Dispatch 13: Furthest West     Print

Gerty Ward

July 29, 2008

Today we are at our furthest point west of the cruise: 75.5N, -157.10W, in the Canada Basin of the Beaufort Sea. We had our first all-ship polar bear sighting. We saw a mother with two cubs, and an additional bear in the water.

Mother and two cubs, sighted from the LSSL Bridge.		Polar bear Swimming alongside the LSSL. Photo by Kelly Young

We tossed out our first set of drift bottles. Information on the drift bottle project is here.

Drift bottles have been used for centuries to study ocean currents. Where will these end up?

We had our first snow (flurries).

We had the most wind -- 28 knots, with gusts up to 35 knots-- producing the biggest swells -- 6-8 feet-- so far on the cruise.

We passed some great-looking ice today.		After we finished working at the farthest west station, the ship turned around and headed NE. The turn made some great waves.

All photos by PolarTREC teacher Gerty Ward unless indicated.