Dispatch 28: Packing and Party     Print

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Mengnan Zhao

October 15, 2015

We have successfully completed all science activities, with the hard work and collaboration of scientists both on board the Louis and back home. Today would be a packing day to prepare all valuable samples for shipping, and a time to document and summarize all of our work done during the cruise. Scientist Deo Florence Onda made a small movie of some highlights – science activities, polar bears, northern lights, bringing us memories from all the way through.

Later in the evening, a celebration party was thrown with all the scientists and ship’s crew, starting with Chief Scientist Bill Williams’s brief speech outlining the success of the 13^th JOIS/BGOS cruise. The galley considerately baked a cake in celebration of this big event. Again, we would like to thank all of the ship’s officers and crew without whom our scientific activities would not have been possible. During the party, more than one person asked me what I would miss after going back, and I would definitely miss everything – the rosette cast I did for the first time, the beautiful aurora I watched with dear friends, the moments when everybody rushed out for the polar bear alerts, excitement when we found interesting water-column features, exhaustion after working 12 hours, guitar and songs in the bar, the amazing feeling when I first stepped onto the ice… This has been the most exciting and unforgettable experience of my life.

We disembark on Saturday morning and fly to Yellowknife – from there we’ll all head back home and to our different institutions to continue our research. Farewell, JOIS 2015 cruise!