Dispatch 10: The Calm Before The Figurative Storm     Print

Alex Kain

September 26, 2009

After the ship slurped up its last desired drop of diesel, the Louis continued north en route to the 150 west line, along which scientists and crewmembers will perform 7 CTD casts and two mooring deployments.

It's nice to be on the open sea for a few days before the ship returns to constant crunching. In addition to providing a peaceful daytime ride, the open water allowed for everyone on board to get a long and restful night's sleep.

The downtime during the fueling allowed everyone aboard the ship a chance to cut back and relax. Before the refueling began, crewmembers and scientists enjoyed a meet and greet party with what is literally the largest bucket of chicken wings this side of the Arctic Circle. The party was a relaxed, light hearted affair where people focused on their poker game more than their data analysis. Party attendees also learned that Captain Andrew McNeill plays a mean bass guitar.

Coast Guard Cadet Andrew Pearson plays guitar and sings while Captain Andrew McNeill accompanies on the bass guitar.		Although the container on the left appears to be brimming with hot coals and lava, it's actually a metal bucket filled with chicken wings. By the end of the party, there was not a chicken wing in sight.		Miranda Corkum and Glenn Cooper of the Canadian Institute of Ocean Sciences and Jenny Hutchings and Alice Orlich of the University of Alaska-Fairbanks enjoy the meet and greet.

Yesterday WHOI's Rick Krishfield treated a group to the first in a series of talks given by scientists on board. Rick summarized the progress and findings of the Beaufort Gyre Exploration Project, a seven year initiative to monitor ice and ocean conditions in the Beaufort Sea.

Rick Krishfield explains WHOI's involvement in the Arctic Observing Network, an international collaboration of scientific groups that seeks to place a drifting array of Ice-Based Observatories (IBOs) throughout the Arctic.

The past two low-key days are uncharacteristic of what lies ahead. Throughout the next three weeks, over thirty moorings and buoys will be deployed and recovered. It will be busy, but with high spirits and a full tank of fuel, everyone on board is ready to go.