Dispatch 8: Back in Open Water     Print

	Related Multimedia
	September 28 Photos » View Slideshow

Joey Wenig

September 28, 2014

Today, with the first round of mooring work completed, the main focus of the scientific activity aboard ship returned to CTD/rosette casts. We’ve traveled back south since leaving mooring station BGOS-D, across the southern edge of the icepack, and are in ice-free waters for the time being. Without the threat of ice chunks, the casts were uneventful—exactly how you want them to be.

It was strange to again see the gray swells of the open ocean. It’s hard to believe that in a few hours’ travel it’s possible to transition between such drastically different environments. Free of the ice’s chilling influence, the air seemed practically balmy. While on watch, we even spotted some birds flying in the distance. They were too far off to I.D., but it was neat to catch a rare glimpse of Arctic wildlife.

A tradition exists aboard the Louis where the Captain invites a group of scientists and crew to join him in the Senior Officers’ Dining Room for a formal Sunday dinner. This evening was the first of these, posing a significant hurdle for those of us who had neglected to pack accordingly: dressing up. I was on watch and not able to attend, but Wes Halfacre of Purdue University, wearing a borrowed pair of shoes, pants, and shirt (he stopped short of wearing the South Park-themed tie Brice Loose offered him) said of the five-course meal: “Y’know, it was really nice. The food was tasty.” June Marion of Oregon State U. added that she enjoyed the opportunity to converse with the Captain and Chief Officer in a more casual setting.