Dispatch 11: Thanks to the Louis! : Beaufort Gyre Exploration Project

Since the last dispatch, the science party has been performing CTD casts at a frantic rate. Meanwhile, a JCAD buoy was retrieved, and today the CABOS mooring which we recovered early in the cruise was redeployed, marking the end of science operations. Over the next several days, we will steam back to Cambridge Bay where the scientists will disembark, and a crew change will take place.

Altogether, 5 different mooring systems were recovered, redeployed, or both, 30 CTD/Rosette stations (some with multiple casts) were taken, over 100 XCTDs were launched, and numerous Bongo nets were deployed, in what has historically been the most inaccessible region of the Arctic. The amount of data that was acquired will be used in numerous biological, chemical, and physical studies of the ocean and sea ice in Beaufort Gyre by scientists in the US, Canada, and Japan for years to come.

This field program could not have been accomplished without the fantastic support of the CCGS Louis S. St. Laurent, its officers, and crew. The effort and professionalism demonstrated by everyone from the mess deck to the bridge has been appreciated by all scientists, making this not only a productive cruise, but also a very enjoyable one. We would like to heartily thank the Canadian Coast Guard for making this cruise possible, and all the crew on board, including the Captain, officers, engineers, helicopter personnel, deck crew, technicians, mechanics, cooks, stewards and everyone else for ensuring that it was a complete success!

Dispatch 11: Thanks to the Louis!

Rick Krishfield

August 28-30, 2004