyone on board: breakfast 07:30-08:15, coffee at 10:00-10:15, lunch at 11:30-12:30, coffee at 15:00-15:15 (that's 3:00-3:15 pm,) and dinner at 17:30-18:15 (that's 5:30-6:15 pm.) We eat buffett style, serve...
The days are flying by now as we are getting busy with a variety of science activities. At Ice Station 3, our sea ice team deployed the first ice mass buoy (IMB.) An ice mass buoy is a remote sensing device that is permanently installed on a large ice floe and sends back data. The IMB we deployed was a SAMS buoy, the smaller and simpler of the devices we will be installing during the cruise. The installation takes several steps:
1) Find a suitable place on the ice floe. Blake used the EM Profiler to find the thickest section of the floe.
Blake Weisslinig uses the EM Profiler to check ice thickness for deployment of an ice mass buoy.
2) Dig a pit approximately 1 square meter down to the ice, clearing out the snow that sits on top of the ice. This was David's job.
3) Take physical...
I would like to introduce you to the other member of the Oden's "Sea Ice Team." So here they are, in their own words:
Blake Weissling Project Team Leader
My name is Blake Weissling and I am a research assistant professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio. I am also employed as a geophysicist for SWCA Environmental Consultants, a natural and cultural resources consulting company in San Antonio. My research work involves the application of geophysical and remote sensing methods for sea ice research. My first polar expedition was in 2007, when I participated on the SIMBA (Sea Ice Mass Balance in Antarctica) cruise to the Bellingshausen Sea. I have also done some sea ice work in the Arctic, near Point Barrow Alaska. My consulting work typically has nothing at all to do with...
As the Oden continues to cruise southwest through the Southern Ocean, the ice floes are growing larger and the sea ice is getting thicker. That is exactly what everyone on board has been hoping for, because that will allow for a full science station on the ice, instead of the "only 4 people allowed on the ice" day we had yesterday. As the ship breaks thorough the thicker ice, you feel a shudder or shake, similar to hitting a wave on the open ocean, but there is no rocking or rolling motion. The officers set the course to go basically in a straight line, but they will change course slightly to follow a "lead," or opening in the ice. I went out onto the bow of the ship and watched the Oden gliding over huge sheets of ice. At first there are no visible cracks, but then a narrow crack...
Today was like Christmas and my birthday all wrapped up in one - the BIG day finally arrived. I went out on the Antarctic sea ice!
When I went to bed last night, the Oden was entering thicker sea ice, with bigger ice floes and less water showing between the floes. We were looking for a floe much larger than the Oden, with ice 1-2 meters thick, to tie the ship to so the different teams could safely collect their snow, ice, and water samples and our team could map and measure the sea ice thickness. I knew I needed to try to get a good night's sleep, but it is so hard to go to sleep down here. The unofficial term for this sleeplessness is "Big Eye." There is no darkness to tell your body it's time to sleep, and everywhere you look outside there's something new and amazing to see. My brain...
